ETS2 West Balkans road network: highways and mountain routes

14.04.2023 Comment Views: 123

The West Balkans expansion gives Euro Truck Simulator 2 a road network built around contrast. Modern motorways provide the fastest long-distance links, while older regional roads climb from the Adriatic coast into mountainous interiors and connect smaller towns and villages. SCS Software previewed this structure in April 2023; the finished paid expansion later opened eight countries to players.

The map covers Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia. It is a compressed game-world interpretation rather than a one-to-one road atlas, but different road classes and regional signs help each part of a delivery remain readable from the cab.

Newer highways form the quickest corridors through the expansion. Some cross difficult terrain through long cuttings, tunnels and large junctions; on the Croatian coast, motorway structures run directly through the mountains and offer elevated views toward the sea. These routes suit heavy or time-sensitive contracts, although toll gates, borders and gradients can still slow the journey.

Smaller roads serve communities that the main motorway bypasses. They vary from low coastal sections to rugged mountain routes and usually demand more braking and steering input. The expansion also includes roads through larger cities. Those urban shortcuts can be useful, but SCS warned that not every street is suitable for a large truck, so trailer length matters when choosing a route.

Bridges, roundabouts, level crossings and tunnels are functional parts of the network, not isolated landmarks. They divide long journeys into recognizable sections and reflect the region’s steep relief. Road signs use local place names and national conventions, giving players enough information to navigate without relying entirely on the route adviser.

The development screenshots were labelled work in progress, so individual signs and junction details could change before release. The central design survived: a player can choose efficient motorways for speed or deliberately take secondary roads for tighter bends, settlements and landscape views.

Check the full route before accepting a heavy cargo. A short line on the map may contain a border crossing, steep descent or urban segment that makes the job slower than its distance suggests. Keep more fuel and rest time in reserve when leaving the motorway, and use engine braking early on long downhill sections.

West Balkans requires the base Euro Truck Simulator 2 game. Map connections can also depend on the player’s other installed expansions. If a navigation route looks incomplete after installing the DLC, update the game, disable outdated map mods and let the profile recalculate its route before troubleshooting the map itself.