NATIONAL TOURIST ROUTE · AURLAND

Stegastein and the Snow Road by car

Stegastein is the viewpoint you have seen in every Norway photo: a wooden platform hanging over the Aurlandsfjord. Above it runs Aurlandsfjellet, the “Snow Road”, one of Norway’s National Tourist Routes. Both are an easy drive from Bergen via Flåm.

Stegastein in numbers

• 650 m above the Aurlandsfjord, with the platform sticking 30 m out from the mountain.
• About 15 minutes’ drive up from Aurland, and the road to Stegastein is open all year.
• There is a car park and toilets. In summer the car park fills up in the middle of the day – come early morning or evening.

The Snow Road (Aurlandsfjellet)

From Stegastein the road continues up over the mountain to Lærdal: 47 km of high mountain plateau, with snow walls along the road early in the season. This part is closed in winter. It opened on 1 June in 2026; in earlier years it has opened between early May and early June and closed between October and early November. It can also close at short notice in bad weather, so check the road status at vegvesen.no before you go.

The road is narrow with steep bends, and large vehicles are not recommended. An automatic car makes the hairpins much more relaxed.

The full loop from Bergen

1. Bergen → Voss → Gudvangen → Flåm on the E16 (about 2.5–3 h). See Norway in a Nutshell by car.
2. Aurland → Stegastein (15 min).
3. The Snow Road to Lærdal (summer only, allow 1.5 h with stops).
4. Borgund Stave Church – a short detour from Lærdal. One of the best-preserved stave churches in Norway, from around 1180. In 2026 it is open 15 April–14 October, 09:30–17:00; adult tickets 150 kr.
5. Back through the Lærdal Tunnel – at 24.5 km the world’s longest road tunnel – to Aurland and the E16 home.

This is a long day (8–10 hours with stops, around 400 km). It is much nicer as an overnight trip with a night in Flåm, Aurland or Lærdal.

Outside the summer season

When the Snow Road is closed you can still drive to Flåm and up to Stegastein, and return the same way. Winter light on the fjord is beautiful, but days are short – read our winter driving guide first.