Euro Truck Simulator 2 First Hours Walkthrough – What to Do First
Key Takeaways
- First 30 minutes: complete the tutorial delivery, take the €400K loan, buy your Volvo FH16. Everything before this is the tutorial.
- Don't explore the map aimlessly. The first 5 hours should be focused on the Rotterdam→Berlin→Luxembourg triangle — short, profitable, easy routes.
- Level 6 is the turning point — you unlock your first garage. Save €180,000 before hitting Level 6 so you can buy it immediately.
Minute 0-30: Tutorial & Setup
Delivery #1 (Tutorial)
The game starts you with a Quick Job. Complete it. It teaches the basics: GPS, speed limits, coupling/uncoupling, and delivery zones.
Settings to change before your second job:
- Gameplay → Traffic Offenses: OFF (temporarily)
- Gameplay → Parking Difficulty: Safe Parking
- Controls → Cruise Control: bind to C
- Graphics → Mirror Quality: Medium or higher (you need mirrors)
- Audio → Engine Sound: 80%, to hear warning sounds
Take the Loan
After the tutorial delivery:
1. Main menu → Company → Bank → Take Loan → €400,000
2. Drive to nearest Volvo dealer (GPS → Truck Dealers → Volvo)
3. Buy Volvo FH16 (base config, €95,000)
4. Remaining loan balance: €305,000 (save for garage and upgrades)
Minute 30-90: First 5 Deliveries
Route Selection Strategy
Pick jobs that:
- Origin and destination are both in the Luxembourg-Berlin-Rotterdam triangle
- Pay €20/km or more
- Distance under 500km (short enough to complete in one session)
Recommended starter jobs (check Freight Market):
| # | Route | Distance | Est. Pay | Time |
| --- | ------- | ---------- | ---------- | ------ |
| 1 | Luxembourg → Rotterdam | 320km | €6,000 | 20 min |
| 2 | Rotterdam → Berlin | 700km | €14,000 | 45 min |
| 3 | Berlin → Luxembourg | 650km | €12,000 | 40 min |
| 4 | Luxembourg → Brussels | 210km | €4,000 | 12 min |
| 5 | Brussels → Rotterdam | 150km | €3,000 | 10 min |
After 5 deliveries, you should have earned ~€40,000 and reached Level 3-4.
Hour 2: Skill Point Allocation
At Level 3, allocate skill points:
1. Long Distance → Level 2 (unlocks 500km+ jobs)
2. High Value Cargo → Level 1 (unlocks medical equipment)
3. Save remaining points for Long Distance 3 at next level-up
Hour 3-5: Building Capital
Now focus on longer, more profitable routes. At Long Distance 2, you can take jobs up to ~800km.
| Route | Distance | Est. Pay |
| ------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| Rotterdam → Milan | 1,100km | €22,000 |
| Berlin → Paris | 1,050km | €20,000 |
| Luxembourg → Vienna | 900km | €17,000 |
Drive at 80 km/h on highways using cruise control. Fuel costs are your #1 expense. Every km/h above 80 costs you ~€0.15 in extra fuel.
Rest when the yawn warning appears. Driving tired adds input delay. A €300 rest stop fee is cheaper than €2,000 in accident repairs.
Hour 5: Buy Your First Garage
When you hit €180,000 in savings:
1. Buy garage in Luxembourg (€180,000)
2. Upgrade to 3 slots (€50,000 per slot = €150,000)
3. DO NOT hire drivers yet — you need to buy them trucks first
Keep driving until you can afford 3 base trucks (€95K × 3 = €285,000). Then hire 3 drivers, assign them trucks, and set training to 'Long Distance.'
Your First Session Goals
- [ ] Tutorial delivery completed
- [ ] €400K loan taken, Volvo FH16 purchased
- [ ] 5+ deliveries completed
- [ ] Level 4 reached
- [ ] Long Distance skill at Level 2
- [ ] €50,000+ in savings toward first garage
- [ ] Comfortable with highway driving, cruise control, and GPS navigation
What NOT to Do
1. Don't buy map DLCs until you've explored the base map. Scandinavia and Iberia are great but you won't reach them for 20+ hours.
2. Don't upgrade your truck before buying a garage. Truck upgrades are personal comfort. Garage = passive income.
3. Don't speed. The €550 speeding fines add up faster than the time you 'save.'
4. Don't play with keyboard only. A controller (or even mouse steering) is 10x smoother than keyboard left-right tapping.