Heidenheim Scrapped Its Umweltzone in 2024, Free for 2026
Heidenheim an der Brenz, Germany · Umweltzone
Heidenheim an der Brenz has scrapped its environmental zone — no emission sticker, permit or low-emission penalty applies today.
Can your car enter Heidenheim an der Brenz?
Heidenheim an der Brenz abolished its Umweltzone on 1 January 2024, so no green Umweltplakette is required and no low-emission fine applies to a car driven here today. The eastern Swabian town, crowned by Hellenstein Castle above the rooftops and home to both the Voith industrial group and a Bundesliga football club, is easy to reach and park in without a sticker.
This page covers driving around Heidenheim. For the emission classes and zone boundary, see the Heidenheim emission zone details.
Is There an Environmental Zone in Heidenheim an der Brenz?
No. Heidenheim an der Brenz has scrapped its environmental zone, so no sticker, permit or low-emission fine applies to your car today. Heidenheim abolished its Umweltzone on 1 January 2024. No green Umweltplakette is required to drive here any more, and no low-emission fine applies. Source: Umweltbundesamt federal register.
Green sticker, then park and walk
Get the Umweltplakette (around EUR 10-12, permanent — German rentals carry one); check the rules before driving in. Park in a garage and walk the centre, with the hilltop Hellenstein Castle a short drive or climb up. Germany’s limits: 50 km/h urban, 0.05% alcohol.
When the car helps
Keep it for the eastern Swabian Alb — the Brenz valley, the Steinheim meteorite crater, the caves, and the road toward Ulm — driven from a central garage.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Full requirements, sticker info & exemptions
Renting a Car in Heidenheim an der Brenz?
Compare prices from all major rental companies. Free cancellation on most bookings.
See Heidenheim an der Brenz Rental PricesSome links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Winter tyres in Germany — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are required in Germany whenever conditions are wintry — Situational (when conditions require: ice, snow, slush, black ice).
- Tread minimum: 1.6 mm — Germany sets no separate winter figure.
- Accepted marking: 3PMSF only — the M+S transitional rule no longer applies to cars (StVZO §36(4))
- Studded tyres: banned
- Penalty: EUR 60 + 1 point; EUR 80 if you obstruct traffic; EUR 75 for the vehicle owner
In German the rule is Winterreifenpflicht, and snow chains are Schneeketten — that is the wording on signs, in hire-car paperwork and on any penalty notice.
Verified against national legislation, August 2026 · Full Germany tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Heidenheim an der Brenz has scrapped its environmental zone, so no sticker or permit applies. Heidenheim abolished its Umweltzone on 1 January 2024. No green Umweltplakette is required to drive here any more, and no low-emission fine applies. Source: Umweltbundesamt federal register.
Schloss Hellenstein is the hilltop castle above Heidenheim, a former medieval and Renaissance fortress whose ruins and surviving buildings crown the hill with sweeping views over the town and the Brenz valley. It houses a museum (including a notable collection of historic carriages and sleighs) and hosts an open-air theatre festival in summer. Reaching it (by a short drive or a steep walk up) is the highlight of a visit, a green and historic counterpoint to the industrial town below.
1. FC Heidenheim is the town's football club, which rose remarkably from the lower leagues to reach the Bundesliga, Germany's top division, a fairy-tale success for a club from a relatively small town, playing at the Voith-Arena on the hillside. The club's rise put Heidenheim on the football map and is a source of great local pride. On match days the area around the stadium is busy.
No. Heidenheim an der Brenz has scrapped its environmental zone, so no sticker or permit applies. Heidenheim abolished its Umweltzone on 1 January 2024. No green Umweltplakette is required to drive here any more, and no low-emission fine applies. Source: Umweltbundesamt federal register.
No. Heidenheim an der Brenz has scrapped its environmental zone, so no sticker or permit applies. Heidenheim abolished its Umweltzone on 1 January 2024. No green Umweltplakette is required to drive here any more, and no low-emission fine applies. Source: Umweltbundesamt federal register.
More Cities in Germany
Most-checked zones right now
The zone pages drivers are looking up most this month — each with an interactive map, sticker rules and fines.