Engelberg to Kinderdijk: Epic Road Trip Guide

The A2 motorway from Engelberg to Kinderdijk covers 760 km, crossing four countries. Locals call the stretch near Arnhem the 'Dutch Alps' due to its surprising hills. The route famously includes the 16.9 km Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's longest railway tunnel, but road travelers use the parallel A2 pass tunnel.

Planning this drive means balancing alpine passes with flat Dutch polders. The how to find the best stops and hidden gems between cities guide helps uncover detours like the Teufelsbrücke (Devil's Bridge) in Schöllenen Gorge.

The route transitions from alpine meadows (Engelberg) to the Rhine Valley's vineyards (Basel), then the industrial Ruhr, and finally the flat polders of South Holland. Kinderdijk, a UNESCO site with 19 windmills from 1740, lies 2 m below sea level.

UNESCO sites along route: the Old Town of Bern (detour 1h), the Cologne Cathedral (near A3), and the Wadden Sea (north detour). Short detour to the Zollverein Coal Mine (Essen) for industrial heritage.

• Culinary stops: Gasthof zum Sternen (Altdorf, Switzerland) for Älplermagronen; Raststätte Siegburg (Germany) for schnitzel; De Dagjesman (Kinderdijk) for poffertjes.
• Local crafts: Swiss woodcarving in Engelberg; Dutch cheese at cheese farms near Rotterdam; German cuckoo clocks in the Black Forest (if you detour).

Fuel costs vary: Switzerland CHF 1.80/l, Germany €1.70/l, Netherlands €1.90/l. For a 760 km trip at 8 L/100km, expect ~€100-120. Topography affects consumption: the climb to Gotthard Pass (2,106 m) adds 15% fuel use, while flat German sections improve efficiency.

Fuel stations are plentiful on German autobahns, but in Switzerland, stations close 20:00-06:00. Use the A2 tunnel to avoid Gotthard Pass in winter; the tunnel toll is CHF 40 one-way. Tolls in Germany are covered by the vignette; Netherlands requires no toll except the Westerscheldetunnel (€5.00).

• Swiss vignette: €40 (annual, mandatory on motorways)
• German vignette: €2.50/day (for trucks only; cars free on autobahns)
• Netherlands: no vignette for cars

Road quality is excellent, but Swiss alpine roads have tight curves. Night illumination is sparse on Gotthard Pass; use the tunnel after dark. Speed limits: 120 km/h (Switzerland), none on German autobahns (advisory 130), 130 km/h (Netherlands).

Family-friendly: Verkehrshaus (Lucerne), Phantasialand (Brühl, Germany), and the Open Air Museum (Arnhem). Pet-friendly: Raststätte Großen-Buseck (Germany) has a dog park; Cafe 't Sluisje (Kinderdijk) allows dogs on terrace.

• Rest zones: Raststätte Berghäuser (A3, Germany) for nap cabins; Tank & Rast Wi-Fi spots; Parkplatz Teufelsbrücke (Andermatt) scenic break.
• Hidden off-route: the abandoned village of Kasterlee (Belgium, 5 min off A27); the ruined castle Burg Lichtenberg (near A62).