The roads of Norway
Find out everything you need to know before driving in Norway - the country of mountains, high fines, low speed limits and dangerous but beautiful roads.
Driving through the curvy icy roads during the winter months can be a hazardous and beautiful experience. The scenery revealed in front of your eyes will easily take your breath away. It is simply impossible not to stop every 5 km, to take pictures of the countless mountains, valleys, and peaks, all part of an even bigger picture- the kilometers of snow deserts. You will often find yourself alone on the road as you don’t see that many vehicles. Most of our days on the street, we pass some cars. What is better than a road trip having the whole road only for yourself?
Speeding limits
The speed limits in Norway are lower than in other countries, especially compared to the highways of Germany. Most of the Norwegian roads have a limit of 80km/h, which is considered a high-speed road. The maximum is 110km/h (motor roads with two lanes, Class A). We did not drive on many roads with such a limit, so double check before speeding too much. In contrast, Norway has the strictest driving fines in Europe. The Norwegian government takes speeding very seriously, and the penalties are higher than in other countries. For very high speeding, for example, in a residential area, you can even lose your driving license for a few months up to 3 years or even go to jail. Norwegians respect the driving rules strictly and do not comply with violations. There aren’t as many speeding cameras in Norway, but Norwegians have another way to fine those not following the rules. Civilian cars with camera-speeding devices are a widespread practice. It is pretty tricky as one can’t really recognize them compared to just a standard private car. Even with such a strict system, we drove on many roads with not as many speed limit signs. As we used navigation (google maps), we checked the speed limit there.
Here is the general rule for speed limits:
Residential areas – 30km/h
Other built-up areas – 50km/h
Rural roads – 80km/h
Motorways – 110km/h
Alcohol limit
Drinking and driving is not a thing to do in Norway. The alcohol maximum is 0.02 (with most countries in Europe 0.05). It is essential to respect the rules if you don’t have a few hundred euros spare. Any violation, even overtaking at the wrong place (crossing a double lane), can cost you a lot of money and even your driving license.
Road tolls
Norway has many road tolls everywhere around the country. The roads are very well made, so paying road taxes makes complete sense while driving on a perfect road. Along the way, you can see many constructions and