The National Scenic Routes

What they are

The road authority describes the National Tourist Routes as 18 selected stretches of road through landscapes with unique natural qualities, along coasts and fjords, over mountains and past waterfalls. They are meant as a good alternative to the main roads, where the drive itself is the experience. Along each one, architects and artists have built viewpoints, rest areas and toilets.

All 18 routes, with their seasons

Names, roads and lengths are as printed on each route's official page. "Earlier openings" are the two previous opening dates the page gives; the page says the road may still close at night and in bad weather after opening.

• Varanger — Stretch and road: Varangerbotn–Hamningberg, roads 75 and 8100; Length: 160 km; Winter and season: Smelror–Hamningberg closed in winter. Opened 29 April 2026; earlier openings 18 April and 25 May
• Havøysund — Stretch and road: Kokelv–Havøysund, road 889; Length: 67 km; Winter and season: No winter information on the route page
• Senja — Stretch and road: Botnhamn–Gryllefjord, roads 862 and 86; Length: 102 km; Winter and season: No winter information on the route page
• Andøya — Stretch and road: Andenes–Bjørnskinn, roads 82, 7702 and 7698; Length: 58 km; Winter and season: No winter information; the ferry to Senja runs in summer only
• Lofoten — Stretch and road: Raftsundet–Å, E10; Length: 230 km; Winter and season: No winter information on the route page
• Helgelandskysten — Stretch and road: Godøystraumen–Holm, road 17, six ferries; Length: 433 km; Winter and season: No winter information on the route page
• Atlanterhavsvegen — Stretch and road: Kårvåg–Bud, roads 64, 6070, 663, 6064 and 6060; Length: 36 km; Winter and season: No winter information on the route page
• Geiranger – Trollstigen — Stretch and road: Sogge bru and Langvatnet, road 63, ferry Eidsdal–Linge; Length: 104 km; Winter and season: Trollstigen: earlier openings 29 April and 12 June. Langvatnet–Geiranger: 27 April and 17 June
• Gamle Strynefjellsvegen — Stretch and road: Grotli–Videsæter, road 258; Length: 27 km; Winter and season: Closed in winter. Earlier openings 15 May and 29 June; earlier closures 15 September and 11 October
• Rondane — Stretch and road: Folldal–Venabygdsfjellet (road 27) and Sollia–Enden (road 219); Length: 75 km; Winter and season: Open all year; the link over Ringebufjellet may close for short periods in bad weather
• Sognefjellet — Stretch and road: Lom–Gaupne, road 55; Length: 108 km; Winter and season: Rustasætre/Vegaskjelet–Turtagrø closed in winter. Opened 2 April 2026; earlier openings between 12 April and 1 May
• Valdresflye — Stretch and road: Hindsæter–Garli, road 51; Length: 49 km; Winter and season: Garli–Maurvangen closed in winter. Opened 30 March 2026; earlier openings 22 March and 5 April
• Gaularfjellet — Stretch and road: Moskog–Balestrand (roads 55 and 613) and Sande–Eldalsosen (road 610); Length: 114 km; Winter and season: Mel–Mjell closed in winter. Opened 27 March 2026; earlier openings 27 March and 2 May
• Aurlandsfjellet — Stretch and road: Lærdalsøyri–Aurlandsvangen, road 5627; Length: 47 km; Winter and season: Closed in winter, except Aurlandsvangen–Stegastein. Opened 1 June 2026; earlier openings 7 May and 3 June
• Hardanger — Stretch and road: Four stretches on roads 79, 49, 550 and 13, two ferries; Length: 158 km; Winter and season: Open all year; parts of road 13 (Skjervsvegen) close in winter
• Hardangervidda — Stretch and road: Eidfjord–Haugastøl, road 7; Length: 67 km; Winter and season: Open all year; may close for short periods in winter weather; Vøringsfossen closed in winter
• Ryfylke — Stretch and road: Håra–Oanes, roads 13, 520, 46 and 523, two ferries; Length: 260 km; Winter and season: Helandsbygd–Røldal (road 520) closed in winter. Opened 13 May 2026; earlier openings 1 May and 16 June
• Jæren — Stretch and road: Bore–Flekkefjord, roads 507 and 44; Length: 130 km; Winter and season: No winter information on the route page

"No winter information" means exactly that: the official page shows no winter closure for that route. It does not promise a clear road on a stormy January day.

Reading the seasons

The opening dates move by weeks. On the Geiranger – Trollstigen route the earlier openings for Langvatnet–Geiranger lie seven weeks apart, 27 April and 17 June. Gamle Strynefjellsvegen has opened as late as 29 June and closed as early as 15 September. A trip in the first half of June that depends on a mountain route needs a fallback.

Practical note: the road authority's traffic information line, +47 815 48 991, is printed on every route page, and the pages link to its live traffic map.

Length limits and parking that affect campers

• Trollstigen is narrow with many bends. The route page limits buses to 13.3 metres.
• Aurlandsfjellet limits buses to 12.4 metres.
• Gamle Strynefjellsvegen: the route page says vehicles over 8 metres long with an axle load over 8 tonnes will be banned between Grotli and the Vestland county boundary.
• Stegastein (Aurlandsfjellet): from 2026, parking is paid and limited to half an hour, enforced by Aurland municipality.
• Lofoten: in July 2025 the road authority introduced two- and four-hour parking at eight to nine rest areas along the E10. It stated that rest areas are meant for short stops, not as campsites.

The bus limits are the published geometry limit; measure your own vehicle against them.

Emptying the toilet: every route page states that emptying toilets from motorhomes and caravans is not permitted in the Scenic Route toilets, and names the nearest dump stations for that route.

Using them to plan

The routes make a good skeleton for a road trip. In the west, Sognefjellet, Aurlandsfjellet, Geiranger – Trollstigen and Atlanterhavsvegen lie within a few days of each other. In the north, Senja, Andøya and Lofoten are linked by the Andenes–Gryllefjord summer ferry. Start with the seasons above, then fit the rest of the trip around the routes that will actually be open.

Plan it

• The west: Western fjords: 10-day road trip drives Aurlandsfjellet, Sognefjellet, Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, Geiranger – Trollstigen and Atlanterhavsvegen, with a chapter on when each pass opens.
• The north: Lofoten & Vesterålen: 7-day route and Norway north to south in 21 days, which links Senja, Andøya, Lofoten and Helgelandskysten.
• Free travel tips: 10 expensive mistakes on a Norway road trip (mistake 5 is the closed pass), Driving in Norway and What does a Norway road trip cost?

Sources

All pages read on 7 October 2026.

• Statens vegvesen, Norwegian Scenic Routes, overview of all routes and the 18 route pages linked from it
• Nasjonale turistveger, press release on parking limits (July 2025)
• Statens vegvesen, press release on Stegastein (26 June 2026)