Car Rental in Bergen, Norway

Renting a Car in Bergen: Norway's Fjord Capital

Bergen is the gateway to the Norwegian fjords — a UNESCO-listed city of colorful wooden houses, the iconic Bryggen wharf, and a fish market where you can eat the freshest seafood in Scandinavia. It also rains here more than almost anywhere else in Europe, which somehow only adds to the atmospheric beauty. A rental car from Bergen opens up some of the most spectacular driving on Earth.

Picking Up at Bergen Airport

Bergen Airport Flesland (BGO) is 18 km south of the city center. Car rental companies are in the arrivals hall, including Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt, Budget, and Rent-A-Wreck. Norway is expensive — economy cars start from €45-€80/day, among the highest in Europe. Automatic transmission is standard in Scandinavian rentals. The airport connects to the E39 road into Bergen.

Norwegian Fjord Driving

The fjord roads from Bergen are among the world's most scenic drives, but they come with unique challenges:

• Ferries are part of the road network — many routes include one or more car ferry crossings. Check schedules at autopass.no. Most accept card payment onboard
• Tunnels are everywhere, including some of the world's longest (the Lærdalstunnel at 24.5 km). Keep headlights on and watch for single-lane sections in older tunnels
• Speed limits are low: 80 km/h on most rural roads, 90 km/h on the best highways, 50 km/h in towns. Enforcement is strict and fines are income-proportional (very expensive)
• Road tolls (bompenger) are ubiquitous and charged automatically via camera. Your rental company will bill your card
• Roads are narrower than you might expect — single-lane sections with passing places are common on mountain routes

The Hardangerfjord Route

The drive from Bergen along Hardangerfjord is Norway's most accessible fjord experience. Take the E16/RV7 east through the mountains, then descend to the fjord shore. Highlights include:

• Steinsdalsfossen — a waterfall you can walk behind via a path cut into the cliff
• Hardangervidda — Norway's largest mountain plateau, a vast treeless expanse of lakes, reindeer herds, and hiking trails
• Trolltunga — the famous tongue-shaped rock jutting out 700m above the lake (requires a 10-12 hour hike, not accessible by car)
• Vøringsfossen — a 182m waterfall plunging into a deep canyon, with a new viewing platform offering vertigo-inducing perspectives

The Atlantic Road and Beyond

For a longer road trip, the Atlantic Road (Atlanterhavsveien) between Molde and Kristiansund (530 km north of Bergen) is one of the world's most dramatic coastal roads — eight bridges leap between rocky islets in the open ocean. The drive north from Bergen along the coast passes through Sognefjord (Norway's longest and deepest fjord) and the Geirangerfjord (UNESCO). Plan 3-5 days for the Bergen-to-Geirangerfjord coastal route.

Practical Information

Norwegian fuel is among Europe's most expensive at NOK 20-22/liter (~€1.80-€2.00). Norway uses the Norwegian krone (NOK); it is not in the EU. Credit cards are accepted everywhere — Norway is nearly cashless. Electric vehicles are popular and have extensive charging networks, making EV rentals viable for fjord trips. The best driving season is June-August, with long daylight hours (near 24-hour light in late June). Winter driving requires winter tires (mandatory October 15-April 15) and extreme caution on mountain passes, many of which close seasonally.

Airport Rental Pickup

You can pick up a rental car at these airports near Bergen:

• BGO — desks in arrivals hall, follow "Car Rental" signs

Parking in Bergen

Zone	Cost	Notes
Bryggen / Sentrum	NOK 45/hr (~€4.00)	Metered street parking in the historic Bryggen wharf area. Among Norway's most expensive. Maximum 2-3 hours.
Bygarasjen (City Garage)	NOK 280/day (~€25)	Central underground garage near the fish market. The most convenient option for old town exploration.
Nøstet / Nordnes	NOK 30/hr (~€2.70)	Residential street parking west of the center. Slightly cheaper than Bryggen area.

Traffic note: Bergen is Norway's second-largest city but feels compact, wedged between seven mountains and a fjord. The city center has a toll ring (bompenger) with automatic cameras — charges of NOK 29-59 per crossing apply, and rental companies will bill your card. Several tunnels connect different parts of the city. The main routes out of Bergen involve mountain passes and spectacular coastal roads. Norway drives on the right. Speed limits are low (typically 80 km/h maximum on rural roads) and strictly enforced. The city is extremely rainy — Bergen averages 230 rain days per year.

Day Trips from Bergen by Car