Which ETS2 DLCs are really worth buying? A detailed guide to all map add-ons from Nordic Horizons to Going East!

Euro Truck Simulator 2 is a hugely popular game where you get to experience the life of a truck driver. The gameplay is straightforward: pick up goods and deliver them across Europe. It’s a relaxing experience – there’s no action or fighting, just you and the open road. While you can build a trucking empire by managing finances and hiring drivers, or complete challenges and explore, you can also simply enjoy the scenery and the drive itself. It’s all about the freedom to play your way.

It’s impressive that after more than 13 years, Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS2) still attracts tens of thousands of daily players – it actually hit its all-time popularity peak on Steam just two months ago! Several factors contribute to its lasting appeal. It’s a genuinely good game – relaxing to play, but still keeps you engaged – and the developers consistently release free updates. However, the real draw for virtual trucking fans is the steady stream of expansions that add new regions to the game’s map. With 10 expansions already out, two more announced, and one currently on hold due to global events, it can be a lot for newcomers to navigate. That’s where we come in! This guide breaks down each released DLC, detailing what each expansion offers in terms of features, new achievements, and the types of roads you’ll encounter. We’ll help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each map addition.

Nordic Horizons

The newest expansion launched on November 25, 2025, adding the far north of Scandinavia to the game. It features updated maps of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, but offers a different feel than the south. While southern Scandinavia is full of cities and modern roads, the north is much more rural and wild. This expansion focuses on driving on land, especially through forests – in fact, forestry is a central theme, with new forestry-related cargo available. Unlike the 2015 expansion, it prioritizes overland travel.

If you’re looking for a similar experience to before, you’ll need to take a ferry between Svolvaer and Narvik, and also between Bodo. The ferry ride is quick – just 40 minutes – but it’s necessary if you’re traveling from the north to the south along the western coast.

The new Nordic Horizons expansion features long, winding roads that climb through mountains, with occasional tunnels. But the real draw isn’t better roads – it’s the breathtaking scenery. Every corner reveals stunning views of mountains and lakes, and you’ll often drive along high peaks. Scattered throughout the landscape are charming, traditional Nordic villages with steep-roofed houses. You’ll also find modern architecture, like the Arctic Cathedral in Tromso – a striking building designed by Jan Inge Hovig in 1965, and featured as part of a photography challenge. Nordic Horizons is easily one of the most visually impressive expansions in the series.

Okay, so this map is full of cool hidden stuff! I was exploring near Dombas, just cruising between safe spots, and found this tiny, unmarked gravel road. I followed it, and about halfway along, there’s this little field with sheep. But get this – if you really look around, you’ll find a cave with a troll straight out of Scandinavian myths! The exact spot is at coordinates 1068.55;107.364;-64764.8;-0.13788;-0.265288. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area!

Nordic Horizons offers a beautiful and relaxing drive through stunning natural landscapes. While it’s peaceful, the road isn’t dull – the winding mountain paths will keep you engaged as you head towards the North Pole.

Greece

Released just recently on December 4, 2024, the new expansion takes place in Greece. Along with new roads to build, players can now take on contracts related to cotton farming and tourism. This expansion really highlights Greece’s beautiful tourist destinations and introduces a new hotel chain called Artemia. We’ll be working on building their hotels, which are located on the Greek islands.

Okay, so the roads themselves aren’t going to blow you away – mostly pretty good, but nothing special. But honestly, the islands are where it’s at! They’re the really cool part of this new map, and you get to them by ferry. There are three ports down south you can leave from, and the islands are also connected to each other. From Rhodes, you can only get back to Athens though. Cephalonia has a really neat feature – an inland ferry that cuts across the island, but it only goes one way! You can drive around the island and then hop on a quick ferry between Lixouri and Argostoli to complete the loop.

The game also features a couple of secret routes. In Kavala, you can find a hidden path (coordinates 58438.9; 13.927; 52470.1; -1.36655; 0.0104734) that lets you drive under the aqueduct, enjoy the scenery, and take a quicker route between the city’s western entrance and the port. Another shortcut exists on the drive from Heraklion to Chania. Look for an unmarked road branching to the right – it bypasses the entire island and leads directly to the port. Be aware that this route has a 40 km/h speed limit and can get congested with traffic.

The islands have charming, small towns with tight, winding roads filled with café umbrellas and market stands. This fits the overall picture of Greece as both the birthplace of Western civilization and a hugely popular tourist destination. The new building designs reflect this too – they’re mostly hotels, and one of the scenic overlooks features a large resort.

West Balkans

The new downloadable content, released on October 19, 2023, adds more countries to the game map than any previous expansion. It focuses on the Balkan region, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia – essentially the area that once made up Yugoslavia. This history and regional identity are strongly reflected in the expansion’s design and feel.

You’ll experience a diverse range of roads, from well-maintained highways to older country roads that have remained largely unchanged for decades. The journey will take you across bridges high above the trees and through bustling cities, with plenty of challenging mountain curves and straight, open stretches along the way.

Keep in mind your journey won’t be a smooth, continuous drive. Traveling through the Balkans means frequent stops for tolls and border crossings. At each border, you’ll need to show your documents – usually twice, once on each side. Be prepared for this even in challenging locations, like mountain passes, as you travel between countries like Montenegro and Kosovo.

The expansion also realistically captures the architecture common in many former Soviet countries. The map is filled with typical post-war modernist buildings and housing blocks. A great example is a viewpoint in Belgrade, which includes a building nicknamed “Toblerone” by fans of this architectural style because of its unique, triangular shape.

Iberia

On April 8, 2021, the game was updated with the Iberian Peninsula expansion, which added Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and Gibraltar to the map. This expansion introduces a large region with many major cities and new ports.

This expansion is unique because it includes all 15 of the viewpoints added in the previous 1.4 patch right from the beginning. One of the achievements you can unlock is called ‘Grand Tour Guide,’ and it requires you to find at least 12 camera markers. Of course, you’re free to discover interesting locations on your own as well. For example, in Vigo, Portugal, driving through one of the open gates near the Marina will give you a great view of the port’s cranes and machinery (coordinates: -84596.5; 26.9025; 33056.4; 0.438056; -0.387462).

This expansion isn’t expected to be challenging or take a long time to complete, thanks to the great roads in the Iberian Peninsula of Euro Truck Simulator 2. You’ll mostly be driving on well-maintained, wide highways with easy-to-use junctions and good facilities. There are very few tight, local roads. If you enjoy fast and efficient driving, this expansion is definitely worth checking out.

Road to the Black Sea

The expansion launched on December 5, 2019, adding Bulgaria, Romania, and the European section of Turkey to the game’s map. The developers primarily concentrated on increasing the explorable area, so players won’t find any new transport materials or road types in this update.

This expansion focuses on scenic landscapes. The new map lets you drive through the Carpathian mountains, including winding roads similar to those between Brasov and Iasi. You’ll also explore the intriguing region of Transylvania and the more distant lands of Thrace. While most of the roads are narrow country lanes bordered by fields, cities with paved roads are also present. For a taste of local architecture, venture off the beaten path in one particular town (coordinates: 43011.8; 53.2381; 43109; 0.738293; -0.024433). You’ll find a very narrow street showcasing the more humble buildings typical of Romanian cities. The expansion also features modern highways, particularly around Turkey’s capital, which is built with wide, multi-lane roads.

Because the area has so many rivers, including the Danube, you’ll find lots of bridges. A unique experience is the ferry that travels between Galati and Constanta. If you take this ferry, you’ll unlock the ‘Ferryman’ achievement.

I have to mention the Black Sea – it’s a big part of this expansion! It’s a little frustrating though, because the game map currently stops right at its edge, so I can’t sail to any ports on the other side. Still, there are a bunch of transport companies dotted along the shore where I can pick up and deliver goods, which is pretty cool.

Beyond the Baltic Sea

The downloadable content launched on November 29, 2018, and adds new areas to the game map. It includes the Baltic states – Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia – plus sections of Finland and Russia, such as the Kaliningrad Oblast.

Although the new expansion features a coastal region, it doesn’t include sailing or other seafaring activities. Instead, the developers concentrated on the area’s industrial side. The update introduces companies that produce concrete and build trains. Players can earn two achievements: ‘Concrete Jungle’ by delivering 10 shipments from the concrete plant, and ‘Industry Standard’ by delivering at least two shipments to any train, furniture, or paper factory.

The area boasts a well-developed road network with many modern, wide highways, especially around Saint Petersburg, where large bridges handle both road and rail traffic. Beyond the main roads, you’ll also find smaller, less-traveled paths – one example is a scenic, unmarked route south of Verspils near the gas station (coordinates 36425.6;19.4179;-36321.9;-0.184936;-0.237363) leading to an old house. The region’s architecture is diverse, featuring both post-war modernist housing and plenty of traditional classical buildings.

The Baltic region is a great match for the Scandinavian DLC. Together, they offer a huge area to explore with beautiful scenery and diverse roads. Expect plenty of ferry trips and bridge crossings along the way!

Italia

So, in the original game, I could drive my truck to Italy, but it was only the northern part. But then they released an expansion back in December 2017 that totally changed things! It added the whole Italian peninsula – all of it, including Sicily and Sardinia. Now there are 23 new cities to explore, plus tons of ports and a really detailed road system. It makes the map so much bigger and more interesting!

Just like the saying ‘all roads lead to Rome,’ there are multiple ways to reach the city in Euro Truck Simulator 2. In fact, driving to Rome from at least three different directions will earn you a special achievement. The expansion map generally has excellent highways, particularly on the mainland. However, the islands feature more twisting, narrow roads that pass through smaller towns.

The expansion boasts stunning views, especially of the volcanoes. A viewpoint near Mount Etna, along with a visit to Vesuvius, will even earn you the “Mind the Lava” achievement. The developers also added businesses that reflect Italy’s artistic side, including marble quarries like the famous one in Carrara. You’ll also find more industrial areas, such as chemical plants in central Sardinia, which also hides a secret road – you can find it at coordinates 1068.55; 107.364; -64764.8; -0.13788; -0.265288.

Vive la France

As a big fan, I was really excited when the French-focused expansion came out on December 5th, 2016! What’s cool about it is that instead of adding a whole new country, it really fleshes out France itself, which felt a bit limited in the original game. Since France is so big, this expansion actually gives us a ton of new areas to play with. Plus, the existing French cities got a nice upgrade with the release, making them even more detailed and fun to manage.

This expansion adds 15 cities to the game, including locations in Corsica, and includes 6 new achievements. These achievements reflect the expansion’s focus: players will need to complete tasks like delivering fuel to gas stations (an achievement called ‘Gas Must Flow!’) and making shipments to nuclear power plants (‘Go Nuclear!’). The expansion also introduces Nucleon, the first company in the game focused on the nuclear industry.

When exploring France, you’ll notice a blend of modern and traditional roads. While the central areas boast wide, comfortable highways, many routes lead through quaint, small towns with very narrow streets. It’s important to factor this into your travel plans, as you’ll often need to slow down considerably to navigate roads that barely fit a car. For example, near Limoges, you might encounter a route where a historic gate tower actually narrows the road. If you’re interested in a scenic view and a photo opportunity, check out the coordinates -35709.9;39.961;23097.3;0.0716482;-0.0820255.

Scandinavia

The expansion launched on May 14, 2015, and added the Scandinavian countries – Denmark, Norway, and Sweden – to the game map. You can explore all of Denmark, but Norway and Sweden are initially limited to their southern regions (you can unlock the full countries with the Nordic Horizons expansion). The update also includes new roads, trailer types, and goods to haul. Players can earn new achievements, like Aquaphobia for crossing the bridge between Malmö and Copenhagen, or Sailor for delivering a yacht to every marina in the new area.

These features really highlight the focus of this expansion: the sea and ports. Getting to the new map requires a significant journey – you’ll either cross one of Europe’s longest bridges or take a ferry. This will bring you to Oslo, one of the most detailed and expansive cities in the game. Built around a bay, Oslo covers a large area and features many bridges, tunnels, and complicated road systems.

The Scandinavia expansion includes beautiful scenery. For instance, a hidden road between Kristiansand and AgroNord (located at coordinates -7031.43;32.3306;-42978.1;0.483427;-0.172786 on the map) leads past a picturesque lake and traditionally styled Nordic homes. While the road is lengthy and splits into different paths, the second part mostly follows the main route without much new to see.

What really blew me away with this new area is the road system! I mean, it’s seriously complex – you can easily get turned around with all the crazy intersections. And the tunnels! Some of them are huge, going on for hundreds of meters, and can you believe some even have roundabouts inside them? But it’s not all about the complicated stuff, thankfully. There are also tons of quiet little side roads where you can just cruise and enjoy the scenery – absolutely stunning views!

Going East

The first expansion introduced a new map and launched a year after the original game, on September 19, 2013. It features the countries of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. For Poland and the Czech Republic, the expansion largely adds to existing areas, as cities like Wroclaw and Prague were already included in the base game.

The roads in this area are mostly two-lane, though many are quite narrow, even those connecting major cities like Banska Bystrica and Kosice. The eastern part of the region particularly has a lot of bumpy or outdated roads. You’ll also see evidence of modern development, like the city of Katowice with its new skyscrapers. The industrial history of Silesia is reflected in details like a mine tower along the road to Krakow – though the real tower was actually torn down a few years ago.

This add-on is the first expansion for the game, so it includes features you’d expect from an early version – things like basic road layouts and a straightforward city-building system. But with other European regions already being improved, we can expect Central Europe to be updated as well.

If you enjoy a smooth, consistent driving experience, especially for shorter trips, Going East is a great choice.

Where will the road lead us?

As I mentioned earlier, we’re looking forward to releasing two new expansions: one featuring Iceland and another focusing on Ireland. We anticipate the Iceland expansion will be available first. It will showcase dramatic landscapes of volcanoes, ice, waterfalls, and black sand beaches, all experienced on winding roads. The Ireland expansion will transport players to the peaceful countryside of the Emerald Isle, with charming villages, towns, and larger cities like Dublin and Belfast. Both expansions will definitely include ports and opportunities for sea travel.

I also talked about the ‘Heart of Russia’ expansion, which was finished and almost ready to launch. However, the developers paused the release because of the conflict in Ukraine. It’s currently unknown if or when this downloadable content will come out, as the final decision probably isn’t up to them alone.

Beyond map expansions, Euro Truck Simulator 2 offers many other add-ons. These often include new types of cargo, like the exciting Special Transport DLC which lets you haul oversized loads with a police escort. You can also find DLC packs with cosmetic items like tuning parts and cabin accessories, and a huge selection of new truck paint jobs. A passenger transport DLC is also currently in development.

The game has plenty to offer, so players of all types can customize their experience and enjoy driving trucks their way.

Which DLC do you choose?

2026-04-15 17:07