You can believe it or not winter tires in its usefulness, but fortunately there are quite a few places in Europe where the use of the right tire is not left to the decision of the motorists. If you don’t have winter tires or snow chains, and the police find this out, the fine will fly, the authorities won’t care that you think the use of winter tires is just a marketing gimmick.


Important to note: the following information applies to WINTER CONDITIONS (snow, ice, sleet, sleet). It is understandable that in good weather, in summer, winter tires are not mandatory anywhere, if the weather conditions do not justify it.

Winter tires

Mandatory

  • Austria: Between November 1 and April 15, winter tires are mandatory if there are winter road conditions (snow, ice).
  • Germany: Weather dependent, mandatory in case of snow and ice. There is no specific period.
  • Slovenia: Mandatory between November 15 and March 15 if there are winter conditions.
  • Croatia: Mandatory between November 15 and April 15 if there is snow or ice on the roads.
  • Finland: Mandatory between December 1 and February 28.
  • Sweden: Mandatory between December 1 and March 31 if there are winter conditions.
  • Norway: Mandatory in winter if the road conditions justify it (especially in northern Norway).
  • Estonia: Mandatory between December 1 and March 1.
  • Latvia: Mandatory between December 1 and March 1.
  • Lithuania: Mandatory between November 10 and April 1.

Optional (but recommended in case of bad weather)

  • France: may be mandatory in certain mountainous regions between November 1 and March 31.
  • Italy: may be mandatory in some northern regions and on mountain roads, between November 15 and April 15.
  • Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg: optional, but recommended in winter conditions.

Snow chain

Mandatory (depending on weather and area)

  • Austria: may be mandatory on mountain roads, where indicated
  • Italy: may be mandatory in some mountainous areas and around ski resorts
  • France: mandatory on mountain roads where signposted (mainly the Alps and Pyrenees)
  • Switzerland: the use of snow chains may be mandatory where indicated
  • Slovenia: may be mandatory in certain mountainous areas

Optional (but recommended on mountain sections)

  • Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg

In Europe, the regulations therefore vary from country to country and region to region, and it is important to find out in advance about the regulations of the given country, especially in the case of mountainous areas. Therefore, I recommend that you browse the official traffic websites of specific countries or the regulations published by car clubs for details of the current regulations before traveling.

But are those who say that winter tires are simply a marketing ploy from tire manufacturers really right? You don’t need it, it’s an unnecessary waste of money, and it’s not really winter anyway. We discussed the topic in detail in our article below: