When do Norway's mountain roads open? Pass dates for 2026

The short answer (status: October 2026): the high scenic roads that close for winter opened between late March and early June in 2026. Gaularfjellet opened on 27 March, Valdresflye on 30 March, Sognefjellet on 2 April, Trollstigen on 27 April, the Røldal mountain section of the Ryfylke route on 13 May and Aurlandsfjellet on 1 June. In earlier years some of these roads opened as late as the end of June. The main passes on the national road network, Haukelifjell and Hardangervidda among them, are not closed for the season, but they can be shut or run in convoy at short notice. A route built around these dates, with a fallback, saves money and the holiday.

Opening dates at a glance

The route pages of the National Tourist Routes give two earlier opening dates and two earlier closing dates for each road. They are printed here as published.

Every one of these pages adds the same warning: after opening, the road may be closed for a period at night and in bad weather. On Aurlandsfjellet, the road from Aurlandsvangen up to the Stegastein viewpoint is open all year.

What the dates mean for planning

No road on this list has a fixed opening date. Of the dates the route pages give, the latest earlier opening is 29 June (Gamle Strynefjellsvegen) and the earliest earlier closing is 15 September (the same road). A trip that needs every road on this list is therefore safest between the end of June and mid-September. A trip in May or early June works too, as long as each high road has a lower alternative in your plan.

Trollstigen and Geiranger

Møre og Romsdal county opened Fv. 63 Trollstigen at 12:00 on Monday 27 April 2026, for the whole stretch from Valldal to Åndalsnes. The notice added that there was still snow in the mountains, so cars needed tyres suited to the conditions.

NRK called it the earliest opening on record; the previous record was 8 May. The sources do not agree on this point: the Scenic Route page lists 29 April among its earlier openings, which is earlier than the record NRK gives. Both are printed here.

The route page also says that the section between Korsmyra and Indreeide is prone to landslides and may be closed in winter, and that a tunnel open all year bypasses it.

Dalsnibba: a private toll road with its own season

The road up to the Dalsnibba viewpoint above Geiranger is run by Geiranger Skysslag, not by the road authority. The operator says it usually opens in mid-May and stays open until September or October. Its own list of past seasons runs from a 12 May opening (2025) to a 12 June opening (2020), and from a 20 September closing (2018) to an 18 October closing (2016). The road may close at short notice if there is snow or ice on it. On 4 October 2026 the operator closed it until further notice because of strong wind, rain and snow.

Haukelifjell, Hardangervidda and the other year-round passes

Statens vegvesen counts 23 mountain passes on the national road network, Haukelifjell and Hardangervidda among them. These roads are kept open in winter. When weather and driving conditions make it unsafe to drive alone, they are run in convoy, and in some cases they are closed completely. Statens vegvesen asks drivers never to drive past a closed barrier, even if the weather does not look bad there: it can be worse up on the mountain.

For Hardangervidda, the Scenic Route page adds that the road over the plateau may be closed for short periods in bad winter weather, and occasionally also to let the reindeer graze in peace.

Convoy driving, in short: fill the tank or charge the battery first, because there are no fuel or charging stations on convoy routes. Keep a torch, tow rope and spade within reach, and bring food, a hot drink, warm clothes and winter shoes. In the convoy, use your hazard lights, keep the vehicle in front in sight, don't leave the convoy or turn round, and don't overtake the escort vehicle. Keep at least 15 metres from a car in front and at least 50 metres from a heavy vehicle. If the convoy stops, stay with your car. The snow-clearing crew may turn away vehicles it thinks would struggle.

Winter 2026/27 between east and west: from Monday 16 November 2026 at 18:00, the E16 Lærdal Tunnel closes for 12 hours at a time for about two years while it is upgraded. It is open on the night to Sunday. When Hardangervidda is closed by winter weather, the tunnel is kept open.

How to check a road on the day

• vegvesen.no/trafikk and the Vegvesen trafikk app show closures, convoys and webcams. The app can send you notifications for the areas you choose.
• Phone 175 is the road traffic information line in Norway. For information in English, Statens vegvesen gives +47 22 175 175.
• Each National Tourist Route page has a winter information section. In 2026 it showed the opening date for most of the roads in the table above.

The routes themselves are described on our National Scenic Routes page, and everyday driving rules in Driving in Norway. Tyre rules for an early or late trip are in Winter tyres, studs and chains in Norway.

What this article leaves out

This covers when the roads open. Our routes build the days around them: The western fjords in 10 days plans Trollstigen, Geiranger and Aurlandsfjellet with alternatives for each, and Norway north to south in 21 days covers the long drive through the high passes.

FAQ

When does Trollstigen open?

In 2026 it opened on 27 April at 12:00. The Scenic Route page gives earlier openings of 29 April and 12 June, and it is closed every winter.

Is Hardangervidda closed in winter?

No, Rv. 7 over Hardangervidda is kept open, but it can be run in convoy or closed for short periods in bad weather.

Is there a fixed opening date I can plan around?

No. The route pages give earlier dates, not a fixed date for the coming season. Check the route page and vegvesen.no/trafikk shortly before you drive.

Can I drive past a closed barrier if the weather looks fine?

No. Statens vegvesen says never to pass a closed barrier: conditions higher up can be worse than at the gate.