Activity in tonne-kilometres (index, Q1 1999 = 100)
206.9 points
Price per kilometre excl. VAT (index)
174.7 points
Cost per km · container carrier
€1.59/km
Empty running
23.5%
What the data say · Q1 2026
Road freight activity in Spain stood at 206.9 points on the tonne-kilometre index in the first quarter of 2026, 2.7% less than in the same quarter of 2025. In tonnes carried, the index stood at 185.1 points (up 3.8%). 23.5% of journeys were run empty.
The price per kilometre charged by hauliers, excluding VAT, stands at 174.7 points on the Price Observatory index, 6.2% more expensive than a year earlier.
Operating an articulated container carrier costs €1.59/km, €158,897 a year, 17.2% more expensive than a year ago, according to the Cost Observatory. It is the vehicle profile that matters most to ports.
Articulated construction tipper ranks first among vehicle profiles with €2.26/km in the first quarter of 2026 (13.7% more expensive than a year earlier). It is followed by Articulated tanker, dangerous goods: LPG (€1.94/km) and Articulated tanker, dangerous goods: chemicals (€1.9/km).
The rest of the top ten are Industrial vehicle carrier, road train (4th, €1.89/km, +18.4%), Articulated refrigerated vehicle, international transport (5th, €1.83/km, +17.1%), Car transporter, road train (6th, €1.75/km, +17.7%), Articulated general-cargo vehicle, international transport (7th, €1.71/km, +16.2%), Articulated tanker, powdered products (8th, €1.67/km, +16.1%), Articulated refrigerated vehicle (9th, €1.66/km, +18.7%) and Two-axle refrigerated vehicle (10th, €1.66/km, +15.7%).
Of the 20 vehicle profiles with a comparison, 0 have become cheaper and 20 more expensive compared with a year earlier.
The highest point in the series was the first quarter of 2023, at 216.5, and the lowest the second quarter of 2020, at 164.8; the last twelve points add up to 2.2% more than the previous twelve.
Top 10 · Cost per kilometre by vehicle profile (Cost Observatory)
Activity in tonne-kilometres by quarter (index)
Full table · 21 vehicle profiles
| # | Vehicle profiles | €/km | YoY change | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Articulated construction tipper | 2.26 | +13.7% | €135,529 |
| 2 | Articulated tanker, dangerous goods: LPG | 1.94 | +14.2% | €193,807 |
| 3 | Articulated tanker, dangerous goods: chemicals | 1.9 | +14.4% | €199,420 |
| 4 | Industrial vehicle carrier, road train | 1.89 | +18.4% | €226,689 |
| 5 | Articulated refrigerated vehicle, international transport | 1.83 | +17.1% | €274,450 |
| 6 | Car transporter, road train | 1.75 | +17.7% | €219,349 |
| 7 | Articulated general-cargo vehicle, international transport | 1.71 | +16.2% | €256,530 |
| 8 | Articulated tanker, powdered products | 1.67 | +16.1% | €208,431 |
| 9 | Articulated refrigerated vehicle | 1.66 | +18.7% | €199,038 |
| 10 | Two-axle refrigerated vehicle | 1.66 | +15.7% | €116,020 |
| 11 | Articulated tanker, food products | 1.63 | +16.4% | €203,904 |
| 12 | Articulated general-cargo vehicle, 44 t | 1.62 | — | €194,110 |
| 13 | Articulated container carrier | 1.59 | +17.2% | €158,897 |
| 14 | Articulated general-cargo vehicle | 1.52 | +17.6% | €182,809 |
| 15 | Road train | 1.52 | +19.4% | €182,456 |
| 16 | Articulated bulk tipper | 1.5 | +17.8% | €180,084 |
| 17 | Three-axle rigid general-cargo vehicle | 1.4 | +15.5% | €132,629 |
| 18 | Three-axle rigid livestock vehicle | 1.35 | +15.9% | €147,949 |
| 19 | Two-axle rigid general-cargo vehicle | 1.3 | +15.6% | €116,663 |
| 20 | Van | 1.28 | +9.4% | €63,997 |
| 21 | Two-axle rigid distribution vehicle | 1.27 | +13.1% | €89,232 |
What this indicator measures
Three official observatories of the Ministry of Transport: activity (tonne-kilometres of road haulage, as an index with Q1 1999 = 100), prices (index of price per kilometre excluding VAT) and costs (annual and per-kilometre cost of 20 vehicle profiles, calculated with real prices for diesel, wages, tolls and financing). All three are quarterly and published two or three months after the quarter ends.
Context
Road transport carries more than 90% of Spain’s inland freight tonne-kilometres. The cost per kilometre of an articulated general-cargo vehicle is around €1.40, with diesel and the driver as the main items. The container-carrier profile, the most relevant for ports, has a higher cost per kilometre because of its heavier weight and lower annual mileage.
Frequently asked questions
How much has road haulage activity grown?
206.9 points in the first quarter of 2026, 2.7% less than in the same quarter of the previous year.
How much does a kilometre cost for a container lorry?
€1.59/km for the “Articulated container carrier” profile, €158,897 a year, according to the Ministry of Transport’s Cost Observatory (2026-04-30).
When is this data updated?
Ministerio de Transportes (activity, price and cost observatories) publish the data every quarter. Latest data available: Q1 2026.
Source
Ministerio de Transportes (activity, price and cost observatories). To explore the data in detail, use Transporte por Carretera (Spanish) or see the original source.