Has anyone on here done it? My second son is thinking about doing some post-grad work in Oslo, and I spontaneously said to him that I would be happy to pack his stuff into the car and drive him there when the time comes.

He was surprised but delighted, but I didn’t think it was a big deal.

Is it? Has anyone made the drive before – either to Oslo, or anywhere else beyond Denmark? What is the drive like? Pretty arduous? Like driving in France? Like driving in Canada?

Experiences appreciated.

Bit long and slow. Generally easy and not too busy.

We’ve done the various Scandi ferries that no longer exist. Then the last trip was Hull overnight ferry then Rotterdam-Germany (Puttgarten) in what would have been an easy day but van broke down for a few hours.

For you the direct drive would be up Germany and then to the top of Denmark (Jutland) then ferry hop to Oslo. Goes past their lake district and biggest hill but don’t get too excited 🙂

For a different route could go through Sweden. Or think there are a few ferries to Oslo from North Germany / further south in Denmark. We’ve looped all over that area of Nor / Swe / Den.

I drove to Norway quite a few years back for a kayaking trip.

Took something like 30 something hours if I recall.

Of course it was incredibly boring at times, but at other times the scenery was immense.

Make sure you register for the Toll Cameras in Norway prior to arrival, and if you arrive earlier than planned pay for them before you leave, as even though you are pre-registered they won’t take the money earlier than the day you state for arriving, and you’ll get fined. Stick to the speed limits in Norway as well as they are strictly enforced, maximum is 90kph (56mph) on most roads.

I’ll come. Always wanted to do that.

Drive to Denmark and cross the bridge to Sweden. For as much driving as I e done in Scandinavia it’s as you’d expect it to be. Pretty easy and straightforward.

Yes lots of speed cops in Norway. We got pulled over for a check (not speeding) and the cop tried to look casual / not laugh strolling back round to the correct side to find the driver in a rhd car 🙂

The drive will be mostly flat and a bit dull in a clean and Scandi way. Only Norway and Sweden North of Gothenburg will be a bit more scenic.

Do it in a Volvo!
Or a roller…

Drove from Cheshire to Rogen (halfway up Sweden), canoed across the border to Roros (S of Trondheim basically), returned.

Our route was: Cheshire to Harwich; Harwich-Hook of Holland ferry (overnight); Hook of Holland through Netherlands, Germany, Denmark to Grenaa; Grenaa-Varberg in Sweden (second short overnight); up Sweden to Rogen (another full days drive).
Return was similar, but we used the Bridge of Doom (don’t try it in a very strong wind with canoes on a van!!!) from Malmo to Copenhagen then south via Rodbyhavn back to Germany. Stayed in a couple of motels on the way.

The Germany bit is long, dull and can get busy around Hamburg. Like driving the M6 really. Denmark wasn’t much more scenic, but far quieter so easy driving.

Once in Scandi proper, the driving is steady, not fast, but beautiful and I’d vary that to make it part of the enjoyment of the drive. However, southern Sweden isn’t especially scenic until you get closer to Norway, unless you divert to the coast north of Goteborg for an exploration.
Using the ferries to get a sleep worked well for us on the way up (we booked cabins for the first one).
I wouldn’t do the Denmark-Sweden ferry we used again, I’d use the bridge or a longer ferry.

You can ferry from Germany to Oslo or Gothenburg. That would give you a proper break.

Its a looong way.

Have ridden it on motorbikes. We plan to return when it gets easier. Our way out was via Newcastle-ijmuiden across the Netherlands and Germany to Sassnitz (next to penemunde which we regretfully failed to go and visit) ferry to trelleborg then up through Sweden and into Norway just south of Oslo. It’s a bit dull though and a long way. Coming back we took the ferry from langesund to hirtsals in DK. Nice way to spend the afternoon plodding across the Skargerrak on the sun deck trying to sip 1 £10 pint over 6 hours.

In the absence of a proper UK-Scandi ferry right now, we’d probably take the overnight ship from Kiel to Oslo. You can sometimes blag a place on DFDS’s ships from Immingham to Larvik. Doesn’t save much time as they pootle along at 9kts, but saves miles. You may need to share accommodation, there’s fek all onboard and DFDS don’t officially take PAX, but if yer in a van or on bike it’s doable.

Road wise, they’re big, wide, often empty and boring. Norway have an interesting approach to stopping overtaking: they fit Armco or wire barriers to the centre of single carriageway roads, so even on a motorbike you can be stuck for dozens of KM behind a 80kph truck. Some Norwegians will happily shop their neighbours, family or colleagues to the plod for driving misdemeanours.

My current office is in Tromsø, it takes me 16 hrs to fly there. I worked out it would take 48 solid hours to ride there and I’d cover 3500km, one way.

Is it? Has anyone made the drive before – either to Oslo, or anywhere else beyond Denmark? What is the drive like? Pretty arduous? Like driving in France? Like driving in Canada?

I’ve not driven from the UK but I have rented in DK, SE and NO. All are much more pleasant to drive in than France for my style of driving (a typical impatient brit may find it frustrating!). I’ve only been driven briefly in Canada so not sure I can compare that.

I used to share a flat with a Norwegian when I was a student. He drove back and forth then – but there was a ferry direct from England to Norway. It was still a bit of an epic trip. To do it there and back in say a few days would be pretty grim.

I’ve driven to central Sweden via Kiel and Gothenburg. Very straightforward, but obviously long.

Its a looong way.

You all know the OP is Canadian right?

I watched Harry Metcalfe’s northern lights trip and that I would copy it this year (pandemic notwithstanding). But the reality of the distance to drive before it gets scenic and interesting has put me off. I reckon a train trip would be excellent though. There are some stunning rail routes via Germany and Denmark.

Yup, did it when I moved over here. Took the van, two dogs and a load of things hat might be breakable and just drove.

Took the ferry from Harwich overnight to Hook of Holland, then drove to Puttgarden for the ferry to Denmark. Spent the night near Copenhagen and then got the Ferry across to Helsingborg. After that it’s basically a straight shot on E4 to Stockholm.

For you, E6 will take you past Göteborg and up to Oslo. Should take a couple of days each way total, you’ll get to see a lot of boring roads, but some nice places as well. Maybe stretch it out a couple of days and stop at places along the way?

We drive to Denmark once a year normally, we’ve been up to Norway once as well. Ferries we either do Harwich or Hull to Rotterdam. Worst part is getting through Hamburg but beyond that it’s easy if fairly dull through the Netherlands and Germany (although some of that may be because I’ve done it too many times)

Like someone else said, we used ferries to get some sleep. Copenhagen to Oslo is the nicest ferry trip I’ve done, get on the ferry around early evening and arrive into Oslo in the early morning sunshine. The last part of the trip into Oslo is stunning.

Miss the Harwich Esbjerg ferry

I reckon a train trip would be excellent though. There are some stunning rail routes via Germany and Denmark

I still need to get on the train that goes on a ferry before it gets replaced. It’s on my to do list

Hmm, how much actually stuff are you taking – ie are you going to get ‘caught’ with Brexit border issues, carnet?

Hmm, how much actually stuff are you taking – ie are you going to get ‘caught’ with Brexit border issues, carnet?

I believe the OP is in Germany, but as I believe Norway isn’t in the Customs Union, carnets are something to think about.

Similar to the vid above, there are a few threads on Pistonheads. Not sure if it’s in your route but I’d like to do the tunnel that corkscrews up a mountain.

Not sure about the other countries, but roads in Sweden are slow and boring as most are surrounded by trees (speed limits are low because of moose risk). You could consider the train for some adventure – I’ve used a night train Malmö to Berlin before that drives onto a ferry between trelleborg and rostock.

I believe the OP is in Germany, but as I believe Norway isn’t in the Customs Union, carnets are something to think about.

If he’s already German based, seems a bit of an odd question TBH. Just drive up through Denmark and then either bridge or ferry.

I was though thinking more about crossing from the UK into EU27, as that’s changed – whereas EU27 into Norway (EEA) hasn’t.

Did 9 years ago. Harwich overnight to Hook of Holland, Germany, Denmark, Ferry to Kristianshaven. spent 2 weeks making our way up through the fjords, plus a jink over to Jotunheim, up to Stryn, mostly wild camping, hiking, swimming, biking. Drove back down in a one-r on the fast roads overnight.

amazing trip. Worst bit was Germany. Loads of traffic, loads of roadworks, including half an hour stopped without moving at all. And they seem to have a thing where turnings are pre-signed, or there are alternative routes on small roads, which come off before the main junction. Got done at least twice by them. Possibly me being stupid, but it didn’t happen anywhere else.

We were living near Colchester at the time, we left home with half an hour to make a 15 min journey. Got to check-in 15 mins before it closed. From Hook of Holland, we had 14 hours to make a 9 hour journey. Got to Fredrikshaven 15 mins before check in closed. All down to delays in Germany – and that’s with going far too fast through Denmark. Seems I’m still cross about it 9 years on! 😀

I believe the OP is in Germany

Nope, UK.

Too late to edit ^. Denmark – Norway ferry was Hirtshals to Kristiansand, not any of those other places I got wrong or just plain made up!

N.B. The car ferry from the UK doesn’t run anymore. So you have to drive/ferry/whatever via continental Europe.

Something to bear in mind if anyone says they did it a few years ago and it was a long drive, it’s now even longer.

Unless you’re in the north of Scotland in which case Aberdeen -> Lerwick -> Bergen.

was though thinking more about crossing from the UK into EU27, as that’s changed – whereas EU27 into Norway (EEA) hasn’t.

It won’t have changed, EU to NO, but it was never straight forward. If OP is in U.K., you just get added pain of dealing with U.K. to EU and then EU to NO. Check what your taking and whether it needs to be declared.

In the absence of a proper UK-Scandi ferry right now, we’d probably take the overnight ship from Kiel to Oslo. You can sometimes blag a place on DFDS’s ships from Immingham to Larvik. Doesn’t save much time as they pootle along at 9kts, but saves miles. You may need to share accommodation, there’s fek all onboard and DFDS don’t officially take PAX, but if yer in a van or on bike it’s doable.

@hot_fiat how do you go about that? Is it a case of phoning commercial booking or is there a specific route for this?

I thought they’d stopped allowing non-commercial vehicles from Immingham. You used to be able to book on Immingham to Esbjerg but when they scrapped the Harwich to Esbjerg ferry they stopped allowing it because the demand was too high

Edit: yep, no longer can take leisure paying passengers from Immingham

“Due to UKBF port approval, private passengers are not permitted to be carried through Immingham. This means that we can no longer accept leisure fare paying passengers on the freight routes through Immingham”

https://www.dfds.com/en-gb/freight-shipping/routes-and-schedules/esbjerg-immingham

Make sure you register for the Troll Cameras in Norway prior to arrival

ftfy

No TINAS, if you read pretty much everybody is describing the various long winded routes needed to get there and berating the long-gone direct ferry options (or describing the slight chance of blagging onto the cargo ferries).

molgrips
Full Member

I’ll come. Always wanted to do that.

Are you offering to drive? Be a nice jaunt for Marvin!

@squirrelking yep just phone DFDS. You can also try the masters of motorbike and race car shipping, Nutt Travel in Coleraine.

DFDS Freight

As pointed out, they won’t take cars, but will take vans. I know people who’ve taken bikes recently.

Lerwick-Bergen ferry has gone. As has the other, other route from Scrabster to Bergen with Smyrrl on their return run from Iceland.

Interesting, V5 says car and has windows, dunno how that would go down.

Either way I’m always happy to find out ways to blag passage on ships. Always wanted to try the supernumerary life.

Cheers!

I’ve used a few truck ferry routes with the motorbike. It’s not a pleasant way to travel: you get to bunk down in a shared cabin with one or potentially up to three truck drivers. They tend to arrive / depart at some unholy hour and have the aura of 1970s soviet war ships. All food is free, so you can see drivers with two trays laden with multiple dinners or breakfasts. Schedules are advisory: I remember the captain of the Liverpool-Dublin ship Norbay was especially pleased to announce they’d arrived two hours early into Dublin & everyone was to get off. Now! It was 4am. But they are cheap.

Just curious, but why would freight ferries allow motorbikes if they don’t allow cars? Doesn’t make much sense !

Probably because they don’t take up room.