Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
is made to the driver onboard. Fares
depend on the distance traveled. Chil-
dren under 4 travel free, and children 4
to 16 and seniors pay half price. For the
Oslo-Sweden-Hammerfest “Express
2000,” a 30-hour trip, reservations
must be made in advance.
For more information about bus
travel in Norway, contact Norway
Buss Ekspress AS, Karl Johans Gate
( & 81-54-44-44; www.nor-way.no)
in Oslo, or Passage Tours of Scandi-
navia ( & 800/548-5960 in the U.S.;
www.passagetours.com).
If you plan extensive travels, the
best bet is a Norway Bus Pass issued
year-round by Norway Bus Ekspress
on national routes. It's good for 21
days of consecutive travel and costs
2,300NOK ($306). Children 3 and
under travel free, and ages 4 to 16 pay
75% of the adult price.
BY CAR & FERRY
Dazzling scenery awaits you at nearly
every turn if you drive through Nor-
way. Some roads are less than perfect
(dirt or gravel are frequent), but all are
passable (you'll even be able to drive to
the North Cape). Most mountain
roads are open by May 1; the so-called
motoring season lasts from mid-May
to the end of September. In western
Norway hairpin curves are common,
but if you're willing to settle for doing
less than 240km (about 150 miles) a
day, you needn't worry. The easiest
and most convenient touring territory
is in and around Oslo and south to
Stavanger.
Bringing a car into Norway is rela-
tively uncomplicated. If you own the
car you're driving, you must present
your national driver's license, car regis-
tration, and proof that the car is
insured. (This proof usually takes the
form of a document known as a
“Green Card,” which Customs agents
will refer to specifically.) If you've
rented a car in another country and
want to drive it into Norway, be sure
to verify at the time of rental that the
registration and insurance documents
are in order—they probably will be.
Regardless of whether you own or rent
the car you're about to drive into Nor-
way, don't assume that your private
North American insurance policy will
automatically apply. Chances are good
that it will, but in the event of an acci-
dent, you may have to cope with a
burdensome amount of paperwork.
If you're driving through any of
Norway's coastal areas, you'll probably
have to traverse one or many of the
country's famous fjords. Although
more and more bridges are being built,
Norway's network of privately run fer-
ries is essential for transporting cars
across hundreds of fjords and estuaries.
Motorists should ask the tourist
bureau for the free map Norway by Car
and a timetable outlining the country's
dozens of car-ferry services. The cost
for cars and passengers is low.
RENTALS Avis, Budget, and Hertz
offer well-serviced, well-maintained
fleets of rental cars in Norway. Prices
and terms tend to be more favorable
for those who reserve vehicles in
North America before their departure
and who present evidence of member-
ship in such organizations as AAA or
AARP. The major competitors' prices
tend to be roughly equivalent, except
for promotional deals scheduled from
time to time.
The prices quoted here include the
23% government tax. At Budget
( & 800/472-3325 in the U.S. and
Canada; www.budget.com), the cheap-
est car is a cramped but peppy Ford Ka
that rents for $421 a week with unlim-
ited mileage. Hertz ( & 800/654-3131
in the U.S.; www.hertz.com) charges
$429 a week, with unlimited mileage,
for its VW Lupo. Avis ( & 800/331-
1212 in the U.S.; www.avis.com)
charges around $473 for its cheapest
car, a Hyundai Altso. Despite pressure
from the telephone sales representative,
it pays to ask questions before you
commit to a prepaid reservation. Each
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