Comparison of European road signs

Despite an apparent uniformity and standardisation, European traffic signs present relevant differences between countries. However most European countries refer to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals — adopted in Europe by Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey^[1] and Ukraine. The convention has not been adopted in Ireland, Moldova, Spain, and the UK.

Differences between European traffic signs

The main differences relate to

• graphic design details
• local regulatory significance
• the colour-coding of directional signs
• local language texts (sometimes bilingual)

Graphic differences

• Warning signs in Ireland are yellow and diamond-shaped (as in the Americas, Australasia, and some east Asian countries), and thus differ from the white or yellow, red-bordered, triangular signs found in the rest of Europe.
• The design of individual pictograms (tunnel, pedestrian, car, etc.), while broadly similar, often varies in detail from country to country.
• Type of arrows may be different.
• Fonts of written words

Different typefaces in texts

These are incomplete. You can help by adding missing countries or fonts.

• Albania and Italy use the Alfabeto normale font (with the narrow variant Alfabeto stretto), a heavier version of the British Transport typeface.
  • Albania has recently started using Arial Narrow Bold font.
• Austria and Slovakia use the TERN font. In the past, Austria used until 2010 the "Austria Mittelschrift and Engschrift fonts. Slovakia used until 2014 the Universal Grotesk font.
• Belarus, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine use fonts based a font specified in a Soviet standard ГОСТ 10807–78. In Belarus, the according standard is СТБ 1140–99, in Ukraine it's ДСТУ 4100–2002, in Russia it's ГОСТ Р 52290–2004.
• Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, and Serbia use the SNV font. Switzerland used this font until 2003.
• Cyprus, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Turkey, Portugal, and the United Kingdom use the Transport font. (Motorway font is used on United Kingdom motorways)
• Denmark uses the Dansk Vejtavleskrift font. The font is a derival from the Transport font.
• Estonia and Moldova use the Arial Narrow Bold in mixture with Helvetica font.
• Finland uses a custom typeface developed in the 1960s by the former national board of roads and waterways. ^[2]
• France uses the Caractères font.
• Germany, Czech Republic, Latvia and Romania use the DIN 1451 font.
• Greece used a modified version of the transport font and uses nowadays a modified version of DIN 1451.
• Hungary does not use any predefined typeface as the letters are defined one-by-one in the national regulation. The font resembles the DIN 1451 font closely.^[3]
• Luxembourg uses the Arial (Bold), Caractères Italic and the SNV font, often disordly.
• Turkey and Ukraine use the FHWA font.
• Spain uses two fonts derived from the FHWA fonts: Autopista (derived from FHWA series E) for highways and Carretera (or Traffic Type Spain D^[4]) for ordinary roads. The font Carretera is identical to the Italian Alfabeto Normale.
• Netherlands use a derival from the FHWA font: ANWB/RWS Cc (narrow), Dd (medium) and Ee (wide).
• Norway uses the Trafikkalfabetet font.
• Poland uses the Drogowskaz font.
• Sweden uses the Tratex font.
• Switzerland uses the Frutiger font.

Different colour codes

Warning signs

• In most European countries, it is indicated by red borders and a white background.
• An amber background is used in Sweden, Greece, Finland, Iceland, the Republic of Macedonia, and Poland (in some other countries it means a provisional road work sign).
  • Also, the yield sign/give way sign in Sweden, Finland, and Poland has a yellow background.

Road works/construction

• Many countries normally have adopted an orange or amber background.
• A yellow background is used in France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Romania.

Motorways

• White texts on a blue background is used in Austria, Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania (from 2020), Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
• White texts on a green background is used in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Lithuania (until 2020), Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and Ukraine.

Primary roads/Expressways

• White-on-blue (the same as motorways) is used in Belgium, Latvia, and Netherlands.
• White-on-blue is used in Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland ABD Turkey.
• White-on-green is used in France, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.
• Black-on-yellow is used in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Serbia, and Slovenia.
• Red-on-white is used in Denmark (though white-on-blue on motorway exits and all overhead gantries)
• Black-on-white is used in Austria and Spain.

Secondary roads

• Black-on-white is used in Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
• In Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Sweden, black-on-white indicates only urban roads or urban destinations.
• White-on-green is used in Austria to indicates locations like regions, city center, city districts.^[5]

Differences in meanings

• Sometimes similar signs have little differences in meanings, following the local traffic codes.
• All European countries use the metric system (distances in kilometres or metres, speeds in kilometres per hour, heights/widths in metres) with the exception of the United Kingdom, where distances, speeds (miles per hour), and heights/widths are still indicated in imperial measurements (miles, yards, feet, and inches), with an optional indication in metres, weight limits are also indicated in the metric tonne.

Table of traffic signs comparison

Priority

	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
Give Way												or
Stop
Priority road												NOT USED												NOT USED
End of priority road												NOT USED												NOT USED
Give way to oncoming traffic												NOT USED
Priority over oncoming vehicles												NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom

Warning

	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
Give Way ahead
Stop ahead
Traffic signals ahead													or
Roundabout ahead		NOT USED						NOT USED				or
Two-way traffic ahead					or							or												or
Traffic queues likely ahead											NOT USED
Level crossing without barriers ahead											NOT USED
Level crossing with barriers ahead								[nb 1]			NOT USED	or
Level crossing											NOT USED	NOT USED
Level crossing (multiple tracks)								NOT USED			NOT USED	NOT USED												NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
Tram crossing								NOT USED			NOT USED
Crossroads with priority to the right												NOT USED		[nb 2]										NOT USED [nb 3]
Crossroads with a minor road
Junction with a minor side road			NOT USED					NOT USED
Road narrows on both sides
Road narrows
Dangerous crosswinds
Low-flying aircraft				or																or				or
Steep descent
Steep ascent							NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
Road bump								NOT USED
Uneven road ahead
Curve
Double curve
Slippery road surface
Loose road surface
Children
Pedestrian crossing ahead												or
Cyclists
Falling rocks or debris														NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
Opening or swing bridge					NOT USED						NOT USED
Unprotected quayside or riverbank			NOT USED							or							or							or
Domestic animals
Wild animals
Tunnel ahead	NOT USED	NOT USED			NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED			NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED			NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED
Accident area / accident ahead	NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED		NOT USED			NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED					NOT USED				NOT USED	NOT USED
Roadworks ahead
Other danger
Other danger (temporary)	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED			NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom

Prohibitory

	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
Road closed to all vehicles in both directions												NOT USED
No entry for vehicular traffic												or
No motor vehicles		NOT USED
No motor vehicles except motorcycles				NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED					NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED		NOT USED						NOT USED
No motorcycles												NOT USED
No bicycles
No pedestrians
No heavy goods vehicles
No tractors		NOT USED										NOT USED
No horns or motor noise		NOT USED								NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
No overtaking
No overtaking by heavy goods vehicles																								NOT USED
Maximum speed limit
Speed limit zone																					or
Maximum height
Maximum width
Maximum vehicle length	or																							or
Maximum weight															or
Maximum weight per axle		NOT USED																						NOT USED
Maximum weight per tandem axle	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED				NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
No vehicles carrying dangerous goods		or										NOT USED
No vehicles carrying dangerous water pollutants	NOT USED			NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED						NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED			NOT USED				NOT USED
No vehicles carrying explosives	NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED					NOT USED			NOT USED	NOT USED			NOT USED			NOT USED
Minimum safe following distance between vehicles		NOT USED								or		NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED
No right turn								NOT USED					NOT USED	NOT USED
No left turn								NOT USED					NOT USED	NOT USED
No U-turn													NOT USED
No parking
No stopping and parking
End of prohibition (overtaking used as an example)
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom

Mandatory

	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
Proceed straight (no turns)												NOT USED
Turn right														NOT USED			NOT USED						NOT USED
Turn right ahead																		NOT USED
Proceed straight or turn right												NOT USED												NOT USED
Pass on this side							or			or
Pass on either side
Roundabout
Mandatory direction for vehicles carrying dangerous goods			NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED						NOT USED			NOT USED
Minimum speed limit		NOT USED									NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED
Bicycles only
Pedestrians only
Equestrian path										NOT USED		NOT USED			NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED							NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom

Special regulations

	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
One-way street						NOT USED
		NOT USED										NOT USED				NOT USED
Pedestrian crossing												or								or				NOT USED
Living street												NOT USED									or
Limited-access road					NOT USED						NOT USED	NOT USED												NOT USED
Motorway											NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom

Indication

	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
No through road												or
Hospital					NOT USED		or																	or
First aid												NOT USED												NOT USED
Pharmacy		NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED
Bus stop		NOT USED	Front: or Rear:			or								or [nb 4]
Tunnel											NOT USED	NOT USED	or											NOT USED
Parking place
Entering built-up area		or
Leaving built-up area		or
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom

Border Crossings

	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
Schengen Area		or				or					NOT USED	NOT USED			NOT USED		NOT USED				NOT USED		NOT USED	NOT USED
National speed limits												NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom

Checkpoints

	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom
Customs										or	NOT USED	NOT USED		or						or	or			NOT USED
Police		NOT USED					or				NOT USED	NOT USED		NOT USED							or
Toll		or			NOT USED	NOT USED		or				NOT USED		NOT USED					or					NOT USED
Other Control		NOT USED									NOT USED	NOT USED	NOT USED									NOT USED		NOT USED
	Austria	Belgium	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Hungary	Iceland	Ireland	Italy	Netherlands	Norway	Poland	Russia & Belarus	Slovakia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	Turkey	Ukraine	United Kingdom

Notes

1. ↑ This sign is being phased out by 2019, and being replaced by the previous sign."German Traffic Signs & Signals". January 28, 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-12-07. Retrieved 31 October 2010. 
2. ↑ In the Netherlands, this sign means "Dangerous crossroads"
3. ↑ There is no "priority to the right" (or left) rule in the United Kingdom.
4. ↑ In the Netherlands, the first one is always used because otherwise it wouldn't be an official bus stop. The bottom one is sometimes used to inform drivers a bus stop is coming up, mostly outside the built-up area.

See also

• Comparison of European traffic laws
• Road signs in Austria
• Road signs in the Czech Republic
• Road signs in Estonia
• Road signs in Finland
• Road signs in Germany
• Road signs in Greece
• Road signs in the Republic of Ireland
• Road signs in Ireland
• Road signs in Italy
• Road signs in the Netherlands
• Road signs in Norway
• Road signs in Poland
• Road signs in Sweden
• Road signs in Switzerland
• Road signs in Ukraine
• Road signs in the United Kingdom
• Traffic sign
• Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals
• Comparison of MUTCD-Influenced Traffic Signs
• Comparison of StVO-influenced traffic signs

References

• European Standard for Traffic Signs - EN 12899-1:2001 Fixed, Vertical Road Traffic Signs – Part 1: Fixed Signs, Requirements

External links

• Travlang.com
• German.about.com

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