Diesel spreads across EU as Nordic and Benelux stations lead costs
Week of 31 August: diesel ranges from 166.936 EUR/l in Poland to 233.358 EUR/l in Finland. Refuelling strategy matters on every lane.
Diesel prices this week span 66.422 EUR/l across the EU, from Poland's 166.936 EUR/l to Finland's 233.358 EUR/l. For dispatchers planning cross-border loads, the choice of refuelling point now determines margin on tight contracts.
Poland remains the cheapest fuel market in the region at 166.936 EUR/l diesel, followed by Sweden at 173.033 EUR/l. Bulgaria and Hungary sit below 186 EUR/l, while Luxembourg, Spain and Croatia cluster between 186 and 199 EUR/l. This tier covers most southbound lanes through Central Europe.
Austria at 199.300 EUR/l marks the threshold into higher-cost territory. Latvia at 195.167 EUR/l and Lithuania at 204.329 EUR/l sit midway. The Baltic spread itself is significant: operators on Tallinn-to-Warsaw lanes will find Estonia at 192.200 EUR/l cheaper than Lithuania by 12.129 EUR/l per litre.
Northern and Western Europe commands premiums. Germany and Belgium both exceed 220 EUR/l diesel. The Netherlands peaks at 232.588 EUR/l, just behind Finland at 233.358 EUR/l and Denmark at 227.422 EUR/l. France sits at 220.855 EUR/l, Italy at 212.346 EUR/l. For hauliers operating Germany-to-Benelux corridors, every litre burned in the Netherlands costs 9.388 EUR/l more than in Poland.
On petrol, Denmark stands alone at 252.438 EUR/l. Germany diesel-petrol spread is narrow at 223.600 EUR/l, reflecting tax structure. Poland remains cheapest at 152.466 EUR/l petrol, Sweden at 147.102 EUR/l. Most Central European markets cluster between 160 and 180 EUR/l petrol.
For dispatchers, the arithmetic is clear. A 40-tonne diesel load from Warsaw to Hamburg burns roughly 120 litres. Refuelling in Poland costs 20.032 EUR total; the same volume in Germany costs 26.784 EUR, a difference of 6.752 EUR per tank. On a two-tank run, that margin vanishes. Conversely, loads originating in Germany or Benelux will cost less to operate if refuelled before crossing east.
Consider your lane profile. Tallinn-to-Berlin routes benefit from refuelling in Estonia or Latvia rather than waiting for Germany. Warsaw-to-Amsterdam runs should top up in Poland or Czechia before crossing into higher-cost zones. Baltic-internal traffic finds no relief: fuel costs are relatively uniform between Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, so efficiency and load optimisation matter more than location choice.
Plan refuel stops against known pump prices this week. Avoid topping up in Denmark, Finland or the Netherlands unless operationally necessary. Use Frachta's order costing tools to factor fuel spend against freight rates before quoting.