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What you need to know about driving in Norway

Driving in a new country can be daunting. This is especially true in Norway. New laws, new traffic signs, and harsh weather conditions are all contributing factors to a foreigner's uncertainty behind the wheel. Here's what you need to know.

Published: 21 September 2020 12:01 CEST
Updated: 12 December 2020 09:40 CET
What you need to know about driving in Norway
Photo: Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash

Norway has taken strong measures to ensure safety while in a vehicle and it can be helpful to know a few key points before getting behind the wheel.

It's also worth noting that owning a car in Norway is expensive.

On account of the high cost for vehicles, toll payments, service requirements, and expensive driver's education, driving in Norway is a luxury.

Generally, Norwegian drivers are known to be on the safer side. This is due to slower speed limits, higher penalty fines, extra precautions needed to be taken during the winter, and a general understanding that driving is a serious responsibility.

Rules you need to know

According to national road authority The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen, NPRA), here are a few driving rules that are particular to Norway.

  • If you are originally from the EU/EEA countries, your license from your home country is valid and can be exchanged for a Norwegian driving licence without taking any test. If you are originally from outside the EU/EEA countries, then it can be more of a challenge to get a Norwegian driving licence. The sooner you look into your home country's driving agreements, the better. There are time limits (starting from when you enter the country) for exchanging your licence to a Norwegian one. If you wait too long then it could mean having to start the whole driver's education process from the beginning. 
  • It is required by law to have a reflector vest within arm's reach of the driver in every vehicle. This is in case of any unexpected stops beside the road and you must leave the vehicle for some reason while still being close to the roadway.
  • Driving with a blood alcohol level above 0.2 percent is illegal. Neighbouring country, Sweden, has the same rule. The amount you can drink is considerably more strict than in countries like Great Britain and The United States. Both of which allow drivers to have a legal blood alcohol limit of 0.8 percent.
  • Be aware of the roads entering a main road from the right. Norway is unlike most other countries when oftentimes, drivers entering a main road from the right have the right of way.

AFP

  • Changing over to winter tyres is a must in Norway. It is the car owner’s responsibility to make sure winter tyres are on the vehicle before winter conditions threaten a driver's safety. However, it is mandatory for tyres with a tread depth of 3mm be used between November 1st and the Sunday after Easter Monday. It may sound peculiar to make it a rule to have winter tyres on after a holiday that changes in date. This is because Easter is a time where roads are densely populated with Norwegians heading to their cabins or on holiday. 

Strict penalties

Breaking Norway’s traffic laws can be costly. As noted on the Norwegian Police website, Norway has many road traffic laws and regulations and the police decide which of them applies in each individual situation.

Here are some of the fines which can be incurred for breaking traffic laws.

  • Failure to stop at a red light can result in a fine of 6,800 kroner, while not giving way when required can also set you back that amount. You can also be fined 5,500 kroner for driving unlawfully in a public transport lane.
  • Talking on a mobile phone without using the hands free technology costs 1,700 kroner in fines for a first time offender. This will also be marked as an offence on your permanent traffic record.
  • Driving without a licence has been reported to be punishable with a fine of up to a whopping 10,000 kroner.

 

AFP

  • Driving over the speed limit is punished depending on how fast you were going. As little as 5 km/h over the speed limit can cost an 800 kroner fine. Breaching the speed limit by more than 25 km/h can result in a driving ban.
  • Cameras used to check a vehicle's speed are placed all around Norwegian roads. They are especially popular in densely driven areas. It would be wrong to assume you will avoid a speeding ticket if you slow down right before the camera takes an incriminating photo. In some cases, two cameras set up a distance apart from each other will measure the vehicle's speed by timing how long it takes the vehicle to get from the first camera to the second.

Beware the elk

While driving in Norway is considered to be safe there are certain hazards drivers need to be aware of and one of them is the wildlife.

The story of the Norwegian driver who crashed into a bear to avoid hitting an elk tells you everything you need to know about the wildlife hazards in Norway, even if they are rare.

AFP

According to the Nordic visitor website drivers in in rural forested areas should “be aware of elk/moose or deer near the roadsides as they may suddenly jump into traffic, especially during dusk and dawn.”

In northern regions, reindeer (often in groups) may also wander into the road. There are usually warning signs in areas where animals are known to make frequent crossings.

READ ALSO: Elk or moose?

Drivers training 

As explained by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, here are some of the necessary hoops to jump through in order to attain a Norwegian driving license.

  • Before beginning driving lessons, you will have to submit a doctor's approved eyesight certificate. It may also be necessary to submit a health certificate from a doctor as well.
  • Along with meeting the number of required driving hours with a certified instructor, new drivers must also pass practical and written driving exams before getting their license.
  • Glattkjøring, or 'slippery driving', is mandatory under the Norwegian driver’s education program. It is a driving simulation administered on a special arena that has been set up for driving students to practice the correct reactions while driving on icy roads.
  • All drivers who are undergoing training must have a visible L-Plate on the back of the vehicle's window. You can download one and print it out, or buy one at selected gas stations.

If you are interested in getting your license or driving in Norway, it can be helpful to look at NPRA's website.

Useful Norwegian words to know for driving

Vikeplikt – Duty to give way or yield. The vikeplikt sign is an upside down red triangle telling the driver they must wait for the road they’re entering to be clear.

Fartsgrense – Speed limit. The speed limit sign is a read circle with the speed limit number found inside. Norway relies heavily on road signs as a way to communicate with drivers and speed limit signs pop up often on windy mountainous roads.

Isete vei – Icy road. If you see a sign with these words, or hear it on the radio, pay extra attention to the current road conditions you are driving on.

by Agnes Erickson

 

 

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For members

LIVING IN NORWAY

Living in Norway: Can you get by without a car? 

Whether you choose to live in one of Norway's largest cities or dream of life in a more rural area, you will likely have considered how dependent you are on having access to a car. 

Published: 20 February 2024 10:21 CET
Updated: 25 March 2024 14:02 CET
Living in Norway: Can you get by without a car? 

Cars can be an expensive investment, and picking an unreliable one can be a costly mistake. That’s without having to consider insurance, fuel, tolls and being afraid of driving on a different side of the road and driving in the unpredictable Norwegian weather. 

On top of that, not everyone has learned how to drive, or they may belong to a group of nationals who are unable to swap their driving licence for a Norwegian one.

For many, cars represent freedom, being able to get where you need to be on your own terms. For some living in the cities, not having a car will be liberating in its own way – namely, shedding a significant cost.

READ ALSO: The best sites for buying a used car in Norway

The question of whether you can survive in Norway without a car or driving license will depend mostly on where you live. 

In the cities

For starters, in the big cities and specifically Oslo, you will be able to get by without a car. The city has a decent public transport network with good coverage of the entire city across its buses, trams and metro lines. 

Decent rail connections also connect the capital to several smaller towns and cities. 

On the days that Oslo’s public transport system isn’t reliable, such as days when there is extreme weather, you may not be able to get to where you need to be with a car either. 

Furthermore, having a car may, in some cases, be more of a burden. There are a number of tolls, and finding a place to park can be difficult.

The fact that parking spaces are regularly listed for anything between 300,000 and 1 million kroner on property listing site Finn.no should tell you everything you need to know. 

Much of the same, with the exception of million kroner parking spaces, could be said for some of Norway’s other big cities.

Transport in Trondheim and Stavanger mostly revolves around a bus network (although commuter rail is also an option), and if you live and work centrally, you can walk or use public transport to get to everywhere you need to. 

Bergen’s public transport offering could be considered better than in Stavanger and Trondheim, and there is even a funicular connecting the city to the surrounding nature. 

However, there are still several reasons why you may still wish to have a car living in the cities. 

Firstly, not all cities are the same. In smaller towns, like Ålesund, with large suburban areas, you will need a car if you live outside the centre. Similarly, while Tromsø has a decent bus network, if you live on the other islands in the area a car would be handy.  

Even in cities where you can reach work and the other essentials by public transport regularly, there are reasons you would want a car. 

If you have children, you’ll know all about needing to ferry them around for the various activities, clubs, parties and events they are invited to. Depending on their hobbies, getting all their gear around won’t be easy via public transport. 

Given that the majority that end up moving to Norway with kids or having their children in Norway do so because they have ended up with a Norwegian, a car will likely make family visits a lot easier. 

Outside the towns and cities

This is where things will be much, much more complicated. Having lived in both the capital, Oslo, and a rural village of about 2,000–3,000 people, getting by without a car isn’t feasible in the long term. 

There are ways around it, like trying to live close to stores and schools, but your life will be significantly more challenging without regular access to a car. 

Buses are a lot more infrequent, so they can’t be relied on to get between towns or to and from work. 

Things are also a lot further apart in more rural areas, so attending things like doctor’s appointments may be a struggle. With things tens of kilometres apart, solutions that might work in a city, like a bike or e-scooter, won’t quite cut it. 

Trying to access nature may also be harder in rural areas without a car than even in a city. At least in cities like Oslo and Bergen, there are options you can take directly to nature spots. 

In rural areas, many of the best gems are found by driving to them. 

Are there any alternatives?  

In many cases, it will simply be a case of needing access to a car rather than owning a car. Several short-term rental schemes in Norway let you borrow a car for a few hours or a few days cheaper than a typical rental company.

Those living in Bergen can use the Dele service. Their service comes with an upfront payment that sets users back around 8,200 kroner to join (7,000 kroner security deposit and then six monthly payments of 600 kroner). The deposit is returned when your membership ends.

There are other options, too. Bilkollektivet is Norway’s largest car-sharing scheme and is based in Oslo. They are a non-profit with several membership tiers depending on how often you need car access.

Getaround (formerly Nabobil) is another example of a car-sharing service. Getaround is the most widespread across Norway, although they can be a lot more expensive than other companies.

However, these companies are only helpful if you only need access to a car once a week or a few times a month. Anymore, and buying a car may make more sense.

In addition, these services cover most towns and cities, but those in rural areas may still end up being left short.

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