Europe Road Trip Costs 2026: Fuel $0.91 to $2.91 a Litre
Petrol costs 3.2 times as much in Denmark as in Belarus: official prices run $0.91 to $2.91 a litre across 37 countries, before tolls and vignettes.
Petrol across Europe runs from $0.91 a litre in Belarus to $2.91 in Denmark on official, dated prices; at 7 litres per 100 km that is $0.06 to $0.20 of fuel per kilometre before tolls.
Filling the same tank costs 3.2 times as much in Denmark as in Belarus, and that spread decides where a long European drive gets expensive. Official petrol prices run from $0.91 to $2.91 a litre across the 37 countries in the table below (EU figures from the European Commission’s bulletin of 19 October 2026), and diesel is the dearer fuel in 33 of them at the moment. Tolls then move the total further: France and Italy charge by the kilometre, Germany and the Netherlands charge cars nothing, and the vignette countries want paying before you use the motorway.
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- 37 European countries with an official, dated fuel price and their toll system
- Cheapest petrol: Belarus, Russia, Malta
- Dearest petrol: Denmark, Norway
- Diesel dearer than petrol in 33 of 37 countries
Fuel & Toll Overview
| Country | Petrol ($/L) | Diesel ($/L) | Toll system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | $2.34 | $2.63 | free |
| Austria | $2.03 | $2.39 | vignette |
| Belarus | $0.91 | $0.91 | toll_booth |
| Belgium | $2.22 | $2.63 | free |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | $1.60 | $1.69 | toll_booth |
| Bulgaria | $1.84 | $2.11 | vignette |
| Croatia | $2.02 | $2.19 | toll_booth |
| Cyprus | $1.97 | $2.26 | free |
| Czechia | $2.08 | $2.19 | vignette |
| Denmark | $2.91 | $2.80 | bridge_tunnel |
| Estonia | $2.19 | $2.31 | free |
| Finland | $2.60 | $2.83 | free |
| France | $2.49 | $2.62 | toll_booth |
| Germany | $2.44 | $2.54 | free |
| Greece | $2.45 | $2.38 | toll_booth |
| Hungary | $1.98 | $2.18 | vignette |
| Ireland | $2.20 | $2.39 | toll_booth |
| Italy | $2.26 | $2.51 | toll_booth |
| Latvia | $2.18 | $2.31 | free |
| Lithuania | $2.18 | $2.48 | free |
| Luxembourg | $2.00 | $2.33 | free |
| Malta | $1.50 | $1.35 | free |
| Moldova | $1.84 | $1.99 | vignette |
| Montenegro | $2.01 | $2.22 | toll_booth |
| Netherlands | $2.67 | $2.75 | free |
| North Macedonia | $1.75 | $1.80 | toll_booth |
| Norway | $2.80 | $2.95 | toll_ring |
| Poland | $1.75 | $2.00 | mixed |
| Portugal | $2.35 | $2.43 | toll_booth |
| Romania | $2.12 | $2.29 | vignette |
| Russia | $0.98 | $1.05 | unknown |
| Slovakia | $2.11 | $2.18 | vignette |
| Slovenia | $1.96 | $2.12 | vignette |
| Spain | $1.99 | $2.11 | mixed |
| Sweden | $1.83 | $2.28 | congestion_tax |
| Switzerland | $2.45 | $2.75 | vignette |
| United Kingdom | $2.33 | $2.66 | unknown |
Sample Route Costs
Fuel estimates below use a mid-size car at 7 L/100 km and the average official petrol price of the countries on the route; your split of kilometres per country will move the figure.
Amsterdam to Rome via the Brenner (~1,750 km)
- Fuel:
122 L at $2.35, the average petrol price of the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Italy = **$288** - Tolls: Austrian 10-day vignette €12.80 (ASFINAG), plus the separate Brenner motorway section toll and the distance-based Italian autostrada toll; Dutch and German motorways are free for cars
Paris to Barcelona (~1,030 km)
- Fuel:
72 L at $2.24, the average petrol price of France and Spain = **$162** - Tolls: distance-based French autoroute toll; the AP-7 from the French border to Barcelona has been toll-free since 2021
Berlin to Prague (~350 km)
- Fuel:
24 L at $2.26, the average petrol price of Germany and Czechia = **$55** - Tolls: Czech 10-day e-vignette CZK 300 (edalnice.cz); German motorways are free for cars
Vienna to Ljubljana via Graz (~385 km)
- Fuel:
27 L at $1.99, the average petrol price of Austria and Slovenia = **$54** - Tolls: Austrian 10-day vignette €12.80 (ASFINAG) and Slovenian 7-day e-vignette €16 (DARS)
Hidden Costs to Budget For
- Parking: city-centre rates vary widely between and within cities, so check the operator’s app or the zone signs before you leave the car.
- Emission zones: German Umweltzonen need a green sticker bought in advance, and London’s ULEZ charges GBP 12.50 a day to non-compliant cars.
- Ferry crossings: the Channel, Scandinavian and island ferries are priced by date and vehicle, so book them with the rest of the route.
- International insurance: Green card (free from your insurer) and excess reduction insurance.
- Fines: Budget a contingency. Even careful drivers occasionally get caught by unfamiliar rules.
Related Tools & Guides
- Road Trip Cost Calculator — personalised cost estimate
- Fuel Cost Calculator — fuel-only calculation
- Toll Roads in Europe — detailed toll information
- Fuel Prices in Europe — current price comparison
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Frequently Asked Questions
Fuel alone, for a car using 7 litres per 100 km, costs about $191 to $611 over 3,000 km at today's official prices, depending on the countries you cross. Tolls and vignettes come on top, and so do accommodation and food.
On fuel, Belarus, Russia and Malta have the lowest official petrol prices in our table. Tolls differ by system: some countries charge nothing on motorways, others need a vignette or charge by distance, so check the toll column for your route.
Diesel cars use less fuel per kilometre, but diesel currently costs more per litre than petrol in 33 of the 37 countries we list, which narrows the saving. Older diesels can also be barred from some low-emission zones.
Potentially, yes. If your route passes through Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, or other vignette countries, you need a separate vignette for each.
For solo travellers, flying is often cheaper. For 2+ passengers sharing fuel and toll costs, driving becomes competitive and offers flexibility. Factor in car rental or fuel costs versus airfare.