Germany welcomes motorhomes (and Sweden imposes a ban)

During this trip, we spent almost two months in Germany with our motorhome. As motorhome drivers, we have to say that we feel incredibly welcome everywhere. It is not at all like in Sweden, where the prohibition signs are starting to grow like mushrooms out of the ground.

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Plenty of pitches in Germany

In Germany, there are plenty of car parks. When you open your apps to look for a place to park for the night, there are always plenty of options to choose from. Sure, it can get crowded during high season and on weekends, but if you're ever running late, there's always a car park where you can stay overnight without having to worry about prohibition signs. You simply always feel welcome!

Tyskland välkomnar husbilar - fin ställplats i Wurzburg — The pitches in Würzburg are nicely located on the riverside

The pitches are nice and well located

Many German car parks are in really good locations. It varies, of course, but in many German cities the sites are within walking distance of the city centre. Sometimes you are given beautiful locations along rivers or streams. Other times, someone has taken the trouble to plant beautiful flower beds or build nice patios. All to make you feel comfortable and welcome!

Tyskland välkomnar husbilar - fin ställplats i Magdeburg — Motorhome parking in Magdeburg, with private riverside terrace

Motorway service stations offer good service

German campsites often offer very good service. In many cases there is every service you could wish for, including grey water drainage. Even in those sites that look like normal car parks, where you are competing with cars for space, there are often services specifically for motorhomes.

You simply pay a basic amount for the car park, unless it happens to be free. If you then want electricity, fresh water or to empty your tanks, you sometimes pay a little extra for this. Clear signs with pictures of motorhomes usually show where to find the services. You immediately feel welcome!

Tyskland välkomnar husbilar - fin ställplats i Vohenstrauss — RV park in Vohenstrauss, with services and electricity - all for free.

Spending the night in an ordinary car park in Germany

In Germany, you are allowed to sleep in your car in a car park or street, unless a sign says otherwise. Of course, there are some car parks that limit the number of hours you can stay, but we have never seen a specific ban on mobile homes. For the most part, it is perfectly possible to park in a car park, as long as you have room, and sleep in your car. And yes, you feel welcome!

A night in an ordinary car park - completely free of prohibition signs

What about in Sweden?

What about in Sweden? Yes, there are car parks in Sweden as well, and some are of course very nice. But there aren't enough sites, and sometimes you need to stop in a car park to sleep and continue your journey the next day.

When we drove in Skåne and Halland last year, we passed many places that would have worked. excellent to stay overnight. We are thinking in particular of large asphalt or gravel car parks, which are well located along the coast.

When you come in the low season, it's completely empty. There is not a single car there. You wouldn't disturb anyone, nor damage nature. Yet you are met with low barriers, specifically designed to prevent campervans, or prohibition signs clearly stating that campervans are not welcome.

Why is it that Germany so warmly welcomes campervans and is so keen on this type of tourism, while Sweden sometimes seems to want to do everything to scare us away?

15 June 2022 6:00

Camping life, Germany

campervan life, driving in Europe

Helena

Administrator

19 Comments

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Matts Torebring says:

So true about our country! I myself made a big effort in our municipality, to build a beautifully landscaped city centre & woodland car park, with only 10 pitches. An official said to me: "Just don't bring any motorhomes here."

In all our travels in Europe, Germany has been mostly a transit country and we have only used a few pitches. We have slept without incident in car parks and outside the Rasthouse.

15 June 2022 - 7:45

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Sad attitude when someone wants to build a nice car park! Why don't they want tourists? For smaller municipalities it should be a possibility!
  
  15 June 2022 - 19:00
  
  Reply
Anja says:

As true as it is said! We have travelled in Germany through all the years and just love it!!! A long time ago we travelled in an old VW bus that we had painted ourselves reed yellow instead of the original colour, which apparently was the same as German police cars!!! Parked for the night in a regular car park on the outskirts of a city (where there was some shady business going on) and in the morning when we had breakfast, the police suddenly knocked on the door and wondered who we were 🤨. Wondering if we had been sloppy with our bus painting and that there was a spot of the primer sticking out somewhere.... Hugs and continued nice trip (which I of course follow) 😊🙋‍♀️

15 June 2022 - 15:25

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Haha, funny story! And fun that you follow! 😀👍
  
  15 June 2022 - 23:36
  
  Reply
bmlarstravellingblog says:

We agree with everything you write, but unfortunately we believe that the behaviour of motorhome drivers may be the reason for some of the prohibition signs. In Bohuslän, Fricamping is prohibited in many places during the high season, but motorhomes are criss-crossed on the beautiful rocks on e.g. Bohuslän Malmön. How long will it be before it is banned all year round? Or the beautiful Råbäck harbour where there have been 5 or 6 places and have been clogged with about twenty cars so that the residents have not arrived ... Not to mention the motorhome owners who leave the garbage bag at the free camping site ...

15 June 2022 - 16:58

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, misbehaviour of course triggers a ban! Sad when people can't respect rules!
  
  15 June 2022 - 23:37
  
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Mickey says:

It's strange that people don't want motorhomes. The majority are middle-aged or retired. It is rather a good source of income,

15 June 2022 - 17:15

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, we think like that too! Most people spend money on something. whether it's going to a restaurant or shopping or something else.
  
  15 June 2022 - 23:39
  
  Reply
- Ted Eriksson says:
  
  I think the campsite owners are lobbying to get motorhomes into campsites. That's why some municipalities don't want to build pitches.
  
  16 June 2022 - 11:23
  
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BP says:

I have read somewhere that Sweden is not very interested in "campers". They don't spend any money, don't go out to restaurants, etc. That's why they build campsites so far away from urban centres. I don't know if that's true. But when I read your text ...

15 June 2022 - 20:23

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, some people might think so! But it feels strange. I think most motorhome drivers spend money on something. Even if it's not an expensive restaurant visit every day, it might be a coffee shop, some sightseeing, or a bit of shopping.
  
  15 June 2022 - 23:42
  
  Reply
Marie says:

What about caravans? Can we also stand "everywhere" in Germany or is it only motorhomes that are allowed?

15 June 2022 - 21:16

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  I don't know if I would say that motorhomes can be parked "everywhere". You are allowed to stay in parking spaces (of which there are plenty) and sleep in vehicles parked on the street or in a car park. I have little knowledge of what applies to caravans. We have seen a few caravans on pitches on occasion, but I'm not sure what rules usually apply unfortunately.
  
  15 June 2022 - 23:45
  
  Reply
Hasse says:

Could it possibly have to do with authorisation processes. That is, not barriers but the possibility of building a few nice parking spaces for companies and private individuals? I think the fact that there are barriers and the like is due to the mismanagement of motorhome drivers when it comes to the right of public access.

17 June 2022 - 7:21

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, mismanagement certainly has an impact. Unfortunately, if someone misbehaves, there are unfortunate consequences.
  
  28 July 2022 - 17:46
  
  Reply
Niklas says:

What we have that the Germans do not have is the right of public access, around where I live it is completely impossible to get to anywhere around the lakes because it is constantly full of Germans. And they don't spend much money in Sweden, they come here with a full car and leave their rubbish behind. If they have to fill up with 10 litres of diesel to get home, they probably cry. So I think the reason for many bans is so that we can get some money from them from the camping fee anyway.

28 July 2022 - 17:24

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Thank you for your comment Niklas! Many people talk about Allemansrätten, but I don't really see that it has any great significance when it comes to motorhomes. According to the Swedish off-road driving law, you may not park motor vehicles in forests, on beaches, in pastures or on lawns. In other words, it is asphalt, gravel or any other hard surface that applies. We are happy to park in such places, and we are also happy to pay for parking. But when there's a ban, you can't pay either, right? Camping is great sometimes, but it's not always what you're looking for (you might want a little more peace and quiet, or visit a city/attraction where there is no campsite nearby). However, it is very sad if motorhome drivers misbehave!!!! Littering is NOT allowed.
  
  28 July 2022 - 17:57
  
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- Mr Jan Venant says:
  
  I agree with you! I have had several "teaching sessions" for German camper van drivers this year alone where they grossly (and perhaps intentionally) misunderstand the Swedish right of public access.
  You are abroad and everything "that is forbidden in your home country is allowed here in Sweden".
  I have kindly evicted several motorhome drivers from car parks clearly marked "car class 1".
  
  01 August 2022 - 17:59
  
  Reply
Gunilla says:

We are planning to travel to Germany with our motorhome and it is the first time abroad. Wondering if you know what applies if we park in a regular car park. Is it ok to stand there as long as all the wheels of the motorhome are within the parking space or are there other rules?

29 July 2024 - 19:20

Reply

Germany welcomes motorhomes (and Sweden imposes a ban)

Plenty of pitches in Germany

The pitches are nice and well located

Motorway service stations offer good service

Spending the night in an ordinary car park in Germany

What about in Sweden?

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19 Comments

Matts Torebring says:

Helena says:

Anja says:

Helena says:

bmlarstravellingblog says:

Helena says:

Mickey says:

Helena says:

Ted Eriksson says:

BP says:

Helena says:

Marie says:

Helena says:

Hasse says:

Helena says:

Niklas says:

Helena says:

Mr Jan Venant says:

Gunilla says:

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