Travelling by car is a great way to experience Norway and driving in Norway gives you flexibility to take a detour or three along the way. Norway is a relatively small country in population, but not in experiences and scenic roads.
To help you plan your trip, here are seven popular driving routes in Norway, all ending in the heart of the fjords, in the city of Bergen.
Bryggen in Bergen. Photo: Martin Håndlykken - VisitNorway.com
Are you thinking about hiring a car? We recommend choosing an electrical car. Electric cars are more environmentally friendly and get free passage or discounted rate on toll roads and ferry crossings. This way you take care of the environment as well as your wallet.
1. Driving Oslo Bergen
Oslo is the capital city of Norway while Bergen is the second largest city, situated on the west coast. The drive between the two cities will take you approximately 7 hours if you don’t make too many stops. However, this road is full of scenic places to stop, so we recommend you allocate a few extra hours to be on the safe side.
Read more about driving from Oslo to Bergen here.
Hardangerbrua. Photo: Visit Hardangerfjord
2. Atlantic Ocean Road Norway - a part of the journey from Trondheim to Bergen
Driving from Trondheim in the north to Bergen in the south will take you around 11 hours if you are just looking to get from A-Z. But there are plenty of things to see and do along the way, so a few extra days on this trip will definately be worth it.
You might have seen pictures of the Atlantic Road? If you choose the coastal route to Bergen, you will get to drive this road, which is said to be one of the world's most beautiful car journeys.
Read more about driving from Trondheim to Bergen here.
Photo: Bård Basberg / Loen Skylift
3. From one coastal city to another: Ålesund to Bergen
If driving Trondheim to Bergen is too far, then Ålesund to Bergen is another great option. The drive will take you around 7,5 hours, but again, this is not a race. Take your time to experience the wonderful villages along the way, like Stryn and Loen, or take a detour to Florø.
Read more about driving from Ålesund to Bergen here.
Oppstryn. Photo: CH - VisitNorway.com
4. Experience the Hardangerfjord
The fjords are long and narrow and the same goes for the roads. But just as the fjords, the nature experiences and scenic points along the roads are fantastic. There is something to see and a picture to be taken almost around every bend. Stop at the fruit farms, try the famous apple juice or cider, walk behind waterfalls, or park the car and take a day trip by boat on the fjord.
Read more about Hardangerfjord and driving in Hardanger here.
Photo: Heit Sauna Sørfjorden near the village Ullensvang.
5. Driving the west coast of Norway from Stavanger to Bergen
About 4 hours south from Bergen along the coast you will find the city of Stavanger. Like Bergen, Stavanger is a charming city with a nice city centre, old wooden houses and plenty of things to see and do. If you would like to take a detour and perhaps stay overnight, then take the ferry to the island of Tysnes and stay in the beautiful Haaheim Gaard. We can almost guarantee that you will meet more locals than tourists on this island , which is still not discovered by most travellers. Tysnes is located about an hour and a half from Bergen.
Read more about driving Stavanger to Bergen here.
Ferry between Sandvikvåg and Halhjem. Photo: Gjertrud Coutinho
Photo: Mandelhuset at Tysnes.
Check out 7 great places to visit in Western Norway.
6. Kristiansand to Bergen - the children’s choice
If you are arriving from the continent, you can take the Fjord Line ferry from Hirtshals in Denmark to Kristiansand. The family attraction called “Dyreparken i Kristiansand” is one of the biggest attractions in Norway and a must for a lot of Norwegian families as their children are growing up. It is a large zoo with both Norwegian and foreign animals, a few fun fares and live theatre shows in the summer.
If you want to shorten the drive to Bergen, you can drive half way to Stavanger, which is about 3,5 hours from Kristiansand. From Stavanger you give the driver and the kids a break and drive on board the cruise ferry Fjord Line which will take you to Bergen city center. The view from the cruise is beautiful and the ship is comfortable with large panoramic windows as well as lots of space outside for the nice summer days.
Read more about how to get from Kristiansand to Bergen here.
A typical village in southern Norway. Photo: Magnus Furset / visitnorway.com
7. From Oslo to Bergen via Flåm and Aurland
There are several options on how to drive from Oslo to Bergen. However, this alternative via Flåm deserves a mention on its own. From Oslo you drive via Gol and Ål, and after about 5 hours you will come to the village of Flåm. It’s time to park the car for a while because Flåm is definitely worth exploring. The highlights in Flåm are the famous Flåm Railway, the Stegastein Viewpoint and a fjord cruise from Flåm to the next village Aurland.
Read more about driving from Oslo to Bergen via Aurlandsfjellet here.
Take your time and enjoy the scenic views. Photo: CH - VisitNorway.com
Useful tips about driving in Norway:
- Like most European countries, we drive on the right side of the road. However, if you are used to the large highways in central Europe, you will find our roads small and windy. Drive carefully and allocate more time that you think is needed.
- Most toll roads are automatic and you do not stop to pay manually. In Norway most cars will have a AutoPASS in their car. Read more about foreign vehicles in Norway.
- The fine for speeding can take a big chunk out of your holiday budget, so stick to the speed limit!
Fløibanen funicular in Bergen. Photo: Visit Bergen / Casper Steinsland - visitBergen.com
When arriving in Bergen you can safely park your car and explore the city by foot. The city center is compact and is beautifully nestled in between seven mountains. There are plenty of things to see and do as well as concerts and festivals throughout the year. We recommend you book your accommodation in advance and secure your fjord cruise ticket by booking online before arrival.
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