Different typefaces on the road

Italy

Road signs in Italy use a variation of the Transport typeface called Alfabeto normale, or the condensed form of it, called ‘Alfabeto stretto’ (the latter is the one on the top and the bottom signs in the photo).

Albania

Albania use the ‘Alfabeto normale’ typeface (with the narrow variant ‘Alfabeto stretto’), a heavier version of the British ‘Transport’ typeface. Albania has recently started using ‘Arial Narrow Bold’ typeface.

Austria and Slovakia

Austria and Slovakia use the TERN typeface.

Belarus, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine

Belarus, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine use typefaces based on one specified in a Soviet standard ГОСТ 10807–78. In Belarus, the according standard is СТБ 1140–99. In Ukraine, it is ДСТУ 4100–2002. In Russia, it is ГОСТ Р 52290–2004.

Further readings

Alexander Sapozhnikov: Russian Road Sign Font

Bulgaria

Bulgaria uses the SNV typeface.

Belgium

Belgium uses the SNV typeface.

Cyprus, Greece

A Scottish sign using the Transport typeface on the Isle of Skye, with placenames given in both Scots Gaelic and English, and distances shown in miles.

Portugal

Example of the use of the Transport typeface in road signs in Portugal.

Irish

Irish road signs using dotless i and script a (upper and lower case)

Motorway typeface in UK

Motorway typeface is used on United Kingdom motorways.

Further readings

Chris Marshall: British road signs fonts
British Roads FAQ: Fonts on signs
K-Type: Motorway

Denmark

Denmark uses the Dansk Vejtavleskrift typeface. The typeface is derived from the British Transport typeface.
See also: Ralf Herrmann | Traffic Sign Typefaces: Dansk Vejtavleskrift (Denmark)

Estonia and Moldova

Estonia and Moldova use the Arial Narrow Bold in mixture with Helvetica typeface.

Finland

Finland uses a typeface developed in the 1960s by the former national board of roads and waterways.

Further readings

Tiehallinnon selvityksiä: Opastusmerkkien luettavuus
Finnish traffic sign typeface: Information

France

France uses the Caractères typeface.

Germany, Czech Republic and Latvia

Germany, Czech Republic and Latvia use the DIN 1451 typeface.

Greece

Greece used a modified version of the British Transport typeface and, today, uses a modified version of DIN 1451.

Hungary

Hungary does not use a defined typeface as the letters are defined one-by-one in the national regulation. The typeface resembles the DIN 1451 typeface closely.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg uses Arial (Bold), Caractères Italic, DIN 1451, and the SNV typefaces, often inconsistently.

Turkey

Turkey uses the FHWA typeface.

Spain

Señal S-242a. Preseñalización en autopista o autovía de dos salidas muy próximas hacia cualquier carretera.

Spain

Señal S-220. Preseñalización de direcciones hacia una carretera convencional.
Spain uses two typefaces: Autopista (derived from FHWA series E modified) for motorways and Carretera Convencional (also known as CCRIGE or Traffic Type Spain D) for other situations. The typeface Carretera Convencional is derived from the British Transport typeface, and is almost identical to the Italian Alfabeto Normale.

Netherlands

Netherlands use typefaces derived from FHWA typeface: ANWB/RWS Cc (narrow), Dd (medium) and Ee (wide).
See also: Ralf Herrmann | Traffic Sign Typefaces: The Netherlands

Norway

Norway uses the Trafikkalfabetet typeface.

Poland

Poland uses the Drogowskaz typeface.

Sweden

Sweden uses the Tratex typeface.

Switzerland

Switzerland uses the Frutiger typeface.