Understanding Road Transportation: 2025 updates for Germany, Poland, Austria
Market Monday - Week 39 - Updated charts with latest data for our country overview series
About this series
The transportation landscape in Europe represents one of the world's most sophisticated logistics networks, where many countries intersect in a complex web of trade routes and regulatory frameworks. This comprehensive series examines the key transport markets that drive Europe's logistics sector, offering data-driven insights and practical market intelligence.
Our analysis combines real-world data from the Transporeon platform with official statistics from Eurostat and other sources. Unless otherwise described, the information relates to full truckload transports but is typically applicable to other road transport segments as well.
2025 Update
We have prepared updated charts and infographics for the several countries we covered about a year ago. You can find them below, along with a summary of key changes, characterizing the developments.
Germany
The German road transport market stagnated last year. This is evidenced by a sharp reversal in carrier investment, with new heavy truck registrations plummeting by 16% in 2024 after a strong 2023, a downturn more severe than the European average. This contraction in domestic fleet renewal coincides with an increased reliance on foreign operators, as the share of cabotage rose to a European high of 10.6%. Overall freight volumes were also declining, reflected in a notable 7% drop in motorway utilization, placing Germany just below the average.
The developments point to a market operating at a lower tempo, linked to the country's weaker economic performance. The market is in a challenging combination of weak demand and high operational costs, creating a difficult environment for carrier profitability and forcing a greater reliance on foreign cabotage capacity to meet logistical needs during peak seasons.
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Poland
Polish road transport market signalled a severe contraction in carrier investments despite domestic economic growth. The most telling indicator is the dramatic 23% collapse in new heavy truck registrations in 2024, a stark reversal from previous years and far exceeding the European average decline. This decline stemmed from a crisis of confidence among Polish carriers in European transport demand increases and the impacts derived from the Mobility Package implementation and enforcement efforts. Despite this, Poland's strategic importance remains undiminished; motorway utilization, while slightly lower, continues to rank first in Europe. Demand remains heavily skewed towards outbound freight, particularly to Germany, reinforcing Poland's role as a net exporter of both goods and transport services.
The cost and rate environment in Poland is becoming increasingly volatile. Average spot rate variation has risen to 5.1%, and the market continues to be characterized by high rejection rates compared to other countries. This indicates a certain unpredictability, particularly for export loads. The combination of a halt in new capacity entering the market and sustained, albeit shifting, demand pressures explains the struggles of the shippers facing greater price uncertainty and challenges in securing reliable outbound transport.
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Austria
Austria's road transport market is defined by its struggle through a prolonged recession while facing the high and escalating operational costs. In contrast to its neighbors, the Austrian carrier base has shown stability, with new heavy truck registrations dipping by a mere 0.7% in 2024. This resilience suggests a business model focused on essential, high-value services that are less susceptible to regional economic downturns. However, the market's overall health is deteriorating, with motorway utilization declining.
The dominant story for Austria is the escalating cost structure, which is beginning to act as a demand suppressant. The very high toll cost component makes Austria one of Europe's most expensive transit corridors. The recent government's plan for further toll increases in 2026, initially projected at around 13%, sparked significant protest from the transport industry, which organized an action in Vienna. The combination of a recession and punitive transport costs is choking off freight volumes, leading to a stable but worryingly subdued market.
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We will continue updating other editions of the "Understanding Road Transportation" series with refreshed data.
Oleksandr Kulish
Senior Consultant