In short: A standard semi-trailer with a 13.6 m load length usually takes 33 Euro pallets (1,200 × 800 mm) or 26 industrial pallets (1,200 × 1,000 mm) in a single layer. A 7.5 t truck holds around 15, a 12 t rigid 17–18 and a road train 36–38 Euro pallets – but payload often runs out before floor space does.
Table: pallet spaces by vehicle type
The figures come from vehicle overviews published by forwarders, freight platforms and trailer manufacturers (see Sources). Load areas vary with the body, so ranges are given.
| Vehicle | Load area L × W | Payload approx. | Euro pallets | Industrial pallets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van 3.5 t, panel van | 2.98 × 1.68 m | 1,900 kg | 4 | – |
| Curtain-side van 3.5 t | 4.0–4.8 × 2.0–2.2 m | 1,000–1,100 kg | 8–10 | – |
| 7.5 t truck | 6.0–6.1 × 2.40–2.45 m | 2,500–2,800 kg | 15 | 12 |
| 12 t rigid truck | 7.2 × 2.40–2.45 m | 5,000–6,000 kg | 17–18 | 14 |
| Standard semi-trailer (curtainsider) | 13.6 × 2.48 m | 24,000 kg | 33 (34) | 26 |
| Mega trailer | 13.62 × 2.48 m, 3.0 m internal height | 24,000 kg | 33 (34) | 26 |
| Road train / swap-body combination | 2 × 7.3–8.0 m | 21,000–24,000 kg | 36–38 | 28 |
Individual figures: Condor lists 4 Euro pallets for a Sprinter van, 18 for an 8.0 m rigid and 38 for a "jumbo" drawbar combination. Pamyra gives 15/12 for a 7.5 t truck and 36/28 for a swap-body road train. The curtain-side van figures (8 pallets at about 4.2 m, up to 10 for XXL versions) come from a courier company blog. For the 12 t truck the sources differ: Pamyra states 17 Euro pallets for 7.20 m, while 7.2 m mathematically fits exactly six cross rows of three, i.e. 18.
Why usually 33 and not 34 Euro pallets?
At first glance the sources contradict each other: DSV, Condor and Cargoboard's full-load page say 33 Euro pallets, while Schmitz Cargobull (S.CS Universal, 13.62 m internal length) and Pamyra say 34. Both are right – it depends on the loading pattern:
- 33 pallets: 11 cross rows of 3 (3 × 0.8 m = 2.4 m width, 1.2 m depth). Uses 11 × 1.2 m = 13.2 m; 0.4 m stays empty.
- 34 pallets: 10 cross rows (12.0 m) plus 2 lengthwise rows of 2 (2 × 1.2 m = 2.4 m width, 0.8 m depth). Uses exactly 12.0 + 1.6 = 13.6 m – with no margin at all.
34 spaces therefore need at least 13.6 m of usable internal length. Reefer and box trailers are often shorter: Condor lists 13.41 m for its reefer and 13.50 m for its box trailer – 33 is the maximum there. For dispatch planning, 33 is the safe figure.
Mega trailer: more height, not more floor
A mega trailer has the same footprint as a standard trailer but more internal height. According to its data sheet, the Krone Mega Liner has 13,620 mm internal length, 2,480 mm internal width and 3,000 mm internal height; Condor's standard curtainsider has 2.67 m. Goodloading (a load-planning software vendor) puts the volume at about 90 m³ for a standard and about 100 m³ for a mega trailer. You do not gain pallet spaces – the advantage is for tall or stackable loads. DSV quotes 33 non-stackable or up to 66 stackable Euro pallets for its standard truck.
Pallets and loading metres
A loading metre (ldm) describes the floor space a load takes up: length × width ÷ 2.4 m. A Euro pallet equals 0.4 ldm, an industrial pallet 0.5 ldm, and a semi-trailer offers 13.6 ldm. Mathematically that would be 34 Euro pallets – in practice see above. More in Loading metre; pallet specs are in Euro pallet dimensions.
Worked example: floor space or weight – which limits first?
Articulated truck: DSV plans with 24,000 kg payload. At 1,000 kg per pallet only 24 pallets fit instead of 33, as DSV itself states. Floor space only becomes the bottleneck below roughly 727 kg per pallet (24,000 kg ÷ 33).
7.5 t truck: 15 spaces with 2,500–2,800 kg payload leave just 167–187 kg per pallet (including about 25 kg for the pallet itself). Heavy pallets will never fill a 7.5 t truck – half the floor is often enough to hit the weight limit.
So when choosing the vehicle class, always check both: pallet spaces and total weight.
Calculating the cost of the trip
Once the vehicle class is clear, you can estimate the trip cost. Logist Calculator calculates road tolls for all European countries where they apply (HERE routing and toll data) and fuel cost based on diesel prices from the EU Weekly Oil Bulletin – for vans up to 3.5 t, 7.5 t trucks and 40 t trucks. Calculate your route
FAQ
How many Euro pallets fit in a 40-tonne truck?
Usually 33 on a standard 13.6 m semi-trailer. With a full 13.6 m internal length, a mixed loading pattern allows 34.
How many pallets fit in a 7.5 tonne truck?
With about 6 m load length, 15 Euro pallets or 12 industrial pallets. The payload of roughly 2.5–2.8 t is usually the tighter limit.
How many pallets fit in a Sprinter van?
A panel van with about 3 m load length takes 4 Euro pallets; a curtain-side van with 4.2–4.8 m takes 8–10.
Does a mega trailer take more pallets?
No, the floor area is the same (33 Euro pallets in one layer). Its roughly 3 m internal height makes stacking easier.
Sources
- DSV – How many pallets fit in a standard truck? (FAQ, Italian)
- Condor – Truck and trailer types (German)
- Schmitz Cargobull – S.CS Universal (technical data)
- Krone – Mega Liner (product page, German)
- Krone – Mega Liner data sheet (PDF, German)
- Pamyra – How many pallets fit in a truck? (German)
- Cargoboard – Pallets per truck (German)
- Cargoboard – Full truck load (German)
- Cargoboard – Calculating loading metres (German)
- Dago Express – Curtain-side van dimensions (blog, German)
- Goodloading – Dimensions and types of semi-trailers (blog)
Last updated: October 2026. Dimensions and payloads vary by body – check the carrier's vehicle data before dispatching.