The Voyager

From Denmark to the mountains of Lapland, the incredible scenery of Scandinavia makes driving your own vehicle a fantastic experience. The roads are excellent and traffic signs are easy to understand. Here are some simple things that you should be aware of when driving in Scandinavia. · Drive on the right hand side of the road throughout Scandinavia · All passengers inside a car must wear a seat belt · Dipped headlights are required 24 hours a day on all vehicle types · The minimum age to hold a drivers licence is 18 years or older for a car.· A warning triangle is a requirement · For motor cyclists, a safety helmet is a requirement · You must never drive under the influence of either alcohol or drugs/euphoriants - heavy penalties apply ·

It is not permitted to drive while using a mobile telephone, and heavy fines apply Speed limits for cars on motorways vary slightly throughout Scandinavia. For example in Denmark the speed limit on motorways is in general 130km/h. In Norway the general speed limit on motorways is either 90 km/h or 100km/h. On Swedish motorways the speed limit is 110km/h. Certain stretches will only allow a lower speed limit, due to heavy traffic closer to major cities or driving through treacherous areas. On smaller roads throughout Scandinavia the speed limit will range from 70 to 80 km/h and within residential areas from 30 to 50 km/h. Studded tyres are not compulsory but if fitted, they can only be used between November and April.Motorways can be used free of charge in Denmark and Sweden.

A fee applies when crossing the Great Belt Bridge between Sealand and Funen in Denmark, and when crossing the Öresund Bridge between Malmö in Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark. The cost varies depending on the type of vehicle. The two bridges create a link not only between the regions but also makes travelling between Scandinavia and Europe a lot easier. In Norway, road tolls are very important for maintaining the quality of the roads and tunnels. There are 45 road tolls in total (2007) of which half have electronic fee collection - AutoPASS. This allows you to drive through road tolls in the AutoPASS lane without stopping. The subscription and tag needed are also available to foreign vehicles.

When travelling consider planning your trip with the route maps of Cheaperthanhotels which provide route planners between cities and hotel stopovers. Try these pages for example Sweden Hotels ; Stockholm Hotels ; Norway Hotels ; Oslo Hotels Some roads in Norway are closed during winter season but the main mountain crossings are intended to stay open throughout the cold season. It is always best to check this before going on any longer trips or crossing the mountains as the road closures vary depending on the weather conditions. For further information, please contact the Road User Information Centre. When in Norway simply call 175 (+47 815 48 991 from abroad). The service is open 24 hours.