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You are here: Home Moving to Getting Started Driving in Luxembourg
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30/08/2011Driving in Luxembourg

Driving in Luxembourg Read Expatica's guide to driving in Luxembourg, from general road rules and parking to traffic offences, road safety and fuel.

Luxembourg has a good network of motorways and secondary roads that offers easy access to its neighbouring countries. The six motorways – all toll free – cover  147 km in total, linking Luxembourg City with Trier (Germany), Thionville (France) and Arlon (Belgium) as well as with Esch-sur-Alzette and Ettelbruck in Luxembourg.

Rules of the road
Driving in Luxembourg is on the right, with overtaking on the left. It is important to note that traffic on the right has priority; the use of stop and yield signs are rarer than in some other countries.  Third party insurance is compulsory and drivers should carry their driving licence, vehicle registration and certificates of insurance, road tax card and technical inspection.

Both front and rear seat belts are compulsory. Children under 12 (or under 1.5 metres tall) are not permitted to travel in the front seat without a proper child restraint system. In the back seat, a proper restraint must be used for children under 3; children over 3 can use appropriate restraints but may only use the lap part of seat belts.

National speed limits are 130 km/h on motorways (or 110 in rain), 90km/h on open country roads and 50 km/h in built up areas.

The minimum driving age is 18 years and the blood alcohol limit is 0.5mg/ml.  

Vehicle horns are for emergency use only.

Photo © Alfonso Jiménez

Traffic offences
Speeding and other traffic offences are subject to heavy fines. Police impose on-the-spot fines, known as ‘taxed warnings’, varying from EUR  24 for minor offences up to EUR 145 for major offences.  Ensure an official receipt is issued by the officer collecting the fine.

Speeding: EUR 49–145
Parking offence fines: EUR 24–49
Not using seat belt: EUR 74
Worn tires: EUR 145
Not respecting traffic lights, signs or road markings:  EUR 145

Road safety
All vehicles must be fitted with headlamp converters and it is compulsory for vehicles to carry a warning triangle and vest. Headlights are not required in clear daylight conditions except for motorbikes.

A first aid kit, spare bulb kit and fire extinguisher are also recommended. The numbers for the emergency services are 012 (fire/ambulance) and 113 (police).

Parking
Parking is scarce in Luxembourg City and Esch-Alzette, and most parking must be paid for, at pay-for car parks, parking meters or parking ticket dispensers.  ‘Blue zone’ parking exists in major cities, for which a parking disc must be obtained and displayed on the dashboard. Alternatively, there are free car parks approximately two miles outside the city, from which regular buses leave for the city.

Wheel clamps are placed on illegally parked vehicles by Luxembourg’s numerous – and vigilant – traffic wardens, and vehicles parked on bus stops, pedestrian crossings or spaces reserved for disabled persons will generally be towed away.

Fuel
Fuel is much cheaper in Luxembourg than in the surrounding countries.  All grades of unleaded petrol, diesel and LPG are available, as well as lead substitute additive. Leaded petrol is no longer available. Petrol stations are generally open from 07.00 to 20.00. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted at petrol stations, but not necessarily at automatic pumps, which are often the only pumps open out-of-hours. Carrying petrol in a can is permitted.

Motorcycles
The minimum age for driving a motorcycle is 18. Motorcycle drivers and passengers must wear crash helmets. Children under 12 are not allowed on motorbikes. Headlights must be used at all times.

Car rental
To rent a car In Luxembourg, you must be at least 23 years old and have held your license for at least a year. Drivers under 25 may be subject to a surcharge.

Photo © wfbakker2

Driving licence
If you intend to reside in Luxembourg for more than 6 months, you will have to convert your driving licence after you have registered with the local authorities. First, you must to get the license translated if it is not in English, French or German. In order to convert your driving license, you will need to visit the Ministry of Transport office.
Ministere des Transports Lux- Centre Service des permis de conduire

To request a licence exchange
Complete the application form, which can be downloaded, and provide the following documents:

  • Form "Demande en obtention d'un permis de conduire. www.snct.lu/.
  • Recent ID photograph 45 x 35 mm.
  • Medical certificate, no more than three months old, issued by a doctor licensed to practice in Luxembourg.
  • Certificate of residence (certificate de residence) no more than one month old, issued by the municipality office (commune).
  • Photocopy of both sides of your foreign licence.
  • Photocopy of valid photo ID.
  • Tax stamp (Timbre de Chancellerie), available from the SNCT or the Administration de l'engregistement et des domains.

The licence will be exchanged for one in an equivalent category; the original licence is held by the SNCT.

Private car
If you want to import your car into Luxembourg, you will have guidelines to follow, such as customs and insurance procedures. The car should be examined for road worthiness. You can find more information at the Ministry of Transport's website at www.snct.lu. You also need to apply for a parking permit (vignette de stationnement). Each household can apply for up to four vignettes. The first vignette for a household in Luxembourg City is free, the second costs EUR 48, the third and fourth cost EUR 96 each. The vignette is a purple sticker and always needs to be displayed.


Useful terms (French - German)
driving licence:  permis de conduire - Führerschein  
unleaded petrol: essence sans plomb - Bleifreies Benzin
diesel:  diesel - Diesel
entrance: entrée - Eingang
exit: sortie - Ausfahrt
one way street: rue à sens unique - Einbahnstraße
parking: parking - Parkplatz
police: police - Polizei
police station: commissariat de police- Polizeirevier  
toll: péage - Gebühren
traffic warden: agent de police - Verkehrspolizist


Petya Vetseva / Expatica / Raymond Brouschert

Brouschert Raymond is an instructor of the Friden Driving School, Luxembourg (www.fridenautoecole.lu)

Resources: www.mt.public.lu/formulaires/circulation_routiere/perrmis_conduire


Photo credits: Volkswagen by Alfonso Jiménez; Driving in Luxembourg by wfbakker2 (both Flickr.com)



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