VAN-COMPARATOR Guide
Motorhome speed limits: what (really) changes across Europe
Under or over 3.5 tonnes, France, Germany, Italy, Spain: the speed limits that apply to your rental motorhome, country by country.
Good news: below 3.5 t, a motorhome follows the car regime almost everywhere. But “almost” hides exceptions that get expensive in fines — and above 3.5 t, everything changes. Country by country.
Under 3.5 t: the car regime (mostly)
France: 130 km/h on motorways, 110 on expressways, 80–90 on open roads. Italy: 130 / 110 / 90. Spain: 120 / 90. Germany: 130 recommended on the autobahn (no general limit, but a loaded motorhome has no business beyond 120–130). Switzerland: 120 / 100 / 80. Virtually every rental campervan, converted van and semi-integrated falls in this category.
Over 3.5 t: light-truck rules
Large A-classes and American RVs sometimes exceed 3.5 t: in France, the limit drops to 110 on motorways and 100 on expressways; in Germany, 100 on the autobahn; Austria and Switzerland apply specific caps too. The gross weight appears on the listing and the registration document — check it; it also determines the licence you need (see what licence for a motorhome).
The classic radar traps
France’s wet-weather limits (110 instead of 130) apply to motorhomes too; Italy caps motorways at 110 in the rain. Fines follow the vehicle: the operator re-bills them to you with €15–30 handling fees per ticket — one more reason to lift off.
The real cruising speed
Beyond the legal number there is the optimal one: 100–110 km/h is where a motorhome is stable, frugal (15–20% fuel saved versus 130 — see our fuel and tolls budget) and restful. Over a 300 km stage, driving at 130 gains twenty minutes and loses a tankful of serenity. The driving basics live in our first time behind the wheel guide.