europe · 5 days · 12 stops

Norway — Atlantic Road & Trollstigen

Ålesund and the bridges of the Atlantic Road, then the Trollstigen hairpins and the Geiranger fjord — the most dramatic five days of driving in Scandinavia.

Days
5
Stops
12
Driving
278 km
Behind the wheel
5h 12m

Driving figures are measured road distances between the stops listed for each day, not straight lines. The transfer from wherever you sleep to the first stop of the day is not included.

Daylight on this route, by season

The single number that decides whether a self-drive day works. Almost every guide tells you to "check the daylight hours"; here they are for this route, on the solstices and equinoxes.

Day Driving 21 Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar
Ålesund 0h 21m 20h 1m 12h 25m 4h 57m 12h 18m
The Atlantic Road 1h 36m 20h 15m 12h 25m 4h 45m 12h 18m
Trollstigen 1h 55m 20h 12h 25m 4h 57m 12h 18m
Geirangerfjord 0h 12m 19h 48m 12h 24m 5h 6m 12h 18m
Over the Mountains 1h 8m 19h 47m 12h 24m 5h 7m 12h 18m

Measured at the midpoint of each day's stops. "Midnight sun" means the sun does not set; "polar night" means it does not rise.

Day by day

Day 1: Ålesund

2 stops · 22 km · 0h 21m driving · 3h 30m at stops

In winter: About 0h 21m of driving inside 4h 57m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Ålesund Art Nouveau Town

    Rebuilt in stone after the 1904 fire; climb Aksla for the view.

    Allow about 2h 30m

  2. 2

    Alnes Lighthouse

    Island lighthouse at the edge of the Atlantic.

    Allow about 1h

Legs and times
  • Ålesund Art Nouveau Town → Alnes Lighthouse: 22 km, 0h 21m

Day 2: The Atlantic Road

3 stops · 95 km · 1h 36m driving · 5h 30m at stops

In winter: About 1h 36m of driving inside 4h 45m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Atlanterhavsvegen (Storseisundet Bridge)

    Eight bridges hopping between skerries; stop at the fishing village of Håholmen.

    Allow about 2h

  2. 2

    Bud

    Fishermen's village and WWII coastal fort on the open sea.

    Allow about 1h 30m

  3. 3

    Kristiansund

    Cod, and the ferry or tunnel back to the mainland.

    Allow about 2h

Legs and times
  • Atlanterhavsvegen (Storseisundet Bridge) → Bud: 30 km, 0h 30m
  • Bud → Kristiansund: 65 km, 1h 6m

Day 3: Trollstigen

3 stops · 64 km · 1h 55m driving · 4h at stops

In winter: About 1h 55m of driving inside 4h 57m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Åndalsnes

    Railway town at the foot of the Romsdalen valley.

    Allow about 1h

  2. 2

    Trollstigen viewpoint

    Eleven hairpins, a 180-metre waterfall and a platform over the drop.

    Allow about 2h

  3. 3

    Valldal

    Strawberry village at the foot of the pass, and where the Eidsdal ferry crossing leaves from.

    Allow about 1h

Legs and times
  • Åndalsnes → Trollstigen viewpoint: 18 km, 0h 15m
  • Trollstigen viewpoint → Valldal: 46 km, 1h 40m

Day 4: Geirangerfjord

2 stops · 14 km · 0h 12m driving · 4h 30m at stops

In winter: About 0h 12m of driving inside 5h 6m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Geiranger Skywalk (Dalsnibba)

    Road to 1,500 m for the classic fjord view.

    Allow about 1h 30m

  2. 2

    Geiranger & the Seven Sisters

    Walk to the waterfall viewpoint or take the fjord cruise.

    Allow about 3h

Legs and times
  • Geiranger Skywalk (Dalsnibba) → Geiranger & the Seven Sisters: 14 km, 0h 12m

Day 5: Over the Mountains

2 stops · 83 km · 1h 8m driving · 3h 30m at stops

In winter: About 1h 8m of driving inside 5h 7m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Lom

    Stave church and the gateway to Jotunheimen.

    Allow about 1h 30m

  2. 2

    Dovrefjell

    Musk ox country on the high plateau; the road home to Oslo runs through it.

    Allow about 2h

Legs and times
  • Lom → Dovrefjell: 83 km, 1h 8m

When to drive it

21 Jun

19h 59m

of daylight

21 Sep

12h 25m

of daylight

21 Dec

4h 58m

of daylight

21 Mar

12h 18m

of daylight

Longest days are around 21 June, shortest around 21 December. On this route the swing is large enough that the same day's driving can be comfortable in June and entirely after dark in December — which is why the table above is per day.

Plan this route with the daylight in view

Tseril builds the multi-day route on a map, warns you about the legs you would drive at night, and shows the snow and weather at every stop. Free to use.

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