How to drive in Tromso (and Norway) in winter – tips and prevention

So there you have it, you’re heading to Tromso in winter and want to rent a car. Before you set off, I’d like you to read these recommendations, because driving on snow and ice, driving in sometimes extreme winter conditions, can be complicated. It can even turn into hell (a hair cooler, okay) especially if you’re not prepared for what can happen.

I’m not trying to be catastrophic, though, and in the vast majority of cases things go really well. However, there are some situations you really need to be careful of, especially if you have no experience of winter driving. I’ll explain it all to you below, to prepare you psychologically 😀 But above all so that your stay in Tromso goes perfectly!

Is driving necessary to fully enjoy Tromso?

Well, it depends (otherwise it’s too easy). Without a car, you can perfectly enjoy Tromso, the activities, discover a few places outside the city, take boat trips in the surrounding fjords. It’s not a problem at all.

However, without a car, you don’t have much flexibility, and it’s especially when it comes to exploring the surrounding area that it’s problematic, as there are very few buses leaving the city (apart from those going to the towns opposite, such as Tromsdalen or Kvaloysletta). In other words, you can’t visit Grotfjord or spend a day in Sommaroy and come back. Apart from Ersfjordbotn, your only option for visiting the surrounding area is through an agency.

If you’re coming here to hike, snowshoe or do a lot of outdoor activities on your own, then you’ll absolutely need a car. If you want to visit on your own, the same applies. If you have activities scheduled every day or so, then no, you don’t need a car 🙂 Except if you want to go Northern Lights hunting by yourself every night! So yes, renting a car is useful in Tromso, but not essential

4 quality homes in Tromso

The risk of accidents is far from zero, sorry.

I wanted to start like this because over the years, as more and more tourists arrive, many with no experience of driving in difficult conditions, there are an increasing number of accidents. Here’s what can happen:

• • the silly accident: you don’t follow the red sticks along the road. You think you’re parking on the side of the road, but you end up in the snow. A classic! Usually not dangerous at all.
  • the very stupid and dangerous accident: you don’t remove the snow from your car. It’s true that when there’s a lot of it, you can do some funny things with it (a ridge, things like that…). Except that it’s ultra-dangerous because it’s going to fall on your windscreen, you won’t have any visibility, and as we’re talking about large blocks of ice, the windscreen wipers won’t do the trick.
  • loss of control on icy roads: it happens to everyone, especially if you’re careless and inexperienced. That’s why you need to keep your eyes on the road at all times, because these areas can be anticipated. Don’t make any sudden moves when passing over a slippery zone, or brake too hard, or turn the steering wheel to one side. Anticipate, and when you see it, drive slower.
  • lack of visibility due to the storm: in this case, I’d say it’s your fault. Because if the conditions are really bad, you shouldn’t go out. It’s really dangerous. I’ve seen guide minibuses overturned, campers and even a military vehicle. If you don’t see anything, if the snowfall is too heavy, don’t go out. I know it’s tempting to go see the aurora in Finland, but without experience, don’t.
  • Lack of attention to scenery and auroras: it can happen to even the best of us! If you look to the side (because it’s really beautiful), the car veers off course, and you can hit the scenery. I’ve seen tourists in this situation.
  • you’re parked like a slob: now I’m going to yell at you in anticipation. NEVER park on the road like “oh, they can overtake while I take a photo”. More and more people are doing it, and it’s extremely dangerous. There are small parking spaces everywhere, so use them. Even if you have to walk a bit, it’s better than stopping on the road. In the last two years, it’s crazy how much more regularly this happens. And it’s really dangerous.

Now, that’s not to say that if you rent a car, you’re bound to crash. The vast majority of the time, it’s fine, even for the uninitiated. This is really to prepare you for what can happen, and how to avoid it.

What to expect in terms of winter weather?

First of all, winter in Tromso may start in October. This means that the somewhat rotten conditions of snow and ice can occur early in the season. Often, early in the season, it snows, but it’s not too cold, so we end up with mostly a layer of snow. We won’t have much freezing rain, which is more likely to arrive in November.

But in winter, when it’s cool and settled, here’s what’s in store for you (we’ll go into more detail about the dangers involved shortly):

• snow on small roads
• big roads too, but they’re ploughed continuously
• under the snow, there’s a thick layer of black ice, snow that’s been accumulating for weeks/months
• the wind, which blows the snow onto the road
• thawing weather (from -10 to 6° all at once, with rain, and sudden melting)
• poor visibility at night
• heavy snowstorms, sometimes making it impossible to see at all

And this goes on until April, sometimes early May. I once had a beautiful snowstorm for Bastille Day:D

What dangers await you on Tromso’s roads?

So just above I’ve listed what’s in store for you in winter. And each case is a source of danger. Let’s take a closer look.

The amount of snow on the road

Oh yes, winter in the far north means lots of snow. And let’s be honest, if you’re here in winter, it’s because you want that snow, just like I do! The real magic of winter comes with lots and lots of snow 😀

Having lots of snow isn’t a danger in itself. Especially since the snowploughs will be coming by often. If there’s a lot of fresh snow, then drive slowly. The climbs in Tromso will be more difficult because you’ll be skating. But a fair amount of snow doesn’t prevent you from driving. You just risk slipping on the bends, but not losing control completely. That’s why it’s so important to take it easy. But if you don’t feel like it, just pull over to a quiet spot, wait for the snowplough to come and pass right after!

On the other hand, be careful not to deliberately drive into an area where there’s a lot of snow, because your car will get stuck! And good luck getting out of there:D (experience speaks for itself)

Fresh snow blown in by the wind

Now that’s annoying and a tad dangerous. The snowploughs push the snow to the side of the road. And so on the side we find the snow that has already fallen plus the snow on the road, which makes a good little quantity, sometimes we have 2m walls!

In short, this snow accumulated on the sides is a nuisance, because when the wind blows, it’s blown back onto the road. And worse, it’s put on the side of the road, where your right-hand wheels pass. This snow is not evenly distributed and will destabilize the car. When you see that you’re going to go over it, you can avoid it if it’s big, otherwise go over it but without accelerating or braking, nothing abrupt or it will really destabilize the car.

But just be careful, it’s manageable if you don’t do anything abrupt. Just don’t go full bore into it!

Thaws and sudden temperature changes

Normally, in winter it’s cold and there’s lots of snow. But then. Over the last few years we’ve been seeing mild spells, i.e. sudden rises in temperature. So in one day you can go from -10° to 6/7° and that’s very problematic because :

• the snow will melt very quickly with the rain, because yes, there’s a lot of rain to go with it
• and so all that’s going to appear very quickly is the layer of black ice that’s been there for months
• this layer of black ice is very dangerous because there’s no longer the snow to keep the road stable and prevent slipping
• add to this icy layer all the water that’s melting and you’ve got a truly dangerous cocktail.

This thaw usually lasts 36/48 hours. Then… it gets cold again.

Except that the thaw has melted a lot of snow, and all that water is going to freeze again very quickly! The result is a new layer of black ice.

In such cases, quite honestly, don’t go out. Because that’s what I consider the most dangerous. It’s a real ice rink, the buses don’t run, studded tires aren’t enough.

• Finally, a thaw will also increase the risk of avalanches. So as soon as there’s a thaw or temperatures suddenly turn positive (and worse, with rain), don’t go hiking in high-risk areas like the Lyngen Alps.

Snowstorms and lack of visibility

Oh yes, you didn’t think you’d come here without a snowstorm, did you? And in general, it’s no laughing matter. A lot of snow falling in a short space of time, you might say, is normal in Norway. It’s not to be taken lightly, and I’d advise you not to go out to see the Northern Lights if you do.

During these storms, visibility is reduced to practically zero. You can barely see the first red stick on the side.

These storms are causing more and more accidents among tourists, especially those who want to see the aurora at Kilpisjärvi (where the weather is generally better) and have to put up with lousy weather to get there (or back). And quite frankly, if you have no experience of driving in these conditions, don’t go. Really.

Animals that cross the road without looking

Have you ever driven in Paris, with the scooters bursting out of everywhere and crossing the road without looking? Well, it’s a bit the same here. Except that Parisians have to be replaced by reindeer, elk, rabbits or foxes. And even ermine.

Some are a risk, like reindeer and elk. Remember that reindeer are shy, so they’ll be on the road, but will quickly move to the side. The problem is driving fast and hitting them, because there are a lot of them, and they travel in groups.

The moose, it’s mainly your car that’s at risk. The moose doesn’t care. It’s on the road, it’s at home, it’s absolutely unafraid, so it won’t move. And he’s a big ball of muscle! They tend to live in small families, so if you see one, it’s not uncommon to have 2/3 others nearby.

Rabbits aren’t very smart. They’re attracted by headlights (the clever ones) and worse, they’ll stay on the road “ahhh where am I going? left? right? I don’t knooooow!” so they’ll zigzag in front of you. I’d say it’s the animal that presents the greatest risk. But for him, because your car shouldn’t really feel it.

Where there are rabbits, there are foxes. And foxes have the ability to cross ultra-fast at the last moment. They often do, but sometimes they don’t, unfortunately for these thrill-seekers.

The very good news is that it’s possible to come across these animals on the side of the road, quietly, and far enough away to be safe and within range of your camera. Because they’re super cute.

But beware of all these little creatures, and assume that, apart from on the main roads (though), a few animals can cross at any time. And the worst is at night, when visibility is poor.

What precautions should I take when driving around Tromso?

PLEASE FOLLOW THE RED STICKS ALONG THE ROAD!

Yes, I’m putting it in big because it’s ultra important. When you drive in Norway in winter, you have red sticks along the road. These have two functions:

• to delimit the road and the spaces where you can park when there’s too much snow
• to help you see where the road is during a snowstorm

When the snow melts or when it rains, all the water has to be evacuated, and this is done on the sides of the road. So on the sides there’s no dirt, but all the snow that’s piled up. You can’t tell what’s underneath. The red sticks are used to delimit the road, but also the parking spaces. This is very important if you don’t want to park in a pile of snow you can’t get out of. The “safe” recesses are well indicated either by a snow plough pass or by the red sticks.

In a snowstorm with poor visibility, these red sticks will save you. Thanks to them, you know where the limit of the road is, and seeing the first stick is important and sufficient. Sometimes you can’t see 2 metres, so you have to make do with this 😀 If this happens to you, then follow the sticks you can see on the right.

In terms of driving, here are the basic rules you must follow to avoid the unpleasant surprise of losing control of the vehicle:

• greater safety distances: on snow and ice, braking takes much longer. So if you have to brake quickly (which is often the case given the conditions and what’s crossing the road)
• don’t make any sudden braking maneuvers or fast-and-furious turns, as you’re sure to lose control.
• so you need to anticipate. Anticipate braking thanks to long safety distances, anticipate bends by not getting distracted and always keeping an eye on the road.
• you have to respect the speed limits, even if they change all the time. Firstly, because they are generally adapted to the road and driving on snow, but also because speed cameras cost a lot of money (experience speaks for itself).
• if you’re ever driving slowly, Norwegians don’t put pressure on you. They’ll overtake when they get the chance, not honk or flash their lights at you. They’re cool with that. On the other hand, if you see you’re blocking someone’s path, what you can do is step aside and let the cars behind you pass. It takes the pressure off “ah I’ve got to drive faster so I don’t block them”.
• finally, if there’s a storm, don’t go out.

4 northern lights agencies in Tromso

Is it important to have driven on snow before?

Having driven on snow and ice, yes, that definitely helps. Is it important, but not necessarily. I always say it’s just a question of common sense and confidence.

No sudden movements, safe distances, the kind of things we’ve seen before, it’s just common sense, even if you’re not experienced.

On the other hand, yes, the first time you might be a little apprehensive, and that’s normal. But I’d advise you to take the main roads to practice a little and build up your confidence. Like the big road heading south. It’s a good way to get the hang of it.

If you don’t feel like it, don’t force yourself, but try a little quietly, no one will pressure you.

Are the roads around Tromso well maintained?

Yes, and they’re really good. It’s snowing? the snowploughs are out. It’s windy and the snow is blowing sideways? same thing. They’re forecasting falling temperatures? so they’re going to salt the main roads.

The few really big roads are resurfaced every few years to avoid potholes. They treat the road before the snow and cold so that it doesn’t stick. And when it snows, there are lots of snowplows, all night long.

Smaller roads have salt and regular snowplows.

After that, they can’t work miracles. It’s much better than in Finnish Lapland, for example, but if it snows non-stop, there’ll always be a fair amount of snow on the road. I’ve been known to pass a few minutes after the plough and get 10cm of snow, because the wind was pushing it onto the road.

So road conditions and maintenance in case of snow is not what should bother you the most.

Can roads be closed due to the weather?

Yes, it happens. It’s not frequent, but it happens. Usually it’s because the avalanche risk is high (and I know something about that, I was stuck in my village for 4 days because of an avalanche on the only road 😀 ).

The roads that are often closed are those to the Lyngen Alps, to Sommaroy and to Rekvik.

To find out  which roads are closed in Tromso, use the Vegvesen website and the interactive map, which shows closures, current operations and reopening dates.

Driving at night in Tromso, be doubly careful

If you’re driving at night in Tromso, it’s either because you’re there during the polar night (and it’s dark at 2pm), or because you’re off to see the northern lights.

At night, you need to be even more careful than during the day, as :

• animals come out more, and as there are fewer cars, they reclaim their territory, especially elk
• lack of visibility, which is even more pronounced at night (logically) in snowy conditions
• fatigue. The lack of light is tiring here, especially during the day when it gets dark early and you feel like taking a nap. But the days are long, because by day you’re off to discover and by night you’re off to see the aurora. So there’s a lot to do, and at night you’re even more tired! Take some coffee, tea, that sort of thing on the way home.

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What type of car should I rent in Tromso?

In winter, ALL cars are properly equipped for winter, i.e. they have studded tires and most are AWD, i.e. with 4-wheel drive or integrated snow mode.

But your choice of car will depend on how you use it. If you’re driving on the main roads, the Kvaloya roads, the southern road, you’re going to Signaldalen, that sort of thing, you don’t need a big SUV, unless you need space. But the engine of a classic car will do the trick. Well, maybe not a Volkswagen Up, but a Polo or a Golf, for example. A Corolla is great, because it’s got plenty of space.

Do you have to rent a hybrid car? Plug-in cars are efficient, but restrictive, because to make it worthwhile, you always have to recharge (and in winter, it discharges faster). But chances are you’ll have a Toyota (they really do have a lot of them in rental agencies) and frankly, hybrids are top-notch, with very low fuel consumption.

So hybrids are useful, because filling up is expensive.

Otherwise, I had a great surprise with a Skoda station wagon diesel, which consumes absolutely nothing!

As for electric cars, they’re a great convenience, because recharging is cheap and available everywhere. That is, unless you go to really remote areas. Beware of range in winter: you have to halve it. A Tesla will hardly reach 300km.

Yes, they have a lot of electric cars here, but only for commuting. For longer journeys, to chase the auroras, it’s difficult to manage with this type of car because you have to recharge all the time.

• In the following article, I’ll tell you where to rent a car in Tromso and what type of vehicle to rent.

CAR RENTAL IN NORWAY

Rent a car in Norway from Discover Cars

So what are the pros and cons of driving in Tromso?

As I said in the introduction, you can visit Tromso and the surrounding area without a car, so it’s not a disadvantage. However, you won’t be able to go everywhere, you’ll have a lack of flexibility and it’s quite expensive to go through agencies.

Advantages and disadvantages of NOT having a car in Tromso in winter

• + you take no risks on the road
• + no stress if you’ve never driven before
• + basically, if you have daily activities, it’s not necessarily useful unless you want to go aurora-hunting on your own
• – you’re dependent on the agencies
• – there are very few buses to get you out of town and into the tourist areas
• – agencies can be expensive
• – you don’t have much flexibility in your planning, so you follow the agencies (well, that’s not a bad thing, because it’s superbly organized)

Advantages and disadvantages of owning a car in Tromso

• + you go where you want, when you want, that’s the big advantage, the flexibility to visit the Tromso region
• + it doesn’t prevent you from using agencies for special outings
• – you still need to be vigilant on the road
• – car rental prices can skyrocket during peak periods

If you need more information, don't hesitate to ask me by clicking here 🙂How can I help you ?

Other resources and articles about Tromso

To help you plan your stay in Tromso, I’ve written a lot about the destination. Here are the main articles that should interest you:

• How to organize your stay in Tromso: in this article I tell you absolutely everything you need to know about Tromso.
• Where to sleep in Tromso: here’s a list of the best hotels, as well as budget hotels, good apartments and nice places to stay outside the city.
• One-week itinerary in Tromso: discover the best of Tromso in winter, from places to see to must-do activities.
• All the things to do in Tromso: summer and winter alike, there are some incredible things to do in Tromso. Find out about them and all the providers!
• What to do in Tromso in winter: discover the best things to do in the snow!
• See the northern lights with a guide in Tromso: here are the best agencies to see the northern lights in the Troms region.
• The 10 best places to see the northern lights in Tromso: a list of easy-to-reach places to see the northern lights.
• Why rent a car in Tromso: what’s the point, where to rent