April 8, 2025
The easiest countries for drivers to navigate
Something that can make or break a road trip, or a day trip by car, is how easy or difficult it is to navigate. It must be one of the most frustrating feelings in the world, missing a turn because it wasn’t clearly signposted or finding yourself going the wrong way down a one-way street - or even getting totally lost!
There are a number of factors that could influence how hard it is to find your way around when driving in an unfamiliar place. The layout of the roads and the number of intersections can affect things, as can road signs and road markings. However, even the most well-laid out roads can sometimes feel confusing to navigate during rush hour when there is heavy traffic.
At DiscoverCars.com, we wanted to hear about our customers’ experiences finding their way around different countries by car on their travels. We used data from almost 6,000 people who answered our latest customer survey to create a ranking of the easiest countries to navigate.
There are a number of factors that could influence how hard it is to find your way around when driving in an unfamiliar place. The layout of the roads and the number of intersections can affect things, as can road signs and road markings. However, even the most well-laid out roads can sometimes feel confusing to navigate during rush hour when there is heavy traffic.
At DiscoverCars.com, we wanted to hear about our customers’ experiences finding their way around different countries by car on their travels. We used data from almost 6,000 people who answered our latest customer survey to create a ranking of the easiest countries to navigate.
Methodology
Our team questioned 5,919 of our customers, asking them to review their experience of navigating the roads in the countries they traveled to.
We asked our customers to answer the question, “How easy was it to navigate the roads where you visited?”, scoring each country from 1 to 10.
Only countries with 50 or more ratings were included in our overall top fifteen research, and only the ratings from foreign tourist drivers were considered. The US was measured differently, with all states with more than 10 visitors, either domestic or international, included.
We asked our customers to answer the question, “How easy was it to navigate the roads where you visited?”, scoring each country from 1 to 10.
Only countries with 50 or more ratings were included in our overall top fifteen research, and only the ratings from foreign tourist drivers were considered. The US was measured differently, with all states with more than 10 visitors, either domestic or international, included.
The results
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New Zealand
New Zealand landed in first place, with a score of 9.08, the only country in the ranking to achieve a score higher than 9.
Road signs in New Zealand are similar to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals - although New Zealand is not one of the 35 signatories. The road signs are also influenced by U.S. rules from the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The clear, familiar signage might make visitors who come from countries that use signage designed in line with these principles feel more comfortable driving in New Zealand.
Outside of major cities, the roads tend to be much quieter, helping make road trips a little easier for travelers.
Road signs in New Zealand are similar to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals - although New Zealand is not one of the 35 signatories. The road signs are also influenced by U.S. rules from the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The clear, familiar signage might make visitors who come from countries that use signage designed in line with these principles feel more comfortable driving in New Zealand.
Outside of major cities, the roads tend to be much quieter, helping make road trips a little easier for travelers.
Cyprus
Cyprus landed in second place, with tourists giving this country a score of 8.83 on average.
Road signs in Cyprus tend to be in Greek and English, or Turkish, Greek and English, making it easier for English-speaking tourists to find their way around on the roads.
Cypriot highways tend to be well-maintained and clearly signposted, although rural roads further out of town might be a little less easy to navigate.
Road signs in Cyprus tend to be in Greek and English, or Turkish, Greek and English, making it easier for English-speaking tourists to find their way around on the roads.
Cypriot highways tend to be well-maintained and clearly signposted, although rural roads further out of town might be a little less easy to navigate.
Australia
In third place, tourists gave Australia 8.77 out of 10 when rating how easy they found it to navigate the roads on their trip.
Australian roads are well signposted and the cities are connected by a network of safe, well-maintained highways. Road sign design in Australia is influenced by the American Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
However, drivers who are planning to spend some time in the outback or far from the city should still take a physical map. The further you get from the cities, the less reliable the phone signal will be so you can’t necessarily rely on your phone. Your GPS device should still work but a paper map provides an extra layer of security.
Australian roads are well signposted and the cities are connected by a network of safe, well-maintained highways. Road sign design in Australia is influenced by the American Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
However, drivers who are planning to spend some time in the outback or far from the city should still take a physical map. The further you get from the cities, the less reliable the phone signal will be so you can’t necessarily rely on your phone. Your GPS device should still work but a paper map provides an extra layer of security.
Spain
Spain came in fourth place, with a score of 8.73.
Spain has a robust network of autovías or free highways, which make it easy to get from place to place quickly. However, tourists on a road trip might prefer to use the one or two-lane national roads, which are more likely to offer scenic views or take you through towns where you can stop and explore.
The roads in Spain are well signposted although one feature that might cause travelers confusion are the many roundabouts - while some use traffic lights to help guide drivers, there are also some where there are no traffic lights.
Spain has a robust network of autovías or free highways, which make it easy to get from place to place quickly. However, tourists on a road trip might prefer to use the one or two-lane national roads, which are more likely to offer scenic views or take you through towns where you can stop and explore.
The roads in Spain are well signposted although one feature that might cause travelers confusion are the many roundabouts - while some use traffic lights to help guide drivers, there are also some where there are no traffic lights.
Germany
In fifth place, Germany’s roads were given an average score of 8.67 by tourists.
Germany was one of the first countries in the world to build a freeway system, the Autobahn network. This extensive network is considered very safe to drive on. It’s well laid out and easy to navigate.
However, drivers who are planning a German road trip should bear in mind that the directions on the Autobahn road signs are not compass directions, but directions to cities. So if you’re taking a long journey on the Autobahn, remember which cities are en route to your destination!
Germany was one of the first countries in the world to build a freeway system, the Autobahn network. This extensive network is considered very safe to drive on. It’s well laid out and easy to navigate.
However, drivers who are planning a German road trip should bear in mind that the directions on the Autobahn road signs are not compass directions, but directions to cities. So if you’re taking a long journey on the Autobahn, remember which cities are en route to your destination!
The rest of the top ten
Top U.S. states
We also wanted to know which U.S. states were the easiest to navigate. Using survey responses from both international and American drivers, we have created a top-five ranking of the states that drivers said were easiest to get around.
Drivers ranked Hawaii the highest, giving this state a score of 9.4.
In second place, drivers gave Arizona a score of 9.1.
Next up was California, where drivers scored 8.89.
Nevada was in fourth place, with a score of 8.82.
Finally, in our top five, Florida was given a score of 8.67 on average by drivers.
Drivers ranked Hawaii the highest, giving this state a score of 9.4.
In second place, drivers gave Arizona a score of 9.1.
Next up was California, where drivers scored 8.89.
Nevada was in fourth place, with a score of 8.82.
Finally, in our top five, Florida was given a score of 8.67 on average by drivers.
Conclusion
Here are some of our top tips for finding your way around when driving in a different country.
Plan each journey ahead of time where possible - in countries like Germany where road signs display which cities you’re nearest to, it will help to know where you are passing through on your way to your destination. Plus, this will give you the chance to pick where you’d like to stop for lunch or check whether there are any must-see tourist attractions between the start and end of your journey.
Use a GPS device. You can either bring your own device with you from home or choose to rent a car that already has one. While using your phone for directions is convenient, a dedicated GPS device is typically more accurate and will come with extra features.
Take breaks whenever you need to. It will help you stay calm on your journey and give you a chance to stretch your legs, grab a bite to eat, or just have a rest. When we’re stressed, it’s much harder to concentrate - and therefore easier to make a mistake in your navigation or lose your way.
We hope you found our round-up of the easiest countries to navigate interesting! If you are planning a driving vacation, please consider booking with us — we’d be delighted to help you find the perfect rental car for your trip. Our services are available in over 145 countries.
Plan each journey ahead of time where possible - in countries like Germany where road signs display which cities you’re nearest to, it will help to know where you are passing through on your way to your destination. Plus, this will give you the chance to pick where you’d like to stop for lunch or check whether there are any must-see tourist attractions between the start and end of your journey.
Use a GPS device. You can either bring your own device with you from home or choose to rent a car that already has one. While using your phone for directions is convenient, a dedicated GPS device is typically more accurate and will come with extra features.
Take breaks whenever you need to. It will help you stay calm on your journey and give you a chance to stretch your legs, grab a bite to eat, or just have a rest. When we’re stressed, it’s much harder to concentrate - and therefore easier to make a mistake in your navigation or lose your way.
We hope you found our round-up of the easiest countries to navigate interesting! If you are planning a driving vacation, please consider booking with us — we’d be delighted to help you find the perfect rental car for your trip. Our services are available in over 145 countries.
Top Related Locations
Here are some cities in the top 15 countries and top states and their nearest airports so you can plan a trip to see the sights without having to worry about having trouble finding your way.
- Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland Airport): Roads are well-signposted and maintained—easy to navigate.
- Paphos, Cyprus (Paphos International Airport): Roads are quiet, well-marked, and easy to navigate—perfect for a stress-free drive.
- Sydney, Australia (Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport): Great signage and modern roads—driving’s super chill.
- Melbourne, Australia (Melbourne Airport): Well-planned road network with clear signage—driving here is a breeze, even for first-timers.
- Madrid, Spain (Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport): Organized road system and clear signs make it easy to get around.
- Valencia, Spain (Valencia Airport): Wide roads, modern signage—super easy to drive around.
- Berlin, Germany (Berlin Brandenburg Airport): Roads are efficient and signage is top-notch for smooth driving.
- Munich, Germany (Munich Airport): German efficiency shines—clear signs and smooth roads.
- Warsaw, Poland (Warsaw Chopin Airport): Straightforward layout and clear directions—easy for visitors to drive.
- Kraków, Poland (John Paul II Kraków-Balice Airport): Easy-to-follow road layout, great for navigating by car.
- Lisbon, Portugal (Lisbon Airport): Compact layout with well-marked roads makes navigation simple.
- Porto, Portugal (Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport): Compact city with intuitive roads—very driver-friendly.
- Paris, France (Charles de Gaulle Airport): Lots of signage and GPS-friendly, though traffic can be intense.
- Nice, France (Nice Côte d'Azur Airport): Well-maintained roads with signage in multiple languages.
- Istanbul, Turkey (Istanbul Airport): Well-marked roads but traffic can get hectic—still manageable with GPS.
- Athens, Greece (Athens International Airport): English signs and a solid road network make driving easy enough.
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Rio de Janeiro–Galeão Airport): Coastal roads are scenic and signage is solid—just stay alert in busy areas.
- Rome, Italy (Ciampino Airport): Historic roads can be narrow but navigation is generally straightforward.
- Marrakech, Morocco (Marrakech Menara Airport): Roads are well-maintained, though city driving needs some patience.
- Cancún, Mexico (Cancún International Airport): Roads are modern and well-labeled—perfect for easy road trips.
Aleksandrs Buraks
Head of Growth at DiscoverCars.com
Aleksandrs has over 10 years of experience in marketing with a focus on creating stellar content that provides topical insights using data. Having taken five road trips across Europe and one in the U.S., he is passionate about traveling by car. His favorite countries to visit are Denmark and Thailand. You can find him on Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter.
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