What you need to know about hitchhiking in Norway
Introduction
Welcome dear readers to just another travel addicts´article! I have been travelling alot by hitchhiking throughout the past 10 years. Additionally, I am a scandinavia addict. Therefore I think I am the best person to give advice on hitching in Scandinavia!
Check out the below video first... wow it makes you want to hit the road! These 2 lads really understood what Norway is all about!
Trip report makes you want to go to Norway!
Norway, you are off the beaten track
Every country is a little bit different in Europe. I will share my hitchhiking experiences from Norway with you. Here are the most important bits to remember when you hitch:
1) You are exposed tot he elements
Strongly recommended: good waterproof jacket and trowsers. And most important bring WARM clothes. I really mean it. One jumper is not enough. I am here in September and it was as low as 7 degrees the day i left Gol to hitchhike to Bergen (28.aug, not even september). Bring light but warm material garments. If you don´t have those, find second hand stores in Norway (yes they exist and its really cheap) and get an additional one. Best really is a waterproof jacket with flees or wool inside that you can take off.
2) Good knowledge of maps
Usually, I prepare well for my hitching trips. But, as there are fewer roads and less traffic in Norway, it´s much easier to get around. Additionallty, it´s much less likely that you get lost like in Germany due to the many huge motorway junctions. Such things do not exist in Norways countriside. Everything in Norway is countriside, except the Oslo region. To say it in a bit of an exaggerated way...
However, what you need to consider, if you hitch in the south is this: make sure you know the altitude you are coing to hitch through...because it could be 1000m high and you will need good gear in case you need to stand there in the cold.
3) It takes time!
You will need much more time to cover a route of 300kms in Norway than in most other countries in western Europe because you cannot go so fast on these "motorways" which are mainly just good "main" roads. I found this video on youtube which pretty much tells the story when you hitch in the north, where cars are scarce. Be prepared! Of course I didnt always spend that much time and I hitched on roads with more traffic.
4) Be prepared for the dead end
It might be you get stranded. - like in any other country where you hitch. But in Norway, depending on where you are, you might have to spend the night where you are and it might be far away from everything. Bus service are surprizingly frequent for some parts, but here is a good advice: know where the train and bus goes and what time on your ENTIRE range. Write them down in your note book and in case you get stranded, you can always hop on either of them, if its not too late.
5) Easy to get on the highways
If you can call them highways at all! Ha ha ha.. These are not fenced in, and they have busstops along the road. The public bus travels along these roads and - of course - also stops along there roads. Therefore
a) Its really easy to get on the motorway
b) you will always find a good spot to stand. Just mind the speed limits, if you can.
6) Talk the local language
If you speak the language, people will like you more and be impressed. That will always open doors for you and you will have more easy access to getting to know the people whom you are hitching with.
If none of this works, try this:
Was it helpful?
I hope I was able to provide good specific information for you. Now that you know all the tricks, I am sure you will have a fantastic time, never waste time for unnecessary detours and go there prepared. After all, this country is fantastsic, so, don´t miss out on this fantastic place! I is really worth it.
This was a more advanced article on hitching in Norway specifically. See this article (link coming soon) for a more general view about hitching.
