How To Plan A Self-Drive Tour Of Scandinavia

Though there are numerous methods to see the highlights of Scandinavia, a highway journey is tough to beat. Drivers can get off the crushed monitor and luxuriate in breathtaking viewpoints, small villages, scenic roads and extra away from the crowds of the vacationer hotspots.

Denmark, Norway and Sweden are all unbelievable highway journey locations for various causes.

From picturesque fjord villages to mountain viewpoints, a few of Norway’s most scenic spots are solely accessible with your personal transport. Denmark’s flat terrain and direct roads means getting round in a automobile is a breeze, whereas Sweden’s rural south and central lakes are perfect for exploring by highway.

Many tour operators promote self-drive tour packages that embrace the price of automobile rental, ferry tickets, insurance coverage and lodging alongside a pre-defined itinerary. Whereas this fits some vacationers, you’ll pay extra for the comfort and have far much less flexibility for final minute adjustments of plans.

When you’ve got the time to plan your personal journey, listed below are some tricks to take advantage of your money and time.

Mix all three international locations in a single journey

It’s not troublesome to mix all three Scandinavian international locations into one itinerary. Driving in Denmark, Norway and Sweden is usually straightforward though inexperienced drivers ought to take extra care in smaller cities and villages the place locals will assume highway information.

Border crossings are simple and in lots of instances you’ll drive straight on by means of. Simply make sure you test together with your rental automobile supplier that touring internationally is permitted.

As all three international locations are properly on the highway to being cashless societies, you don’t want to fret about exchanging money a number of occasions. So long as you might have a debit card, bank card or cellular funds system that works internationally, you’ll be high quality.

Nevertheless, simply because you’ll be able to embrace all three international locations into your itinerary, doesn’t suggest it’s best to!

Take your time

When planning a journey itinerary, it may be tempting to cram in as many must-see sights as attainable. When you ought to plan your journey round some key highlights and your lodging choices, depart time to make choices on-the-day.

Spending two or extra consecutive nights on the identical lodging is a good suggestion so you’ll be able to discover the native space with out the fixed stress of creating it to the following cease in good time.

Even on shorter itineraries similar to within the Norwegian fjords, enable further time between stops. If a map suggests three hours, enable 4 or 5. You’ll nearly definitely come throughout the right spot for a photograph or picnic lunch, or a village you need to discover.

Plan for ferries

It’s exhausting to keep away from automobile ferry crossings in Scandinavia, particularly within the Norwegian fjord area. Even for those who’re not used to them, there’s no want to fret or plan to keep away from them. They supply a pure break from driving and the chance for a espresso, snack and toilet break.

Google Maps is great at figuring out ferry crossings while you plan a visit. Whereas ferries on main routes similar to Norway’s E39 are very common, ferries on extra distant routes are much less frequent, particularly on weekends and evenings. It’s a good suggestion to print out the ferry timetables upfront so that you aren’t caught out going through a protracted wait.

Reserving upfront is a clever transfer on widespread ferries similar to Bodø to Lofoten, whereas it’s important on the longer ferries between the international locations. Though this removes flexibility, it ensures you’ll get to the place you need to go.

Get monetary savings on a self-drive journey

If price is a matter, think about exploring Norway by prepare as a substitute. A visit on the Oslo to Bergen line offers you time to discover Norway’s two largest cities and supply unbelievable mountain views throughout the Hardangervidda plateau.

The non-compulsory Flåm railway is an attraction in itself in addition to offering entry to the picturesque Aurlandsfjord. Mix this with a highway journey in Sweden and/or Denmark and you’ve got the makings of a memorable journey.

When touring by automobile, plan your itinerary to start out and end from the identical location. Whereas one-way automobile rental is feasible with most firms, you’ll pay so much for the privilege.

Additionally think about selecting a smaller automobile. In case your journey is in the summertime, you gained’t want an all-terrain automobile. Requesting a hybrid automobile also can save vital quantities on gas, with out the effort of looking for out electrical automobile charging factors, which may see lengthy queues in the summertime.

Scandinavia highway journey itineraries

With all the following pointers in thoughts, creating your very best highway journey itinerary can nonetheless be a worrying expertise. However there’s no cause to start out from scratch. Many others have been there, completed it and written about it.

First issues first, take a look at among the self-drive excursions obtainable from tour operators. They may not provide the full itinerary with out reserving, however their tour descriptions offers you an awesome place to start out constructing your personal.

Many journey bloggers have additionally coated their highway journeys intimately. This 9-day trip begins in Gothenburg, Sweden, and focuses on Norway’s fjord area earlier than incorporating an in a single day ferry to Denmark. This 14-day trip incorporates flights, ferries and trains however is an efficient start line for an extended journey.

Rick Steves supplies a number of choices relying on how a lot time you might have, beginning with the Scandinavian capitals then widening to incorporate the Norwegian fjords and past.