GUIDE · WINTER

Winter driving in Western Norway

Bergen itself is mild and wet in winter – rain is more common than snow. But drive an hour inland and you are in real winter: snow, ice and mountain passes that close. Here is how to do it safely.

Tyres

• Norway has no fixed date for winter tyres. The rule is that the car must have adequate grip for the conditions, and winter tyres need at least 3 mm of tread.
• Studded tyres are allowed in Vestland from 1 November to the first Sunday after Easter Monday (and outside those dates when conditions require it).
• Our cars use non-studded winter tyres (piggfrie) in the winter season.

The Bergen studded-tyre fee

Our cars have non-studded tyres, so you do not pay this fee. For reference: cars with studded tyres must pay a fee to drive in Bergen municipality from 1 November 2026 to 4 April 2027: 35 kr per day, 450 kr per month or 1,400 kr for the season. It applies even if you only drive through. Pay in the free Parkering i Bergen app before you drive.

Mountain passes in winter

Road	Winter status
E16 Bergen – Voss – Flåm	Open all year
Hardanger fjord road	Open all year
Rv7 Hardangervidda	Open all year, but can close in storms or run in convoy behind a snowplough
Aurlandsfjellet (Snow Road)	Closed in winter (usually Oct/Nov to May/June)
Sognefjellet, Gaularfjellet (mountain sections)	Closed in winter

Closed passes are marked with barriers or red lights. Never drive around a barrier. Check road status at vegvesen.no or in the Statens vegvesen traffic app before every mountain trip.

Driving tips

• Leave more distance. Braking distance on ice can be many times longer than on dry roads.
• Watch for black ice around 0 °C, especially on bridges, in tunnel exits and in shaded bends.
• Plan for short days. In December, daylight in Bergen is only about six hours. Drive the scenic parts in the middle of the day.
• Keep the tank above half and carry warm clothes, water and a charged phone.
• Convoy driving: if a pass runs in convoy, wait at the barrier and follow the snowplough at a steady distance.

Winter trips that work well

• Voss, the Nærøyfjord and Flåm – on the E16, open all year. The road up to Stegastein is open all year too.
• Hardanger – frozen waterfalls and quiet villages.
• Skiing in Voss or at Kvamskogen, on the way to Hardanger.
• The coast north of Bergen – usually no snow at all, but stormy seas.