Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Winter Motoring in Norway
If you're going to drive in Norway in winter, you must be prepared for the
conditions. Most of the main roads are kept open by snowplows year-
round, but the road surface will often be hard-packed snow and ice. Jour-
ney times will be much longer than in summer, 50km (31 miles) per hour
is a typical average, and in bad weather there can be long delays over
mountain passes. Most Norwegians use winter tires with metal studs,
which cope well in most conditions and come with all rental cars. Tem-
peratures as low as 25°F (-3°C) are common. A good ice scraper and snow
brush are essential, as is a diesel engine.
Tips
company maintains an office at the
Oslo airport, in the center of Oslo, and
at airports and city centers elsewhere
around the country.
Note:
Remember that prices and
the relative merits of each company
can and will change during the life-
time of this edition, depending on
promotions and other factors.
An auto supplier that might not
automatically come to mind is
Kemwel
(
&
800/678-0678
), an
auto-rental broker that monitors the
availability of rental cars in markets
across Europe, including Norway.
Originally established in 1908, and
now operating in close conjunction
with its affiliated company
Auto
Europe
(
&
800/223-5555
), it offers
convenient and prepaid access to
thousands of cars, from a variety of
reputable car-rental outfits through-
out Europe; sometimes you'll find
more favorable rates than those you
might have gotten by contacting those
companies directly.
Car rentals are pre reserved and pre-
paid, in dollars, prior to your depar-
ture for Europe, thereby avoiding the
confusion about unfavorable currency
conversions and government tax add-
ons that you might have discovered
after your return home. You're given
the option at the time of your booking
as to whether or not you want to
include collision-damage and other
forms of insurance. Most car rentals
can be picked up at either the airport
or in the downtown offices of cities
throughout Norway, and there's usu-
ally no penalty for one-way rentals.
BY COASTAL STEAMER
The fjords of western Norway are
among the most beautiful sights in
Europe. For a seagoing view, nothing
beats the indomitable steamer ships
that carry mail, supplies, and passen-
gers. If you have the time and enjoy an
offbeat adventure, you can book a 12-
day, all-inclusive round-trip steamer
trip from Bergen to Kirkenes (one of
the northernmost ports). It covers some
4,023km (2,500 miles) of jagged, sce-
nic coastline.
Because of the long distances,
steamers are equipped with cabins sim-
ilar to those on a transatlantic liner.
Depending on the accommodations
and the time of year, cabins cost
$1,250 to $6,538 per person, double
occupancy, for the 12-day round-trip
excursion. Because sailings in June,
July, and August are the most expen-
sive, many visitors choose a spring or
autumn trip. All meals are included in
the price. Children under 12 receive a
25% discount on round-trip voyages.
During special periods travelers over
age 67 may be eligible for discounts.
Steamers make scheduled stops in
hamlets and cities along the way, rang-
ing from half an hour to half a day.
Passengers who prefer to spend more
time in selected cities usually choose
port-to-port tickets, for which children
