When
May - September
Written by
Matthew Tolley
Distance
861km
Days
5-14
High point
342m
Difficulty
3/10
Unpaved
0%
Total Ascent
8814
Ferries
9
Tunnels
19
Welcome to The Coastal Route or ‘Kystriksveienin’ as it’s known in Norwegian. Stretching from Trondheim in the middle of Norway to Bodø in the far north. This scenic coastal stretch has been voted one of the best road trips on the planet. But better still, it’s one of Norway’s least visited areas. The coastline is scattered with over 12,000 small islands. The unique-looking mountains and geographical features raising up from the fjords will keep you amazed all day. Do you fancy sleeping on the Arctic Circle watching the midnight sun hover along the horizon? Or perhaps you want to cycle a few of the remote mountainous islands and hike to their summits. When the weather is settled this is as close to a cycling holiday paradise as you’ll get.
This area of the country is a journey of real discovery. Departing Trondheim, it feels like you’re leaving civilization behind and heading into the great unknown. Within a short period, you’ll be completely on your own with only small farms reminding you that people live here.
The small pockets of civilization that you cycle by will remind you of a simple traditional past. You may see locals fishing in the beautiful lakes and rivers northwest of Trondheim. By the time you reach Brønnøysund, you may be asking if you’re still in Norway. This area is very difficult from the northern and southern parts of the country. I call it the forgotten Norway you will not forget!
There are at least 9 ferries to catch and all are free, however, due to the remoteness of this route you will need to time them well or expect a few hours of waiting around! There are also a number of tunnels. Most of the tunnels are quiet and you should have no problem cycling through them. Overall the traffic is very low and controlled by the ferry system.
It is recommended you take a few detours to some of the islands and fjords The world heritage island of Vega is highly recommended. There is also the opportunity to cycle up to a glacier arm if you have time (See maps below)
The whole route is signposted and paved on good roads. The fjords, glaciers, and the wide variety of mountain peaks should keep you entertained each day. Furthermore, camping on the Arctic Circle and watching the sun hover along the horizon is a golden ticket experience that makes this route a must for many long-distance bike tourists.
This is one of the flattest areas to cycle in Norway. You will find a few hills at the beginning with one climb reaching 300m. However, after that it really starts to flatten out and is very pleasant to cycle in parts. Later on there is another 3oom+ tough climb around a beautiful fjord but the views from the top will reward your hard work. Expect some strong wind on unsettled days especially around the exposed coastal areas.
Although the route travels through a sparsely populated region, there are enough shops and campsites/hotels to ensure you won't have many logistical problems. The route is reasonably flat for large segments and comfortable for most levels.
The Vega Archipelago is a world heritage site and one of the wonders of this coastline. People have been fishing in these waters for over 10,000 years, and the main island Vega has some unique rock formations that date back to 2 billion years ago. If the weather is settled it's well worth the detour to cycle. Read more about the island here
A short detour from the main route will take you to one of the most famous glacier arms in Norway. The Svartisen glacier has daily summer boat services to the glacier and if you like you join a group and walk up the glacier. Book in advance
All 9 ferries are free to cyclists. However, if you take any extra ferries to the islands expect to pay 100-200kr per journey. Island ferries and their timetables are on the route map (some links may not work).
Note: If you don’t want to cycle the 13km out of Trondheim to catch the first free ferry across the fjord. You can take the passenger-only ferry from Trondheim center for a fee of around 175kr. Trondheim – Vanvikan
There are 19 tunnels along the route, many are short and easy to pass through on very quiet roads. The tunnels mentioned below I have highlighted on the route map.
There are four really long tunnels, Sjonatunnelen (2796m), Silatunnelen (2882m), Straumdalstunnelen (3200m), Storvikskartunnelen (3100m), The first three you have no option but to go through them but they are remarkably quiet and surprisingly fun to cycle through. Storvikskartunnelen (3100m) you can take the old road over the mountain but it’s easier to just go through.
The ones I didn’t like are clustered together about 100km south of Bodø, Skauvolltunnelen (247m), Vindviktunnelen (980m), and Sundsfjordtunnelen (772m). They are all on the RV17 which may have a bit of traffic at certain times of the day. In general, they are safe but not a pleasant experience if traffic is in the tunnel.
Tip: On the long tunnels (2-3km) it can be remarkably cold the deeper you go. Layer up before entering and have gloves available as your fingers may get very cold.
There are very few busy roads on this route. The ferry network control traffic so expect a 20-30 convoy to pass every few hours but that means expect many hours each day of very little traffic. As mentioned above a small stretch of the RV17 100km south of Bodø is probably the only unpleasant part.
In summer you can have both high and low temperatures. I experienced an Arctic heatwave which might sound fantastic (it was) but with 24 daylight the sun is very draining over time. If you camp expect your tent to be like an oven by 5 or 6 am and sunscreen will be required all day! If low pressure comes off the Atlantic the temperatures can drop (even in peak summer) making it cold and bringing wet and misty conditions. There are also stretches of the route completely exposed to the coast and this can be challenging if unlucky with the wind direction.
Finnmark too has a certain mystique. Being about the same distance from Oslo as Istanbul, in some ways, it’s basically the last stop before the North Pole. The undoubted highlight of the journey is simply cycling the wild expanse of Europe’s last great wilderness. It will feel very lonely up here but isn’t that a reason to cycle it? The cycling heat maps of the world are full of well-ridden roads. Here you will join a small group of cyclists seeking something extraordinary. Passing wild herds of reindeer and perhaps not seeing another human for many hours is why you came – right? The ride comes to an end in the town of Kirkenes which has Russian road signs. This will indicate you have reached the boundaries of the Western world!
Finnmark too has a certain mystique. Being about the same distance from Oslo as Istanbul, in some ways, it’s basically the last stop before the North Pole. The undoubted highlight of the journey is simply cycling the wild expanse of Europe’s last great wilderness. It will feel very lonely up here but isn’t that a reason to cycle it? The cycling heat maps of the world are full of well-ridden roads. Here you will join a small group of cyclists seeking something extraordinary. Passing wild herds of reindeer and perhaps not seeing another human for many hours is why you came – right? The ride comes to an end in the town of Kirkenes which has Russian road signs. This will indicate you have reached the boundaries of the Western world!
All cycling routes published on CYCLENORWAY.com are simply a planning resource to be used as a point of inspiration in conjunction with your own due-diligence. All route guidelines were prepared under diligent research. However, we can never for certain insure the complete accuracy of the routes. Cycling in Norway is in general very safe. Nevertheless, should you choose to cycle this route you do so at your own risk.
Check out this helpful video to see how the routes can be uploaded onto your mobile device and cycling computer.
Cycling long distance is tough, and you should not attempt routes that are beyond your level.
If you discover any inaccuracies on this page, please let us know so we can correct them.
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