Personally, I think it is worth taking your time one way, perhaps spending a night near Flam (Undredal), and if you have another night, take it in Bergen (then perhaps more directly back?). Overtaking is generally forbidden at crossroads.
We did many one-way car rentals on our trip, so I afraid I cant say what a good rate would be necessarily. Visitors in their own car can register their numberplate for the duration of their visit only, pre-buy kr. This enables us to provide you with a smooth user experience. Hi Barry, If you know differently, please comment on this post. Through romantic. The site is supported by advertising which requires the use of cookies to personalize content, measure advertisements and provide a safer experience. I wondered about the small village of Undredal for an overnight stay. In fact, this route also takes you through Norways second-longest tunnel, the Gudvangen tunnel. Preferred by truckers. Traffic is rarely heavy, mostly during 'rush hour' around Oslo (roads E18 and E6), as well as Friday afternoon out of Oslo, around Easter holiday. The tunnel is thoughtfully lit with blue and yellow lights to keep you awake and active during the drive. Motorway or controlled-access highway (also known as A-class motorway). Breathtaking scenery, six ferry rides, a magnificent coastline and beautiful mountains. Ill admit that I left the part up to my husband since he was really passionate about it. Thank you for the ideas and advice! Do you think it is possable? Car ferries are an additional cost, and unavoidable on several roads (particularly in the western fjords and parts of Northern Norway). Powerful acceleration or hard braking quickly tells you how slippery the road is. Always bring enough clothes and food, always calculate plenty of time. Experience the breathtaking mountain scenery of Rondane and the beautiful mountain village Rros on the road between Oslo and Trondheim. Any un-used funds are returned within 90 days. Often closed during winter during blizzards. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sheep, cows and goats may stroll on the road. The E-roads are excellent for navigation. Long scenic stretches through fjord areas. Two lane undivided. E6, Norway's main road, is more than 2600 km and the longest road within a single country in Europe except Russia. While we did the drive in one day, we stopped for lunch in Undredal, which is a small, but really sweet town near Flam. Norway has a long winter season and many roads are covered by ice or hard snow for months, while traffic runs largely uninterrupted. Some are of the "industrial" variety (hundreds of vans, spotless facilities, very straight paths, gravel, not grass, keypads to enter, lots of strict rules, right beside the highway), and others are more loose - occasional visitors, honor system for payment, idyllic surroundings, lots of grass and space. Your email address will not be published. A cattle grid ("ferist") or warning sign typically marks the start of such areas. A scenic drive across the Hardangervidda, Europes greatest mountain plateau, and the beautiful Hardangerfjord. Do not cross the fells with an empty tank, as the waiting time can be hours, Include warm clothes and valid winter boots, Equip yourself with at least a flashlight or other lamp, shovel and tow rope. The driver is by law required to adjust speed downward to a safe level in, for instance, fog, heavy rain, or snow. Note also that road numbers may overlap such that a stretch of road may for instance be both E134 and road 13. Fatality rates have been steadily falling for 50 years, 2020 had the lowest number of traffic-related deaths since second world war despite ten-fold traffic. Where I most definitely would not go is up the road to the Stegastein Lookout, which takes you on an alternative route, the Aurland Snow Road (Aurlandsfjellet). Im not an expert on this (as I really only know our route), but I believe there is a more direct route than ours (just under 7 hours on the RV7). The trip from Oslo to Bergen takes between seven and nine hours, depending on the route, the driving conditions and stops along the drive. Time for ferry crossings, breaks and photo sessions should be added to the approximate times suggested here. Gardnos Meteorite Crater in Nesbyen is another attraction along this route. Across Hardangervidda plateau and through Hallingdal valley. Highest point 1000 meters. Its insanely gorgeous be it any time of the day. (no median/lane marking).These road have punctuated edge lines. Do not leave the convoy or try to turn back. This post also contains additional affiliate links. For those of you considering overnighting in the area to break up your journey, I would recommend something in or near the town of Aurland. Driving in Norway took a little getting used to for him. Car ferries are operated by private companies on behalf of the national road authority. Visitors frequently underestimate distances and driving time in the Norwegian landscape. I also want to mention that we did this drive in July with mostly dry roads.
Wearing a seat belt is mandatory, also in back seats. The drive via the Aurland mountain is the spectacular journey between east and west. what would be the main highlights. Anyhow, after exhausting research I realized that essentially there are two main routes E16 and E134 with umpteen number of deviations like Rv7, Fv50, Rv52, Rv51, Rv55, and many others. Your blood alcohol concentration must not exceed 0.2 . We rented a car from a downtown Oslo office of Hertz (one way). Other main roads (national highways, "riksvei") have low one- or two-digit numbers, the most important of these are indicated with white digits on green background (as opposed to black on white for most highways). Speed limits are fine tuned to conditions, so there is always a reason for the chosen speed limit and this is one of the key reasons for the safe traffic in Norway. The Sognefjord is 1260 m deep under the ferry. While we could have taken a fjord boat tour from Flam, we opted instead to drive up the windy road and view Naeroyfjord from the stunning Stegastein Lookout. Theres more water than you can ever cruise by boat. There are speeding cameras frequently on major roads, and it's not uncommon for unmarked police cars to pull you over. You can actually drive right into the center of the crater where you will be met by guides that can take you exploring. 2022 Travel Melodies. The E6 for instance is constructed as a real motorway only some kilometers north and south of Oslo, further north it is a semi-motorway, then it changes to ordinary two-lane undivided. The unique attractions on the way include the ski center in Hemsedal epitheted as Alps of Scandinavia, Rjukan falls (Rjukandefossen), Hydnefossen falls, and Hydalen, a protected landscape region. However, youd need a car if you plan (which you must) to explore the fjords and mountains outside of Bergen, the Gateway to the fjords of Norway. Appreciate any tips!! You can stop wherever and whenever you want. Foreign visitors should be aware that police controls are common and that fines are very high.
Sites likeBooking.com usually allow you to reserve accommodation without a deposit and that you can be easily cancelled (without a fee) if your plans change. A candy bar at a gas station along the way, for instance, was 25 KR (4 USD) and a bottle of water was about 40KR (6 USD). While road markings are informative, they are often covered by snow and ice in winter. You probably have an idea how expensive Norway is already (and how booked up the hotels get in summer). The shortest among all and the most driven route from Bergen to Oslo and vice versa, it takes a little over 7 hours. Norway has some notable hairpin roads, particularly around the inner part of west Norways fjords around ndalsnes-Geiranger-Stryn. Whether you decide to drive or fly, I think it is worthy of a visit in order to visit Pulpit Rock (see post). Might still be snowbanks in June. Help! My pleasure. We also decided to skip the Aurland snow road and take the worlds longest tunnel through the mountain instead (Laerdalsrtunnelen is 25km long ! Drivers are not expected to use the shoulder to facilitate overtaking. For the leisure traveler ferries add to the experience as calm breaks and pleasant trips across the fjords. There are many winding and narrow mountain roads in Norway, and wild animals and winter weather demand attention from the driver, but there are relatively few accidents even under difficult conditions. We actually bypassed the town of Flam altogether because it is where all the tour buses tend to stop (a hub of tourist activity). We did see some larger vehicles going up it, but it seemed crazy (lots of backing up to let other vehicles pass). Pint Size Pilot is FREE for you to use. Driving around Norway takes you to places outside the cities and where public transport is limited or infrequent. Visitors should trust the road number more than satellite navigation (GPS). I would make a hotel reservation now that you can cancel if your plans change. Thinking we would do this in 2, perhaps 3 nights as time is tight. A road trip in Norway is a thing of beauty. Using a vehicle's horn is considered impolite and may result in a fine unless used for an emergency. Read More, Oslo with Kids Guide 10 Things to do in Oslo with Kids Read More, Check out our guide to the top family-friendly NYC attractions, museums and more! Complete freedom, at your own pace. This again is a bit of deviation from E16. The E6, Norway's main road south-north is an exception to this rule. Call the police (emergency 112) if persons are injured or killed. Side note: If you enjoy retro music, tune in to 100.8 (and sometimes 100.6) along the route. Bergen Voss Eidfjord Geilo Gol Oslo. Books, mountains, colorful doors and windows, blue skies, sunsets, open roads, cobbled streets, undiscovered places, and beautiful minds inspire her. ( hotel/hostel). While some towns are widely known as cruise ports, other areas are equally nice. Parking on meters in Oslo and Bergen is relatively expensive. The view, however, requires an easy hike from the parking. Each tunnel has a name and drivers should use the name to inform the police in case of emergency.
The road between Kristiansand and Stavanger runs along the quiet countryside with magnificent sea views. Norway uses the metric system and Celsius (miles, gallon and Fahrenheit are unknown). The driving distance from Oslo to Bergen by car is roughly 500km / 310 miles (depending on your route). Thanks A handful of mountain roads are frequently closed temporarily during bad weather, and the authorities routinely issue road information on radio, TV and the internet; call 175, +47 815 48 99 for details, given in Norwegian only on the internet map page. Jail sentence and suspension of licence is used for the most serious offences. Electric cars can park for free on parking meters in public streets (applies to all of Norway), while "hybrid" cars including "plug-in hybrids" must pay (as of 2016). The scenery was spectacular, but here are a couple of advices. Though, the downside is that its a one-way rental means you pick at one place and drop at another that ultimately increases the cost of the rental but the ease and comfort you get are priceless. 2022 Fjord Tours AS, Nordre Nstekaien 1, N-5011 Bergen, Fjord Tours is a member of Norway's Travel Guarantee Fund. Lot many. Norway's most complex road. Norwegian drivers seem to be very content to drive under the speed limit. There are quite a number of routes to choose from while traveling from Bergen to Oslo or Oslo to Bergen, each more beautiful than the next. Sharing is nice :) If you have liked our post please share it with your friends and family and feel free tosubscribeto our mailing list or you can also follow our stories onFacebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andTwitter. Some exposed mountain passes can be closed for some hours or days in winter during strong wind. Gudvangen, a tiny and charming Viking village has limitless beauty. The elk, the most dangerous animal on the roads, is most active at full moon, after heavy snow fall and at dusk/dawn. Long tunnels have signs indicating distance to exit in either direction. Chains are generally not used by ordinary cars and usually not allowed by rental companies. Here is what my husband had to say (below). In case of fire or accident traffic control should be notified immediately via emergency telephones inside the tunnel. Alternative to the E16 above, some long hills, Lrdal to Bergen same as E16. Booking is generally not possible for private vehicles, nor is it needed. Update June 2019: While driving from Oslo to Bergen, I was a little surprised by the number of Teslas on the road. Snow and frost possible in May and September. There are hundreds of camp grounds that cater to motorhomes (and caravans, or camping with tents some have huts to rent), and these are well signposted. You can only imagine how things can add up. This route has one ferry and is probably the fastest, at least outside summer time.
wonder if the normal mid-sized car is ok for the weather or shall we opt for SUV? Shortly after we went through the Laerdalstunnelen. Another detour from Granvin (about 35 km) takes you to ystese village where you can see an old suspension bridge dating back to 1937, Fyksesund Bridge. Off-roading is generally forbidden. Moose/elk ("elg") and red deer can run onto the highway particularly at dusk and dawn so take extra care if driving at those times, particularly through forest. Buses, as well as Bybanen (Bergen Light Rail), are simple and easy to use to get to nearly anywhere in the city. 52 to Borgund (most historic stave church). The E-roads are excellent for navigation. Most cars in Norway did traditionally have manual ("stick-shift") transmission. When driving from Oslo to Bergen, however, you should tack on a few hours for the maximum 80km speed limit, curvy roads, slow drivers and stops to enjoythe incredible scenery and lunch. Motorways around Oslo and near Kristiansand. The magnificent Nryfjord. The driving conditions should also be very good then. Would like to rent a car and drive round trip oslo -bergen and experience the sognefjord. A story-weaver and a travel blogger based in Delhi, Anjali left her corporate job to see what having life exactly feels like and never looked back. Mostly low passes such as Romarheimsdalen, Eight ferry crossings (more than any other road in Europe). Look for parkings that are specifically designed for campervans. They also do seem very interested in passing really slow cars in front of them (or tractors). Most roads are two-lane undivided, and there is a limited motorway network around Oslo. Day rates for the vehicle itself are usually the main expense; the price of petrol is a less important issue. Some mountain passes, including popular roads around Geiranger are totally closed during winter (typically Nov-May). Norwegian roads have varying quality. If it is difficult or dangerous to turn around, leave the car with emergency lights on and. We are planning to do 8 days road trip in norway.. oslo/ Flam/ Bergen/Oslo in mid-Sep this year. Keep your travel as well as car documents handy. There are places that rent them in Oslo (Avis for one), but they do not seem to do a one-way rental and they also have very low km limits (making it prohibitively expensive for long drives). Petrol (gasoline) is heavily taxed and therefore expensive. There are many rest stops on all major and many minor roads, and there's a fantastic system of National Tourist Routes with particularly spectacular rest stops (and facilities). About 10% of all cars in 2020 runs on battery. Join her as she unclothes the beauty around the world, one place at a time. Nature never leaves you here I mean even cities and urban areas are lush. Probably took us ~6hrs to Undredal with a couple stops). we are not into the food business .. so it is mainly local culture, nice villages and of course nature (fiorjds, water falls , short hikes to see nice things not a full day hike), appreciate if you can also mention how much time is reasonable to spend in each place so i can take the breakdown per day, hotels ,etc, i was told about those things but they seem to be south a bit from your route, Hardangervidda National Park Voss is an outdoor activity hub but only two hours to Bergen.
Almost all of them could be avoided though by going a few extra miles on parallel historical roads, which usually follow rivers and creeks. North of Trondheim it is the only main road south-north, in some areas in fact the only road such that traffic has to be diverted through Sweden/Finland when closed. Read More, Discover the best attractions in the mountain town of Golden, British Columbia. I have tried to explain the routes based on my personal research while planning a road trip from Bergen to Oslo.
Mostly light traffic. Winter tires must have a minimum depth of tread of 3mm. Braking distance increases dramatically, increase distance to the car in front of you from the standard 3 seconds to a 56 seconds or more. The drive takes about 7 to 9 hours depending upon the route you follow. Bergen to Stavanger is a shorter drive (<5 hours I believe). Prices are administered by the Department of transport and might be 50300 kr for a car, depending of route length, but double or more for a motor home. .mw-parser-output .oo-ui-icon-unesco{background-image:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/WorldHeritageBlanc.svg")}.mw-parser-output .oo-ui-icon-star{background-image:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Cscr-featured.svg")}.mw-parser-output .oo-ui-icon-ftt{background-image:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Writing_Circle.svg/25px-Writing_Circle.svg.png")}.mw-parser-output .oo-ui-icon-dotm{background-image:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Yes_Check_Circle.svg/25px-Yes_Check_Circle.svg.png")}.mw-parser-output .oo-ui-icon-otbp{background-image:url("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Right_turn_icon_blue.svg/25px-Right_turn_icon_blue.svg.png")}. Since 2013, if you take certain medications (opiates, benzodiazepines or other narcotics) you are NOT allowed to drive unless you are taking them every day (long-term) for at least 14 days. We just drove from Oslo to Flam on routes 7, 52 and E16 (whatever Google maps recommended as the shortest). An EN standard hazard waistcoat is required in the vehicle, reachable from the driver's seat. Also, i heard diesel is way cheaper than petrol? You must yield to traffic from any road to your right, except from separate areas such as parking lots, market square, pedestrian zone, and petrol stations. Norwegian roads have varying quality. Thats how I ended up planning a return journey from Bergen to Oslo by road. I hate tunnels. I try not to think about them too much. We had an excellent traditional meal on the water there just after visiting the Aurlandsfjellet lookout (about 4 hours from Oslo). By using this website, you agree to our use of Cookies and our Privacy Policy. Some of the most famous and beautiful fjords in Norway Nryfjord, Sognefjord, and Aurladsfjord ceaselessly accompany you en route. Prefer the most economical one as nothing seems not pricey in Norway. The Hardangervidda Route offers gorgeously stunning vistas that make you stop your car over and over before you coax yourself into reaching your final destination on time. Most ferry crossings are relatively short (1025 minutes) and rates on ferries are moderate compared to the overall cost of renting a car notable exceptions are the special tourist ferries GudvangenKaupanger and GeirangerHellesylt. I have 4 days to do all of this. Meanwhile, my curiosity was piqued and I thought how wonderful it would be to experience the same route by car. Weve you covered! The real reason to stay there, however, is the beautiful location on the water. Hi Serena, Will you be returning back to Bergen? Here are some of our recommendations: We relished the Italian artisan ice cream at DolceVidda Iskremeri in Eidfjord municipality and strongly recommend having one if youre driving the route Rv7. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In some popular destinations such as Geiranger there can still be much traffic for the narrow roads during day time. If temperatures are below 10C at sea level, temperatures can be around or below 0C at 1500 meters. Visitors should be aware of mountain passes as the road can be steep (and narrow) or exposed to bad weather (and occasionally closed for some hours or a couple of days in winter). Road E16 has over 60 tunnels, covering 15% of the entire road. Semi-motorway or two-lane expressway (previously B-class motorway), speed limit 80 or 90 kmh. Thank you for the excellent suggestions. Borgund Stave Church in the municipality of Lrdalis Norways best-preserved medieval stave church. Snow may fall on mountain passes even in late April or late September. Don't park on any field or open patch along the road as land is generally private. Hi Hilary, All tunnels have names that can be used to inform the police and fire brigades. Other main roads (national highways, "riksvei") have low one- or two-digit numbers. Long distances, particularly in the south-north direction and through the complicated fjord landscape, means that driving takes time. This locally run cafe is also only a 10 minute drive from Flam inAurlandand, just below the Stegastein Lookout(which you will surely want to visit anyway). Don't use rear fog light. A compact car with a moderate engine is often much cheaper than a heavy SUV with a big engine. This is why I mix up all modes of transportation in a single journey or trip for an all-inclusive experience. The Sognefjell mountain is also. I hope you have a wonderful trip. In case of fire, use the fire extinguisher inside the tunnel as this will alert traffic control and the fire brigade. Know the parking as well as driving regulations in Norway before hitting the Norwegian roads. A complete guide to Whistler family-friendly summer attractions. Do not turn the car around; this is extremely dangerous. "Mot avgift" means that there is a fee for parking. The route offers some of the most visited and thus, most crowded (especially in the summer) places like Flam, Aurland, and Gudvangen. Road tripping across Norway is the perfect way to experience its wild and rugged beauty. As of 2020 virtually all new cars have automatic transmission. love your post!! Hello will be in Norway June 3-11. Parking is generally forbidden if speed limit is over 60km/h. Do a "brake test" frequently to get precise information on the road surface. Or you can ignore the sign up, but if your rental doesnt include them, they can still bill you for it, but they will add their own processing fees on top, so itll be more expensive. A minimum of 5mm depth of tread is recommended for trucks and heavy cars. Safety enforcement cameras (radar cameras) are quite common along this route. Youll pass a nature area of Hallingdal popular among ski and hike lovers. Norwegians are very safe, considerate and slow drivers so that is one less thing to be stressed about. Temperatures inside tunnels are usually different than outside, causing ice taps to form on road surface and in ceiling; condense on car windows may also be a problem. it is very informative and detailed. The Bergen-Trondheim either go along the coast with five time consuming ferries to catch, or through mountain passes. I hope you enjoy your trip. Are the roads mobile home friendly between Oslo and Bergen.