Renting a car is often the best way to discover the fjords, rural areas and places poorly served by public transport. Pick-up is generally simple and rests on trust and pragmatism: little paperwork, little suspicion, they hand you the keys and trust you to bring the car back in good shape, but a few checks avoid unexpected fees at drop-off.
You will find the main international chains at airports and in the big cities: Hertz, Avis, Budget, Thrifty, Europcar and Sixt, among others.
Do not compare the headline price alone. Also check the excess, the deposit required, the mileage included, the number of authorised drivers, the fee for returning the car in another city, and how tolls and ferries will be rebilled.
Note: Europcar no longer has a rental office at Oslo Gardermoen airport. Vehicle pick-up and drop-off take place in the industrial area of the town next to the airport, with a chauffeur-driven transfer. Allow an extra 30 to 45 minutes before you can hit the road. This company also carries out a detailed inspection of every little scratch when you return the vehicle. It is surprising.
Alternatives to traditional agencies
To pay less, Rent-a-Wreck is an interesting option. The chain rents cars that are generally older, but maintained and often offered at gentler prices.
Getaround gives access to private cars. The choice is wide, but creating and validating your profile can be tedious. Do it calmly before you leave, not the night before. Unlike conventional agencies, Getaround requires you to return the vehicle clean, inside and out. Plan a trip to the car wash if needed to avoid fees.
Hyre offers fully self-service rental, notably at Oslo Gardermoen, Bergen Flesland and Trondheim Værnes airports. There is no counter and no key handover: you book on the website or in the app, then your smartphone is used to locate, unlock, start and return the car.
So do not look for a Hyre employee in the rental area. Once your booking is confirmed, the app shows you exactly where the vehicle is. Create your account, get your licence validated and install the app before the trip. Also make sure your phone is charged and that you have mobile coverage on arrival.
Apps: Hyre for Android and Hyre for iPhone.
Check the car before you leave
Even when pick-up is quick or unstaffed, inspect the car before leaving the car park. Photograph all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen, the roof and the interior. For an electric car, also check the cable and the charging socket.
Report immediately any damage not listed in the contract or the app. At drop-off, take a few more photos showing the vehicle's condition, the mileage, the fuel or battery level and where the car was parked. Keep them until the rental is definitively closed.
Excess, deposit and insurance
Check the excess in case of damage or theft as well as the insurance exclusions. Tyres, wheels, the windscreen, the underside of the car, the roof and charging or fuelling mistakes are not always covered the same way.
Some agencies require a credit card in the main driver's name and temporarily block a deposit on it. A debit card, even Visa or Mastercard, may be refused or subject to different conditions. Check this before booking, especially if you do not have a credit card.
Electric or petrol/diesel car?
Electric cars hold an important place in Norwegian rental fleets, but combustion vehicles remain available. An electric car suits most itineraries very well, as long as you plan charging a little ahead. I come back to this in detail on the charging page.
At drop-off, agencies often ask for a battery charged to at least 70%. The threshold and any fees vary by rental company, though: always check the conditions of your booking. Allow enough time before a flight, as finding a charger, charging and then reaching the rental car park can take longer than expected.
For a combustion car, also check whether the vehicle must be returned with a full tank. Keep the receipt from the last petrol station until the rental is closed.
Tolls and ferries
Tolls are fully automated and many ferries also identify the vehicle by its plate. With a rental car, passages are generally rebilled after the trip, sometimes with administrative fees added by the agency.
You normally have nothing to pay at the point of passage, but check the rental company's conditions to know how and when these fees will be charged. Find the details on the tolls and transport pages.
Once you have the keys, it is time to drive. Find give way to the right, the rules, road behaviour and winter driving on the Driving in Norway page.
In brief
- Traditional agencies: Hertz, Avis, Budget, Thrifty, Europcar and Sixt.
- Alternatives: Rent-a-Wreck, Getaround and Hyre.
- Inspect and photograph the car at pick-up and return.
- Check the excess, the deposit, the mileage and the authorised drivers.
- For an electric car, check the return threshold, often set at at least 70%.
- Keep a time margin for charging and ferries.
- See also: Driving in Norway.