Comparison of European road signs

Differences between European traffic signs

• graphic design details
• local regulatory significance
• the colour-coding of directional signs
• local language texts
• the meaning and colour-coding of horizontal road surface markings

  Graphic differences

• Warning signs in Ireland are yellow and diamond-shaped, and thus differ from the white or yellow, red-bordered, triangular signs found in the rest of Europe.
• The design of individual pictograms, while broadly similar, often varies in detail from country to country.
• Type of arrows may be different.
• Fonts of written words

  Differences of directional and informatory signage

Differences in meanings

• Sometimes similar signs have minor differences in meanings, following the local traffic codes.
• All European countries use the metric system with the exception of the United Kingdom, where distances and speeds are still indicated in imperial measurements. Since 2016, on width and height limit signs both metric and imperial measurements are used, however older signs still show metric only measurements. Since 2011, weight limit signs use metric tonnes with a lower case "t", although some older signs still use the imperial long ton indicated by either an upper case "T" or simply the word "ton".

  Horizontal road surface markings

• Longitudinal lines and symbols on the carriageway are always white. Temporary markings are yellow in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, but red/orange in Switzerland and Russia, and white in the United Kingdom.
• A stop line is always represented by a white thick traversal continuous line, but a give way line may be represented by a white thick dashed line as rectangles or by a double-dashed line or by a white line of triangles.
• A disc parking place is identified by white lines in Germany and by blue lines in the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Switzerland. A chargeable parking place is identified by white lines in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland and by blue lines in Italy and Spain. A parking place reserved for disabled people is bordered in white in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom; in yellow in Italy and Switzerland; and in blue in France. Other reserved parking places are bordered with yellow lines in Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, but with white lines in Germany.
• The prohibition of roadside parking can be indicated by a yellow continuous line, by a yellow dashed line with X's, a white continuous line, or a dashed white line ; or else by black-and-white or a black-and-yellow kerb markings. Only in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland does a double yellow line mean "no parking at any time".
• The prohibition of stopping / waiting is indicated in Switzerland by a yellow continuous line, and in the United Kingdom by a red continuous line. In the United Kingdom, a yellow zig-zag line near hospitals, police stations, and schools means "no stopping".

  Different typefaces in texts

• Albania and Italy use the Alfabeto normale typeface, a heavier version of the British Transport typeface.
• *Albania has recently started using Arial Narrow Bold typeface.
• Austria and Slovakia use the TERN typeface. In the past, Austria used the Austria Mittelschrift and Engschrift typefaces until 2010. Slovakia used the Universal Grotesk typeface until 2014.
• Belarus, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine use typefaces based on one specified in a Soviet standard GOST. In Belarus, the according standard is СТБ 1140–99. In Ukraine, it is ДСТУ 4100–2002. In Russia, it is ГОСТ Р 52290–2004.
• Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Luxembourg, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, and Serbia use the SNV typeface. Switzerland used this typeface until 2003.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina uses Verdana typeface in mixture with SNV typeface.
• Cyprus, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Turkey, Portugal, and the United Kingdom use the Transport typeface.
• Denmark uses the Dansk Vejtavleskrift typeface. The typeface is derived from the British Transport typeface.
• Estonia, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine use the Arial Bold in mixture with other typefaces.
• Finland uses a typeface developed in the 1960s by the former national board of roads and waterways.
• France uses the Caractères typeface.
• Germany, Czech Republic and Latvia use the DIN 1451 typeface.
• Greece used a modified version of the British Transport typeface and, today, uses a modified version of DIN 1451.
• Hungary does not use a defined typeface as the letters are defined one-by-one in the national regulation. The typeface resembles the DIN 1451 typeface closely.
• *Hungary has recently started using modified version of Verdana typeface.
• Luxembourg uses Arial, Caractères Italic, DIN 1451, and the SNV typefaces, often inconsistently.
• The Netherlands uses typefaces derived from FHWA typeface: ANWB/RWS Cc , Dd and Ee .
• Norway uses the Trafikkalfabetet typeface.
• Poland does not use a defined typeface as the letters are defined one-by-one in the national regulation. There are three typefaces resembling the defined one, with two of them distributed as non-commercial freeware – Drogowskaz and Tablica drogowa typefaces. The third one, fully compliant with the regulation is available only for road signs making companies.
• Spain used two typefaces in the past: Autopista for motorways and Carretera Convencional for other situations. The typeface Carretera Convencional is derived from the British Transport typeface, and is almost identical to the Italian Alfabeto Normale. Since 2014, all new signs use Carretera Convencional regardless of the status of the road.
• Sweden uses the Tratex typeface.
• Switzerland uses the ASTRA-Frutiger typeface since 2003.
• Turkey and Ukraine use the FHWA typeface.
• Åland has not defined the typeface of the road signs in its traffic law. Therefore they have signs with both Finnish and Swedish typeface.

Table of traffic signs comparison

Priority

Warning

Prohibitory

End of prohibition

Speed limit

Mandatory

Special regulations

Indication

Border Crossings

Built-up Area Limits

Checkpoints