Driving in Europe: rules and local habits by country

Driving in Europe is easy once you know where the rules change. The speed limits look similar, but the alcohol limit, the motorway charge, the lights and the way fines reach you can all differ from one border to the next. This guide covers the main differences in the countries most drivers visit from Prague, plus the local habits that surprise visitors.

0.0

alcohol limit in Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary

50 / 90 / 130

typical limits in town, rural, motorway

countries here with a motorway vignette

Months

how late a foreign fine can arrive

Cars driving on a motorway in warm evening light

Before you cross a border

Carry your documents

Take your passport or ID, driving licence and the rental papers. Most of the countries in this guide are in the Schengen area, but some, including Germany and Austria, have been running temporary checks at some borders, so allow extra time and check the current situation before you travel. See our page on taking a rental car abroad.

Sort out the motorway charge

Czechia, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Switzerland use a vignette, mostly digital and tied to the licence plate. Buy only from the official site, and read our guides to the Czech vignette and toll roads in Europe.

Check the safety equipment

A reflective vest, a warning triangle and a first-aid kit are required or recommended in many countries. Check they are in the car before you set off.

Know the alcohol limit

The safest rule is zero. The limit is zero in Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary, and low everywhere else.

Check fuel and insurance

Read the sticker inside the fuel flap before every fill-up and see our guide to where to buy fuel in Europe. For cover, see our insurance guide.

Speed limits, alcohol and motorway charges at a glance

The table shows typical limits for passenger cars. Signs always override the numbers in the table, and local limits change, for example for rain, roadworks or specific zones, so follow the signs.

Country	Speed limits: town / rural / motorway (km/h)	Alcohol limit (per mille)	Motorway charge
Czechia	50 / 90 / 130	0.0	Digital vignette
Slovakia	50 / 90 / 130	0.0	Digital vignette
Hungary	50 / 90 / 130	0.0	Digital vignette
Poland	50 / 90 / 140 on motorways	about 0.2	Tolls on some motorways
Germany	50 / 100 / no general limit on parts of the Autobahn (130 advised)	0.5	No charge for cars
Austria	50 / 100 / 130	0.5	Digital vignette
Switzerland	50 / 80 / 120	0.5	Digital vignette
Slovenia	50 / 90 / 130	0.5	Digital vignette
Croatia	50 / 90 / 130	0.5	Toll booths
Italy	50 / 90 / 130 (110 in rain)	0.5	Toll booths
France	50 / 80 or 90 / 130 (110 in rain)	0.5	Toll booths

For more detail on limits, see speed limits in Europe. Motorway leading toward a mountain range

What to know in each country

Czechia

Start here

Dipped headlights or daytime running lights are required all year. Use a hands-free phone only. Trams have priority over pedestrians, and you must stop for pedestrians at a zebra crossing. You do not signal when entering a roundabout, only when leaving it. Keep a gap for the emergency corridor in a jam. Police can issue on-the-spot fines. The motorway vignette is digital and sold only on the official site.

Germany

Autobahn and right-before-left

Some Autobahn stretches have no general limit, but 130 km/h is advised, and the right lane is for travelling, not for overtaking. At a junction without signs, the vehicle from the right has priority. Many cities are low-emission zones that need a green sticker. A reflective vest, triangle and first-aid kit are required in the car.

Austria

Strict and well enforced

The vignette is digital and tied to the plate, so a typo can count as having none. Section control measures your average speed between two cameras. In a jam you must form an emergency corridor, and fines for not doing so are high. Extreme speeding can lead to the car being seized. Keep a reflective vest, triangle and first-aid kit in the car.

Slovakia

Zero tolerance

The alcohol limit is zero and lights are on all day. The vignette is digital, so use the official site only. Speed limits are the usual 50, 90 and 130 km/h.

Poland

Lights, zones and cash fines

Dipped headlights or daytime lights are required all day. Residential zones can have a 20 km/h limit. The motorway limit is 140 km/h, and some motorways have toll sections. Police can collect fines on the spot, so carry some cash.

Hungary

Zero tolerance, digital vignette

The alcohol limit is zero. The motorway vignette is digital and tied to the plate, and a wrong plate number can count as no vignette. Use the official sales channels only.

Switzerland

Vignette and daytime lights

A vignette is required on motorways and must be bought from the official site. Daytime lights are mandatory. Holding a phone is fined from about CHF 100, and extreme speeding can be treated as a criminal offence. Postal buses on mountain roads have priority.

Italy

ZTL zones and parking colours

Historic city centres have restricted traffic zones (ZTL) with cameras, and a fine can arrive months later. Parking lines mean different things: white is usually free, blue is paid and yellow is reserved. Using the horn in built-up areas is banned. Keep a vest and triangle in the car. Phone fines are high.

France

Crit'Air and no headphones

Many cities require a Crit'Air sticker in low-emission zones. Headphones and headsets are banned while driving. Devices that warn about fixed speed cameras must have that function off. Priority to the right can apply at junctions. Keep a vest and triangle in the car. At some automatic pumps a temporary hold is placed on the card.

Croatia and Slovenia

Equipment and seasons

Both countries expect a first-aid kit, triangle and vest in the car, and daytime lights are expected at least in the winter months. Winter equipment rules apply from mid-November, and Slovenia sells a digital vignette while Croatia uses toll booths on motorways.

The Netherlands

Priority and speed

Trams and buses often have priority. Speed limits are lower than in neighbouring countries, with 100 km/h common on motorways in the daytime. Payment at fuel stations is mostly by card.

Rules change, so treat the above as a starting point and check the official national road authority or an automobile club before a long trip.

How fines follow you home

EU countries share vehicle owner data for many traffic offences, including speeding, using a phone and driving through a red light. A fine from a speed camera in another country can reach the registered owner of the car months after the trip. With a rental car, that is the rental company. We pass the notice on to the driver, and an administrative fee for handling it may apply, so read the rental conditions. If anything happens on the road, see what to do if something happened.

The simplest way to avoid a fine: follow the signs, not the satnav, check the vignette is valid for the plate before you drive on a motorway, and avoid entering the restricted zone of an old town centre by car.

More guides for the road

Driving in winter has its own rules: read our guide to winter car rental in Prague. If you are not from the EU, see whether you need an international driving permit, and our page for American drivers in Europe.

FAQ

Do I need to buy a vignette or toll pass before crossing a border?

In several countries, yes. Czechia, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Switzerland use a vignette for motorways, and most of them are now digital and linked to the licence plate. Buy it only on the official national website or at an official point of sale, and check the plate number twice.

What is the alcohol limit when driving in Europe?

It varies. Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary have zero tolerance. Poland's limit is very low at about 0.2 per mille. Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Croatia and Slovenia generally allow 0.5 per mille, with lower limits for new drivers. The safest rule everywhere is not to drink at all if you are driving.

Will a speeding fine from another country reach me?

Often, yes. EU countries exchange vehicle owner data for many traffic offences, and a notice can arrive months after the trip. With a rental car the notice goes to the rental company, which may pass the fine on to you and may charge an administrative fee for handling it.

Do I have to keep my headlights on during the day?

In Czechia, Slovakia and Poland, yes, all year. Switzerland also requires daytime lights. In other countries rules differ or apply only in certain seasons, so the simple habit is to drive with dipped headlights on everywhere.

What safety equipment is required in the car?

Rules differ by country, but a reflective vest, a warning triangle and a first-aid kit are required or recommended in many of them, including Germany, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and France. Check that the items are in the car before you leave, and ask us if you cannot find them.

Are there low-emission zones I need to know about?

Yes. German cities use green environmental stickers, France uses Crit'Air stickers in some cities, and Italian historic centres have restricted traffic zones (ZTL) monitored by cameras. Check your route before you enter a big city and use a car park outside the zone when you can.

Can I use my phone while driving?

Only hands-free, in practically every country. Fines for holding a phone are higher in some countries than in Czechia, for example in Italy and Switzerland, and in some countries headphones are also banned while driving.

What should I do at a roundabout or a crossing in another country?

Follow the local priority rules and the signs. In Czechia you do not signal when entering a roundabout, only when leaving. In France and some other countries priority to the right can still apply at junctions without signs. If in doubt, slow down and let the other driver go.

Is it safe to drive a CarLove car in winter in the Alps?

Our winter cars have winter tyres with the Alpine snowflake symbol. Some countries require winter equipment in the cold months, and you may also need snow chains on mountain roads, so read our winter guide before you go.

Take the car on a European road trip

Pick a car in Prague, check the vignette and the equipment, and set off with the right paperwork.

See cars and prices