Driving in Europe: Rules by Country
Quick answer: across Europe, towns are usually 50 km/h, rural roads 80–100 km/h and motorways 100–140 km/h. The usual drink-drive limit is 0.05%, but Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia allow no alcohol at all and many countries set lower limits for new drivers. Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and United Kingdom drive on the left. The table below gives every country's limits side by side.
Speed limits, alcohol limits and driving side
Speeds are the national defaults for cars; local signs always take priority. Alcohol limits are blood-alcohol concentration in % (0.05 = 0.5 g/L). "New drivers" covers novice and probationary licences.
| Country | Side | Towns | Rural | Motorway | Alcohol limit | New drivers | Permit | Deaths /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Right | 40 | 80 | 110 | 0.01 | — | IDP advised | 11.7 |
| Andorra No motorways |
Right | 50 | 90 | — | 0.05 | — | IDP advised | 5.5 |
| Austria | Right | 50 | 100 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.01 | IDP advised | 4.6 |
| Belarus | Right | 60 | 90 | 110 | 0.03 | — | IDP advised | 7.8 |
| Belgium Rural 70 in Flanders |
Right | 50 | 90 | 120 | 0.05 | — | IDP advised | 4.8 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Right | 50 | 80 | 130 | 0.03 | 0.00 | IDP advised | 14.6 |
| Bulgaria | Right | 50 | 90 | 140 | 0.05 | — | IDP advised | 8.9 |
| Croatia Novice limit applies under age 24 |
Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.00 | IDP advised | 7.7 |
| Cyprus | Left | 50 | 80 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.02 | IDP advised | 5.1 |
| Czech Republic | Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.00 | — | IDP advised | 5.6 |
| Denmark | Right | 50 | 80 | 130 | 0.05 | — | IDP advised | 3.1 |
| Estonia | Right | 50 | 90 | 110 | 0.02 | — | IDP advised | 4.4 |
| Finland | Right | 50 | 80 | 120 | 0.05 | — | IDP advised | 3.9 |
| France Some rural roads raised back to 90 |
Right | 50 | 80 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.02 | IDP advised | 5 |
| Germany No general motorway limit — advisory 130 km/h |
Right | 50 | 100 | No general limit | 0.05 | 0.00 | IDP advised | 3.7 |
| Greece IDP needed for non-EU licences |
Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.02 | IDP required | 8.2 |
| Hungary | Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.00 | — | IDP advised | 6.9 |
| Iceland No motorways; gravel roads 80 |
Right | 50 | 90 | — | 0.02 | — | IDP advised | 2 |
| Ireland National roads 100 |
Left | 50 | 80 | 120 | 0.05 | 0.02 | IDP advised | 2.9 |
| Italy IDP needed for non-EU licences |
Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.00 | IDP required | 5.2 |
| Latvia No motorway class |
Right | 50 | 90 | — | 0.05 | 0.02 | IDP advised | 7.4 |
| Liechtenstein No motorways |
Right | 50 | 80 | — | 0.08 | — | IDP advised | 2.7 |
| Lithuania Motorway 110 in winter |
Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.04 | 0.00 | IDP advised | 6.5 |
| Luxembourg Motorway 110 in rain |
Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.02 | IDP advised | 4.7 |
| Malta No motorways |
Left | 50 | 80 | — | 0.05 | 0.02 | IDP advised | 4.1 |
| Moldova | Right | 50 | 90 | — | 0.03 | — | IDP advised | 9.7 |
| Monaco City-state |
Right | 50 | — | — | 0.05 | — | IDP advised | 2.5 |
| Montenegro | Right | 50 | 80 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.00 | IDP advised | 10.6 |
| Netherlands Some motorways 130 at night |
Right | 50 | 80 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.02 | IDP advised | 3.8 |
| North Macedonia | Right | 50 | 80 | 120 | 0.05 | 0.00 | IDP advised | 6.4 |
| Norway | Right | 50 | 80 | 110 | 0.02 | — | IDP advised | 2.1 |
| Poland | Right | 50 | 90 | 140 | 0.02 | — | IDP advised | 7.4 |
| Portugal | Right | 50 | 90 | 120 | 0.05 | 0.02 | IDP advised | 6.8 |
| Romania | Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.00 | — | IDP advised | 8.6 |
| Russia | Right | 60 | 90 | 110 | 0.03 | — | IDP advised | 10.9 |
| San Marino | Right | 50 | 70 | — | 0.05 | — | IDP advised | 3 |
| Serbia | Right | 50 | 80 | 130 | 0.02 | 0.00 | IDP advised | 7.2 |
| Slovakia | Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.00 | — | IDP advised | 5.7 |
| Slovenia | Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.00 | IDP advised | 4.9 |
| Spain | Right | 50 | 90 | 120 | 0.05 | 0.03 | IDP advised | 3.7 |
| Sweden Some motorways 120 |
Right | 50 | 70 | 110 | 0.02 | — | IDP advised | 2.2 |
| Switzerland | Right | 50 | 80 | 120 | 0.05 | 0.01 | IDP advised | 2.6 |
| Ukraine | Right | 50 | 90 | 130 | 0.02 | — | IDP advised | 13 |
| United Kingdom Scotland BAC 0.05 |
Left | 30 mph | 60 mph | 70 mph | 0.08 | — | IDP advised | 2.9 |
Speeds in km/h unless marked mph. "—" means the country has no motorways, or no national figure is set or verified. Download the full dataset as CSV.
Things that catch visitors out
- Zero alcohol: Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia allow no alcohol at all when driving.
- Lower limits for new drivers: many countries apply 0.02% or zero during the first two or three years of a licence, even for visitors.
- No motorway limit: Germany has stretches of motorway with only an advisory speed, but many sections do have posted limits.
- Driving on the left: Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and United Kingdom. Rental cars there are right-hand drive.
- Emergency number: 112 works in every EU country and most of the rest of Europe. See emergency numbers by country.
How safe are Europe's roads?
Europe has the lowest road death rate of any continent, but the spread is wide. See the safest countries to drive in Europe, the most dangerous, road deaths in Europe by country and pedestrian deaths in Europe. For the UK specifically, see road accidents by council and the accident hotspots map.
Driving in Europe — FAQ
What is the drink-drive limit in Europe?
What are the speed limits in Europe?
Which European countries drive on the left?
Do I need an International Driving Permit in Europe?
Which is the safest country to drive in Europe?
Compiled from WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety country profiles and national sources, verified August 2026. Laws change: check the official source for your destination before you travel. Death rates are WHO estimates — see the methodology.