Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1682
Planning drive to Norway - advice needed
Hi all
Planning to drive to Norway this summer for the first time and looking for some input and advice from those more experienced. I'm slightly short of days so want to get the maximum number of days in and around Bergen, without over committing on the drive time required to get there.
Having had a look at routes I'm proposing to drive to Hirtshals in Denmark and get the ferry over to Kristiansand then drive on to Bergen where I will base myself. I'll then be exploring the western fjords in day outings from Bergen and of course the city itself. My children and their partners will be flying to Bergen and joining us there.
Looking at driving/ferry time, I'm hoping to get from Kent to Kristiansand in one day's drive (Drive is about 12 hours plus ferry 3 hours) and stay there overnight. Then next day drive up to Bergen at about 7.5 hours.
Another option is to get the ferry into Sandefjord from Denmark then drive up to Oslo and stay overnight, but this doesn't look do-able in a day even though the drive to Bergen from Oslo the next day is slightly shorter and possibly more interesting.
Would appreciate your viewsGary
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9th Jan 2018 6:39 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73130
Coquelles to top of Denmark is one hellova long day, and really, really, pushing it. The motorway from Hamburg up to Denmark can be really slow in places as most of it (well large chunks) seems to be in roadworks. If it was me, yes go that way but plan a night in southern Denmark and aim to get to Norway end of next day.
Re you driving, family flying = best way. Great roadtrip start, your space and bangin toonz at max volume. Taken your time and enjoy that.
PS that's as near as damn it 800 miles in a day, to the ferry. What day you talking about? Sunday doable, Saturday maybe, weekday = you seen what the two lane autobahn traffic is like in the week? Plus slow round pinch points like Antwerp, Essen etc and Hamburg. Be carful just plugging a distance/time into a calculator and expecting to do that or better, the two lane autobahn sections may be derestricted but they are full of truck traffic and slow normal traffic. Like me.
9th Jan 2018 6:46 pm
L319
Member Since: 14 Dec 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 2083
Driving in Norway is not high speed, speed limit none motorway roads is 8okph . 8hrs to Bergen is tight and that is without any stops. There are a number of toll roads, without toll booths. A least there, if you don't set up payment , they just sent the bill to you in UK without any penalty. Don't get me wrong it is a beautiful place to visit and very welcoming, but pushing on may not be the best way
9th Jan 2018 7:03 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73130
PS agreed, pushing on isn't the best way. Plan to travel at the speed of the slowest campervan. Once you're out of motorways/DCs then that's the speed you'll do. I'd work on Coquelles to Bergen as being a 3 day trip.
9th Jan 2018 7:09 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73130
Alternatively, think about the overnight Stena ferry from Kiel to Goteborg, the a hard(ish) charge to Oslo then Bergen.
PS plus it was an hour queue last July to get into Dk as they have military doing security checks to stop migrants heading north from Germany. All added time.
9th Jan 2018 7:23 pm
galwaygreen
Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: plymouth
Posts: 6525
we stopped in Bergen on a cruise...found Norway great BUT VERY expensive
We did a week in Denmark with relatives and a week in Norway some years ago and it took two days to get from Denmark to Norway (Just north of Lillehammer) - but that was via Sweden - speed limits as already said are very low.
And can be very cold - we went in August and there was frost on the ground when we left to come back and snow in the hills.
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10th Jan 2018 7:34 am
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1682
Thanks all for the invaluable practical info and feedback on my plan. Some excellent options I hadn't thought about. Seems clear I was under estimating the drive.
I'm reviewing my plans now as hadn't catered for 6 days travelling time (there and back).Gary
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