Visiting Norway (1 Viewer)

[Tom2023]

This summer we plan to visit Scandinavia, we want to visit Nordkapp and take in the northern lights.

Thought we'd get a ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki then travel up the Finish coast then inland to Karigasniemi where we'd enter Norway.

On the way back from Nordkapp we obviously want to travel down the Norwegian coast before cutting inland to visit Oslo, Gothenburg & Stockholm.

I read that Norway can be expensive to drive around. With the motorbike rack on the back our van is a tad over 8m. The registration doc says 4500kg gross but we are under 3500kg.

Can anyone offer any advice on how to keep the tolls for roads, bridge, tunnels and ferries in Norway down to a sensible level while still seeing the scenery and still having fun

 

[The general]

I think seeing the lights will be a no no during the summer , how many weeks are you planning ?

 

[Tom2023]

Planning to be in Scandinavia August and September so should be okay for the lights.

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[The general]

So say 8 wks sounds good , make sure cards ok and register for use because it’s nearly a cashless society I was away 7 wks Sweden /Finland short visit just to narvik , automated gas stations , only paid once for overnight stop in Stockholm the rest wild camp and rest plazas so easy . Big distances, north kapp another 500 mls north of Swedish / Finland border

 

[42208]

Your big problem from a cost perspective will be ferries and bridges. The charging system is usually 6m and under a set price. 6 to 8m often double the price and in some cases over 8m triple the price eg main E6 ferry just South of Narvik. If you come back over the bridge from Sweden to Denmark and the interconnecting bridge in Denmark itself you will pay the higher toll fee. If you return via Denmark you have no choice but to use the Orsunsbron bridge. You will find it difficult to avoid paying ferries, bridges and city tolls so may be best to cost approx. route out first and then decide how much effort to put into trying to avoid those costs. However, having said all that Norway is a magical place and worth it whatever it costs. Some folks say its not worth the bother of going to Nordkapp I personally believe it is, certainly planted a milestone in my memories and I will definitely go back even if its just to drive the road from Narvik to Nordkapp.

 

[jumar]

Some good threads on here from Funsters travelling in Norway last year and previous years....you could pick up a tip or two firstly by reading these. We did.

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[The general]

Question, are ferries in Norway the sort where you turn up and join queue or bookings needed ?

 

[Poutie57]

I agree with the other posts as we did this last year but the other way round Nordkapp is definitely a must even though it's a long way. One tip we did pick up was fill up with diesel one a Wednesday or Saturday evening as it drops in price by approx. 30p per ltr. Also there is no lpg in Finland and it's a £1 ltr in Sweden

 

[Bailey58]

We did Norway with DFDS via Gothenburg in 1976 with a trailer tent, 20 years later with DFDS via Esbjerg with a caravan so we're a year overdue with the van and with no direct link any more it will be Calais or Rotterdam the long way round before we even start.

Here's a few to read from my Scandi Bookmarks as we plan to do Norway, in particular, around May next year, forget that, this year, where did the time go?

courtesy of @Robert Clark:


courtesy of @jumartoo (get the popcorn out, this is a long thread)
https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/from-spain-to-norway-the-long-way-round.152917/

Another here with some useful info too:
https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/scandinavia-trip.151700/

And some toll and bridge info:

http://www.autopass.no/en/visitors-payment



https://www.motorhomeplanet.co.uk/archives/5212


https://www.motorhomeplanet.co.uk/archives/5212

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[7735]

We are going to Norway in February albeit on a cruise to see the northern lights. I don’t think you will see them in August or September.
I understand that our cruise ship picks up passengers and vehicles along the way from Bergen to Tronso,not sure if you have to book. The only thing that worries me is frostbite.

Spongy

 

[Bailey58]

Forgot about it earlier but I've just posted this on another thread:

I'm a member of a Bookface group campaining to reopen a direct link to Scandinavia since DFDS dropped anchor on the Harwich to Esbjerg route. An interesting item was posted a day or two ago with a link to a news article that raised our hopes. If it ever gets off the ground it won't be soon enough for the OP or my trip planned for May.

Edinburgh Evening News

And a link to RHEG if you can open Facebook

 

[PJGWiltshire]

Have a look st this blog. Great info
http://wolfydoesscandawegia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/friday-morning.html?m=1

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[Riverbankannie]

We are going to Norway in February albeit on a cruise to see the northern lights. I don’t think you will see them in August or September.
I understand that our cruise ship picks up passengers and vehicles along the way from Bergen to Tronso,not sure if you have to book. The only thing that worries me is frostbite.

Spongy

We went on the Hurtigruten round trip in early February. I wore thick tights under jeans under fleece lined trousers, down Musto coat with two damart thermal neck scarves, the larger one on top of my down hood to stop the cold getting in. My husband had battery operated heated gloves and we wore clip on anti slip devices on soles of our shoes. Saved us and many others as you have to disembark onto ice walkways.
We loved it !!

 

[DavidG58]

We are going to Norway in February albeit on a cruise to see the northern lights. I don’t think you will see them in August or September.

mid Sept 2017 stood in pyjamas around midnight

not the best photos, but apparently some of the best sightings seen

and wore shorts every day for 4 weeks apart from one day

its a bloody long way though best bit of 6000 miles and we only went to the Lofoten area another 1000 + for return to Nordkapp

OP like your route though, drive all the way up then work your way home, we did the reverse, the drive home nearly spoilt the trip

 

[pappajohn]

Don't even contemplate buying booze in Norway.......it's cheaper to drink diesel.

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[paddymcc]

Question, are ferries in Norway the sort where you turn up and join queue or bookings needed ?

The ferries across the Fjords you can turn up and you will probably get on first time. They are often only 10-20 min crossings so they turn around very quickly. The longer ones along the fjords it may be necessary to book in high season ie the one down Geraingerfjord from Hellesylt (?) -It is quite a popular tourist route. The ones linking Bergen and Stavanger I suspect you have to book but we didn't go on it so not sure.

 

[Tom2023]

Having a little difficulty finding a site where I can actually book a ferry from Moskenes to Bodo

 

[PJGWiltshire]

Having a little difficulty finding a site where I can actually book a ferry from Moskenes to Bodo

When we did the trip we just turned up and got on. In my opinion if you have a booked crossing it would tie you down to much. There is so much to see and do having flexibility is the most important thing.

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[jumartoo]

We didn't book any ferries whilst in Norway. We always just turned up, sometimes got on as the boat was pulling away!!!!

 

[Tom2023]

When we did the trip we just turned up and got on. In my opinion if you have a booked crossing it would tie you down to much. There is so much to see and do having flexibility is the most important thing.

Yeah I have to learn to forget to plan too far ahead. Think what I need is a fortnight in a Carrefour carpark learning to chill.

 

[Lizi]

We were in Norway in July and just turned up for the ferry at Gerangerfjord. We thought we would have to wait but got on one 10mins after we turned up - a fantastic trip. Not booking in advance would seem the best option.

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[7735]

We went on the Hurtigruten round trip in early February. I wore thick tights under jeans under fleece lined trousers, down Musto coat with two damart thermal neck scarves, the larger one on top of my down hood to stop the cold getting in. My husband had battery operated heated gloves and we wore clip on anti slip devices on soles of our shoes. Saved us and many others as you have to disembark onto ice walkways.
We loved it !!

Thanks for that info particularly about the anti slip devices for your shoes. Think we might get some of those, quite handy in this country at times as the councils never clear the footpaths any more

Spongy

 

[Bailey58]

Having a little difficulty finding a site where I can actually book a ferry from Moskenes to Bodo

 

[Augusta08]

Is it worth having the bikes on the back if visiting Norway?

My van is 7.5mtrs without but over 8m with the rack.

I'm wondering if we'll ever need them?

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[Chas17]

We didn't book any ferries whilst in Norway. We always just turned up, sometimes got on as the boat was pulling away!!!!

We had a great time in Norway 5 years ago. It's easiest to remember that ferries and tunnels are part of the road system and trying to avoid them is unnecessary diversions and effort. If you miss a ferry there'll be another one along in a minute.

 

[pappajohn]

Is it worth having the bikes on the back if visiting Norway?

My van is 7.5mtrs without but over 8m with the rack.

I'm wondering if we'll ever need them?

Doubtful.
Shirley was up in Tromso last year and had to resort to slip-on shoe spikes just to walk safely on pavements.
Out of towns snow was 2ft to 3ft deep.

 

[jumartoo]

Is it worth having the bikes on the back if visiting Norway?

My van is 7.5mtrs without but over 8m with the rack.

I'm wondering if we'll ever need them?

We didn't use our bikes too much in Norway but we always have them with us in the garage so that makes no difference to the length. You'll be going into the next length bracket but they never measured just made a calculation based on a quick glance back from the drivers window!

If you cycle a lot then that's up to you whether you take the chance. If you don't cycle for sport/fitness leave them behind.

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[paddymcc]

Is it worth having the bikes on the back if visiting Norway?

My van is 7.5mtrs without but over 8m with the rack.

I'm wondering if we'll ever need them?

We used them quite a bit -cycling along the Fjords is often quite flat and they are also useful going from campsites into villages. One time I dropped Sophie and Diana off at the top of a pass and they freewheeled downhill for about 10miles! I followed a bit later and didn't catch up with them!
But we were there in the summer (July August)- only a bit of snow high up.