Europe Speed Limits 2026: 140 km/h Top, 122 km/h Average
Bulgaria and Poland allow 140 km/h, the European motorway average is 122, and the Dutch drop to 100 between 06:00 and 19:00. All 44 countries listed.
Bulgaria and Poland top Europe at 140 km/h against a 122 km/h motorway average, while the Netherlands cuts its motorways to 100 km/h between 06:00 and 19:00.
Three speed rules catch foreign drivers every year: Netherlands drops motorways to 100 km/h between 06:00 and 19:00 (nitrogen emission rule, active since 2020), Poland raised newer motorways to 140 km/h in 2023, and the UK is the only country still using mph. Switzerland and Finland enforce income-based fines that can exceed EUR 100,000 for severe violations — millionaires pay more for the same speed.
Bulgaria and Poland sit at the top of the European motorway table at 140 km/h, Austria and much of the west at 130, and the average across the 44 countries here works out at 122 km/h. The trap is not the ceiling but the exceptions: the Netherlands drops its motorways to 100 km/h between 06:00 and 19:00 under a nitrogen rule, Czechia runs a 150 km/h pilot on the D3 under variable signs only, and Poland’s own 150 km/h proposal is still not in force however often it is reported as law. Urban limits are steadier at 50 km/h, though Albania uses 40 and the United Kingdom’s 30 mph converts to 48. Switzerland and Finland scale serious speeding penalties to income, which is how one offence reaches five figures.
Key Findings
- 45 European countries have defined speed limits for passenger vehicles
- Highest motorway limits: Bulgaria (140 km/h), Poland (140 km/h), Austria (130 km/h)
- Lowest urban limits: Albania (40 km/h), United Kingdom (48 km/h), Andorra (50 km/h)
- European average: 50 km/h urban, 122 km/h motorway
Speed Limits by Country
| Country | Urban (km/h) | Rural (km/h) | Motorway (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 40 | 80 | 110 |
| Andorra | 50 | 90 | N/A No motorways; highest road speed limit is 90 km/h |
| Austria | 50 | 100 | 130 |
| Belarus | 60 | 90 | 110 |
| Belgium | 50 | 70 | 120 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 50 | 80 | 130 |
| Bulgaria | 50 | 90 | 140 |
| Croatia | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| Cyprus | 50 | 80 | 100 |
| Czechia | 50 | 90 | 130 130 km/h general limit; 150 km/h pilot on D3 motorway since October 2025 (variable speed signs, conditions permitting) |
| Denmark | 50 | 80 | 130 |
| Estonia | 50 | 90 | 110 |
| Finland | 50 | 80 | 120 |
| France | 50 | 80 | 130 |
| Germany | 50 | 100 | 130 No general speed limit on Autobahn; 130 km/h recommended |
| Greece | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| Hungary | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| Iceland | 50 | 80 | N/A No motorways; highest speed limit is 90 km/h on ring road (gravel sections lower) |
| Ireland | 50 | 80 | 120 |
| Italy | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| Kosovo | 50 | 80 | 130 |
| Latvia | 50 | 90 | 110 |
| Lithuania | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| Luxembourg | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| Malta | 50 | 80 | N/A No motorways on the island |
| Moldova | 50 | 90 | 110 |
| Monaco | 50 | N/A | N/A No motorways; city-state with urban roads only |
| Montenegro | 50 | 80 | 130 |
| Netherlands | 50 | 80 | 100 100 km/h on motorways during daytime (6am-7pm); 120-130 km/h at night. Since 2025, 130 km/h 24/7 on selected sections (A6, A7, A37 — 117 km total) |
| North Macedonia | 50 | 80 | 130 |
| Norway | 50 | 80 | 110 |
| Poland | 50 | 90 | 140 140 km/h general limit nationwide. A proposal to allow 150 km/h on selected three-lane motorway sections is still under review and not yet in force. |
| Portugal | 50 | 90 | 120 |
| Romania | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| Russia | 60 | 90 | 110 |
| San Marino | 50 | 70 | N/A No motorways; small city-state |
| Serbia | 50 | 80 | 130 |
| Slovakia | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| Slovenia | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| Spain | 50 | 90 | 120 |
| Sweden | 50 | 70 | 110 |
| Switzerland | 50 | 80 | 120 |
| Turkey | 50 | 90 | 120 |
| Ukraine | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| United Kingdom | 48 | 96 | 112 Speed limits in mph: 30 mph urban, 60 mph rural, 70 mph motorway |
Regional Breakdown
Central Europe
- Austria: 50 / 100 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Czechia: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Hungary: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Poland: 50 / 90 / 140 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Slovakia: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Slovenia: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
Eastern Europe
- Belarus: 60 / 90 / 110 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Moldova: 50 / 90 / 110 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Russia: 60 / 90 / 110 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Ukraine: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
Northern Europe
- Denmark: 50 / 80 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Estonia: 50 / 90 / 110 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Finland: 50 / 80 / 120 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Iceland: 50 / 80 / N/A km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Ireland: 50 / 80 / 120 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Latvia: 50 / 90 / 110 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Lithuania: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Norway: 50 / 80 / 110 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Sweden: 50 / 70 / 110 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- United Kingdom: 48 / 96 / 112 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
Southeast Europe
- Albania: 40 / 80 / 110 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: 50 / 80 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Bulgaria: 50 / 90 / 140 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Croatia: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Kosovo: 50 / 80 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Montenegro: 50 / 80 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- North Macedonia: 50 / 80 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Romania: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Serbia: 50 / 80 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
Southern Europe
- Andorra: 50 / 90 / N/A km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Cyprus: 50 / 80 / 100 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Greece: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Italy: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Malta: 50 / 80 / N/A km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Portugal: 50 / 90 / 120 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- San Marino: 50 / 70 / N/A km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Spain: 50 / 90 / 120 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
Western Asia
- Turkey: 50 / 90 / 120 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
Western Europe
- Belgium: 50 / 70 / 120 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- France: 50 / 80 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Germany: 50 / 100 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Luxembourg: 50 / 90 / 130 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Monaco: 50 / N/A / N/A km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Netherlands: 50 / 80 / 100 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
- Switzerland: 50 / 80 / 120 km/h (urban/rural/motorway)
Notable Exceptions
- Germany has no general speed limit on many Autobahn sections, though 130 km/h is the recommended advisory limit. Around 30% of the Autobahn network has permanent limits.
- United Kingdom uses miles per hour: 30 mph urban (48 km/h), 60 mph single carriageway (97 km/h), 70 mph motorway (113 km/h).
- Poland allows 140 km/h on its newest motorway sections, matching or exceeding some Western European countries.
- Norway keeps motorway limits at 110 km/h maximum, prioritising safety over speed.
Penalties for Speeding in Europe
Always check the specific limits for trucks and caravans, which are typically 10-20 km/h lower than passenger car limits.
Related Tools & Guides
- World Speed Limit Map — interactive map of global limits
- Speeding Fine Calculator — estimate penalties by country
- Compare Driving Rules — side-by-side country comparison
- Speed Unit Converter — convert between km/h and mph
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Frequently Asked Questions
Poland allows 140 km/h on its newest motorways. Bulgaria also permits 140 km/h. Germany has no general limit on many Autobahn sections.
Germany has an advisory limit of 130 km/h on unrestricted Autobahn sections. About 30% of the network has permanent speed limits, and temporary limits apply in construction zones and adverse weather.
Most European countries set the urban limit at 50 km/h. However, some cities have introduced 30 km/h zones, notably Paris, Brussels, and several Spanish cities.
The UK uses miles per hour. Urban areas: 30 mph (48 km/h), single carriageways: 60 mph (97 km/h), motorways: 70 mph (113 km/h).
Yes. The EU Cross-Border Enforcement Directive allows EU member states to share vehicle registration data and pursue fines across borders.
Switzerland, Norway, and Finland impose income-based fines that can reach tens of thousands of euros. Italy and France also have steep penalties for significant speed violations.