Motorways are major roads that have been specially built for fast travel over long distances. They are characterized by several lanes and designated exits and entrances where traffic gets on and leaves.
Smart motorways
Smart motorways are stretches of road equipped with technological and strategic features such as dynamic hard shoulders, variable speed limits, monitoring sensors, and cameras. The system known as active traffic management is currently being improved with technologies such as drones, smart LED road studs, and built-in sensors.
There are multiple startups that are trying to take smart motorways to the next level and pursue a futuristic vision of roads and traffic. They promote solutions such as solar motorways which would generate sustainable energy.
The opinions are varied and the idea of building solar roads gets a lot of criticism because of numerous technical, financial, technological, and practical challenges. However, with the advancements we currently see, it might become a viable option not that far ahead from now.
The (r)evolution of motorways
As a result of the technological advancements, motorways will soon be able to transmit traffic information directly to drivers, plan future investments according to traffic patterns, or warn against potholes and congestion. That’s why they will be appropriately named smart.
Motorway infrastructure
No matter how excited you are to hit the road, the thrill of traveling fades when after ages behind the wheel your eyelids become heavy, your spine hurts, and you can no longer feel your backside. Fuel is running low, you’re hangry, and there’s no place to stop on the horizon. We’ve all been there.
Fear not, your misery should come to a quick end as motorway service stations are placed in regular distances across the continent. Spain, as the country with the longest motorway network in Europe, can also be proud of the highest number of petrol stations near motorways. France is the leader when it comes to motorway service stations - there are around 600.
Naturally, these numbers strongly depend on how developed a motorway network in a given country is. In Cyprus, for example, the two biggest cities are connected by a motorway only 45 miles long, so it’s natural that no facilities like that are needed.
Motorway network in Europe - European routes
Built in 1921, the German road - AVUS is considered to be the oldest motorway in Europe. The stark, ghostly grandstand that can be seen next to it reminds drivers of the motorway’s unusual past - it used to be a racing circuit for both cars and motorbikes.
Today’s motorways are “simply” motorways and by “simply” we mean they have a complex network of lanes, junctions, access roads, and exits. Numerous road connections, which include tunnels, flyovers, overcrossings, and bridges, facilitate moving around the Continent immensely.
The international E-road network enables motorists to get to almost any corner of Europe. The longest international European motorway, the E40, has an impressive length of 5281 miles and it flows between France and Kazakhstan.
Although motorways in Europe are developed under unified EU standards, there are still differences across countries. When it comes to the total length of motorways, Spain takes the cake with more than 10.5 thousand miles. The United Kingdom holds 5th position, preceded by Germany, France, and Italy.
If we added up all the motorways in the European Union and Schengen Area, they’d circle the Equator almost 1.5 times and together they’d be four times longer than the Great Wall of China! And even though we’re still a long way from reaching the Moon by motorway, the numbers are impressive.
Tolls and speed limits by country
Toll roads
One of the worst drawbacks of travelling by motorway is the cost of not only fuel but tolls and vignettes also.
So, what expenses should you expect when hitting the road? This depends on the route and destination as different countries have different toll systems.
There are 3 common options when it comes to charging motorists on the road.
- Toll roads, toll bridges, and toll tunnels - a road pricing plan which charges drivers only for specific stretches of road or passages (often private). The fee is supposed to recoup the construction and maintenance works. It’s a fixed price collected manually or electronically. Generally, most motorways apart from the paid stretches are free of charge.
- A standard toll system, based on one-off payments for certain motorway stretches used by drivers. In this system, prices depend on the distance and sometimes on the size and weight of a vehicle. The countries where car goers are charged this way include Croatia, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Poland, Portugal, and Ireland.
- A system based on vignettes which requires a special sticker (vignette) to freely use the motorway network in a given country. You’ll need a vignette when traveling to countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia.
The prices vary between borders. Some European countries have unique or mixed toll collection systems: in Portugal, for instance, it’s possible to both buy a vignette or pay for a certain stretch of motorway.
Usually, tolls in Europe depend on the size and weight of a vehicle - the prices are higher for heavy goods vehicles. For example, in Latvia and Estonia using all public roads is free for passenger cars but those weighing over 3.5 tonnes are obliged to pay, and this fee also applies to heavy goods vehicles registered abroad.
When it comes to specific tolls, it’s always worth checking national and local operators’ sites for a given country such as autopistas.com (Spain), autoroutes.fr (France) or autopass.no (Norway). You’ll find the most recent fees and useful information on payment options. There’s a possibility to buy e-vignettes for some countries and doing this before you hit the road may save you time and money.
Speed limits
As much as motorway tolls aren’t fun, the chance to put your foot down and shorten the journey certainly makes up for the material loss.
Germany is famous for autobahns with no speed limits, to the joy of many heavy-footed drivers. However, not many motorists from outside of Germany know that this doesn’t apply to all the motorways in the country. So as a friendly reminder: always pay attention to road signs when driving abroad.
Poland and Bulgaria seem to have the highest motorway speed limits in Europe, which reach almost 87 mph (140 km/h) and the majority of European countries allow driving up to 75-80 mph (120-130 km/h). If you like to put your foot down, be especially careful in Norway and Cyprus where the maximum speed is 62 mph (100 km/h).
Interestingly, some countries have fluctuating motorway speed limits. For instance, in Finland, you’re allowed to drive at various speeds depending on the route. Luxembourg has a different speed limit for dry and wet roads, and in Lithuania, it depends on the season. From April to October passenger cars can run 12.4 mph faster than between November and March.
Driving in Europe: better smart than sorry
Once you get to know everything about the European speed limits and toll roads, it’s a good idea to check other abiding laws as well. There are certain rules and restrictions, for example, alcohol limits, necessary equipment, or driving culture to keep in mind when driving from country to country in Europe.
Being aware of such country-specific driving rules, which may seem odd to a foreigner, can help you a great deal. Plus, it’s time to stop being a nightmare on the European roads.
See you on the road, bon voyage!