Euro Truck Simulator 2: Complete Walkthrough, Pro Tips & Best Builds
Key Takeaways
- Start small, upgrade wisely: Begin with a used truck and focus on quick jobs until you hit $150,000—then buy your own rig.
- Invest in long-haul skills first: Max out the Long Distance skill to unlock the highest-paying routes early.
- Avoid the Scania R730 as a first truck: It’s overkill. A Volvo FH16 with a 600 hp engine is cheaper and just as reliable.
- Hidden achievements save time: Unlock "Mille Miglia" and "The Grand Tour" by driving specific routes during events—no grinding needed.
Introduction
I’ve been driving virtual rigs in Euro Truck Simulator 2 since 2014, and I’ve logged over 1,200 hours across multiple profiles. This isn’t just a game about moving cargo—it’s about building an empire from scratch. Whether you’re hauling 20 tons of fertilizer from Düsseldorf to Strasbourg or pulling a fragile shipment of glass to Rome, the right strategy makes the difference between scraping by and rolling in cash.
This walkthrough covers everything from your first job to building a fleet worth millions, with concrete numbers and routes that actually work in 2025.
Getting Started: The First 10 Hours
Choosing Your Profile and Starting City
Your starting city matters more than you think. Pick one near the center of the map—Frankfurt am Main, Munich, or Lyon. These cities have the densest concentration of quick jobs under 300 km, which is perfect for building your early bankroll.
Pro tip: Avoid cities like London or Helsinki. They’re isolated, and early jobs often force you to take ferries or detours that eat into your hourly profit.
The Job Market: Quick Jobs vs. Freight Market
For your first 10–15 deliveries, stick to Quick Jobs. You won’t need to maintain a truck, and you’ll earn about €1.50 per km for basic cargo. After 5–8 jobs, you’ll have around €25,000 saved.
| Job Type | Average Pay (€/km) | Best Use Case |
| ---------- | ------------------- | --------------- |
| Quick Jobs | €1.20 – €2.00 | First 10 hours, no risk |
| Freight Market | €2.50 – €4.50 | After buying first truck |
| External Contracts | €3.00 – €5.50 | Multiplayer or events |
My rule: Don’t buy your own truck until you’ve completed at least 20 quick jobs and have €120,000 in the bank. You’ll need €60,000 for a used truck and €30,000 for maintenance and upgrades.
Best Truck Builds (2025 Edition)
Budget Build: Used DAF XF 105 (€55,000)
- Engine: 410 hp (€7,000 upgrade from stock 360 hp)
- Transmission: 12-speed ZF (€4,500)
- Cargo capacity: 22 tons max
- Fuel economy: 8.2 km/L average
This truck handles 80% of jobs under 2,000 km. I used one for 100,000 km before upgrading. It’s slow up hills, but it’s reliable and cheap to repair.
Mid-Tier Build: Scania R620 (€180,000)
- Engine: 620 hp V8 (€32,000)
- Transmission: 14-speed Scania Opticruise (€9,000)
- Chassis: 6x4 for heavy loads (€25,000)
- Fuel economy: 7.5 km/L
This is my go-to for long hauls over 3,000 km. The V8 engine lets you maintain 90 km/h on 7% grades. Perfect for the Scandinavia to Italy routes.
Endgame Build: Volvo FH16 750 (€250,000)
- Engine: 750 hp (€45,000)
- Transmission: I-Shift 12-speed (€11,000)
- Chassis: 6x2 midlift (€30,000)
- Cargo capacity: 40 tons (with trailer)
You don’t need this until you’re hauling heavy machinery or doing World of Trucks events. It costs €1,500 per repair visit, so don’t rush it.
Hidden Secrets and Achievements
The "Mille Miglia" Achievement
Drive 1,000 km in one go without stopping at a rest area. Best route: Frankfurt to Warsaw (1,080 km) via A2 and S8. Skip the rest stop near Poznań—just refuel at the gas station and keep rolling. You’ll get 5,000 XP and a rare truck paint job.
The "Grand Tour" Secret
Visit all 12 capital cities in the base game (including the DLC cities like Vienna and Oslo). The easiest order: Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Warsaw, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, Oslo. Do this in one session for an extra 10,000 XP.
Hidden Garage Locations
- Lyon, France: Garage costs €120,000 but generates €18,000/week with 3 drivers. Best ROI in the game.
- Kraków, Poland: €90,000 garage, €12,000/week. Cheaper, but fewer high-paying jobs nearby.
- Innsbruck, Austria: Don’t buy here. The terrain kills fuel economy, and your drivers lose money on mountain routes.
Money-Making Strategies
Route Optimization
The best-paying routes are between countries with different economies. For example:
- Germany → Poland: €4.20/km for machinery
- Sweden → Denmark: €4.80/km for paper rolls
- Italy → France: €5.10/km for wine (fragile cargo bonus)
Always check the cargo damage multiplier. Fragile loads pay up to 30% more but require careful driving. I avoid them until I have the air suspension upgrade (€8,000).
Leveling Skills Efficiently
1. Long Distance (Level 6): Unlocks jobs over 2,500 km. Max this first.
2. Heavy Cargo (Level 4): Unlocks 30-ton loads. Do this second.
3. Fragile Cargo (Level 3): Unlocks the highest-paying cargo. Do this third.
4. Fuel Economy (Level 2): Saves €200 per trip. Do this last.
My personal mistake: I maxed out Fuel Economy first—don’t do that. It saves money but doesn’t earn it.
Boss Guide: The Only "Boss" in ETS2
Euro Truck Simulator 2 doesn’t have traditional bosses, but the Scandinavia to Italy run is your final challenge. It’s 3,200 km, takes 4 hours real-time, and requires careful fuel management.
The route: Oslo → Copenhagen → Hamburg → Munich → Innsbruck → Milan → Rome.
Threats: Low bridges near Munich (height limit 4.5m), snowfall in Norway, and steep grades in the Austrian Alps (up to 10%).
Strategy:
- Use a Scania R620 with a 6x4 chassis.
- Fill up in Hamburg (cheapest fuel on the route).
- Downshift to 6th gear before the Brenner Pass (Austria/Italy).
- Take a rest stop in Munich—you’ll need it for the final push.
FAQ
What is the fastest way to make money in Euro Truck Simulator 2?
Quick jobs until you hit €120,000, then buy a used DAF XF 105. Focus on long-distance jobs over 2,000 km (€4.50/km). Hire drivers after you have 3 trucks. Each driver generates €8,000–€15,000 per week after training.
How do I unlock all achievements in Euro Truck Simulator 2?
Focus on the hidden ones first. "Mille Miglia" (1,000 km non-stop) and "The Grand Tour" (12 capitals) are the hardest. Use the Frankfurt–Warsaw route for Mille Miglia. Most others unlock naturally as you level up.
Which DLC is worth buying first?
Scandinavia (€18) adds Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. It has the highest-paying routes (€5.10/km for paper rolls). Iberia (€16) is second-best, with long highways and cheap fuel in Spain. Avoid Road to the Black Sea until you’ve mastered the base game—the roads are narrow and slow.