Hey! I’m planning a 8–9 day trip through Scandinavia by train in mid-February, travelling solo with my two kids (9 and 11).
The rough itinerary is Stockholm → Narvik → Svolvær ( and other cities in Lofoten like Reine) → Bodø → Trondheim → Oslo, using trains, including night trains.

I’d love to hear from anyone who’s done something similar in winter!

A few questions:
How reliable are the trains on this route in mid-February? Is it realistic to plan around them, or should I expect a significant risk of delays or cancellations due to winter weather?

For a 3 to 4 days around the Lofoten Islands, would we manage with buses to visit a few places around and get a ferry to Bodo, or is renting a car pretty much essential?

Is there any realistic way to enjoy some winter hiking with kids in February, or would you stick to guided excursions given the snow and other cold weather ?

I’m not looking to tick off every single place — I’d rather have a realistic itinerary with some flexibility than spend the whole trip rushing between connections. The plan is, obvisously, to hunt Northern lights and to enjoy the amazing landscapes around us.
Any firsthand experiences, tips or things I should be aware of would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I’m an 18y/o who is staying with a host family for a debate event/conference in Norway on Friday.

It’s Wednesday evening right now and I just remembered that I need to bring a gift of some kind to thank them for their hospitality (they’re doing this for free).

I’m Finnish, specifically from the Swedish speaking minority in Finland. I need to get a gift ASAP, so does anyone have any ideas or tips or suggestions please? Kind of urgent so I appreciate literally anything at the moment🙏

Note: I’m only staying for the weekend and their child is participating in the same event as me, but I’ve never met these people before.

Hey everyone!

I'm very excited to be visiting Norway solo later this month coming from Australia, and one of the first things I wanted to do was some sort of unique activity and as soon as I saw the Trolltunga Sky Ladder Via Ferrata with Trolltunga Active listed as running on the 31st of October, I was SOLD!

Also, if anyone has done the activity before (or around this time of year), do you have any tips? My cardio is good and I should have sufficient upper body strength for it.

But I'm having a hard time finding transport options to the P2 Skjeggedal start point at 7:30am. The regular shuttle from Odda to Skjeggedal P2 doesn't run in late October unfortunately so I was looking for other options. How likely is it that there would be others in Odda or Tyssedal who I could potentially split a taxi with or something like that, or is it just better if I tank the bill and stay at Trolltunga hotel for 2 nights?

Trolltunga Active recommends staying in the Trolltunga Hotel (I think they have a partnership with them), and there's transport to and from the start point included. However, that hotel is quite pricey so I was wondering if there were any other options that could work out cheaper. I did see there is other accommodation in Odda that is almost half the price compared to the cheapest offering they have at Trolltunga hotel.

I have a 15k waterproof /15k breathable rated 2.5 layer shell jacket but I'm not sure if it will be enough to protect from the winds and rain. It's fine in normal rain but also I've never tried it in Scandinavian weather, so I'm not sure what to expect. Is it necessary to buy a different shell, maybe Goretex or something?

Finally, if I am staying in Odda or Tyssedal for this anyway, how long do you reckon I should stay there to take in the sights? My original itinerary was to stay in Bergen for 1-2 nights and leave on the 30th morning to get to Odda or Tyssedal, staying there on the 30th+31st nights and leaving on the 1st November back to Bergen. Following this, I also did want to do experience the Fjords and the Flam railway so was going to do the Norway in a Nutshell tour from Bergen to Oslo.

Please let me know if you have any thoughts, tips or ideas regarding any of this! It will be my first time in Norway (and Europe) so I'll happily take advice!

Thanks so much!!!

Bonjour, je prévois partir seule pour la première fois. Je pars de Montréal (Québec) à la fin mai, pour Oslo, pendant 4 jours. Ensuite, je prévois prendre le train jusqu’à Bergen et y rester pendant 3 jours.
J’aimerais faire des randonnées/promenades, visiter des musées, me promener dans les villes, les cafés, etc.
Je ne sais pas si je vais m’ennuyer? Et j’ai peur de passer à côté de quelque chose…
Je veux utiliser uniquement les transports en commun et donc, je n’aurai pas de voiture.
Je comprends que mon message n’est peut-être pas très précis, mais justement, je me sens un peu perdue dans mon itinéraire!
En gros, j’ai un 8-9 jours que j’aimerais passer en Norvège, je suis ouverte à toutes les idées :)

Hi all,

I’m taking my son on a trip to celebrate his high school graduation. We’re limited to his college Christmas break, so we’re going Dec 31 to Jan 9 and flying in and out of the US via Iceland.

Route:

• Oslo (Jan 1-4)
• Bergen (Jan 4-6)
• Tromsø (Jan 6-8)
• Reykjavik (Jan 8-9, one night, Blue Lagoon)

The two things he cares about most are seeing the Northern Lights and old buildings and interesting architecture. The aurora is the main reason we picked Norway, so I built in two nights in Tromsø to give us a backup night if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

What we’ve already picked:

• Oslo: Munch Museum, Gol Stave Church at the Norsk Folkemuseum (the Viking Ship Museum is closed for renovation), and maybe City Hall
• Oslo to Bergen: the Bergensbanen scenic train on Jan 4
• Bergen: Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen. My son is afraid of heights, so this is our stand-in for Preikestolen, which isn’t realistic in winter anyway
• Tromsø: the Chasing Lights minibus aurora chase (booked for the evening of Jan 6)
• No rental cars anywhere. We’ll use walking, public transit, and guided tours.

Where I’d love advice:

1. Bergen. We arrive around 1 PM on Jan 4 and have one full day on Jan 5, then an early flight on Jan 6. What should we do for old buildings and architecture? I’m thinking Bryggen, but I’d love your ideas on what else is worth the time, including indoor options for when it’s dark and rainy.
2. Tromsø, best bang for buck. We have one evening (Jan 6) and one full day (Jan 7), and then we fly out on Jan 8. We’ll be there in polar night or very low light, so I’m trying to pick activities that still work with little daylight. I’d like to fit in a reindeer sleigh ride and maybe husky sledding. I dropped the whale watching cruise because it takes too much of one day. What would you do with a single full day? Are there any architecture or old-building stops in Tromsø that are worth it (Arctic Cathedral, Polar Museum)?
3. General winter tips. What would you want to know that first-time winter visitors usually get wrong? Clothing, shoes, anything else?

We’re staying at Clarion The Edge in Tromsø. Thanks in advance, I’d love any tips!

I will be in traveling in Northern Norway (Tromso, Narvik) and Sweden (Abisko, Stockholm) late December and early January for roughly 2 weeks. I will primarily be taking planes and buses to get between destinations and then walking with my luggage from public transport stops to my lodging. Does it make sense to use wheeled luggage given the season/weather, or would a large backpack (I have several) make more sense for my purposes? Thanks!

Hello good folks of Reddit. I've recently had the idea to roadtrip from my home here in southwest Scotland up to Nordkapp and I've got a few questions.

1. What's the best time to go, I see conflicting answers everywhere, I'm not too fussed about road conditions although I do understand that during winter months that there has to be a convoy or similar? I've got a 955 Cayenne so snow/rough roads don't really concern me too much I just want to hit the best time for views and not getting caught in a blizzard or something along those lines 😂

2. Are there any legal parameters that I need to meet, as far as I am aware it seems to be easy enough to get to, just whether I need spotlights, studded tyres, chains etc or whether I can just chuck some good all terrains on and make my way there.

3. Is it worth it? The trip in total isn't going to be cheap, amongst fuel prices, food, tolls, ferry, Eurostar etc. now in my mind it'll be an adventure I'll never forget but really this question is just to find out other people's experiences on it too, I can imagine it is absolutely worth it and the excitement is building up even now and I don't even have a date set in mind yet but I am thinking some point next year (potentially august? Depending on what people think!)

4. Any other useful advice, things to look out for etc etc

Thanks to any advice given here and I look forward to hearing your responses!

Hi I am looking to plan a cozy couple trip 25F and 24M around december-january this year. I’ve never been in snow coming from a warm climate so i want to choose somewhere that’s like a winter wonderland with things like sauna, cozy cafes and pubs, little bit of shopping, northern lights, etc. Somewhere where it’s nice to just relax in a cabin but also has some nice activities to do. I’ve never been skiing so not sure if i care about it. I was researching lapland finland but Ive also always wanted to go to norway or iceland. Can someone help me decide between these places? Any recommended cities/towns for a winter getaway?

Loosely started planning a trip for early April 2027, trying to balance fulfilling experiences for myself (30F) and Mom (68F).

Does this sound like reasonable timing and feasible transport in usual April weather? Anything unexpected that I should consider in my planning?

I fly first into Oslo -> smaller connecting flight to Tromso or Alta
3-4 days First portion solo with the goal to learn about the Sami people and hopefully experience the northern lights. Fine with small planes, long transfers, whatever lodging is available, facing the cold. Great grandmother was Sami so I really just want to understand more of her experience and history. From what I’ve read, Finnmark is the best area but I would appreciate any local insight.

Mom is not so flexible with accommodations so she would meet me in Oslo later.
2-3 Days Back in Oslo - Mom meets me there and we explore the city together.
2 Days Fredrikstad - Still have cousins in Engelsviken Mom would love to see, not sure if we could easily find accommodations there for a night or if we should plan to stay in Fredrikstad.
I am comfortable driving internationally so could get a car for this portion, fine driving in rain or snow as long as the roads are accessible and car can handle it.

This feels reasonable right now but not sure if I’m naive about the weather or geography. Happy for any feedback!

Hello,

Next friday I am traveling to norway and I am going to do the kjeragbolten hike this weekend. I read online that te lysevegen (sirdal-lysebotn) road Will be closed when the first snow arrives. Does anyone know of the road is still open?

Thanks in advance.

Hi 👋🏼
My husband and our 15 month old are going Oslo this weekend just for a short break.
Since its our first time, im wondering if theres anything we shouldnt miss out on.
Any food recommendations (preferably Vegetarian or Halal). Any signature dish (desserts or anything) or a spot we definitely need to try.
Things we should avoid or be aware of.
Any activities?
We have history museums and Opera house in our to do list.

Looking forward to visiting Oslo.

We are 2 Canadians planning a trip to Norway in Aug/Sept 2027. We’re starting with a Havila voyage and following that will spend a night or two in Bergen, take the train to Oslo but beyond that our itinerary is still in the very early planning stage. Does anyone have any experience with B & B’s vs Hotels in Norway? If you’ve used B & B’s is there a credible central registry you can recommend? Just looking for the most cost effective options and we will not be renting a car. Thanks in advance for any insights you can provide. ;-)

We are 2 Canadians planning a trip to Norway in Aug/Sept 2027. Does anyone have a perspective on B & B’s vs Hotels in Norway? We’re doing a Havila voyage first then spending a couple days in Bergen upon return, Bergen -> Oslo via train and maybe 3-4 days staying Oslo and travelling out from there. Aside from the Havila voyage our itinerary is still in its infancy but we’re wondering if B & B’s would be more cost effective than hotels? Any insights are greatly appreciated - thanks in advance. ;-)

Good Evening, my parents are due to visit Norway soon on a two week Fjord cruise. They take various medications prescribed by their doctor but they have purchased some over-the-counter Cocodamol tablets (standard 8mg/500mg Paracetamol). The advice online is that this medication requires a doctors prescription to bring in. They will be flying into Norway prior to boarding the ship. If I mention this, my mother will worry herself silly so I'm hoping that someone in the subreddit can advise me. Thank you for your time.

I've got one unexpectedly free day in Oslo. What should I do? Stay in Oslo and explore or do a day trip outside of the city? What's the best thing to do as a solo traveler?

Hi everyone, in a few days I will go to the south of Norway (roadtrip from Oslo to Bergen) and on IG I saw some posts talking about some early snow near Oslo. Someone that lives in Oslo on nearby can confirm me that it s just raining and not snowing? The weather app I use says that it rains and that the temperature are a bit lower than where I live.

Thanks everybody in advance

Hey guys, am planning a trip to Norway for my S/O and I, and would like some tips and advice from you guys. We are largely focused on sightseeing and catching the northern lights in this trip, unlikely to be partaking heavily in hiking and such.

• Am planning to travel in early March for a duration of 8-9 days, and intend to split it between Tromso and Lofoten. Or is it more advisable to focus on just one?
• Have originally intended to get a rental car at Lofoten as it seemed much more efficient to get around the different spots we've shortlisted there (e.g. Henningsvaer, Reine, Hamnoy, some of the beaches), but have seen so many posts & comments here cautioning against that for tourists so am reconsidering that.
  • Question is, will public bus (especially during winter?) be sufficient to get us around to the most attractions around Lofoten (and Tromso)? Will likely have to engage some group tours too, but trying to gauge how much we can also do on our own via public transportation, so would appreciate anyone sharing their experience on doing so.
• Since I plan to fly to/from Tromso, I am considering to stay around Leknes or Svolvaer for their airports, but I am assuming Svolvaer would generally be a better town to base ourselves and get around via public buses in Lofoten, correct me if I am wrong or if there are better options I've missed?

None of the plans are firmed up yet so we're open to any other suggestions or spots that we should be considering in our trip as well, TIA!

I'm flying from New York to Oslo soon and want to bring some gifts from the US. My budget is around $400 USD (~3.8k krone) total. The gifts are a surprise, so I don't want to ask the people receiving them what they'd like. So far thinking maybe bourbon and something else. Let me know your thoughts though!

What would you personally be happy to receive from New York/the US? Maybe something hard to get in Norway?

Thanks for the help!

Hey all, I am so excited to go be going! I wanted to get feedback before I buy tickets for the Sami experience/reindeer and the husky sledding I wanna book the best experience that’s not super touristy but you get the most from it obviously. Right now I am looking at these options

[https://www.visittromso.no/self-drive-dog-sledding\](https://www.visittromso.no/self-drive-dog-sledding)

[http://tromsoarcticreindeer.com\](http://tromsoarcticreindeer.com/)

Does anyone have experience with these places or recommend a different one?

What else is a must do ? Esp if arriving around 4 in the afternoon, walking tour ? Museums? Ext ?

I was planning on bringing over some food to give to a friend as a gift, but I was doing some research and the wording confused me about what food products I can bring in.

On Mattilsynet it mentions that:

...all personal consignments of meat and milk and their products are prohibited to enter Norway from third countries (countries outside EU/EEA)

but on the same page, it says that the following is exempt from these rules:

...bread, cakes, biscuits, chocolate and confectionery (including sweets) not mixed or filled with meat product,

Would the below be exempt? They've all got milk or something milk-adjacent (like a powder) in the ingredients list:

• Haitai honey butter chips
• Pastillas
• Chocnut (Filipino candy bar)
• Ranch dip mix

Thank you in advance for the replies!

Is there Uber at the Bergen, Norway airport? Or is it better to take a taxi to city center. I have two suitcases so tram or bus not an option.