Is Renting A Car In Norway Worth It? What We Learned Driving Through The Fjords And Lofoten Islands

Transportation is a key part of trip planning in Norway. Before our 2025 visit, I never doubted we’d rent a car. For how we like to travel, a car was essential. My main research was whether the cost was justified and what driving in Norway would be like.

After spending time in Bergen, exploring the fjords around Balestrand, Norheimsund, and Hardangerfjord, and road-tripping through the Lofoten Islands, I can confidently say renting a car was money well spent.

If your trip involves visiting just Bergen, Oslo, Flåm, and other popular tourist spots, you can do that without a rental car. But if your goal is to travel at your own pace, exploring small villages, hiking less popular trails, and stopping wherever you want, a rental car offers far more options.

Here’s what we learned from renting cars in both the Lofoten Islands and the fjord region of Norway.

For travelers coming from the United States, getting to Norway often requires a connection in Europe. We found Icelandair to be one of the easiest and most convenient ways to reach Scandinavia. Read about our experience here.

Quick Answer: Is Renting A Car In Norway Worth It?

For most travelers who want to see more than Norway’s major cities, the answer is yes.

A rental car gives you the flexibility to travel scenic roads, viewpoints, hiking trails, beaches, and small villages that can be difficult to reach using trains, buses, and ferries alone.

We spent several days in Bergen without a car and never felt like we needed one. Once we left the city, however, having a vehicle allowed us to visit places that would have been difficult to fit into a public transportation itinerary.

Some of our favorite experiences from the trip happened because we had the freedom to stop whenever we wanted and take roads that weren’t on the standard tourist route.

Why We Chose To Rent A Car In Norway

For our summer 2025 trip, we rented a car twice.

The first rental was in the Lofoten Islands, where we picked up a Toyota Yaris from Budget at Svolvær Airport (SVJ). Our six-day rental cost approximately $1,020 during July, making it one of the most expensive rental cars we have ever booked.

Later in the trip, we rented a Toyota C-HR Hybrid car from Hertz near Bergen for seven days. That rental cost $594 and was booked with Expedia. Compared to the rental car in Lofoten, it seemed like a bargain. And driving a hybrid did help keep fuel costs down while driving through the fjord region.

Even though the rentals were expensive compared to what we are used to paying in the United States, having a car allowed us to travel on our own schedule and reach places that would have been difficult to visit otherwise.

One thing I learned is that renting and returning the car to the same location can save a significant amount of money. One-way rentals in Norway can be expensive, and Norway is much larger than many first-time visitors realize.

For example, we flew between Bergen and Svolvær on Widerøe. Driving between Bergen and the Lofoten Islands would take multiple days and consume a large portion of a typical vacation. In many cases, it makes more sense to rent a car only for the portion of your trip where you actually need it.

Renting A Car In The Lofoten Islands

If you’re planning to spend time in the Lofoten Islands, I would rent a car without hesitation.

Some of our favorite experiences happened because we had the freedom to go beyond the main towns. We drove to Gimsøy Island, visited several beaches, and spent an evening watching the midnight sun from Eggum Beach.

If you’re planning your first visit, our guide to the Lofoten Islands covers additional tips, scenic stops, and things to know before arriving.

Those were some of our best memories from the trip, and they would have been difficult to coordinate using buses alone.

Having a car also allowed us to change plans based on the weather, which can change quickly in northern Norway. If conditions looked better in another part of the islands, we could simply get in the car and go.

For us, the rental car wasn’t just transportation. It made it possible to experience much more of the Lofoten Islands than we otherwise could have.

Exploring Norway’s Fjords By Car

Our second rental car was used to explore the fjord region around Bergen, Balestrand, Norheimsund, and Hardangerfjord.

While public transportation can get you to many of Norway’s best-known destinations, some of our favorite discoveries happened because we could leave the main routes and explore on our own.

One of the highlights of the trip was driving the Gaularfjellet National Tourist Route. We also enjoyed the Fossestien hike, a trail we likely would never have discovered without a car.

Another memorable day was spent exploring the Hardangerfjord region. We drove portions of the cider route near Ulvik and visited Vøringsfossen. The ability to stop at various viewpoints and towns throughout the day made the experience much more enjoyable and would not have been possible without a car.

For travelers who enjoy scenic drives, photography, or hiking, having a car provides far more flexibility than relying entirely on public transportation.

Driving In Norway As An American

I have driven in several foreign countries, so driving overseas was never a major concern for me. What stood out most about Norway was how well everything worked.

Roads are well-maintained, signs are clear, and drivers are patient and predictable. Traffic was light, even in July.

One of the first things American drivers notice is that speed limits are generally lower than what we are accustomed to in the United States. As a result, travel takes longer than the distance might suggest.

The biggest adjustment was the narrow roads in the fjord region. Sometimes we used pull-outs or backed up for tour buses. These times required attention but were not as hard as they seemed.

My husband often helped watch for oncoming vehicles, which made maneuvering the narrowest sections easier.

The key is to take your time. Norway is not a destination where you want to rush from one attraction to the next. The scenery can be distracting, so pull over when you want to take photos or enjoy the view.

Overall, I found driving in Norway easier than many people make it out to be.

Tunnels, Ferries, And Tolls

One thing I wasn’t fully prepared for was just how many tunnels and ferries would become part of the trip.

We drove through dozens of tunnels, including the world’s longest road tunnel. Several even contained underground roundabouts, which were fascinating the first time we encountered them.

We also took at least eight ferry crossings while traveling through the fjord region.

Using the ferries couldn’t be easier. You simply arrive at the terminal, get in line, drive aboard when instructed, park your vehicle, and enjoy the crossing. When the ferry reaches the other side, you return to your car and continue driving.

Most rental vehicles include toll transponders, making payments for toll roads, ferries, and certain tunnels seamless. Charges are simply added to your rental agreement later.

The entire system worked much more smoothly than I expected.

Parking In Norway

Parking was generally easier than I expected.

Even during July, one of Norway’s busiest travel months, we rarely struggled to find parking. Flåm was one of the more expensive places we encountered, but we still found a spot without much difficulty.

The EasyPark app made parking much simpler. Instead of dealing with unfamiliar parking machines, we could pay directly from our phone.

If you plan to rent a car in Norway, I would recommend downloading the EasyPark app before your trip.

When You Don’t Need A Rental Car In Norway

• There are definitely situations where renting a car isn’t necessary.
• We spent our first few days in Bergen without a vehicle and found it easy to walk, use public transportation, and explore the city.
• If your itinerary focuses primarily on major cities or follows a route between destinations such as Oslo, Bergen, and Flåm, public transportation can work very well.
• Norway’s train, ferry, and bus systems are excellent.
• However, travelers who enjoy flexibility, scenic drives, hiking, photography, and exploring beyond the major tourist destinations will likely get more value from a rental car.

In fact, Flåm is one of the easiest destinations in Norway to visit without a car. If you’re considering adding it to your itinerary, check out our guide to spending one day in Flåm and whether it’s worth the visit.

Our Final Verdict: Is Renting A Car In Norway Worth It?

Renting a car in Norway is expensive. There is no way around that. However, after renting cars in both the Lofoten Islands and the fjord region, I would make the same decision again without hesitation.

Many of the places we enjoyed most were locations we discovered because we had the flexibility to explore on our own schedule. Whether it was watching the midnight sun from Eggum Beach, driving the Gaularfjellet National Tourist Route, hiking Fossestien, or exploring Hardangerfjord, having a car gave us options that would have been difficult to replicate using public transportation alone.

If your goal is simply to visit Norway’s major cities and a handful of famous attractions, you can certainly travel without a car. If you prefer a slower pace and want the freedom to travel beyond the main tourist route, renting a car is likely money well spent.