Driving Tips, Rules & Regulations in Norway

Like most other countries in Europe, the Norwegians drive on the right side. Most of the vehicles in the country use stick-shift gears (commonly known as manual transmissions), so if you plan on renting a car in Norway, make sure you indicate that you want an automatic. Otherwise, you’ll get a stick-shift by default. Most of the roads are undivided two-lanes, but there’s a limited network of motorways in Oslo. You’ll find that the speed limit in the country is around 80 km/h, although most of the time you’ll go under this because of slow traffic caused by poor road conditions.

Although cars aren’t always needed to get around efficiently in cities, driving in Norway will give you access to remote areas that railways and public transports can’t directly take you. Perhaps the only challenge you’ll face in the city is finding a parking spot – and even when you do manage to find one it’ll be expensive. Other than that, you’ll treat yourself to scenic rural routes that are recommended to tourists.

Renting a car can be expensive, but with the right kind of planning, it doesn’t have to be. Save more on car rentals by knowing what type of car you’ll need and how long you’ll be staying there. Compact cars are known to be cheaper for rent.

Thanks to high imposed taxes on petrol, expect fuel to be expensive in Norway. The measurements of miles, gallon and Fahrenheit aren’t used there, so be familiar with the metric system. You’ll also go through a lot of toll roads, especially when going into a city, although this is but a fraction of the entire cost of driving in Norway.

For most of the time, driving will be easy because the Norwegian traffic is smooth. The majority of motorists you’ll encounter are disciplined and law abiding, save the few cars found speeding in the highways. Your main enemy, really, will be the confusing city centers as you navigate through them. There are so many one-way streets that it’d so easy for a newcomer to get trapped. But you can be assured that traffic hardly ever heavy, not even the “rush hours”. Not all places have gas stations, so make sure you fill your tanks up whenever you get the chance, because the next one might still be 100 km away. As far as road signs are concerned, they’re pretty much the same with the ones Europeans are used to. Traffic coming from the right gets the right of way, and so do buses, trains, and pedestrians, wherever applicable.

As always, seat belts are mandatory and you are not allowed to use your mobile phone while driving, except when you have a hands free kit. Anyone caught violating these rules could be fined on the spot, in addition to other liabilities you might incur.

There’s also a 0. 2% alcohol limit, so avoid driving in Norway when drunk.

Lastly, don’t forget to always bring with you your license, car registration, and insurance documents when driving in Norway. Just continue to play safe when driving in Norway – make sure your documents are in check and you’re following the rules – and you’ll be enjoying the natural sights of this country in no time.

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