Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Several companies speed between Helsinki and Tallinn in 2-3 hours (see
and Hirtshals several times daily, Stavanger and Hirtshals by overnight boat;
see
here
,
www.fjordline.com
and
www.colorline.com
)
. Ferries are essential
for hopping between the mainland and Scandinavia's many islands, such as
Ærø in central Denmark (drivers should reserve in advance for weekends and
summer,
www.aeroe-ferry.dk
)
, or Stockholm's archipelago. Boats are both a
necessary and spectacular way to travel through Norway's fjords or along its
coast (
www.fjordtours.no
,
www.fjord1.no
,
and
www.tide.no
). Bergen, in Nor-
way, is a departure point for boats to the Arctic (
www.hurtigruten.com
).
Renting a Car
If you're renting a car in Scandinavia, bring your driver's license. It's recom-
mended, but not required, that you also have an International Driving Permit
(sold at your local AAA office for $15 plus the cost of two passport-type pho-
tos, see
www.aaa.com
)
; however, I've frequently rented cars in Scandinavia
and traveled problem-free with just my US license.
The minimum age to rent a car varies by country and rental company (you
must be 21in Denmark and Estonia, and 19in Sweden, Norway,and Finland).
Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young-driver surcharge, and some
rental companies do not rent to anyone 75 and over. If you're considered too
young or old, look into leasing (explained later), which has less-stringent age
restrictions.
Researchcarrentalsbeforeyougo.It'scheapesttoarrangemostcarrentals
from the US. Call several companies, and look online to compare rates, or ar-
range a rental through your hometown travel agent.
Most of the major US rental agencies (including National, Avis, Budget,
Hertz, and Thrifty) have offices throughout Europe. Also consider the two
major Europe-based agencies, Europcar and Sixt. It can be cheaper to use a
consolidator, such as Auto Europe (
www.autoeurope.com
)
or Europe by Car
(
www.ebctravel.com
)
, which compares rates at several companies to get you
the best deal. However, my readers have reported problems with consolidat-
ors, ranging from misinformation to unexpected fees; because you're going
