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Volkswagen's Autostadt

A VW automotive theme park in Wolfsburg, Germany

photo by Rainier Jensen

ABOVE: A night view of the Autostadt with its twin Autotürme, which are automated dispensers for car buyers who pick up VWs in Wolfsburg. INSET BELOW: A flowerpot bridge in the Autostadt, which is Germany's #2 theme park in popularity.


photoVolkswagen has been making cars in Wolfsburg, Germany since 1939, when the Volkswagenwerk was completed and the first Beetle--then known as the KdF--came off the assembly line.

Today, the made-to-order factory town of Wolfsburg has grown into a city of 123,000, and a former industrial area next to the Volkswagen factory has become the Autostadt, an automotive theme park that has attracted more than 10 million visitors since its opening on June 1, 2000.

Autostadt has a state-of-the-art car museum, brand pavilions for marques that range from Volkswagen to Lamborghini, driving courses for adults and children, tours of the world's largest auto factory, robot-guided ascents of the 20-story car towers, music festivals and other events, restaurants (don't miss the VW factory's renowned Currywurst), and even a luxury hotel.

Just as important, Autostadt is the home of Volkswagen's KundenCenter, or Customer Center, where car buyers can pick up custom-ordered VWs directly from the factory.

With a range of activities, a location next to Wolfsburg's world-class Phaeno science museum, and quick access from Berlin by high-speed ICE train, the Autostadt is a worthwhile destination for VW fans or anyone who's interested in cars.

Next page: GroupForum - Piazza


What to see and do:
Volkswagen Autostadt
GroupForum - Piazza
ZeitHaus museum
Brand pavilions
VW factory tours
Driver training
Car towers, delivery center
Restaurants, shopping

Practical advice:
Getting to Wolfsburg
Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg (hotel)

Related article:
Phaeno - Wolfsburg's science museum

About the author:

Durant Imboden photo.Durant Imboden is a professional travel writer, book author, and editor who focuses on European cities and transportation.

After 4-1/2 years of covering European travel topics for About.com, Durant and Cheryl Imboden co-founded Europe for Visitors (now including Germany for Visitors) in 2001. The site has earned "Best of the Web" honors from Forbes and The Washington Post.

For more information, see About Europe for Visitors, press clippings, and reader testimonials.


Top photo: Autostadt. Photographer: Rainier Jensen.