European countries continue to dominate road infrastructure, while Albania remains in a development phase, with a low density of highways compared to the region and the EU. The latest Eurostat data for 2024 show a significant gap between Western European and Balkan countries, both in network coverage and investment intensity over the years.
Albania at the bottom of the ranking for highway density
The 2024 map of motorway density in Europe clearly shows that Albania ranks in the lowest category, with less than 15 kilometers of motorways per 1,000 km². This level places the country alongside some Balkan and Eastern European countries, far from the standards of countries like Germany, the Netherlands or Belgium, where motorway density exceeds 80 km per 1,000 km² in some regions.
The more developed regions of Central and Western Europe dominate the map with dense and integrated networks, while in Southeastern Europe the infrastructure remains more fragmented. Albania, although it has invested in major national axes over the last two decades, has not yet managed to create an extensive network of motorways with full European standards.
Highway expansion, Albania outside the main wave
While Albania remains at low density levels, developments in other countries show a much more intense dynamic. According to the data, the period 2014–2024 has been characterized by significant expansions of road networks in several regions of Europe.
Spain is leading this wave of development, with new motorway segments ranging from 131 to 242 kilometers being built in some regions, both in the north and south of the country. This development is linked to the ambitious road construction program that Spain has been pursuing since the 1990s.
Significant expansions have also been recorded in regions of Slovakia, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Bulgaria and Italy, reflecting a continued focus on improving connectivity and transport infrastructure.
In these data, Albania is not mentioned among the countries with significant expansion of the highway network in the last decade, which suggests a slower pace of development compared to other countries in the region and beyond.
Western Europe also dominates in density
Data for 2024 show that the highest motorway densities in Europe are found in regions of Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as in the capital regions of countries such as Hungary, Spain, the Czech Republic, Croatia and Austria. These areas benefit from high urbanisation and long-term investment in infrastructure.
At the same time, developments in other transport sectors show similar differences. For example, two German regions have the highest density of railway lines in the EU (over 600 km per 1,000 km²), while three regions in Greece have the lowest levels (under 10 km per 1,000 km²). In inland waterway transport, 12 of the 20 regions with the highest density are in the Netherlands./ekofin.al
