Cycling in Norway – practical bike touring guide

For outdoorsy people, Norway is a paradise. Norwegian universities even offer a course in outdoor life. With unspoiled nature and pristine landscape, Norway has everything to turn your cycling holiday into an adventure of a lifetime.  

In normal countries, there is some balance. Pretty landscape, ugly industrial zones, some pretty landscape again and then more ugliness again. But not in Norway. 

Behind every turn, there are monstrous mountain ranges, cobalt fjords, green forests, or cold lakes. Rocks, water and conifers. Is there a better setting for bicycle touring than that? 

Brace yourself for long, depleting climbs and cold and wet, and get the highest reward: long descents, unspoiled campsites, and astonishing views. 

How to get there

Plane

Norway is the European country with the most plane connections per capita. It is well connected with all major European cities. Most flights are operating to the main airport in the country – Oslo Gardemoen. 

Fly directly to Tromsø if you want to experience the vastness of the Arctic Circles (direct flights from Germany, Finland, Sweden and the UK). For cycling the scenic Trollstigen, it is best to arrive in Ålesund (direct flights from Alicante, Amsterdam, Gdansk, Kaunas and Copenhagen).

Check out my article on taking a bicycle on the plane. 

Taking a bicycle on a plane. How to fly with your bike?

Ferry

If you rather skip packing your bike on a plane, consider taking a ferry. Currently, you can take a boat to Norway from Denmark, Germany and Sweden and from April 2022 also from the Netherlands. For more information, check colorline.com, dfds.com or fjordline.com

Covid entry restrictions to Norway

Currently (02.03.2022), there are no Covid entry restrictions for travellers arriving in Norway. Check the updates on the government’s official website.

Bike rental

If you don’t want to take your own bike, you can rent a bike in Norway. Some airports offer even Fly and bike – a chance to pick up your rental bike directly at the airport (like a rental car). 

Norway is not the cheapest country, and the price for rental bikes is pretty high too. It depends on the city and the length of the rental it varies from 200 NOK/day to 700 NOK/day. Sometimes returning to a different location is possible. You can find more information here. 

Is Norway safe for solo female travellers and LGBTQ+ travellers?

Norway is one of the countries with the lowest crime rate. It is also one of the safest places for solo female travellers and LGBTQ+ travellers.

Terrain

Norway is mountainous, so make sure your legs can handle long and steep climbs before coming here with your bike. Inland and in the northern parts and inland, there are long stretches between towns. Make sure you carry enough food, as it might be problematic to find a shop for many kilometres.

Roads and traffic

Roads in Norway are well maintained and in good condition, although sometimes narrow. Luckily, there is usually little traffic, and drivers are rather considerate. But watch out for electric cars: I got scared by them being right behind me a couple of times. Norway has about 470 000 of those sneaky, silent machines. Don’t let them lull you.

Norway has a few long-distance cycling routes, but most are on motorised roads. There are not many bicycle lanes. 

Mountain roads such as Trollstigen and Valdresflya are only open a few months of the year. You can find more information about it here and here.

Tunnels

There are more than 1200 tunnels in Norway with the world’s longest Lærdal tunnel (24,5 km long). Not all of them are open or safe for bicycles. You should always plan your route carefully and if you see a tunnel on a map, check this website to see if you can cross it by bike. Some of them are really steep, so make sure you check if you can get into one before ending up blocking it, like this Turkish cyclist under the Oslo Fjord.

Ferries

Cycling through Norway, you will most likely need to take a ferry to avoid massive detours around the fjords. Since the ferries in the districts are run by different operators, finding information about timetables and prices might be challenging. Here are some links that can be helpful in various regions:

• Møre og Romsdal, check this website.
• North Trøndelag, check this website.
• Oslo and Akershus, check this website.
• Nordland, check this website.
• Troms, check this website.

The ferry on the Horten-Moss route through the Oslo Fjord is free for pedestrians and cyclists. Departures are every half hour, every 15 minutes during rush hour. You can find the timetable here.

Trains

Norway is vast, and sometimes you might want to cheat a bit and take your bike on a train. It is absolutely possible, although quite pricey. If you plan to travel by train, book tickets in advance. Look out for mini pris offers with reduced price from 199 NOK for all routes.

The price for a bicycle ticket depends on the route. It equals the price of a child ticket for a given distance.  

You can find all the information about taking your bike on a train in Norway here. 

The railway network is concentrated in the south of the country. Once you reach Trondheim, there is only one line going further north, to Bodø, and only twice a day. 

Weather 

The best time to visit Norway with your bike is summer, late spring and early autumn. If you come too early in spring, you risk that there will still be snow in the higher parts of the mountains, and some mountain roads might still be closed.

If you are one of the hardcore people who love cycling in the snow – go ahead. Make sure you have studded tires and good winter gear. Remember that days are extra short in winter, and beyond the Arctic Circle, the sun doesn’t even bother to show up.

If you visit Norway in summer, you will, on the contrary, be able to enjoy long days. It is a bizarre experience to set up your tent around midnight and not even have to reach out for a headlamp. 

In the mountains, you can expect some snow even in summer. The conditions can change rapidly. Always check the weather reports on yr.no before embarking on a trip.

Must have for cycling in Norway

1. A reflective vest and good lights can save your life in countless Norwegian tunnels. They might also improve your safety when the weather gets really Norwegian. 
   When I was cycling through Valdresflya early in June, I ended up in soupy conditions with about 10 meters of visibility. I could barely see the lights of cars coming from the other directions, and there was no side emergency lane (or, if there was one, it was covered with snow). 
2. Good rain jacket and waterproof pants.

3. Warm clothes, even in the summer (merino underwear, thick gloves, good socks).
4. Mosquito spray, especially if you’re camoing close to rivers and lakes.
5. Camping gear: solid tent and a warm sleeping bag (comfort temperatures slightly below 0 should suffice in the summer). 
   You can technically go for cycling holidays in Norway and stay in hotels or hostels but for 3 reasons, I don’t recommend it. 1) The accommodation in Norway is expensive. 2) The distances between towns are sometimes long. You have to plan your route quite precisely if you are not self-sufficient. 3) Norway is just a paradise for wild camping. More or that in the next paragraph. 

Wild camping

Norway is one of the few countries in Europe where wild camping is legal. Thanks to allemannsretten (everyman’s right or the right to roam, you can pitch your tent pretty much everywhere. There are basically two rules you need to follow: 1. Stay at least 150 meters from the nearest house or other buildings and not on cultivated farmland. 2. You cannot camp in one spot for more than two nights.

Respect nature and wildlife, take your trash with you and be quiet. From 15 April till 15 September, open fire in the wild is banned, so forget about the campfires in the summer! A total ban on camping stoves is possible during droughts (you can check yr.no for warnings).

In the Norwegian mountains, there are also a lot of open shelters (gapahuk). Most of them are only accessible by mountain bike, sometimes you will have to walk and push your bike. Some of them have a supply of firewood. 

Find the open shelters on this map: 

Other accommodation

There are many official campsites in Norway. The price for one person is around 150-200 NOK. Usually, you have to pay extra (10-20 NOK) for the shower.

Hotels and hostels in Norway are expensive. For example, you’ll pay about 35 euros for the cheapest dormitory bed in Bergen. However, in most places, it is even more pricey. You can find a list of cyclist-friendly hotels and B&Bs here.

I use booking.com to find affordable accommodation.

Money

Currency: Norwegian Krone (NOK). 

1 NOK = 0,1 EUR

Ask any budget traveller: how was your trip to Norway? and the first thing you’re gonna hear will probably be: It was great but so expensive!

Norway is one of the most expensive countries in Europe. If you are on a budget, here are some tips to help you survive:

1. Don’t buy your food in Joker, Seven-Eleven. Avoid also other convenience stores and kiosks.
2. The cheapest supermarkets are Kiwi and Rema 1000. Coop, Rimi and Bunnpris are ok too.
3. Look for products labelled as first price – the price difference between them and other products is huge!
4. Remember that most shops are closed on Sunday (touristy areas are often an exception). 
5. Forget about alcohol for the time you are staying in Norway. Get drunk back at home. Your wallet will be grateful. 

Internet and local SIM card

If you have an EU SIM card, you can relax and stop stressing about the bill shock when travelling to Norway. As an EEA member, Norway is a part of the roam like at home deal for EU citizens. Depending on your provider, the data package will probably be reduced. It should still be sufficient for the basic stuff on 1-2 weeks of cycling holidays in Norway. 

If you don’t own an EU SIM card, the best option is to get one from Telenor. This provider offers the best 4G coverage. 10 GB of data valid for 31 days costs ca. 50 euro. You can buy it in the official shops or in kiosks. Bring your ID to register the SIM card.

The mobile service coverage is generally very good across the whole country. However, in remote mountain areas, you can find yourself without a signal, so make sure you download your maps, in case you suddenly go offline.

Cycling in Norway – best routes

You can use ut.no to find exciting bicycle routes in the area you’re visiting (the website is unfortunately only available in Norwegian). 

Rallarvegen

Creme de la creme of Norwegian bicycle routes. It lies on the edge of Hardangervidda – the largest European mountain plateau route is a legacy of the Oslo-Bergan railway built at the beginning of the 20th century. Known as the most scenic bicycle trail in Scandinavia, it was once used to transport the materials and workers building the famous Bergensbanen. 

The season to cycle is short: usually from July to mid-September, as the snow lasts long on the elevation between 1000 and 1350 meters. For updates on the current conditions on the Rallarvegen, check this Facebook Page.

Length: 82 km

Surface: gravel, dirt road

Accommodation: there are several mountain hotels along the route, but the stunning ambience of Hardangervidda just asks you to sleep in a tent. There are good wild camping options along the route, but be aware that it would be difficult around Finse.

Norge på langs – cycling Norway along

A big one. To cycle Norway from south to north, you will have to do more than 2700 km. The route leads from North Cape to Lindesnes through the most beautiful places in the country. 

In the North, make sure to stop to get to know the unique culture of the Sami people (Yoik, their unique chant, will give you chills). You can also book a workshop on Sami handcraft and traditional food here.

Then you will cycle through Saltfjellet mountains, with the largest glacier in Northern Scandinavia. In all of Northern Norway, you can expect a nearly empty lonely road surrounded by vast plateaus and raw arctic nature.

But Norway is not only nature. Once you get to Trondheim, you will have a chance for a cultural experience. In the historical capital of Norway, you will find Northern Europe’s most important medieval pilgrimage site – the impressive cathedral Nidarosdommen. Take a slow ride across Bakklandet – a neighbourhood full of cute colourful houses. The steepest street has even a lift for bicycles!

In the region of Møre og Romsdal, you will cycle the most scenic road in Norway – Trollstigen, The Ladder of Trolls. You will also see the most spectacular fjords in the country, including the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord, and the tallest vertical rock face in Europe – Trollveggen – Troll Wall. 

Afterwards, the road will take you more inland, through the highest mountain range in Scandinavia – Jotunheimen. Then you will cycle by the edge of another mountain range – Hallingskarvet, before you arrive in Telemark, the heart of Norway. In Rjukan, take a break, leave your bike and climb Gaustatoppen. On a clear day, you can see almost ⅕ of Norway from the top of this free-standing mountain.

The more south, the less mountainous it gets. The southernmost point of Norway is Lindesnes. Once you get there, first head to the lighthouse and then take a well-deserved rest on a beach!

You can find more information about cycling Norway Along on this website.

Atlantic Coast Route (Eurovelo 1)

If you love the sea, choose the Atlantic Coast Route (Eurovelo 1). A 4500 km route will take you from Svinesund in the south, through Kristiansand, Bergen, Trondheim, North Cape to Kirkenes, in the very northeast, almost by the Russian border.

You will have a chance to ride probably the most stunning road in Norway – an 8 km long stretch from Kårvåg to Vevang, with incredible bridges connecting small islands, also known as The Atlantic Road. 

You can find the GPS track on Komoot.

Tour de Dovre / Lesja and Dovrefjell

When touring from Ålesund to Fredrikstad in 2019, I was enchanted by the landscape between Åndalsnes and Lejsa. Even though I stuck to the main road, I saw majestic mountains, green pastures, and tall waterfalls. But I wish I made a detour in Dovrefjell and Rondane and followed some of the recommendations from this website.

If you want to immerse yourself in Norwegian nature, the 130 km long Tour de Dovre will be a perfect choice. You will visit three national parks (Rondane, Dovre and Dovrefjell) known for an untouched alpine ecosystem where animals like reindeer and musk ox find their home.

Highlights

You can find a map with my personal highlights in Norway here:

Resources for cycling in Norway

For more inspiration and information about bicycle touring and bikepacking in Norway, check out these links:

1. Matthew Norway (Facebook and Youtube) – weekly uploads with the most exciting routes in and practical information about cycling in Norway.
2. Tunnels in Norway – I linked it before, but this is so important that I will list it here again so that you can find it easily.
3. Ut.no – a Norwegian base of the best hiking and cycling trails, including mountain refuges and shelters.
4. Yr.no – the most reliable source for the weather forecast in Norway.
5. Statens Vegwesen – updates on traffic information and winter closed roads.