Do trucks come back empty from Greece? What the freight data says

On freight tonnes, mostly no: in Logifie's sum of the eight Greek regions with data, about 107 tonnes are loaded for every 100 unloaded, close to balance. Tonnes are not trucks, and regions differ: Attiki (83) is slightly hard to leave, Ipeiros (43) very hard, Sterea Elláda (183) and Peloponnisos (187) easy to reload.

The figures come from Logifie's freight balance map, built from Eurostat data. It is not an official Eurostat ranking. For each region it shows international tonnes loaded per 100 tonnes unloaded, using the Eurostat road freight tables for 2024 and 2025, last updated 2026-10-06. Below 100, more freight arrives than leaves. Above 100, reloading gets easier.

Domestic haulage by Greek hauliers is removed. Cabotage, meaning a foreign truck carrying domestic freight inside the host country, stays in. The 107 is Logifie's own arithmetic: 11,993 thousand tonnes loaded over 11,161 thousand unloaded across the eight regions.

Which Greek regions are hard to leave, and which are easy to reload?

Three regions sit below 100 and five above, so the country figure hides regional gaps from 43 to 187.

Kentriki Makedonia, the Thessaloniki region, carries the most freight at 4,360 thousand tonnes unloaded. Ipeiros is home to the port of Igoumenitsa, which Naftemporiki reported on 2026-03-11 had a milestone 2024 with historically high truck arrivals and departures. That is context only and does not explain the 43.

How reliable is this data, and how do you look up a Greek place?

Treat the values as a guide to freight tonnes, not trucks or trips. Only Dytiki Elláda is steady between 2024 and 2025; the other seven shift between the two years. Ipeiros and Peloponnisos are unsteady and small, under 700 thousand tonnes unloaded each, so read them with care. Five Greek regions have no value and get no verdict: Dytiki Makedonia, Ionia Nisia, Voreio Aigaio, Notio Aigaio and Kriti.

One scope warning. Eurostat reports that Greek hauliers' vehicles ran empty for 33.3% of vehicle-km in 2025, against an EU average of 21.8%. That covers Greek-registered trucks across the whole country and neither confirms nor contradicts any regional value above.

The text of the freight balance page is open to everyone. The interactive tool (map, search, route check, rankings and region table) opens with a 6-character access code from the Logifie TikTok videos, valid in the browser until it expires. This post gives the Greek numbers without a code.

Frequently asked questions

Is it hard to find a return load from Greece?

It depends on the region. Attiki is slightly hard to leave at 83 and Ipeiros very hard at 43, while Sterea Elláda and Peloponnisos are easy to reload. The values describe tonnes, so they promise no load on a given day. To size up a trip, use the freight calculator .

Which part of Greece is easiest to reload in?

Peloponnisos (187) and Sterea Elláda (183) score highest, followed by Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki (150). Peloponnisos is unsteady and small. Dytiki Elláda, at 118, is the only Greek region whose reading is steady across both years.

Why is Ipeiros so hard to leave?

The data shows 689 thousand tonnes unloaded against 296 thousand loaded, but it does not say why. Igoumenitsa port is in this region, yet neither source explains the 43. The reading is also unsteady, so confirm it before planning around it.

Can I search a Greek postcode on the freight balance map?

Greek postcodes cannot be searched by prefix, so search a place name instead. The interactive tool opens with the 6-character access code from the Logifie TikTok videos.

Planning a Greece run? Get a quote for your route .