Road freight activity in Cyprus continued to expand during the first quarter of 2026, with goods transported within the country increasing by 2.3% year on year. Freight movements to and from Cyprus recorded stronger growth, rising by 9.3%, according to figures from the Statistical Service.
International Freight Leads Growth
The latest figures point to continued growth in road-based goods transport despite Cyprus’ strong reliance on maritime connections for international trade.
Follow THE FUTURE on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram
Eurostat data show that Cyprus recorded 1.099 billion tonne-kilometres of road freight transport in 2025, compared with 1.096 billion in 2024 and 1.023 billion in 2023. Tonne-kilometres measure the weight of goods transported in relation to the distance travelled.
EU Road Freight Edges Higher
Across the EU, road freight reached 1.886 trillion tonne-kilometres in 2025, up 0.9% from the previous year. Almost 13.3 billion tonnes of goods were transported by road during the year.
National transport accounted for 62.2% of total EU road freight activity, increasing by 2.2% in 2025. International transport represented another 24.4%, while cross-trade and cabotage together made up 13.4%.
Performance varied significantly across member states. Ireland recorded the strongest growth at 10.5%, followed by Portugal at 10.3% and Croatia at 7.7%. Luxembourg saw the sharpest decline, at 14.1%, followed by Slovenia at 10.7% and Estonia at 10.3%.
Poland remained the largest contributor to EU road freight performance, accounting for 20.2% of the total, followed by Germany at 14.7% and Spain at 14.5%.
Food And Consumer Goods Lead Volumes
Food products, beverages and tobacco represented the largest category of road freight in the EU in 2025, generating 311.1 billion tonne-kilometres.
Germany recorded the highest volume of goods transported by road when measured in tonnes and was also a major participant in international freight flows across the bloc.
Road Transport Remains Key To Logistics
Road freight continues to play an important role in connecting ports, airports, warehouses and final destinations. According to DHL, the extensive road network gives trucks greater flexibility than other modes of inland transport and allows goods to reach locations that are not directly connected to major transport hubs.
For Cyprus, the 9.3% increase in freight movements to and from the island highlights the continued importance of road haulage in supporting trade and connecting businesses with ports and final destinations.
Overall, the latest figures point to moderate but continued growth in Cyprus’ road freight sector, while the wider European market also expanded in 2025 despite significant differences between countries and types of transport.
