Karlsgraben

Bicycle lane and steering point

The most important facts in brief

Karlsgraben is part of the ring of ditches surrounding the old town. This is to be redesigned into a cycle distribution ring. In August 2024, the entire length of Karlsgraben was converted into a cycle lane and the road surface was painted red. In this context, Templergraben has also become a cycle lane as far as Schinkelstraße.

To make this possible, the so-called "Karlsgraben control point" was set up at the same time. This means that vehicles may only turn right from Karlsgraben into Jakobstraße on the outward side of the city; the same rule applies coming from Löhergraben due to the requirement to turn left. The measure is part of the overall concept"City center mobility for tomorrow".

Current

A complaint was filed against the new traffic routing introduced in August 2024. This action was dismissed by the Aachen Administrative Court in July 2025 in a decision in interim summary proceedings. Find out more on the pages of the Aachen Administrative Court.

Existing ambiguities and deficiencies in the markings and signage at the Karlsgraben control point were corrected in June 2025 in order to implement the requirements of the road traffic regulations clearly and with legal certainty.

Map

New traffic regulations in the western city center

With the completion of the current marking and signage measures, the traffic routing in the western city center will change. The task and aim of the measure is to shift through traffic on this section of Grabenring to Alleenring and thus make the situation more relaxed for all remaining road users. All roads in the area shown in purple are accessible to all road users with a motor vehicle without a special permit via Königstraße, Vaalser-/Jakobstraße and Lochnerstraße in the middle.

All roads in the area shown in orange are accessible to all road users with a motor vehicle without a special permit via Vaalserstrasse/Jakobstrasse and Karmeliterstrasse and the roads in between. From Jakobstraße in the direction of the city center, it is still permitted to drive straight ahead, to the right and to the left. The following driving options will change:

• Coming from Alexianergraben or Löhergraben, you can only turn left at Jakobstraße.
• Coming from Templergraben or Karlsgraben, you can only turn right at Jakobstraße.

The new "Innenstadtnavi" Aachen city center navigation system at https://zukunftsrouting.aachen.de/ provides information on all permitted travel options through this intervention

These restrictions do not apply to emergency vehicles, scheduled services, delivery traffic and cabs. For many people who travel to and through Aachen by car, the change will mean a change of routine. The most important points are clearly explained using slides in the audio presentation available here.

On Löhergraben, a delivery and loading zone will also be set up directly in front of the junction with Jakobstraße, as well as the first of a total of 16 parking spaces for e-scooters that have been politically approved. Two further parking spaces for e-scooters will be created on Karlsgraben and Templergraben. It has been agreed with the scooter rental companies that e-scooters can no longer be parked next to these parking spaces.

Exemptions

There are exemptions for social services, delivery traffic and trades, as well as in specially justified individual cases.

Regulation for social services

From now on, social services can apply for a parking permit as well as an exemption to drive through at control points. The exemption will be granted if the social services confirm that they need to care for people in adjacent development areas. The costs for parking permits and exemptions are to be set at 155 euros per year for one vehicle in the city of Aachen. In future, the parking permit will cost 120 euros and the exemption permit 35 euros per year. At present, social services in the city of Aachen have to pay a fee of 155 euros per year per vehicle just for the parking permit. In future, the parking permit will only cost 120 euros. The city assumes that social services will become even more involved in neighborhood planning when designing their routes on the basis of the new cost calculation.

Exceptions for delivery traffic and trade 

In addition, craft businesses have the option of obtaining a special permit to drive through the control points in the city center in the event of an emergency. To do so, businesses must describe typical emergency situations in a simple procedure. As with the social services, applications for tradesmen's parking permits and exemptions can be combined if desired. The exemption permit costs 35 euros per year. Craftsman parking permits currently cost 120 euros per year per vehicle.

Regulations for specially justified individual cases

There are also special regulations for other applicants. For example, residents and people with restricted mobility must state special reasons in an informal application in order to obtain a special permit. The following applies to all permits: Passage at the control points should be limited as far as possible. The permit is issued for one year. The application must be resubmitted after one year. The administration will then re-examine the legal requirements existing at the time of the application and the local conditions with regard to the exemption permit.

Public transport, cabs, bicycle traffic and e-scooters are given free passage via additional signage at the control points. Special vehicles such as refuse collection, street cleaning, fire departments on duty, the police, the German Armed Forces, the Federal Police, civil protection and customs services have special rights in accordance with Section 35 of the Road Traffic Regulations, irrespective of the signage. A special regulation is therefore not necessary.

Applications can be submitted immediately at: ausnahmegenehmigungen@mail.aachen.de

Overall concept "Inner-city mobility for tomorrow" - A joint plan!

The Karlsgraben cycle lane and the associated Karlsgraben control point are part of the overall concept "City center mobility for tomorrow", which was adopted by the Aachen City Council in December 2023. The overall concept aims to ensure that the city center can be reached safely and safely by all means of transport. The specific objectives of the overall concept were formulated as follows The city center should be easily accessible. Interaction in road traffic should be considerate and relaxed. People should be able to live quietly in the city center and enjoy being together. In addition to making car traffic compatible with the city, pedestrian, bicycle and bus traffic should be strengthened as an environmental network and the quality of life in the city center should be improved. Ultimately, the aim is to be more considerate of one another, to network mobility options and to make urban traffic climate-neutral.

The overall concept is explained here: www.innenstadtmobilitaet-morgen.de. The concept is explained particularly vividly in a "scrollytelling" with four people and their paths in Aachen here.

For many people who travel to and through Aachen by car, the change means getting used to a new way of life. That's why the administration provided information about the "City center mobility for tomorrow" concept and the new traffic routing at the Karlsgraben control point in a digital event: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvKa-Vqo3dM. 

What does the measure cost?

The Karlsgraben control point mainly involved marking and signage measures. In Karlsgraben, the road surface was also coated in red epoxy resin. In addition, parking spaces for e-scooters and parking facilities for (cargo) bicycles were created. The commissioned work has a volume of around 230,000 euros.

Website

https://innenstadtmobilitaet-morgen.de/

Council info template