How much does a trailer truck driver earn per month in Europe?
Trailer truck driver salary in Europe per month is about EUR 2,700 to 3,800 gross, based on German and Dutch base pay in 2026.
Logifie Team
Logistics Technology Experts
A heavy truck driver with a trailer (C+E licence) in Europe earns about EUR 2,700 to 3,800 gross per month in 2026, based on German and Dutch base pay. Dutch collective scales C to E run EUR 2,718 to 3,840, a German survey shows about EUR 2,710, and per diems come on top.
What do German and Dutch trailer drivers earn per month?
The Dutch figures come from the TLN collective wage scales , effective 2026-07-01. Scales C to E run from EUR 2,717.80 to EUR 3,840.02 gross per month on a 40-hour week, with no allowances included. The table does not say which scale applies to C+E drivers, so read the range as the Dutch band for these function groups only.
The German figure comes from the WSI Lohnspiegel survey by the Hans Boeckler Foundation, published 2025-11-27. Full-time drivers with ten years of experience report about EUR 2,710 gross per month. This is employee-reported gross pay (Bruttolohn) and does not include per diems. For more detail on this market, read the Germany truck driver salary guide .
| Country and scale | Gross per month, EUR |
|---|---|
| Germany (WSI survey, ten years of experience) | About 2,710 |
| Netherlands, scale C (TLN, from 2026-07-01) | From 2,717.80 |
| Netherlands, scale D | 2,893.55 to 3,520.40 |
| Netherlands, scale E | 3,034.77 to 3,840.02 |
Do per diems add to a trailer driver's monthly pay?
Per diems are not part of these base figures. Both the Dutch scales and the German survey figure leave them out, so a driver's total monthly income can be higher than the table shows. None of the sources used here gives a per diem rate, so check the contract for the daily amount and for how nights away are counted. For the same pay expressed per hour and per day, compare hourly and daily pay in our per-hour guide .
Why does one European figure not fit every country?
Labour costs differ widely between member states. Eurostat reported on 2026-03-31 that hourly labour costs across the EU ranged from EUR 12 to EUR 57 in 2025. That covers the whole economy and employer costs, not driver wages, so it is context only. Driver pay in other countries needs its own source, so compare truck driver salaries by country before relying on any single European figure.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a trailer truck driver make per month in Germany?
A full-time driver with ten years of experience reports about EUR 2,710 gross per month in the WSI Lohnspiegel survey, published 2025-11-27. The figure excludes per diems.
What is the monthly salary of a heavy truck driver in the Netherlands?
The TLN scales effective 2026-07-01 give EUR 2,893.55 to 3,520.40 for scale D and EUR 3,034.77 to 3,840.02 for scale E, on a 40-hour week with no allowances. Scale C starts at EUR 2,717.80. The table does not state which scale applies to C+E drivers.
Are per diems included in these monthly salary figures?
No. Both the Dutch scales and the German survey figure exclude per diems, so total monthly income can be higher. The sources used here give no per diem rate.
Does the EUR 2,700 to 3,800 range apply to every European country?
No. It rests only on German and Dutch base pay. Eurostat reported EU hourly labour costs of EUR 12 to EUR 57 in 2025 across the whole economy, so pay in other countries needs a separate source.
Explore driver careers in European road freight.
