Car Rental in Norway – Enjoying the Best of Scandinavia

To rent a car in Norway, you must (as a general rule) be 19 years old and have held a valid driving licence for at least one full year. However, it's very important to note that each respective supplier of car hire in Norway sets its own age limits and, consequently, you might find that a higher age limit may apply, particularly for certain vehicle categories such as luxury cars. Generally speaking, an additional fee known as the Young or Senior Driver Surcharge applies to motorists either under the age of 26 or in their later years (ie 70s or 80s). This fee is paid directly to the supplier at the time of picking up the vehicle. You can easily find this information clearly stated in the car results after making a quick search in our our booking engine. Just click on the blue and white info icon (i) information icon where you'll find the age-related surcharge details in the Driver Information section that pops up. The same info is always included on the booking voucher you receive once your booking has been confirmed. Please note that the same age restrictions and additional charges also apply to all additional drivers listed on the rental contract.

Yes you can! National and international one-way car rentals are available at some locations in Norway subject to an additional fee. These surcharges are indicated on the Auto Europe website when you make a quick search through our high-tech booking engine. All you need to do is selecting your preferred vehicle category and rental company, after which you'll find all the necessary one-way car hire details by clicking the blue and white info icon (i) in the car details. These charges are also clearly indicated on the booking voucher sent to you by e-mail once your car hire booking has been confirmed. Please note that one-way charges are charged and collected by the supplier and Auto Europe does not benefit in any way from these charges. However, in the interests of transparency, we feel that it is extremely important to inform our customers of all charges involved in their car rental so that they can make the best decision choice. Each of our trusted suppliers determines its own charges independently, so it's advisable to compare each of the offers generated through our booking engine that include the one-way option, as one supplier may charge considerably less than another. You should also be aware that when considering a one-way car rental in Norway, a minimum rental period of 1 to 3 days may be required.

If you wish to cross borders to any of the neighbouring countries (namely Sweden, Denmark or Finland, then you will find that this is generally permitted by some of the local companies offering car rental in Norway, but you may incur additional charges (on top of the one-way fee) depending on your chosen vehicle provider. In general, travelling to Western European countries is permitted, but you will most likely incur higher charges to these countries than travelling to the other Scandinavian countries. Once again, we suggest that you check by clicking on the blue and white info icon (i) where you'll find a list of the countries where you can travel with your rental car. If the country you wish to visit is not listed, please call our award-winning rental specialists who will check the latest travel information for you. To ensure full insurance coverage when traveling outside Norway, customers must always indicate all the countries they intend to visit at the time of making their booking so that their chosen provider can pre-approve their cross-border travel plans.

Yes. In order to book an affordable car rental in Norway with Auto Europe, you will always need to present a valid credit card in the name of the main driver listed on the car rental contract. The reason for this is because the car rental supplier will need to use your credit card in order to block a security deposit, which will be promptly released once the vehicle has been returned undamaged. Please note that debit cards, cash deposits and credit cards in the name of someone other than the main driver will not be accepted by the local car rental company, which could put your booking in jeopardy.

To avoid any unpleasant surprises when you arrive at the pick-up point, it is important to know in advance that you'll need to bring a valid credit card (NOT a debit card) with sufficient funds to cover the deposit. If you do not present a valid credit card, the supplier may ask you to purchase additional insurance at a higher cost or refuse to rent you the vehicle at all. On the booking engine, by clicking on the blue and white info icon (i), you will find all the necessary details including the exact amount of the deposit required and a list of the credit cards accepted by the local rental company (Visa, Mastercard, etc.). More detailed information can be found in our FAQ section on credit cards and deposits.

The driving rules and regulations in Norway do not differ that much from those applicable in most other European countries, although you'll probably find that you need to reduce your speed a bit, with 30kph being the speed limit in city centres, 80 kph on country roads and 90-110 kph on motorways . On the plus side, driving in Norway is relatively easy with fewer cars on the road compared with some destinations and the roads in general are very safe and well maintained.

Please be aware of the fact that some roads are closed in winter, which can last from October through June! So make sure that you check your driving itinerary before you leave. The maximum permitted alcohol level is 0.2g/l of blood, plus you need to be extra careful when driving on country roads because animals and farm machinery are a constant presence in rural areas. There are usually road signs warning of wild animals but in the event of a collision with a live animal, you must immediately call the police who will send a local wildlife specialist to attend to the injured animal.

It's important to remember that snow tyres are compulsory from November to May when ice is on the road and the weather conditions are poor. Even outside this period, Norwegian roads can remain quite slippery, which is why particular attention should paid to the condition of the car's tyres. Some rental companies charge for snow tyres as an optional or even compulsory service. Please check the terms and conditions relating to snow tyres before confirming your booking.

You should also bear in mind that headlights must be switched on at night as well as during the day. Driving is on the right side of the road and service stations vary considerably in terms of price and opening hours. Be aware that in many rural and mountainous areas of Norway, it can be a long way to the next service station so it's best to fill up whenever you get a chance to be on the safe side. In the event of car breakdown or accident, you can call the European emergency number 112 for police, fire and ambulance services. The roads in Norway are excellent, if sometimes a little narrow when you head up into the mountain roads, but otherwise you'll have no great difficulty getting around.

Norway has many toll roads, but most of them are inexpensive compared with some other destinations and you don't even have to slow down to pay. Norwegian tolls are automatic and virtually invisible, with only a sign informing you of their presence and price. Everything is then automated and the local car rental company will receive the bill and add it to your bill. Norway has a highly developed motorway network which is mostly concentrated mainly in the south of the country, the longest stretch linking Oslo with the Swedish border. There are around 50 toll booths in Norway, most employing an automatic payment process or the popular AutoPASS system. If you register your card online, you can pass the toll without stopping in the AutoPASS lane, after which the toll will be duly billed directly to your credit card.

Please note that if you pass through the AutoPASS toll lane without registering your credit card online, you will be fined, while some of the other automatic toll booths will photograph your licence plate. If you haven't registered your card online in this case, you can pay at any service station displaying the Kr-Service logo. Furthermore, you'll also need to be aware of the fact that a congestion charge is payable to drive into the centres of Bergen, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Tønsberg, Oslo and Namsos.

When you book a low-cost car rental in Norway with Auto Europe, the rates quoted always include the minimum amount of legally required coverage under Norwegian law, including collision damage waiver (CDW), third-party liability, fire insurance and theft protection (TP). The CDW and TP may be either with or without deductible, depending on the provider. Please note, however, that depending on the rental company, CDW often excludes damage to certain parts of the vehicle, so it's advisable to spend a little bit more for Auto Europe's excellent Full Damage Protection policy which covers the parts of the vehicle not covered by CDW and reimburses the deductible.

Please also note that when you arrive to collect your vehicle, staff working for the local car rental company might try to offer you additional coverage options such as road-side assistance, accident insurance (PAI), personal effects coverage (PEC) or Seguro Relax insurance, etc. These products are completely optional and you are not obliged in any way to purchase them. It's important to take into account the fact that Auto Europe cannot reimburse the cost of any insurance products bought directly from the rental company, even if it proves to be an unnecessary purchase at a later date. To familiarize yourself with and better understand the complex subject of insurance and cover, we invite you to read our dedicated Car Rental Coverage page which provides a general overview of the different types of coverage available for any car rental on the Auto Europe website. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our reservations team +49 89 412 07 269 and they will be very happy to answer any questions you may have.

Yes, you can easily add additional drivers to your car hire in Norway. Each additional driver must present valid identification and a valid driving licence, the details of which must be registered on the car rental contract. Additional driver charges may apply for insurance coverage but in some countries and with some suppliers, Auto Europe is running a popular Free Additional Driver campaign throughout the year, so please check our offers because making your booking to save even more cash! Check our promotions to see if you find such an offer for Norway with our partner rental companies.

Yes, winter tyres are mandatory when you rent a car in Norway from the 1st of November until the end of April. It's important to take into consideration the fact that the thread depth on tyres must be at least 3mm. In Norway, you can also use studded tyres, but only during the period from the 1st of November through April, and the studs must be applied to all four tyres. There are three regions, namely Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, where studded tyres can be used from the 16th of October onwards. Of course, if weather conditions require, studded tyres or even chains can be used outside this time-frame.

From the 1st of November until the 30th of April, car rental rates for Norway generally include winterization costs, comprising winter tyres and sometimes an ice-scraper. The exact periods and conditions depend on which of the local suppliers you have booked with. In our booking engine, simply by clicking on the blue and white info icon (i), you can find all the necessary details relating to this subject. Please note that any additional winter equipment, such as snow chains or ski racks, is available on request. During the booking process, indicate the equipment you wish to reserve and our rental specialists will check availability for you and then book it with the local car rental company.

Driving conditions vary during the winter months, with some parts remaining mostly free of ice and snow, including Oslo and the coastal areas of Eastern Norway and Vestlandet. However, this doesn't mean that the roads don't get slippery, so make sure your car is supplied with special winter tyres, snow chains or studded tyres for use between late October and early April. Special attention is needed when driving on mountain or fjords roads that are often too narrow for two cars to pass. Road signs with a large M indicate passing points. If you are driving down-hill, do also remember to give way to the traffic coming up hill.

Norwegian people are very experienced at driving in harsh winter conditions, therefore it's very common to see cars circulating during heavy bouts of snow -fall. As a visitor, when driving on ice and snow you will need to stay calm, drive slowly and maintain enough distance between you and the other cars. You should also avoid driving in the rush-hour when there's heavy snow falling. In spring, you cannot relax totally because in some areas deep frost leaves behind cracks and potholes in the road surface. These are signaled by the warning signs: Frostskade or Telehiv.

Planning your travel itinerary and checking the local weather conditions during the winter months in Norway is absolutely crucial. Some mountain passes and higher roads are closed because of snow, such as the Trollstigen mountain pass (part of the Fv63 from Åndalsnes to Geiranger), route Fv257 (Gamle Strynefjellsvegen) from Grotli to Videsæter, Fv55 over Sognefjellet, and part of Fv243 from Lærdal towards Aurland.

In the parts of Norway where fjords are common, you'll find that there are regular car ferries, which are an integral part of the country's transport system. Ferries depart from ferry slips (indicated by the sign Fergekai) rather than from ports and taking your car rental on one of these ferries is allowed. These car ferries should not be confused with express passenger boats (called Hurtigbåt) or ships cruising along the coast (Hurtigruten). However, generally speaking, travel by ferry (ie passenger boats and cruise ships) need to be fully authorised by both Auto Europe and the supplier in advance and may incur extra fees.