Germany from Sweden — the Autobahn, the Left Lane & a Looser Alcohol Limit
Sweden
Germany
Yes: a Swedish licence is an EU licence, valid in Germany as issued, so you can drive there from Sweden with no permit. Expect faster Autobahn stretches with only a 130 km/h advisory, a 100 km/h rural default and a 0.05% alcohol limit.
Can you drive from Sweden to Germany by car on your own licence? Yes, with nothing extra to arrange. A Swedish licence is an EU licence, valid in Germany as issued, with no permit or translation. Keep it with the car’s papers, and you have everything. Whether you come down through Denmark or roll off a ferry, the border itself does not change the rules. What changes the moment you are in Germany is the speed of the traffic around you, and a few numbers on the dashboard.
Why the open Autobahn feels different
At home the top limit is 110 km/h. In Germany, where no sign sets a limit, the Autobahn has only a recommended speed of 130 km/h, and faster cars close from behind quickly. The speed at which they close is the point: the left lane is not a cruising lane. Section 2 of the StVO requires you to keep right, and blocking the left lane is a fineable offence.
A routine that works well for Swedish drivers:
- Cruise in the right-hand lane, even if it feels slow.
- Before pulling out, check the mirror twice, and the second time look further back than you think you need to.
- Finish the overtake and move back immediately.
Large stretches are signed lower through junctions, roadworks and built-up areas, and those limits are enforced with cameras.
The numbers, side by side
| Sweden | Germany | |
|---|---|---|
| Towns | 50 km/h | 50 km/h |
| Rural roads | 70 km/h | 100 km/h |
| Motorway | 110 km/h | advisory 130, often unlimited |
| Alcohol | 0.02 | 0.05 |
| Emergency | 112 | 112, police direct 110 |
Rural roads are the quiet surprise. Swedes who keep to 70 on a Landstrasse will have German traffic stacked behind them, although 70 is of course safe if a sign says so. Check the sign, then the mirror.
A looser alcohol limit, not a licence to use it
Germany allows 0.5 per mille, against Sweden’s 0.2. Drivers under 21 and anyone in their probationary period must not drink at all. Checks are routine, and a limit that is looser than yours is no reason to learn it. If you are driving with a young passenger who has a new licence, remember their limit is zero.
Fines in euro, compared with kronor at home
German speeding fines are small at the low end and grow quickly. Up to 10 km/h over costs EUR 20-30; 11-15 over, EUR 40-50; 16-20 over, EUR 60-70; 26-30 over, EUR 80-180; 51-60 over, EUR 240-560. Compare Sweden, where being 10 over is SEK 2,000 (about EUR 175) and 30 over is SEK 4,000 or income-based day-fines. A German red-light offence is EUR 90 plus a point within the first second, EUR 200, two points and a one-month ban after that. Sweden’s is SEK 5,000 (about EUR 435). A phone in your hand in Germany is EUR 100 plus a point, and a missing seatbelt is EUR 30, against SEK 1,500 for each at home.
So German fines are lighter for the same speed, but points and bans follow the serious ones. The speeding fine calculator shows the higher bands.
Equipment and Umweltzonen
Swedes know the warning triangle, which is required in both countries. Germany also requires a reflective vest and a first-aid kit; Sweden only recommends them, so a rental from Germany will carry them but your own car may not. German cities with an Umweltzone require the green sticker, and entering without one costs EUR 100. From 1 October 2026, a car with a German E-plate, or a foreign-registered electric car carrying the blue E badge, is exempt.
Before you leave
Check that the car has the vest and first-aid kit, buy the sticker if you plan to enter a city zone, and save 110 next to 112. The Germany driving guide covers winter tyres and other details.
Sources
- Directive 2006/126/EC on driving licences, article 2 (mutual recognition): eur-lex.europa.eu
- Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung §2 (keep right) and §3(3) (50 km/h in towns, 100 km/h outside): gesetze-im-internet.de
- Bußgeldkatalog-Verordnung, annex table 1c (speeding fines) and number 153 (EUR 100 Umweltzone fine): gesetze-im-internet.de
- Straßenverkehrsgesetz §24a (0.5 per mille) and §24c (zero for probationary drivers and under-21s): gesetze-im-internet.de
- BImSchV, Annex 3 number 11 (E-plate and blue E badge exemption from 1 October 2026): gesetze-im-internet.de
- StVZO §53a (warning triangle, vest) and §35h (first-aid kit): gesetze-im-internet.de
- WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Sweden profile (0.02 g/dl): who.int
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
Side-by-side driving rules comparison
Renting a Car?
Compare prices from all major rental companies. Free cancellation on most bookings.
Compare Car Rental PricesSome links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How our affiliate links work.
More Free Tools
Explore TyreMap
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.
Checked against national legislation, 20 Oct 2026 · Full Germany tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
On some stretches, yes: where no sign sets a limit, the 130 km/h figure is only a recommended speed. Many sections are signed lower, and those limits are enforced. Up to 10 km/h over costs EUR 30 in town and EUR 20 outside, rising to EUR 50 and EUR 40 at 11-15 km/h over.
No. A Swedish licence is an EU licence and is valid in Germany as issued, with no permit or translation. Carry it with the car's documents.
Germany sets 0.5 per mille (0.05%), looser than Sweden's 0.2 per mille. Drivers under 21 and those in their probationary period must not drink at all. The safe plan is still none before driving.