Evolution of motorway construction in European nations

Historical map of 1926 of the Autostrada dei Laghi ("Lakes Motorway"; now parts of the Autostrada A8 and the Autostrada A9) opened on 21 September 1924 in Italy, the first controlled-access highway ever built in the world.[1][2]

The evolution of motorways construction in European countries by total number of kilometers existing in that year. This is a list of the total number of Motorways by country in Europe. It includes motorways (controlled-access highways), classified as such by the Eurostat and includes countries that are not members of the European Union but geographically are situated in Europe.

Countries by motorways built before 1952

Country 192419321935193619371938193919401941194219431944194519501952
 Austria0000000016.816.816.816.816.8-16.8
 Belgium0000110---------50
 Czech Republic00000000020----0
 Cyprus00000000020----
 Denmark000000120--300300300300300300
 Germany01810810861010304633013737382738613896--2128-
 Italy58.258.258.258.258.258.2400--------
 Poland00093131131131131131131131133133133133
 Portugal000000000008888

Countries by motorways built between 1955 and 1970

Country 195519561958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970
 Austria16.816.816.816.816.816.816.816.816.816.816.816.816.816.816.8
 Belgium80100150-200-300--400----570
 Denmark300300509-----------
 France014.270.4106-168.5-218.3--246.4---
 Germany2187---2551----3204----4110
 Hungary00000000007----
 Poland133133133133133133133133133133133133133133133
 Portugal888811.6-36.6--44----59.1
 Russia000000-108.9--108.9---
 Switzerland000000-8-------
 United Kingdom[3] 000131532192433224805666297618849641057

Countries by motorways built between 1971 and 1985

Country 197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985
 Austria-292-------------
 Belgium-848--95695611301130113711371152--1395-
 Bulgaria000001010--120152----
 Croatia-39.3--39.339.339.339.3246246246246---
 Czech Republic21.329.148.648.664.781.7135.4166.5194.4257.7257.7270.6281.1305.3314.8
 Germany----5742-7292--------
 Hungary85-107-136136168182184213213230245245302
 Ireland000000000000101015
 Italy---------------
 North Macedonia000000000232323232342
 Poland-133133133133133169169190190190190255278321
Portugal 59.1
 Romania0096969696969696969696969696
 Russia108.9180.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9
 Serbia000000355355355355355355355355355
 Slovakia[4] 0029.329.346.153.367.6115.6115.6115.6115.6142.7150.1150.1165.2
 Slovenia0323232320000000---
 Spain---------------
 Sweden-------721-------
 Switzerland---------------
 United Kingdom127016691730186919752155223723942455255626472692274127862813

Countries by motorways built between 1986 and 2000

Country 198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000
 Austria----1145---------1633
 Belgium---16131666---------1702
 Bulgaria---273---------324
 Croatia--------------411
 Czech Republic[5]317.4317.4326.4335.4355.7365.1368.7391.5392.3416.7425.6488.2500.9500.9500.9
 Cyprus0000-154--------240
 Denmark----601---------953
 Estonia----41-------939396
 Finland000225---------549
 France----68248500--------9776
 Germany--8198882210854------11143-1151511712
 Greece0000190-------346416553
 Hungary310310316346361361361361398398440456533571571
 Ireland----26---------103
 Italy----6193--------64786478
 Lithuania----421---------147
 Luxembourg000078-----114115126146147
 Netherlands----2092--------22652274
 North Macedonia427070707090909090105105120120145145
 Norway00000000000000143
 Poland327327348366381399399403405440453456490502592
 Portugal----316---------1482
 Romania96113113113113113113113113113113113113113113
 Russia108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9108.9-
 Serbia35535535535535535535535535535535535535533
 Slovakia[4]173.1173.1191.9191.9195.4197.4197.4197.4197.4197.4216.1219.2288.6290.6290.6
 Slovenia----228---------427
 Spain00004693---------9049
 Sweden----939---------1499
 Switzerland--------------1270
 Turkey[6]--------------1674
 United Kingdom[3]292029752992299530703102313332113242326932983378342134493467

Countries by motorways built between 2001 and 2015

Motorway construction in European nations by 2012
Rank Country 200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015
1 Spain9,5719,73910,29610,74711,43212,07313,01313,51814,02114,26214,53114,70114,98115,04915,336
2 Germany11,78612,03712,04412,17412,36312,53112,59412,64512,81312,81912,84512,87912,91712,94912,993
3 France10,06810,22310,37910,48610,80010,84810,95811,04211,16311,39211,41311,41311,55211,56011,599
4 Italy6,4786,4876,4876,5326,5426,5546,5886,6296,6616,6686,6686,7266,7516,844-
5 United Kingdom[7] 3,5193,6103,6113,6573,6293,6653,6693,6733,6733,6733,685.73,732.53,7563,759.63,768.4
6 Poland6306397277818481,0131,0831,2821,4541,5601,8652,4952,8053,1003,131
7 Turkey[6]1,6961,7141,7531,8621,8671,9081,9081,9222,0362,0802,1192,1272,2442,2782,282
8 Portugal1,6591,835---2,5452,6132,6732,7052,7372,7372,9883,0353,0653,080
9 Netherlands2,4992,5162,5422,5852,6002,6042,5822,6372,6312,6312,6312,6582,6662,6782,730
10 Greece6708458498661,0621,2331,3641,5691,7441,7441,7441,7441,8792,250-
11 Sweden1,5071,5441,5911,6841,6771,7441,8361,8571,9231,9711,9572,0042,0442,0882,119
12 Belgium1,7271,7291,7291,7471,7471,7631,7631,7631,7631,7631,7631,7631,763--
13 Austria1,6451,6451,6701,6771,6771,6781,6961,6961,6961,7191,7191,7191,7191,7191,719
14 Hungary5716386677178039671,0371,1131,1181,2901,3211,3211,3611,382.11,447.3
15 Russia132.9---------1,0001,060.51,060.51,060.5-
16 Switzerland1,3051,3411,3411,3411,3581,3611,3831,38314061,4061,4151,4191,429--
17 Denmark9711,0101,0101,0101,0101,0711,1111,1281,1431,2161,2321,237
18 Croatia4296137549251,0161,0811,1561,1991,2441,2441,25412541,2891,2901,310
19 Czech Republic[5]518.1518.1526.4541.5558.5627.2657691729734745751776776776
20 Belarus-----------8458459031021
21 Romania113113113228228228281281321332350550644683733
22 Finland591603653653693700700739765779790780810881881
23 Serbia55.588.7108.7113.3-201.3207.3207.3236.3628633498498--
24 Ireland125125177192247270270423663900900900897897916
25 Bulgaria328328328331331394418418418437458541605610-
26 Slovenia435456477483569579579696747768768769769770773
27 Norway143173-193264271239253344381393393407514-
28 Slovakia[4]290.6297.1307.8314.6326.5326.5363.7381.6389.6414.8417.8417.8417.8417.8463
29 Lithuania309309309309309309309309309309309309309309309
30 Ukraine000000000017200280317-
31 North Macedonia145208208208216216221237242251251251251251251
32 Cyprus257257257257257257257257257257257257257257257
33 Bosnia and Herzegovina0011.511.511.52027.627.63742.769.280.681.8126.1129.6
34 Luxembourg115126147147147147147147152152152152152152157
35 Estonia93969899100104115124-------
36 Albania--------2586.586.586.586.586.5152.5
37 Azerbaijan--------------148
38 Kosovo000000000000367680
39 Georgia000000000136969757590
40 Armenia00000000000---88
41 Iceland11111111118880000000
42 Andorra000000000000000
43 Latvia000000000000000
44 Liechtenstein000000000000000
45 Malta000000000000000
46 Moldova000000000000000
47 Monaco000000000000000
48 Montenegro000000000000000
49 San Marino000000000000000
50 Vatican City000000000000000

* Note: Due to the new European standards in 2011 some European countries had their total number of motorways diminished. Examples being Iceland form 11 to 0, or Estonia 115 to 0, they became either expressways or national highways.
** Note: This table includes countries that are geographically situated in Asia but are integrated into the European Road System (example E80 in Turkey): Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.

Countries by motorways built between 2016 and 2026

Rank Country 20162017[8]2018[8]20192020202120222023202420252026
1 Spain[9]-15,52315,58517,22817,22817,22817,22817,22817,22817,22817,228
2 Germany-13,00913,14113,14113,14113,18313,18313,18313,18313,18313,183
3 France-11,61811,67111,67111,67111,67111,67111,67111,67111,67111,671
4 Italy-6,943-6,9436,9436,9436,9436,9436,9436,9436,943
5 Poland3,2523,5103,8114,2144,3404,6904,9355,0755,2065,4655,585
6 United Kingdom[10] 3,7643,8033,8383,8383,8383,8383,8383,8383,8383,8383,838
7 Turkey[6]-2,6572,8423,0603,5233,5323,6333,7263,7963,7963,796
8 Portugal-3,0653,0653,0653,0653,0653,0653,0653,0653,0653,065
9 Netherlands2,7582,7582,7562,7562,7562,7562,7562,7562,7562,7562,756
10 Greece-2,5032,5032,5032,5032,5032,5032,5032,5032,5032,503
11 Sweden2,1182,1322,1322,1322,1322,1322,1322,1322,1322,1322,132
12 Hungary1,4321,4421,4791,5931,7451,8451,8751,8751,8971,9381,973
13 Belgium1,7631,7631,7631,7631,7631,7631,7631,7631,7631,7631,763
14 Austria1,7191,7431,7431,7431,7431,7431,7431,7431,7431,7431,743
15 Denmark1,2551,3081,3291,3291,3291,3291,3291,6091,6601,6601,660
16 Russia1,4421,4421,4421,4421,6381,6381,6381,6381,6381,6381,638
17 Czech Republic[5]1,2231,2401,2521,3061,3061,3491,3491,3491,4871,5561,556
18 Switzerland1,4581,4581,4621,4621,4621,4621,4621,4621,5491,5491,549
19 Romania[11] [12]7337638238509109409951,0741,2761,4181,477
20 Croatia1,3101,3101,3101,3101,3101,3101,3411,3411,3411,3411,341
21 Serbia----9249339619969961,0481,048
22 Belarus1,0211,0211,0211,0211,0211,0211,0211,0211,0211,0211,021
23 Ireland916916916916916916916916995995995
24 Finland890893926926926926926926926926926
25 Bulgaria-734757812831831845879879906906
26 Slovakia[4]463482482498498498854854854854854
27 Norway-523599599599599770770770770770
28 Slovenia-618623623623623625639639639639
29 Lithuania314324324324324324431431431431431
30 North Macedonia-259287317317317335335335335335
31 Ukraine-----317317317317317317
32 Bosnia and Herzegovina166188215-222231243243254263270
33 Cyprus257257257257257257257257257257257
34 Kosovo768080109119140189237237237237
35 Estonia154154154154154154154154226226226
36 Albania86152152152152152191191191191191
37 Luxembourg152157-165165165165165165165165
38 Azerbaijan--148148148148148148148148148
39 Georgia7575909090909090909090
40 Armenia8888888888888888888888
41 Latvia000000011666666
42 Montenegro0000004141414141
43 Iceland00000000000
44 Andorra00000000000
45 Liechtenstein00000000000
46 Malta00000000000
47 Moldova00000000000
48 Monaco00000000000
49 San Marino00000000000
50 Vatican City00000000000

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lenarduzzi, Thea (30 January 2016). "The motorway that built Italy: Piero Puricelli's masterpiece". The Independent. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "The "Milano-Laghi" by Piero Puricelli, the first motorway in the world". Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Road length statistics (RDL)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "História diaľníc na Slovensku" [History of Highways in Slovakia]. historiadialnic.sk (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  5. 1 2 3 "Uvádění jednotlivých dálničních úseků do provozu" [Commissioning of individual motorway sections] (PDF). ceskedalnice.cz (in Czech). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  6. 1 2 3 "Türkiye: length of motorways by year"
  7. ↑ Peter, Peter (23 January 2020). "Road length statistics (RDL)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Eurostat - Tables, Graphs and Maps Interface (TGM) table". ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  9. ↑ "Catálogo y evolución de la red de carreteras | Ministerio de Transportes, Movilidad y Agenda Urbana".
  10. ↑ Peter, Peter (23 January 2020). "Road length statistics (RDL)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  11. ↑ "Map of Motorways and Expressways in Romania". 130km.ro. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
  12. ↑ "A7, deschis până la Bacău. Se poate circula pe 241,62 km din totalul de 319 km". www.dcnews.ro/. Retrieved 2026-08-31.
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