How many hours a day may a truck driver drive?

In the EU, Regulation 561/2006 sets 9 hours of daily driving, extendable to 10 hours at most twice a week; the AETR sets the same for international journeys. In Turkey, KTY Art. 98 sets 9 hours in 24 hours for domestic journeys.

How long is the break after 4.5 hours of driving?

45 minutes. Under 561/2006 and the AETR it can be split into a break of at least 15 minutes followed by one of at least 30; KTY Art. 98 allows parts of at least 15 minutes.

How long is the daily rest?

11 hours under 561/2006, the AETR and KTY Art. 98. It can be reduced to 9 hours at most three times between two weekly rests under 561/2006 and the AETR, and at most three times a week under KTY Art. 98.

How long does a 900 km trip take?

At an average of 75 km/h it is 12 hours of driving. With a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving and an 11-hour daily rest after 9 hours, the trip takes 23 hours 45 minutes under 561/2006, the AETR or KTY Art. 98.

How many hours may a US truck driver drive?

Under 49 CFR 395.3, at most 11 hours after 10 hours off duty, within 14 hours of coming on duty; a 30-minute interruption is needed after 8 hours of driving.

How long will the trip take? Driving time, breaks and rest calculator

What it calculates

The calculator works out how many hours of driving a distance takes at an average speed, how many breaks and daily rests that driving needs, the total time of the trip and the driving on each day. The rule set follows from the country and from whether the journey is domestic or international; the figures used are listed under the result with their article numbers.

How the plan is built

Driving time = distance ÷ average speed.
When the continuous driving limit is reached a break goes in; when the daily driving limit is reached a daily rest goes in and driving starts again the next day. Under the US rules the 14-hour on-duty window also closes the day.
Total time = driving + breaks + daily rests.

The rules

Rule set	Driving before a break	Break	Daily driving	Daily rest
561/2006 (within the EU, EEA and Switzerland)	4.5 hours	45 minutes	9 hours	11 hours
AETR (international)	4.5 hours	45 minutes	9 hours	11 hours
ARV 1 (Switzerland, domestic)	4.5 hours	45 minutes	9 hours	11 hours
KTY Art. 98 (Turkey, domestic)	4.5 hours	45 minutes	9 hours in 24 hours	11 hours
Order No. 160 (Russia, domestic)	4.5 hours	45 minutes	9 hours	11 hours
49 CFR 395 (United States)	8 hours	30 minutes	11 hours, within a 14-hour window	10 hours
NOM-087-SCT-2-2017 (Mexico)	5 hours	30 minutes	14 hours in 24 hours	8 hours

In EU countries 561/2006 applies to journeys within the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, and the AETR to journeys partly outside that area. In Turkey and Russia the national rule applies at home and the AETR on international journeys. In the UK the UK version of 561/2006 (assimilated law) applies; the GB domestic rules under the Transport Act 1968 make no specific provision for breaks or rest, GOV.UK writes, so they are not in the calculator. For Kazakhstan only the AETR can be chosen, for international journeys. Russia’s Order No. 160 took effect on 1 September 2026.

Example: 900 km in Turkey

At an average of 75 km/h, 900 km is 12 hours of driving. Under KTY Art. 98, 4.5 hours of driving are followed by a 45-minute break; 4.5 more hours fill the 9-hour day and an 11-hour daily rest follows; the remaining 3 hours are driven the next day. Result: 1 break, 1 daily rest, 23 hours 45 minutes in total.

Assumptions and limits

Extended driving and reduced daily rests are used only when ticked, and only as often as the rule set allows (under 561/2006 the 10-hour day twice a week and the daily rest reduced to 9 hours three times between weekly rests), counted over the trip; split breaks or rests are left out of the planning.
The weekly driving limit (56 hours a week and 90 in two weeks under 561/2006) is checked: the result says when the trip’s driving goes over the weekly figure. The weekly rest is not planned.
The average speed is constant for the whole trip; loading, unloading, customs and ferry waits are not counted.
Exceptional provisions (561/2006 Art. 12’s extension to reach home, the US adverse driving conditions extension) are not used.

Source notes

The rules come from Regulation 561/2006 in its consolidated text of 31 December 2024, the AETR in the consolidated English text on Latvia’s official legal portal, the UK version of 561/2006, Switzerland’s ARV 1, Turkey’s Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği Art. 98, the Russian Ministry of Transport’s Order No. 160, the US 49 CFR Part 395 and Mexico’s NOM-087-SCT-2-2017. The site’s article on driving time and rest rules explains them in detail; the trip cost calculator prices the trip.