Truck operating cost per km in Europe: the complete fleet operator's breakdown

Running a fully loaded 40-tonne HGV (heavy goods vehicle) across a typical European cross-border corridor costs between EUR 1.10 and EUR 2.00 per kilometre in 2026, according to IRU benchmark data . A Poland-to-Germany run may land near EUR 1.20/km. The same distance transiting Austria can exceed EUR 1.80/km once GO-Maut is applied. The difference is the toll layer — growing faster than any other cost component in 2026.

CO₂-differentiated road charges, which tie the per-km toll rate directly to a vehicle's emission class, are now active in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovenia and Slovakia. The Netherlands adds kilometre-based HGV tolling from 2026-07-01, replacing the flat Eurovignette. CargoON's 2026 road transport cost analysis identifies this wave of environmental tolling as the dominant structural cost driver of the year — a permanent shift, not a one-off increase.

This guide breaks down all five cost components for a standard 40t HGV, provides worked numerical examples, and gives SME fleet operators the tools to calculate their own per-km figure and identify where savings are available.

What does it actually cost to run a truck per kilometre in Europe? (the 2026 benchmark range)

The IRU puts the average European road freight cost at EUR 1–EUR 2/km for a full truckload operation. In practice, most SME cross-border operators from Central and Eastern Europe run at EUR 1.20–EUR 1.60/km on high-volume lanes (Warsaw–Berlin, Bucharest–Vienna). Domestic runs in lightly tolled countries come in below EUR 1.10/km; runs transiting Austria routinely exceed EUR 1.70/km.

These figures reflect the all-in operating cost — fuel, wages, tolls, maintenance and depreciation — not the market rate charged to the shipper. For the shipper-side view, see our guide to freight rates from the shipper's perspective .

The 2026 range is at a multi-year high because three components have moved simultaneously upward: tolls (regulatory), labour (structural driver shortage) and fuel (geopolitical). Each is examined below.

How to calculate your own truck's cost per km: the five-component formula

The cost per kilometre for a HGV is the sum of five components:

Cost/km = (Fuel + Tolls + Labour + Maintenance and tyres + Depreciation and financing) ÷ Total km driven

The table below provides a worked example for a 40t, 5-axle Euro VI combination running 120,000 km per year on cross-border routes — a representative profile for a CEE-based SME operator.

The low end applies to a domestic Polish or Romanian operator on lightly tolled roads with a locally paid driver. The high end reflects a Western European operator transiting Austria with a driver at German or Dutch wage rates. Most cross-border CEE operators fall in the EUR 1.20–EUR 1.50/km band.

Why is fuel still the biggest cost — and what has the Middle East conflict changed in 2026?

Fuel is the largest single line item for most operators, representing 30–40% of total operating costs according to CargoON's 2026 market analysis. A standard 40t HGV burns approximately 28–33 litres of diesel per 100 km under load, which means fuel cost at pump varies directly with both consumption efficiency and the current diesel prices across Europe .

As of June 2026, EU diesel averages approximately EUR 1.82/L after a modest decline from the EUR 1.995/L recorded in May 2026 — a level maintained while Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden were simultaneously running excise-relief packages. The spread between the cheapest and most expensive EU markets has widened to more than EUR 1.15/L: Polish pump prices sit at EUR 1.69/L while the Finnish market reaches EUR 2.37/L.

For an operator running a 40t combination at 30 L/100 km, fuel cost per km at EUR 1.80/L average works out to EUR 0.54/km. On a 1,000 km round trip, fuel alone costs EUR 540. The geography of where you fuel matters: an operator departing Warsaw and fuelling at Polish diesel benchmarks before crossing into Germany can save EUR 100–165 per tank fill compared to fuelling on the German side.

The reopening of conflict in the Middle East in 2026 — specifically Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of global oil supply passes — has introduced fresh upward pressure on crude prices, reversing the early-2026 expectation of relief. CargoON notes the current confrontation has involved direct attacks on oil production infrastructure, unlike the more contained June 2025 episode.

The TFC-Power 2025 road freight compliance playbook quantifies the main fuel reduction levers: sustained eco-driving saves 5–10%, and properly specified low-rolling-resistance tyres add a further 2–5%. A driver assistant app that delivers real-time in-cab feedback makes the saving fleet-wide rather than driver-dependent.

How much do CO₂-differentiated tolls add per km — and which countries cost the most?

Tolling is now the fastest-growing cost component for cross-border HGV operations in Europe. The revision of the EU Eurovignette Directive has driven CO₂-based kilometre charging across nearly every major EU freight corridor. For an operator whose annual mileage is split evenly between Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, the toll line item in 2026 is approximately EUR 0.30–0.45/km averaged across the route mix — a figure that exceeds fuel cost on the Austrian leg.

The table below shows 2026 toll rates by country for a standard 40t, 5-axle Euro VI combination in CO₂ Class 1 (the most common class for current diesel fleets).

Source: transconnect.com 2026 European toll analysis ; official operator rate tables (Toll Collect, ASFINAG, Viapass).

The CO₂ class assigned to a vehicle materially changes its toll bill. In Germany, a truck in CO₂ Class 4 pays EUR 0.188/km rather than EUR 0.348/km — a saving of EUR 16,000 annually at 100,000 km. Operators should verify their OBU (on-board unit) CO₂ class registration and, where possible, submit documentation to move into a lower class. Transport management software that integrates real-time toll cost by route enables operators to compare corridor costs and divert where it makes financial sense.

Labour: why driver wages in Poland, Romania and Lithuania are rising faster than Western Europe

Labour runs at EUR 0.28–0.50/km depending on the country of employment, driver experience and social cost structure. For an international CE (combination vehicle) driver in Poland, total employer cost — gross wage plus mandatory social contributions — typically runs EUR 3,500–4,500/month. At 10,000 km/month, that equates to EUR 0.35–0.45/km.

The structural driver is the shortage. IRU estimated the EU driver shortfall at 426,000 in 2024. With only 4.5% of EU truck drivers below the age of 25, the active workforce is ageing faster than it is being replaced. Eurostat's Labour Cost Index shows transport and storage labour costs rising 4% year-on-year EU-wide in Q3 2025. CEE countries are well above the average: Poland at +16% and Lithuania at +11% in the same period. Lithuania's statutory minimum wage rose to EUR 1,153/month gross from 2026-01-01 — up more than 90% since 2018 — and experienced international drivers now command EUR 1,800–3,357/month gross. Romania shows a similar pattern, with operating costs rising 15–25% over the past two years according to CargoON's market analysis.

The Mobility Package rules on driver postings — which require operators to pay host-country wage rates for cabotage (the carriage of goods within a single foreign country by a non-resident carrier) operations — add further compliance cost to cross-border work. Checking truck speed limits by country is one compliance input; full Mobility Package adherence requires documented rest periods and correct posting declarations.

What do maintenance, tyres and depreciation cost per km — and why do operators underestimate them?

Maintenance and tyres together typically represent 7–10% of total all-in operating cost, according to IRU's cost structure data. For a 40t HGV running 120,000 km per year, this translates to EUR 0.07–0.14/km — a line that operators who bundle these costs into general vehicle expenses routinely understate by EUR 0.03–0.05/km.

Scheduled servicing (oil, filters, brakes) runs roughly EUR 4,000–6,000 per year for a Euro VI tractor. A full tyre set for a 5-axle combination costs EUR 4,000–6,500; at 120,000 km/year that annualises to EUR 0.03–0.06/km. AdBlue consumption at 4–6% of diesel volume adds EUR 0.01–0.02/km. Reserving EUR 0.01–0.02/km for unscheduled repairs is consistent with industry benchmarks. Low-rolling-resistance tyres reduce fuel consumption by 2–5% at motorway speeds; the payback versus standard tyres typically falls within 100,000 km.

Depreciation and financing represent a further 9–13% of total operating cost. A new Euro VI 40t tractor costs EUR 130,000–180,000; a semi-trailer adds EUR 30,000–70,000. Over five years at 120,000 km/year, net depreciation after a residual value of EUR 40,000–70,000 works out to EUR 0.14–0.19/km. Full-service operating leases convert this into a fixed monthly cost — typically EUR 1,800–2,800/month per tractor (EUR 0.18–0.28/km) — and remove residual value risk, which matters as Euro 7 standards (mandatory from 2028) will affect future diesel resale values. Insurance adds EUR 0.02–0.04/km.

How to reduce your cost per km: route optimisation, backhaul fill rate and load matching

The four highest-impact cost-reduction levers, ranked by return:

1. Increase backhaul fill rate. At 10,000 km/month with 20% empty running, halving dead mileage adds EUR 1,200–1,600/month per vehicle — without changing routes or rates. Systematic load matching is the single largest cost-per-km lever for most SME operators.

2. Fuel routing by price. The EUR 1.15/L spread across EU markets means fuelling in Poland before entering Germany saves EUR 100–165 per 600L tank. Route planning that accounts for current diesel prices across Europe should be standard dispatch practice.

3. Toll route and CO₂ class optimisation. Transiting Austria (EUR 0.572/km) versus the Czech Republic (EUR 0.216/km) on a north–south run saves EUR 350 on a 1,000 km leg. Verifying OBU CO₂ class in Germany can save EUR 0.16/km. Transport management software that calculates real-time toll cost by route makes these decisions systematic.

4. Eco-driving and speed discipline. Applying cruise control and predictive braking — within the truck speed limits by country — cuts fuel consumption 5–10% (EUR 0.03–0.05/km). A driver assistant app converts one-off coaching into a permanent fleet-wide saving.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average cost per km for a truck in Europe?

The average all-in operating cost for a 40-tonne HGV on a cross-border route in 2026 is approximately EUR 1.20–EUR 1.60/km, based on IRU benchmark data. CEE-based operators on lightly tolled routes can come in at the lower end; operators transiting Austria or the Netherlands now exceed EUR 1.70/km. Western European-registered operators with higher wage costs typically run EUR 1.50–EUR 2.00/km.

How do you calculate truck cost per km?

Sum five components: fuel (L/100 km × diesel price ÷ 100), tolls (country rate × km driven in each country), labour (total monthly employer cost ÷ monthly km), maintenance and tyres (annual cost ÷ annual km), and depreciation (vehicle cost minus residual value ÷ useful-life km). Divide the total by kilometres driven to get your per-km cost.

What percentage of truck costs is fuel?

Fuel typically represents 30–40% of total HGV operating costs in Europe, according to CargoON's 2026 road transport cost analysis. The exact share depends on route mix, vehicle efficiency and the pump price in the countries where fuelling occurs. On heavily tolled corridors such as Austria, tolls can approach or exceed fuel as the dominant cost component.

How much do EU truck tolls cost per km?

Germany charges a 40t Euro VI combination EUR 0.303–0.348/km; Austria EUR 0.572/km; the Netherlands EUR 0.201/km from 2026-07-01; Belgium EUR 0.194–0.267/km; France EUR 0.18–0.36/km; Czech Republic EUR 0.084–0.216/km; Poland EUR 0.05–0.08/km. All these systems now incorporate CO₂ differentiation — cleaner vehicles pay substantially less.

Why are truck operating costs rising in Europe?

Three structural forces are pushing costs upward simultaneously. CO₂-differentiated tolling has spread across the EU, adding EUR 0.10–0.20/km on key corridors. The EU driver shortage — 426,000 unfilled positions in 2024 per IRU — is sustaining double-digit wage growth: Poland +16%, Lithuania +11% year-on-year in Q3 2025 (Eurostat). Geopolitical disruption in the Middle East has reintroduced fuel price uncertainty after a period of relative stability.

How does empty running affect cost per km?

Every kilometre driven without a paying load carries the full operating cost with zero revenue. At EUR 1.30/km and 20% empty running on a 10,000 km/month vehicle, dead mileage costs approximately EUR 2,600/month per truck. Reducing empty running through backhaul load matching is the highest-return cost-reduction lever available to most SME fleet operators.

Every cost component in this guide can be pulled from your existing records: fuel card statements, toll invoices, payroll, maintenance logs and finance schedules. The challenge for most SME operators is not data availability — it is consolidating it into a single per-km figure that can be tracked month by month and used to price lanes accurately.