How to play guide

Euro Truck Simulator 2 Beginner's Guide: First Deliveries, Your Own Truck and a Company

New to Euro Truck Simulator 2? From starting the engine and hitching a trailer to quick jobs, buying your first truck, fatigue, fines, skill points and the Türkiye map.

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Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the truck simulator released in 2012 by Czech studio SCS Software and still updated today. You haul cargo across Europe's roads, save money and gradually grow your own haulage company. It has long been one of the most played simulators in Türkiye, and it includes a Turkish interface.

This guide is for players opening the game for the first time and wondering how to start the engine, why they keep getting fined and how money adds up. It walks through the path from your first delivery to buying your own truck, then hiring drivers and building a company.

Reklam

Keys refer to the default PC keyboard layout. The game also supports steering wheels, gamepads and mouse steering; it asks which device you use on first launch, and bindings can be changed under Options > Controls.

Goal of the game

There is no fixed ending. You pick a home city and hit the road; each delivery earns money and experience points (XP). Levelling up grants a skill point to unlock more profitable work such as hazardous materials, long distance, valuable or fragile cargo.

Later you take a bank loan to buy your own truck, open garages and hire drivers, who keep making deliveries and earning for the company while you do something else. The loop: drive, deliver, upgrade, expand.

Controls

Key	Action
`W / S`	Accelerate / brake and reverse
`A / D`	Steer left / right (keyboard)
`E`	Start and stop the engine
`Space`	Parking brake
`L`	Cycle light modes
`K`	High beams
`[ / ]`	Left / right indicator (may vary by keyboard layout)
`F`	Hazard lights
`H`	Horn
`P`	Wipers
`C`	Cruise control
`T`	Attach and detach trailer
`Enter`	Interact: service, garage, rest stop, fuel station
`M`	World map
`1 / 2`	Interior camera / chase camera

First steps

Set your device and assistsOn first launch you choose keyboard, mouse, gamepad or wheel. If you start on keyboard, use the automatic gearbox; manual shifting is easier to learn once you are comfortable.
Create a profile and home cityYour profile includes a company name, logo and home city, which is where your first garage will be. You can open garages in other cities later.
Start with Quick JobsYou have no truck at the beginning. Quick Jobs from the job market come with a company truck and trailer, and fuel and road costs are not yours. Your first levels come fastest this way.
Start the engine, release the parking brakeIn the cab, press E to start the engine and Space to release the parking brake. If the truck won't move, the parking brake is most likely still on.
Follow the route advisorThe navigation display in the lower right shows the speed limit, remaining distance and route. You can also check it on the map (M).
Practise parking at deliveryDelivery points may offer hard, medium or easy parking spots; harder spots give more XP. Using the easy option or auto-park at first is perfectly fine.
Spend your first skill points wiselyBranches like ADR (hazardous cargo), long distance and valuable cargo unlock better-paying work. Eco driving indirectly improves fuel use and profit.
Buy your first truck with a loanOnce you reach a suitable level, take a loan from the bank screen and buy a truck from a dealer. Deliveries in your own truck pay more, but fuel, repairs and damage are now your costs.
Hire drivers and expand garagesAdd trucks and drivers to empty garage slots. Drivers make deliveries on their own, gain experience and bring in steady income.

Tips and tactics

Take the fatigue meter seriouslyYour driver tires on long runs and a warning appears. Sleep at rest areas with Enter. Driving tired can bring fines and makes the screen dim briefly.
Obey traffic rulesSpeeding, running red lights and driving without lights at night lead to fines. Fines can be disabled in settings, but playing by the rules adds to the experience.
Use cruise controlOn motorways, C turns on cruise control and saves fuel and attention. Braking as you approach junctions switches it off.
Refuel earlyWhen the gauge drops, the nearest station shows on the map. Refuel with Enter at the station; running dry means calling roadside assistance, which is expensive.
Damage and repairsCollisions damage your truck and cargo; cargo damage is deducted from the delivery pay. In your own truck, don't skip repairs at service stations.
Take tight turns wideThe trailer cuts inside the truck's path. Pulling forward a little before turning right keeps it off kerbs and poles.
Switch camera anglesSwapping between the interior view (1) and chase view (2) helps a lot when parking or turning in tight spaces. Other camera angles are on the number keys too.
Discover new roadsRoads you haven't driven are revealed on the map as you explore. Some achievements and photo spots are tied to this.
Ferries and train crossingsRegions separated by water are reached by ferry or the tunnel train. Select the crossing with Enter at the port; time passes and a fee is charged.
Radio and online streamsThe game's radio section lets you listen to internet radio stations, a big part of the long-haul atmosphere.
Drive with friends in ConvoyAccording to the Steam page, the game includes an official multiplayer mode called Convoy, letting you haul cargo together on the same map.

Common mistakes

Pressing the throttle with the parking brake on and not understanding why nothing happens; engine and parking brake come first every time.
Taking a loan too early for an expensive truck; repayments and fuel can overwhelm early-level income.
Scattering skill points; focusing on one profitable branch opens more jobs early on.
Starting long runs without sleeping; fatigue fines and screen dimming put your delivery time at risk.
Ignoring the trailer's turning line on tight corners; clipping kerbs means cargo damage and lost pay.
Ignoring the speed limit display; small fines add up quickly.

Frequently asked questions

Is Euro Truck Simulator 2 available in Turkish?

Yes. Turkish is among the supported languages on the Steam page, so the interface can be used in Turkish. Change it from the game's options menu.

Is there a Türkiye map?

Not in the base game. The Road to the Black Sea expansion, released in 2019, added Romania, Bulgaria and the European part of Türkiye, including Istanbul, Edirne and Tekirdağ. In April 2026 SCS Software announced Soul of Anatolia, an expansion covering Anatolia; it had not been released when this guide was written.

Single-player or multiplayer?

Both. Career mode is single-player, and the official Convoy mode lets you drive with friends.

Do I need a steering wheel?

No. The game works with keyboard, mouse, gamepad and wheels. A wheel adds realism, but a career progresses fine on keyboard.

Does the game have an ending?

No. There is no story ending; you can grow your company as far as you like and try to explore the whole map.

This guide was written for version: This guide reflects the current Euro Truck Simulator 2 version and default keyboard layout as of September 2026; keys may differ with keyboard language.