Example of Swiss sign near Lugano with a motorway shield


Despite an apparent uniformity and standardization, European traffic signs presents relevant differences between countries. However most European countries refer to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals — adopted in Europe by Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

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Differences between European traffic signs

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Main differences are related to

  • graphic differences
  • differences in meanings
  • the use of a different colour-code scheme
  • local language texts (sometimes bilingual)
French road sign showing the difference between French and Swiss motorway sign colours, on the A411 near Geneva
Road signs use the Transport font in Iceland

Graphic differences

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  • Warning signs in the Republic of Ireland have a diamond shape with a yellow background in place of the standard triangular shape. They diverge from the standards of the rest of Europe.
  • Many pictograms (tunnel, pedestrian, car, etc.) are quite different in many countries.
  • Type of arrows may be different.
  • Fonts of written words

Different typefaces in texts

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These are incomplete. You can help by adding missing countries or fonts.

Different colour codes

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Warning signs

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Road works and construction

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Motorways

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Primary roads/Expressways

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Secondary roads

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Differences in meanings

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  • Sometimes similar signs have little differences in meanings, following the local traffic codes.[citation needed]
  • European countries use the metric system (distances in kilometres or metres, speeds in kilometres per hour, heights/widths in metres) with the exception of the United Kingdom, where distances, speeds (miles per hour), heights/widths are still indicated in imperial measurements (miles, yards, feet, and inches).

Table of traffic signs comparison

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Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium

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Comparison of traffic signs in seven countries of Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands and Belgium).




Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Norway

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Comparison of traffic signs in seven further countries of Europe (Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Poland, Sweden, Finland and Norway).




Greece, Czech Republic and Russia

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Comparison of traffic signs in three further countries of Europe (Greece, Czech Republic and Russia).

Notes

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  1. ^ This sign is being phased out by 2019, and being replaced by the previous sign."German Traffic Signs & Signals". January 28, 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-12-07. Retrieved 31 October 2010.

See also

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References

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  • European Standard for Traffic Signs - EN 12899-1:2001 Fixed, Vertical Road Traffic Signs – Part 1: Fixed Signs, Requirements
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