Norway
Information | |
Language: | Norwegian, Sami, Finnish |
Capital: | Oslo |
Population: | 4,848,474 |
Currency: | Norwegian Krone (NOK) |
Hitchability: | <rating country='no' /> |
Meet fellow hitchhikers on Trustroots or BeWelcome | |
<map lat='65.33017791526852' lng='15.556640625' zoom='4' view='0' float='right' width='270' height='375' country='Norway'/> |
Norway is a country in Europe. It is a member state of the Schengen Agreement, but is not part of the European Union. Its capital is Oslo. Its neighbouring countries are Sweden, Finland and Russia.
The main challenge while travelling in Norway is the rapidly shifting weather, so be prepared for anything, as they say here: There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.
Practically eveeryone is fluent in English. Sadly People have been told to be wary of foreigners. Recently, it's been all over the news that some gypsies wait on the road with a broken car and steal cars from people stopping to help them, and it doesn't help much, especially if you're not quite white. If you look like a hobo your chances decrease further. Look presentable to increase your chance of getting picked up and be friendly. Ask questions.
Be careful to check the altitude of the places where you wish to go, and through which you travel. A lot of people might be able get you closer to your destination, but they are not willing to drop you where it is cold (there can be freezing temperatures even in the summer).
Regions & Cities
Contents
In the North
- Alta
- Kautokeino
- Lofoten, an archipelago
- Narvik
- Nordkapp, the Northernmost point of Europe
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
- Trofors
- Tromsø
- Bodø
Other Cities
License plates
There is a coding for areas: the two first letters identify the region in which the vehicle is first registered, but as the plates migrate with the vehicle and Norwegians travel pretty much all around the country, it's not something hitchhikers rely on. See also List of codes on Wikipedia
Vehicles with Norwegian green license plates do not have back seats. So if you are not traveling alone, hitching a ride with such a vehicle is of little use. Some vans have a double bench for passengers in front, but except for those, green plates means seating for one passenger only. Even if it is a vehicle that had back seats when it left the factory, they will have been removed upon importation to Norway. This is done for tax reasons. Vehicles affected by this include almost all pick-up trucks including 4-door models, and some minivans and SUVs. Also some old station wagons.
Hitchhiking culture
Norway has a mixed reputation for hitchiking, some people will try and convince you Norway is hitchhikers hell. Others will say it is a paradise. While the truth lies somewhere in between, hitchiking definitely works, so don't let the naysayers put you off (but equally don't get cockey and expect 10 second wait times).
Positive
Norway is not an easy country to hitch in, but it can be rewarding! Even though haike is not too common in Norway, people are very likely to pick you up and can be very friendly and helpful. Like in Sweden, foreign tourists and immigrants are more likely to pick up hitchhikers.
According to Francisco1 (also said by Fede Earlyturtle) although he didn't look very Norwegian and had no flag (see here below), just common nice cardboard signs, he always found people, many times locals (some foreigners also), any gender, any age, to pick him up, help him and give good advice. He doesn't agree with the idea that most Norwegians are unwelcoming to strangers, and even less nationalist or racist.
According to Capy, hitchhiking in Norway was easy. They were getting picked up by Norwegians and foreigners alike.
(see also: Norway, a paradise for hitchhikers)
Negative
According to thomasmyrman who hitched with a huge Norwegian flag, many drivers said they only stopped because it made them feel nationalistic pride and that it made the hitcher visible from far away. Consider having at least a small flag (even if you are not Norwegian) which you can buy anywhere in Norway. Grata also had a bad experience.
(see also: No, it is not easy to hitchhike in Norway)
Hitching ferries
As of summer 2024, almost all normal car ferries are free of passengers and pedestrians, you just pay for the car, some are even free for the cars! I hitchiked from oslo to norkapp, took many ferries, including the long distance bodo to lofoten islands ferry, and all of them where free.
Sometimes your driver will ask you to get out of the car and walk onto the ferry separately, "just in case". If this happens be super careful, as the second the last car is on the ferry it leaves, and pedestrians often get left behind. Thankfully the ferries are pretty frequent.
Occasionally the ferries have queues which can last hours, especially when one of the ferries is broken down. Because of this when your driver arrives at the ferry terminal, even if they are due to drive further it may make more sense to get out, walk onto the ferry alone and then hitchike away the other side without them, rather than waiting with their car in the queue. They can always pick you up again later.
Even though most ferries are now free, in case you come across a paid ferry here is the old info on how to get onto them for free:
When your driver enters a ferry, be sure he or she is not the first or second car in line. As soon as the person who collects the money from the cars, is with the first or second driver, get out of the car, go to the sundeck - or whereever else in the ferry - and back in the car when the boat is on the other side. Nobody will check on you during the ride or when the cars leave the ferry. Thus I would highly recommend you to be in a car while boarding a ferry. If you are not, just ask a few drivers! If you still cannot find a car, there's also a few possibilities to sneak if you time it right and you are not seen by the officials.
More advice
Norwegians have a tendency to always be on the rush on weekdays. Waiting times can be a bit longer around Oslo and in remote areas where traffic is very light. People expect some chatting since distances are long, and seem to have little tolerance for drug or alcohol use while on the road.
A large part of the population lives near the road, which extends from the Swedish border in the South to almost all the way North, so when going North it's pretty hard to get lost, as long as you are headed the right way.
The roads going to Bergen and the West Coast (E16, 7, E134) aren't very big, don't expect motorways. They look more like small mountain roads, and are very nice to hitchhike along, you can stand directly on the road and admire the landscape at the same time. In winter (and fall and spring also) be aware that they might be closed to traffic due to snowstorms or pollution in the tunnels. The information is available for all roads in Norway on the internet.
It's common knowledge that truck drivers are very friendly and that the hitching is great if you go out to the shipping areas around Dyre Halses Gate in Trondheim and North of StrandveienWhich one? Does this question refer to the previous misspelling of Strandveien?, but some hitchhikers have said otherwise. It's also much faster traveling alone considering that trucks and some commercial vehicle can only take 1 passenger. Around four in the afternoon, drivers have loaded incoming goods from that day and are leaving for a late/overnight haul to the next major city.
Do think of the weather, it can get pretty cold and rainy (or snowy) and the distances are very big between the more populated east side of the country and the cities in the West Coast, or the North. Maybe taking a warm tent as I did was the best idea ever, the experience of camping in the woods in those mountains was very nice.
There are usually heated waiting areas at the ferry ports (even if small and remote), as waiting for a ferry can take some time and it can get very cold in winter. They are usually very clean and can be a good spot for sleeping and you will be able to ask for a ride the next morning. Most of them are equipped with toilets as well.
Remember, hichhiking is about patience, so maybe you'll have to wait for a good while (it IS true that there are not that many cars), but just enjoy the beautiful landscapes and you can always walk along the roads, they are not highways properly said.
The Kystruten is a daily shipping and passenger service along Norway's coast, served jointly by the lines Hurtigruten and Havila. It calls in many towns along the way, starting in Bergen and going all the way up to Kirkenes on the Russian border. In many towns it stops for 3 or 4 hours and while it's in port, you can go onboard as a visitor for free. Just have your ID handy. Many ships have saunas and some have hot tubs that you can use for free. If you stay on the ship for less than 24 hours, you don't have to take a cabin, which makes the trip much cheaper. Also, students get a 50 percent discount. Capy hasn't been checked for his student status on his three trips with Hurtigruten.
In Statoil gas stations, you can buy one of their cups for the equivalent of 30 euros and drink as much coffee, tea and hot chocolate as you like for one year.
Highway rest areas with paid showers
Eastern Norway
E6 Svinesundparken, Halden, Østfold
E6 Fugleåsen, Ski, Akershus
E6 Ormlia, Eidsvoll, Akershus
E6 Circle K Minnesund, Eidsvoll, Akershus
E6 Biri travpark, Gjøvik, Oppland
E6 Vinstra vegpark, Nord-Fron, Oppland
E6 Dovreskogen, Dovre, Oppland
E18 Ørje, Marker, Østfold
NR 3 Myklagard, Løten, Hedmark
NR 3 Shell Koppang, Stor-Elvdal, Hedmark
NR 3 Alvdal, Hedmark
Southern Norway
E18 Kjellstad, Lier, Buskerud
E18 Furulund Kro & Motel, Stokke, Vestfold
E18 Horisonten Lillesand, Aust-Agder
E18 YX Lillesand, Aust-Agder
E18 Circle K Lillesand, Aust-Agder
E39 Circle K Livold, Lindesnes, Vest-Agder
Western Norway
E16 Shell Dale, Vaksdal, Hordaland
E16 YX Skulestadmo, Voss, Hordaland
E16 Shell Gudvangen, Aurland, Sogn og Fjordane
E16 Steinklepp, Lærdal, Sogn og Fjordane
E39 Esso Vikeså, Bjerkreim, Rogaland
E39 Søylandskiosken, Gjesdal, Rogaland
E39 Heiane, Stord, Hordaland
E39 Bergen travpark, Vågsbotn, Hordaland
E39 Haugsvær, Masfjorden, Hordaland
E39 Esso Skei, Jølster, Sogn og Fjordane
E134 Best Kyrping, Etne, Hordaland
Central Norway
E6 Oppdalsporten, Oppdal, Trøndelag
E6/E39 Circle K Klett, Trondheim, Trøndelag
E6 Stav Gjestegård, Malvik, Trøndelag
E6 YX Gråmyra, Levanger, Trøndelag
E6 Best Brekkvasselv, Namsskogan, Trøndelag
E39 Digerneset, Skodje, Møre og Romsdal
NR 70 Håsøran, Sunndalsøra, Sunndal, Møre og Romsdal
Northern Norway
E6 Mosjøen, Vefsn, Nordland
E6 Fauske, Nordland
E6 Innhavet, Hamarøy, Nordland
E6 Buktamoen, Målselv, Troms
E6 Circle K Storslett, Nordreisa
E6 Shell Talvik, Alta, Finnmark
E6/E75 Tana bru, Finnmark NR 80 Bodø havn, Nordland
North Norway
Hitchhikers had varying experiences in the beautiful North. Some locals hitch regularly to commute. You can hitch a ride from mostly anywhere as there is not much traffic. Another challenge are the long winter nights, which make the hitchhiking day very short unless you are well equipped for night hitchhiking. In the North, total darkness sets in from around mid-November. Don't forget the specifics of winter hitchhiking.
Hitching rides on ferries
If possible, try to find out the ferry schedule. Hitch on the side where the cars drive into the ferry because in many places it's hard to hitch on the other side. You can maybe knock on people's windows when they wait for the ferry, especially if they come early and have to wait long, it's easy to talk to them. You can maybe try to hitch into cars that have already paid for the ferry but on almost all car ferries, and definitely all the short distance ones, you pay extra for each passenger so that would be sneaking. In a few ferries the driver might have paid for the car not dependent on passengers, but that is a rare case. Blackriding the ferries is also very easy most of times. Just don't show up too much, there is always a queue (long or not) of cars waiting for it, ticket sellers are on board or at the harbour and they go directly, one by one to each car to make the ticket. When the ferry arrives and the ticket sellers (can recognize them easily) are busy making tickets to cars just enter the ferry and nobody will tell you anything, the guys at the entrance of the boat are not supposed to check tickets just to tell cars where to go so they won't stop you nor anything, just think that you have already paid before. Of course if there are other "backpackers" stay away from them cause they are the first to be approached for tickets when the boat arrives. Fede, his brother and a Polish hitchhiker (that makes 3 people together) easily entered in that way every time, from Lofoten Islands to Bodo as around Sognesfjord and Bergen
Popular Ferry routes to Denmark and Germany are Kristiansand-Hirtshals, Larvik-Hirtshals (ColorLine), Oslo-Frederikshavn and Oslo-Göteborg-Kiel (StenaLine). With ColorLine, cars carrying up to 5 people don't pay extra, so it's possible to hitch a ride on the ferry for free (not correct any more as of November 2012: extra passenger is EUR 5. It would be an acceptable price, but since ALL of the drivers buy tickets on-line with 50% discount, it's almost impossible to catch a ride at the ticket office. We had to give up and hitchhike all the way to Oslo, Sweden and then Denmark. So you better don't rely on this possibility) StenaLine operates overnight only, so even if you manage to find a car, they'll still force you to pay for a very expensive berth (500+ kr). If you're heading to Denmark (the ports of Hirtshals and Frederikshavn are quite close to each other) it makes no sense to take the StenaLine from Oslo, because it takes a really long time (12h!!! that's the way to make you spend as much as possible on board) and you can sail from Larvik in about 4h, which is reasonably close to Oslo to reach in about 2 hours.
A note about hitching trucks! Alert, it is no longer possible to hitch trucks on Stena lines and probably Colorline as well. Only drivers allowed. when i asked several trucks in Frederikshaven they all said not possible.
Distances
According to markus and abstorz, two dudes.
- Stavanger - Mandal (near Kristiansand) - 1 day
- Mandal - Oslo - 1 day
- Oslo - Trondheim - 1 day
- Trondheim - Mor e Rana - 1 day
- Mo i Rana - Karlsøya - 1 day
- Karlsøya to Tampere, Finland - 2 days or 1 day and 1 night
According to Mila77, female
- A i Lofoten to Tromsö 2 Days on quite low traffic, maybe possible on 1 day in summertime
Note by Mila77: (now Mila.77) Please do calculate more time than usually in Norway. Remember they have a huge land but very few inhabitants. In the areas outside of cities, there are almost no people living. That means especially in the north, you will need much more time for the same distance than in Germany for example. You cannot compare this. Be prepared to wait much longer than you have ever in your life. There are few cars coming. However those who pick you up are very friendly.
According to Thor-Rune, one guy.
- Sortland - Tromsø one shortish day.
- Steigen - Tromsø one longer day.
- Fredrikstad - Nesodden just a few hours.
- Hitchhiking in Meldal is virtually impossible, no ride for 6 hours. (2 guys then) Sørtrønderlag Countriside is heavily sceptical to hitchhikers.
- Berkåk - Oslo easily one day
- Oslo - Molde via E6 one day.
According to J. O'Hannes in 2012, one guy
- Kirkenes (Norwegian/Russian border) - Honningsvåg (Nordkapp) 13 hours, E6
- Nordkapp - Tornio (Baltic Sea, border between Sweden and Finland) 14 hours
According to Peregrine in 2013, one gal
- Stavanger - Mandal - half day (14:00 to 18:00)
- Mandal - Oslo - "1 day" (09:00 to 16:00)
- Mandal - Kristiansund - 30 minutes (10 min wait)
- Kristiansund to Tonsberg - 4 hours (10 min wait)
- Tonsberg to Oslo - not recommended as it was bad to wait on interstate: 1st attempt - 30 min, failed, got something to eat, returned and it was rush hour - the slower traffic helped! 10 min wait, hour ride to Oslo!
- Oslo - Swedish border - a few hours, 20 min wait in the rain, do not use hitch wiki's suggestion for the spot, 2 women took pity on me because they'd seen others standing at the "dangerous spot" and it was raining...
According to Francisco1
consider a complete day (with as much light hours as possible) for Oslo - Bergen I definitely recommend taking road 7 passing by the Aurlandsfjordet (fjord) at Aurland and Flåm, very beautiful
Distances - Note: By car, not including waiting time and change of rides:
- Oslo - Bergen : ca. 7 hours
- Oslo - Trondheim: ca. 7 hours
- Oslo - Kristiandsand: ca. 4 hours
- Oslo - Stavanger: ca. 7 hours
- Oslo - Tromsø: ca. 22 hours
- Stavanger - Kristiandsand: ca. 3 hours
- Stavanger- Bergen: ca. 3,5 hours (2 ferries)
- Trondheim - Bergen: 10 hours
- Trondheim - Tromsø: 15 hours
- Most southern point of Norway(Lindesnes) - northern point (Nordkapp): ca. 1 day, 8 hours.
Hope that's of any help :) Check out [1]this :)
Useful Language Bits
- Thank you - Tusen takk
- Cheers - Skål
- How are you? - Hvordan går det?
- North - nord
- South - sør
- West - vest
- East - øst
Vowels: Vowels are pronounced very differently in Norwegian as opposed to English
- A pronounced "ah" as in bar
- E pronounced "eh" as in heck
- I pronounced "e" as in here or "i" as in hill
- O pronounced "oo" as in moon and in other times, "aw" as in law
- U pronounced "ou" as in soup
- Y pronounced "ew" as in few (rounded lips)
- Æ pronounced "a" as in bag
- Ø pronounced "er" as in "her" without the R sound
- Å pronounced "aw" as in "law"
Additionally, the consonant J and the combination GJ is pronounced the same way you would pronounce Y (young). For instance, "jobb" (work) would be pronounced "yobb".
Personal Experiences
Tales, summer 2024: Hitchhiked all the Norway from far North to South in 20 days (Alta-Stavanger-Oslo). I would divide Norway in two countries - North and South (let's assume Mosjoen is an imaginary border). People in the North are very nice and friendly, you do not wait for a ride much (1-30min), and it is mostly Norwegians who give you a ride. You go south, it is getting more and more difficult, especially around the Oslo-Stavanger-Trondheim triangle. You can get a ride after 5 min, but also after 2 hours (Rjukan was the most terrible experience). Not more than 10% of Norwegians will pick you up in the south - they are afraid, not that happy with the immigrants, and that makes them very untrustworthy towards any foreign face. A bunch of German tourists gave me a ride, Dutch, guest workers, etc. If I have to grade my experience - North 3.5 out of 5, South 2 out of 5. Oh yes, one more important thing. In the North, people could stop anywhere, but better at bus stops. In the South, you MUST be at the designated stop as people really got hectic about it. :)
Nomadwiki & Trashwiki
Check Trashwiki for dumpsters...and share your wisdom :)
Hitchhikers in Norway FB group
wikivoyage:Norway