The European road freight market returned to growth in 2025 following virtually flat performance the previous year. According to estimates by the analytics firm Transport Intelligence (TI), the market volume is set to reach €440.4 billion, a 1.4% increase in real terms compared to 2024. Forecasts indicate that the market will continue to recover in 2026, expanding by another 1.6% to €447.6 billion. However, analysts warn that growth rates will be constrained by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and economic slowdowns in Germany, France, and Italy.
TI data shows that the volume of domestic road freight in Europe will rise by 1.3% to €303.6 billion in 2025, while the international segment will grow by 1.4% to €136.8 billion. Cross-border transport is expected to be the primary market driver in 2026, with projected growth of 2.2% compared to 1.4% for domestic transport. Experts attribute this to the gradual recovery of intra-EU trade following the energy crisis and the freight market correction of 2023–2024.
Despite positive forecasts, carriers continue to operate under significant cost pressures. New truck registrations fell by 10% in 2025, and the expansion of CO₂-based road toll systems in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic is driving up expenses for transport companies. In the long term, TI expects the European road freight market to grow at an average annual rate of 1.9%, reaching €483.5 billion by 2030, with international transport maintaining a faster growth pace driven by trade and industrial development in Central and Eastern Europe.