The European route E 314 is a road in Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 and a part of the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 International E-road network

International E-road network

The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe . The network is numbered from E 1 up and its roads cross national borders...

. Approximately 125 kilometres (77.7 mi) long, it connects the Belgian

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 university city of Leuven

Leuven

Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...

 with Aachen

Aachen

Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...

, Charlemagne's

Charlemagne

Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...

 capital during the early ninth century, and today a bustling commercial centre in Germany's

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 North Rhine-Westphalia

North Rhine-Westphalia

North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...

.

Three Nations

For most of its length the E 314 is in Belgium where it tracks the A2

A2 motorway (Belgium)

The A2 is a Belgian motorway that coincides completely with the Belgian part of the European route E314. It starts in Leuven, at the junction with the A3/E40 in the province of Flemish Brabant. Then it goes through the province of Limburg, where it crosses the A13/E313 in Lummen. It ends at the...

. It then crosses briefly into Dutch Limburg

Limburg (Netherlands)

Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...

, the most southerly province of The Netherlands before an even briefer stretch between the Dutch-German frontier and Aachen: the German section tracks the start of the Autobahn A 4, which continues beyond Aachen all the way to Görlitz

Görlitz

Görlitz is a town in Germany. It is the easternmost town in the country, located on the Lusatian Neisse River in the Bundesland of Saxony. It is opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, which was a part of Görlitz until 1945. Historically, Görlitz was in the region of Upper Lusatia...

.

In Belgium the road is of standard autoroute quality with two lanes in each direction. The Dutch section includes a short six lane section but also the only part of the E 314 of sub-autoroute quality, though even here the road uses a dual carriageway lay-out.

Highlights of the route

Between the end points, the road also serves Hasselt

Hasselt

Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg...

, the capital of Limburg

Limburg (Belgium)

Limburg is the easternmost province of modern Flanders, which is one of the three main political and cultural sub-divisions of modern Belgium. It is located west of the river Meuse . It borders on the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Limburg and the Belgian provinces of Liège, Flemish Brabant...

 and the industrial city of Genk

Genk

Genk is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the city of Genk itself...

 where Ford

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

 build their Mondeo

Ford Mondeo

The Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993, and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door estate, all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in the Belgian city of Genk...

 model. The Belgian section continues through the Hoge Kempen National Park

Hoge Kempen National Park

The Hoge Kempen National Park is the first National Park in the Flemish Region in Belgium. It is located in the East of the Province of Limburg, between Genk and the Meuse Valley....

: in 2005 the Kikbeek Ecoduct

Wildlife crossing

Wildlife crossings are structures that allow animals to cross human-made barriers safely. Wildlife crossings may include: underpass tunnels, viaducts, and overpasses ; amphibian tunnels; fish ladders; tunnels and culverts ; green roofs .Wildlife crossings are a...

 was opened here, whereby the road runs through a short tunnel section above which wild life has space to cross the road in relative safety.

The Dutch section is noteworthy for the sight of a large chemical plant shortly after crossing the frontier from Belgium. In the Netherlands, near to Heerlen

Heerlen

Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the province of Limburg. It forms part of Parkstad Limburg, , an agglomeration of about 220,000 inhabitants.After its early Roman beginnings and a rather modest medieval period, Heerlen...

, the E 414 also crosses the Dutch A2 Highway

A2 motorway (Netherlands)

The A2 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands. It is one of the busiest highways in the Netherlands. The road connects the city of Amsterdam, near the interchange Amstel, with the Belgian border, near Maastricht and Liège , and the Belgian road A25....

, a major artery of the Dutch roadway network, connecting nearby Maastricht

Maastricht

Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...

 with the heart of the country and Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

.

Language changes

The area covered by this road has historically been at the frontier between two or three different linguistic regions. The language frontiers have shifted backwards and forwards over the centuries. Place names on the E 314 will be known to English speakers by different names according to when the 'English' language name was adopted into the English language. Most famously, at the eastern end of the road Aachen

Aachen

Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...

 is still known to some English speakers (and in their nineteenth century literature) by its French name as Aix or Aix-la-Chapelle, while road signs in Limburg will use the Flemish spelling, Aken.

At the western end of the road Leuven

Leuven

Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...

 is located firmly in the Flemish speaking part of Belgium, but the city and its university still respect (and for some purposes accord equal status to) the French version of the name, Louvain: this recalls many centuries during which French was the hallmark language of ruling elites in many countries in western, central and southern Europe, while the German and Flemish languages were significantly more fragmented into their regional dialects than during the nationalistic twentieth century.

The route

E 314 Leuven (Louvain) - Aachen (Aken, Aix la Chapelle)
State	National Road Number	Section	Junction (national numbering)	Pan European International E-road network The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe . The network is numbered from E 1 up and its roads cross national borders...  road connections
......Province
Brabant (Flemish) Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven... Limburg Limburg (Belgium) Limburg is the easternmost province of modern Flanders, which is one of the three main political and cultural sub-divisions of modern Belgium. It is located west of the river Meuse . It borders on the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Limburg and the Belgian provinces of Liège, Flemish Brabant...	A2 A2 motorway (Belgium) The A2 is a Belgian motorway that coincides completely with the Belgian part of the European route E314. It starts in Leuven, at the junction with the A3/E40 in the province of Flemish Brabant. Then it goes through the province of Limburg, where it crosses the A13/E313 in Lummen. It ends at the...	Leuven Leuven Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...  - Lummen Lummen Lummen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Lummen had a total population of 13,691. The total area is 53.38 km² which gives a population density of 256 inhabitants per km²....	A 2 Heverlee Heverlee Heverlee is a town in Belgium. It is a deelgemeente of the city of Leuven. Heverlee is bordered by Herent, Bertem, Oud Heverlee and several other municipalities that are part of Leuven .... A 2 15 Leuven Leuven Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium... A 2 16 Gasthuisberg Leuven Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...   A 2 17 Winksele Herent Herent is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Herent proper, Veltem-Beisem and Winksele. On January 1, 2006 Herent had a total population of 19,218. The total area is 32.73 km² which gives a population density of 587 inhabitants... A 2 18 Herent Herent Herent is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Herent proper, Veltem-Beisem and Winksele. On January 1, 2006 Herent had a total population of 19,218. The total area is 32.73 km² which gives a population density of 587 inhabitants...   A 2 19 (Exit closed) A 2 20 Wilsele Wilsele Wilsele is a part of the city of Leuven, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium.The Canal Leuven-Dijle which runs from Leuven to Mechelen passes through Wilsele and separates this part of Leuven into two parts: Wilsele-Dorp and Wilsele-Putkapel. Due to the physical separation, both parts have gone... A 2 21 Holsbeek Holsbeek Holsbeek is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Holsbeek proper, Kortrijk-Dutsel, Nieuwrode and Sint-Pieters-Rode. On January 1, 2006 Holsbeek had a total population of 9,205... A 2 Wezemaal Rotselaar Rotselaar is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish-Brabant, near the convergence of the Demer and the Dijle. Since January 1, 1977 the municipality comprises the towns of Rotselaar proper, Werchter and Wezemaal. On January 1, 2006 Rotselaar had a total population of 15,068... A 2 22 Aarschot Aarschot Aarschot is a city and municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Aarschot proper and the towns of Gelrode, Langdorp and Rillaar. On January 1, 2006 Aarschot had a total population of 27,864...   A 2 23 Tielt-Winge Tielt-Winge Tielt-Winge is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Houwaart, Meensel-Kiezegem, Sint-Joris-Winge and Tielt. On January 1, 2006 Tielt-Winge had a total population of 10,009. The total area is 44.16 km² which gives a population...   A 2 24 Bekkevoort Bekkevoort Bekkevoort is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Assent, Bekkevoort proper and Molenbeek-Wersbeek. On January 1, 2006 Bekkevoort had a total population of 5,826. The total area is 37.17 km² which gives a population density of...   A 2 25 Halen Halen Halen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg, to the east of Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Halen had a total population of 8,624. The total area is 36.29 km² which gives a population density of 238 inhabitants per km²....   A 2 26 Lummen Lummen Lummen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Lummen had a total population of 13,691. The total area is 53.38 km² which gives a population density of 256 inhabitants per km²....  centre A 2 Lummen Lummen Lummen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Lummen had a total population of 13,691. The total area is 53.38 km² which gives a population density of 256 inhabitants per km²....	E 40 European route E40 European route E 40 is the longest European route, more than long, connecting Calais in France via Belgium, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan, with Ridder in Kazakhstan near the border to China....   E 313 European route E313 The European route E 313 is a road in Europe and a part of the United Nations International E-road network. Approximately long, it connects the Belgian port city of Antwerp to Liège, the commercial and industrial centre of Wallonia...
Limburg Limburg (Belgium) Limburg is the easternmost province of modern Flanders, which is one of the three main political and cultural sub-divisions of modern Belgium. It is located west of the river Meuse . It borders on the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Limburg and the Belgian provinces of Liège, Flemish Brabant...	A2 A2 motorway (Belgium) The A2 is a Belgian motorway that coincides completely with the Belgian part of the European route E314. It starts in Leuven, at the junction with the A3/E40 in the province of Flemish Brabant. Then it goes through the province of Limburg, where it crosses the A13/E313 in Lummen. It ends at the...	Lummen Lummen Lummen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006 Lummen had a total population of 13,691. The total area is 53.38 km² which gives a population density of 256 inhabitants per km²....  - Maasmechelen Maasmechelen Maasmechelen is a municipality located on the Meuse river in the Belgian province of Limburg. The Maasmechelen municipality comprises the former communes of Mechelen-aan-de-Maas, Vucht, Leut, Meeswijk, Uikhoven, Eisden, Opgrimbie, Boorsem, and Kotem...	A 2 27 Zolder-Terlaemen A 2 28 Zolder Heusden-Zolder Heusden-Zolder is a municipality located in the Belgian province of province of Limburg near Hasselt. On 1 January 2006 Heusden-Zolder had a total population of 30,769...   A 2 29 Houthalen-Helchteren Houthalen-Helchteren Houthalen-Helchteren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. Houthalen-Helchteren consists of: Houthalen-centrum, Houthalen-Oost, Laak, Meulenberg and Lillo. On January 1, 2006 Houthalen-Helchteren had a total population of 29,945... A 2 30 Park Midden-Limburg  A 2 31 Genk Genk Genk is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the city of Genk itself...  centre A 2 32 Genk Genk Genk is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the city of Genk itself...  east A 2 33 Maasmechelen Maasmechelen Maasmechelen is a municipality located on the Meuse river in the Belgian province of Limburg. The Maasmechelen municipality comprises the former communes of Mechelen-aan-de-Maas, Vucht, Leut, Meeswijk, Uikhoven, Eisden, Opgrimbie, Boorsem, and Kotem...
......Province
Limburg Limburg (Netherlands) Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...	A76	Maasmechelen Maasmechelen Maasmechelen is a municipality located on the Meuse river in the Belgian province of Limburg. The Maasmechelen municipality comprises the former communes of Mechelen-aan-de-Maas, Vucht, Leut, Meeswijk, Uikhoven, Eisden, Opgrimbie, Boorsem, and Kotem...  - Kerensheide	A 76 1 Stein Stein Stein is a German and Norwegian word meaning "stone" and may refer to:* Beer stein* Stein , a beer brewery in Bratislava, Slovakia* USS Stein , a frigate in the U.S... A 76 Kerensheide	E 25 European route E25 European route E 25 is a north-south European route from Hoek van Holland in the Netherlands to Palermo in Italy which includes ferry crossings from Genoa to Bastia , from Bonifacio to Porto Torres and from Cagliari to Palermo .It passes through the following cities:Hoek van Holland –...
Limburg Limburg (Netherlands) Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...	A76	Kerensheide - Simpelveld Simpelveld Simpelveld is a municipality and a town in the southeastern Netherlands.Simpelveld has a heritage railway station and is the homebase of the South Limburg Railway Compagny ZLSM . On one weekend in October there is a Day out with Thomas from the children's television series Thomas and...	A 76 2 Geleen Geleen Geleen is a city in the southern part of the province of Limburg in the Netherlands. With 33,960 inhabitants, it is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen. Geleen is situated along the river Geleenbeek, a right tributary to the river Meuse. The town centre is situated at about 60 m above sea... A 76 3 Spaubeek Spaubeek Spaubeek is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Beek, about 3 km south of the town of Geleen.Spaubeek was a separate municipality until 1982, when it was merged with Beek.-Jansgeleen Castle :... A 76 4 Schinnen Schinnen Schinnen is a municipality and a town in the province of Limburg, the Netherlands. It is home to US Army Garrison Schinnen, a support base for US personnel assigned to nearby Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum... A 76 5 Nuth Nuth Nuth is a municipality and a village in the Dutch province of Limburg, situated in the southern Netherlands.The village Nuth has 5,548 inhabitants, and is with that the largest village of the municipality. The town hall of the municipality Nuth is also situated in the village Nuth... A 76 Ten Esschen  A 76 6 Voerendaal Voerendaal - Population centres :Barrier, Colmont, Craubeek, Dolberg, Eyserheide, Fromberg, Heek, Hellebeuk, Klimmen, Koulen, Kunrade, Mingersberg, Opscheumer, Overheek, Ransdaal, Retersbeek, Termaar, Termoors, Ubachsberg, Voerendaal, Weustenrade, Winthagen.-History:... A 76 Kunderberg  A 76 7 Simpelveld Simpelveld Simpelveld is a municipality and a town in the southeastern Netherlands.Simpelveld has a heritage railway station and is the homebase of the South Limburg Railway Compagny ZLSM . On one weekend in October there is a Day out with Thomas from the children's television series Thomas and...
Limburg Limburg (Netherlands) Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...	A76	Simpelveld Simpelveld Simpelveld is a municipality and a town in the southeastern Netherlands.Simpelveld has a heritage railway station and is the homebase of the South Limburg Railway Compagny ZLSM . On one weekend in October there is a Day out with Thomas from the children's television series Thomas and...  - Bocholtz	A 76 Bocholtz
...District (Kreis)
AC	A 4	Bocholtz - Aachen Aachen Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...	A 4 Bocholtz  A 4 2 Aachen Aachen Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ... -Laurensberg A 4 3 Aachen Aachen Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...  centre A 4 4 Kreuz Aachen Aachen Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...	E 40 European route E40 European route E 40 is the longest European route, more than long, connecting Calais in France via Belgium, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan, with Ridder in Kazakhstan near the border to China....