Car rental in Oslo

Be prepared for the fact that traffic enforcement officers almost never drive cars with identification signs. They use ordinary civilian vehicles, which are very difficult to spot. As a result, the best way to avoid fines is simply not to break the traffic regulations. Furthermore, the fines are quite substantial:

Be aware that it makes no difference whether you exceed the speed limit by 1 or 100 km/h: the fine will be the same. Speed limits are standard throughout the country. The maximum speed allowed within built-up areas is 50 km/h. Outside built-up areas the speed limit is 80 km/h. The speed limit on express roads is 100 km/h. If you are driving an articulated lorry, its speed on express roads must not exceed 80 km/h.

There are no problems with finding parking spaces in Oslo. There are many both paid and free parking areas. On weekdays, to leave your rental car in a car park in Oslo, you will have to pay a fairly substantial amount. On average, the cost of parking is 4 Euro. After parking your car, purchase a parking ticket from the machine.

Note that the machine accepts 1, 5, 10 and 20 crown coins, as well as credit cards. When leaving the car, do not forget to place the ticket on the dashboard under the windscreen.

It is strongly advised not to drive a rental car in Oslo if you have been drinking alcohol. If you do, you are likely to have serious problems with the law. Norwegian legislation is extremely strict regarding drink-driving. It does not matter whether you have 1 or 20 years of driving experience. Under no circumstances may the alcohol level in your blood exceed 0.02 permille.

International traffic regulations apply in Oslo, so you can hire a car without any problems. However, there are some differences you should be aware of.

• Residential areas

When driving in residential areas, never exceed the maximum permitted speed of 30 km/h.

• Speed bumps

As in any other European city, there are many speed bumps on the roads in Oslo. However, most of them are not marked with road signs, so be careful.

• Dipped headlights

Regardless of the time of day or weather conditions, dipped headlights must be switched on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and in all seasons.

• Seat belts

Norwegian traffic regulations prohibit driving if at least one passenger has not fastened their seat belt. Seat belts must be fastened on both the front and rear seats. The fine is quite substantial at 100 Euro.

When hiring a car in Oslo, it is useful to know some basic information about filling stations. In Norway you can buy 95 fuel, 98 fuel, diesel and gas. Dutch bayonet adapters are used at almost all filling stations. Dish adapters are encountered a little less often. If the car you have hired runs on fuel, remember that it is permitted to transport fuel in cans; however, the amount must not exceed 40 litres.

The cost of fuel is average compared with other European countries:

• 95 fuel costs 1.57 Euro
• 90 fuel costs 1.87 Euro
• Diesel fuel costs 1.75 Euro

At filling stations, you can pay both in cash and by credit card.

If you book a car in Oslo in order to see the sights of Norway, prepare for your trip in advance. There are more than 45 toll roads in the country. Some of them are equipped with electronic toll gates, while on others payment is taken in cash only. In addition, a few roads are closed in winter. Make sure you check all the necessary information before setting off.