12 Roads With Shockingly High Speed Limits Around the World

Most drivers are used to strict speed limits and the risk of a ticket for going too fast. But in some parts of the world, the rules look very different. There are roads where speed limits are set far higher than expected and even a few stretches where no official limit exists under certain conditions.

From high-speed highways in Europe to long, open roads built for efficiency and distance, these routes are designed to handle faster travel than most drivers are used to. In this slideshow, Tempo explores 12 roads with unusually high speed limits, where they are located, and what makes them capable of safely supporting higher speeds.

The Western United States is usually more rural, which is why the speed limit is higher on their roads. Montana, at one point, had no speed limit. To clarify, Montana used to have a "non-numerical" speed limit where during the daytime, motorists could drive at the speed they wished so long as it was "reasonable and prudent." Today, Montana and other mountainous states in the region have maximum speed limits of 80 mph for most of their more rural highways. Their average speed limits range from 70 to 80 mph on all their highways.

The Autostrada is the name for Italian highways. The A1 goes through major cities, starting in Milan and going to Rome, then Naples. Italian highways have a maximum speed limit of 81 mph. However, it is important to note that operators can set the limit to 150 kilometers per hour, which is 93 mph if their autostradas are 3 lanes in each direction and there is a speed camera system in place. At this point, none of them have set this limit, but the future may bring changes.

France is one of the few European countries that has a maximum speed limit higher than most. Sitting at 130 kilometers per hour (or 81 mph), the French have the luxury of going faster than their European counterparts on regular interurban highways. There have been traffic experiments to reduce fatalities, where the French government lowered the speed limit in certain areas. Usually, urban areas are at a lower speed limit than rural areas and highways.

This Balkan country has some of the highest speed limits in Europe. The maximum speed limit on highways in more rural, non-trafficked areas is 81 mph. This applies only to autocrestas, which are controlled-access toll highways. Other such highways like expressways, which are toll-free, have a maximum speed limit of 75 mph. If you are driving on Croatian roads and you go above the speed light, there should not be an over-the-top worry about getting stopped. Police may exercise a 10-mile leniency for those going over. But, always exercise caution when driving and follow the law.

There are three Eastern European countries on this list and they all have one thing in common — higher speed limits on their highways. Most of Slovakia's highways have a speed limit of 81 mph. The highway speed limit used to be lower, but in 2021, the government announced they would increase it in highways through cities, not just in more rural areas. Other jurisdictions around the country have advocated for an increase to 160 kilometers per hour, which is equivalent to a whopping 99 mph. Only time will tell if that becomes a reality in the country.

Stuart Highway is a north-south route that runs from Darwin in the Northern Territory and ends in Port Augusta, South Australia. The route is a whopping 1,690 miles long. Much of the road has low population density. Many of its portions are just deserts all around you, which is prone to having wildlife that can make it dangerous if you drive fast. Before 2007, there was no speed limit on Stuart Highway, however, Australian law put a stop to that and made it 81 mph. The government wanted to revert the highway to no speed limit in 2014, but after a road and traffic study, they reverted to an 81 mph speed limit again.

People say you can drive in Texas for hours and still be in Texas. The same can be said about California, too. But with Texas, you can drive and drive and not see a single city around you. That may be the reason why the speed limit on most highways in Texas is higher than the national average. Texas allows vehicles to drive up to 80 mph on Interstates 10 and 20 along certain counties only where the population is low, which currently four portions allow that. However, there is a part of State Highway 130 that allows cars to drive a whopping 85 mph. That part is a 41-mile stretch with US 183 as its northern limit and Interstate 10 near Seguin as the southern limit.

Bulgaria is another European country with higher speed limits than usual. Most highways have a speed limit of usually 75 mph, however, some highways increase that limit to 87 mph or 140 kilometers per hour. The A1 Trakia highway is an example of one with a higher limit. This particular highway is newer too so it has emergency stopping lanes for safety reasons. But if you have a motorcycle, unfortunately, you will have to adhere to stricter rules. The maximum speed motorcycles can go is 75 mph (120 km/h). Although you have speed on through from Sofia to the Black Sea in just 3 ½ hours, be careful not to go overboard. Speeding fines in Bulgaria can exceed 300 euros.

Most of the highways in Poland are set at 120 kilometers per hour or about 75 mph. However, in Poland's Autostrada, which is the toll highway around the country, the maximum speed limit increases to 140 kilometers per hour (or 87 mph). This makes Poland one of the few countries in Europe with faster speed limits than its counterparts. However, you must be cognizant of the fact that speed limits must be enforced. You may assume that you could go a few kilometers over the speed limit and not get caught by police, but there are radar traps located throughout all highways. This is to ensure motorists follow the law.

There are a lot of things that the United Arab Emirates has that people love. Tourists from all over the world flock to Abu Dhabi or Dubai to experience luxury vacations. But another good thing, at least for those who love to drive fast, is that Abu Dhabi has a high-speed limit and even has a minimum speed implemented on one highway. The reason? The bottom line is safety. Slower drivers should drive on the right-hand lanes to avoid accidents that could happen with faster drivers on the left-hand lanes. Most of the speed limits in Abu Dhabi, and the rest of the UAE for that matter, are set at 87 mph, but there are still a few highways boasting 99 mph.

Ah, the Isle of Man, what a glorious place to be if you want to speed down a road without worrying about being stopped by a police officer. While the rest of the United Kingdom has posted speed limits on their highways, the Isle of Man is the only place in the country with no speed limit. In fact, the Isle of Man is one of only two places without a speed limit. The Isle of Man is a self-governing island, which means that about 30% of its highways do not have a speed limit. The roads are two lanes in winding rural areas, so it's best to exercise caution.

The fastest road in the world is located in Germany. Officially called the Bundesautobahn, the German autobahn is a dream come true for many speed racers who want to waste gallons of gas in a five-mile stretch. Most of the highway system has no speed limit, although there are portions where there are limits. And those portions are extremely enforced. In the no-speed limit zones, there is a courteous speed limit to follow, which is 130 kilometers per hour (or about 80/81 mph). The question is, how fast can you go for the longest amount of time? There is good news for those speed racers out there. Approximately 65% of the German highway system has no speed limit. Only 5% have temporary speed limits due to traffic problems or weather conditions. The other 30% do have speed limits to adhere to.