Travel to Norway

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Travel to NorwayExperience Norway Travel: Fjords, Trains & Scenic Routes

By Leandro Hoop

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Leandro HoopTravel Blogger - Content Creator
Leandro Hoop
Leandro Hoop is a travel blogger and content creator with over 13 years of experience exploring destinations around the world, particularly across Europe. Through his blog and YouTube channel, he shares practical tips and honest insights to help others travel smarter and enjoy each journey to the fullest.

I travelled solo around Norway for 11 nights in November 2025, starting in Oslo before flying north to Tromsø and eventually continuing to the Lofoten Islands. It was my first time in the country, and what surprised me most was how different each part of the trip felt. I went from rainy days and museums in Oslo to the darkness of the Arctic north, before driving between snowy mountains and fishing villages in Lofoten. Beyond Oslo, most of my trip was a winter itinerary focused on northern Norway, so transport choices elsewhere in the country can be different.

Winter landscape in Lofoten

Winter landscape in Lofoten

Routes Overview

I divided my trip into three main bases: Oslo, Tromsø and Svolvær in the Lofoten Islands. Spending several nights in each worked particularly well in November, when limited daylight made constantly changing accommodation less appealing. From Tromsø, I took a day trip by express boat to Skjervøy, while Svolvær gave me a base for exploring Lofoten by car. Looking back, I would follow a similar route again, as it gave me time to enjoy both city life and the Arctic landscapes without changing accommodation every night. Popular connections such as Oslo to Bergen, Oslo to Trondheim and Oslo to Stavanger are also easy to book.

Northern lights near Tromsø

Northern lights near Tromsø

Onboard Experience

Getting around Norway meant using different types of transport depending on where I was. In Oslo, I mostly walked or used the T-Bane, while I chose to fly to Tromsø rather than spend much of my limited time travelling overland. From there, I took the Svipper Line 3 express boat (hurtigbåt) between Tromsø and Skjervøy, which is operated by Norled. I travelled between dark fjords with my luggage stored in large racks inside. Since my trip, ticketing has changed: from 1 February 2026, you need to buy a ticket for a specific departure in advance if you want a guaranteed seat. In Lofoten, the experience changed completely: I rented a car in Leknes, which gave me the freedom to explore the islands at my own pace.

Hurtigbåt in northern Norway

Hurtigbåt in northern Norway

Station Tips

When I landed at Oslo Airport, getting into the city was much easier than I expected. I took the Flytoget airport train directly to Oslo Central Station, where I was staying nearby, and the journey took around 20 minutes. After a flight from Madrid, I appreciated being able to collect my luggage and take one train straight into the city. If Oslo is your first stop in Norway, I would check where your accommodation is in relation to Oslo S before deciding on your airport transfer.

Best Time to Travel

November completely changed the rhythm of my trip. In Oslo, I still had several hours of daylight, but by the time I reached Tromsø and Lofoten, the Arctic north was approaching the polar-night period and the days were rapidly shortening. Around midday, I experienced a few hours of beautiful blue and pink twilight rather than normal daylight, and by mid-afternoon it was already dark. That changed how I planned my days: I scheduled outdoor activities and scenic drives early, leaving museums, saunas and northern lights excursions for later.

Things to Know Before Traveling

Distances in Lofoten sometimes looked shorter on the map than they felt once I was driving. With snow and patches of ice on the roads, I drove more cautiously than I normally would. Drivers are responsible for making sure their vehicle has sufficient grip, and in Nordland and Troms the 3 mm winter tread-depth requirement and permitted studded-tyre period run from 16 October to 30 April. The limited November daylight made timing even more important. From my base in Svolvær, I explored as far south as Å, but I realised that trying to fit too many stops into one day meant reaching some places after dark. I started choosing fewer stops and giving each drive more time than the map suggested.

Scenic Routes

Renting a car made the biggest difference to how I explored Lofoten. It was my first time driving with studded winter tyres, and after the first few kilometres from Leknes I became much more confident on the snowy roads. From my base in Svolvær, I could then explore places such as Henningsvær, Ramberg, Nusfjord, Hamnøy and Reine at my own pace. Having a car also meant I could stop whenever the landscape caught my attention rather than planning the day around public transport.

Booking Tips

For this November itinerary, I booked my internal flights and rental car around three months before travelling because those were the parts of my itinerary I did not want to leave to the last minute. This felt particularly important in Lofoten, where I needed a car equipped for winter conditions after landing in Leknes. I left some activities more flexible, especially northern lights excursions in Tromsø, as I preferred to check the weather closer to the date. That balance suited the unpredictable November weather particularly well.

Travel Tips

One of my most useful lessons from Lofoten was to stay somewhere with a kitchen. In November, I found fewer restaurants open in the smaller villages, and eating out in Norway could quickly become expensive. Having a kitchen meant I could buy groceries locally and prepare dinner after returning from a day of driving around the islands. It also suited the rhythm of winter: once it was dark outside, I could stay warm in my rorbu, cook something and keep an eye on the sky for the northern lights.

Conclusion

After 11 nights in Norway, what stayed with me most was the feeling of being surrounded by nature on a scale I had rarely experienced elsewhere in Europe. I enjoyed Oslo, but my strongest memories came from the Arctic north: the dark fjords around Tromsø, the changing winter light and the mountains rising directly from the sea in Lofoten. If I returned, I would happily follow a similar route, but I would also leave more time to explore the north at an even slower pace.

Winter road in Lofoten

Winter road in Lofoten

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