Road sign colours
Last updated 8-4-2023
Classification of systems
Summary of colours used
Remarks
Only in Belarus, the Netherlands and Belgium, all roads have the same colour signs, though in Belgium, references to motorways on other roads are in a different colour.
Only in Belgium, a different colour is used for signs on motorways and references to motorways on other roads.
Apart from rectangles, only five different shield shapes are used, of which three (NL-s, I-A and RO-DN) are only used in one country.
The German motorway shape is being used in more and more countries: D, CH, CY, GR, HR, RKS, SLO and TR. It almost seems to be developing into an international standard, though different colours are used in different countries and the class letter is included in most countries.
Explanation of columns
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Country name
Common abbreviation, as often used on road signs and license plates
How text appears on motorway signs, e.g. Austria: White mixed case roman text on blue signs, Cyprus: Yellow capital greek letters and white mixed case roman letters on green signs.
NB TEKCT = text in Russian.
Example of how road numbers are typically shown on signs, if no shields is shown, a rectangle is used, usually with the same colour border as the text in the number
Which numbers are indicated for motorways with E numbers: either only E numbers, only national numbers, or both
How text appears when referring to other roads on signs along a motorway, this can be on patches or on separate signs
Example of how numbers of other roads are shown on signs along a motorway
How text appears when referring to motorways on signs along other roads
Example of indication of a motorway number on signs along other roads
How text appears on signs along expressways (motorway-like roads, roads with motorway characteristics)
How expressways are numbered on signs
How text appears on signs along other main roads
How main roads are numbered
Which numbers are indicated on E roads which are not motorways
Sign colours along local roads
Lower class road numbers (sometimes several classes or colours)
Indication of local destinations
Special road numbers within a city, only in a few countries
References to roads which are reached via other roads
When several methods are used, they are listed in order of decreasing frequency.