There are many great ways to use the extensive boat connections around Scandinavia to create multi-country loops. This allows you to experience all that the Nordics are famous for. Starting in Oslo and heading to Sweden and Denmark are classic routes. They offer flat terrain and safe roads, making it easy to push the kilometers each day. If you’re heading to Nordkapp via the Norwegian coast (Atlantic Coastal Route) we show you the options to continue your journey down Sweden or Finland and even connect back to Oslo. We hope these routes will provide some inspiration for your Nordic adventure. There are many other possibilities.
There are big differences in cycling infrastructure among the Scandinavian nations. You will find in Denmark there are cycle lanes everywhere and literally few to no dangerous roads to cycle on. But that safe and organized way to cycle does take some of the adventures out of your journey. I found Sweden similar to Norway with limited infrastructure on the open roads but plenty of good quiet roads that are enjoyable to ride. I personally have never cycled in Finland so can’t comment on their infrastructure. However, from what I’ve heard from our bikepacking community, Finland is another underrated cycle destination with many car-free roads and very safe to cycle.
Crossing road borders is usually very straightforward thanks to the Schengen agreement. It’s unlikely you’ll be stopped unless you have two large crates of beer strapped to your bike! Some of the border crossings are unmanned and make great photo opportunities. Ferries between the nations require you to carry a valid passport or authorized ID card. Norway, Sweden, and Denmark all have their own currency and banknotes (Krona/Krone). Finland is part of the Euro.
Don’t worry about carrying different currency notes. You can easily get by using your card in these advanced Western societies. Finland is one hour ahead of the other Scandinavian nations and each nation has its own language. Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish are very similar and it is common for them to talk with each other in their native tongue. Finnish is completely different and part of another language group but some Finns speak Swedish as their mother tongue. All four nations have in general excellent English skills and communicating and being understood in English should not be a problem.
Useful Cycling Websites:
Denmark: https://www.naviki.org/en/denmarkbybike/
Sweden: https://kattegattleden.se/en/
Finland: https://www.bikeland.fi/en – Love this site and the guys that run it.
Norway: The journey along Oslo Fjord towards Sweden is reasonably flat. From Kristiansand, you could cycle the coast back to Oslo. This is relativity flat and easy to cycle. If you decide to follow the Viking Trail heading north towards Dalen then the climbing begins and there are some tough sections to overcome.
Sweden: In general most of the routes we highlight are relatively flat and should not be too difficult for cyclists. However, there is a section in the far north that requires a 500m climb and on the journey towards Norway, there is a mountain range to cross with several climbs.
Denmark: This country is as flat as a pancake and you should find it the perfect place to comfortably cycle every day. Nevertheless, due to its flatness, there is no shelter from strong gusts of wind coming from the coastal areas. You can have tough headwinds at times which turns Denmark into a more challenging environment.
Finland: The Southern part of the route is mainly flat and as you head towards the coasts it flattens even more. The Northern part becomes more hilly and there will be some climbs to contend with. However, nothing reaches above 300m and this route or part of it should be manageable for most bike tourists.
Norway: There are cycling signs on all parts of the routes in this series. Routes 7 from Oslo and Route 1 from Moss will lead you down to the Swedish Border. Route 9 will lead you north of Kristiansand and route 2 over Telemark before leading back onto route 1 towards Oslo. There are small parts where there will be no signs but in general, the routes should not be too difficult to follow.
Sweden: The routes around most parts of the coast are signposted but like Norway expect gaps where you will see no signs for a period or old signs that are somewhat unrecognizable. The journey from Oslo to Stockholm is not an official cycling route and thus don’t expect to find many signs unless they connect with other routes. The Eurovelo 7 route along the northern coastline is still in development and will feature few signs at present but expect more to be installed soon.
Denmark: There are signs all over its comprehensive cycling route network. Expect to see signs all along the routes but navigating the cities and towns you pass can be challenging. I have gotten lost cycling out of a Danish town before but once I hit the right route it’s easy to follow.
Finland: The Eurovelo 11 which this route mainly follows is still in the development stage for road signs. You will come across local signs in places and small parts of the route are signposted. Unfortunately, there will be many areas without signs, and having a GPS map to follow is advisable for this and all routes in the series.
I have always found public transport in Scandinavia to be of a good standard. You will find train stations or local buses along many sections of these routes with the exception of the far north. Denmark, Norway, and Finland allow bikes on buses and trains making it an easy way to skip a section or retire if mechanical or injuries occur. Sweden is the black sheep of the family and doesn’t allow bikes on buses or trains unless in a bike box. It’s a real nuisance and I always pray I don’t have a mechanical on Swedish roads!
Cycle Norway is dedicated to making Norway, safer and more enjoyable to experience by bike and to inspire and inform a growing audience of the opportunities available.
