Nordic travel plans August / September 2017

[Jenben]

That route is very popular with cruise coaches @DavidG58 and so I don't think you will break your Hymer on it, its a fantastic route we posted some pictures on our thread.

 

[lorger]

@DavidG58 David here is a link to the place I mentioned on the West coast of Sweden, doesn't look much as you drive up through an industrial but well worth a stay if your in the area.
https://www.campercontact.com/en/sweden/skane/landskrona/27402/motorhome-parking-lundakrahamnen.aspx

http://www.lundakrahamnen.se/husbilar

 

[jumartoo]

We'll be setting off on our Scanditour on Saturday, leaving from here (Arvika) and heading up the coast before crossing into Norway to Narvik. I'll be posting things of interest and places to stay.

 

[Augusta08]

Hi David I decided the E45 E20 route would be quicker than ferries and considerably cheaper. The Augusta is 7.5mtrs and 4500kg. Interestingly our V5 document doesn't show a weight, but the VIN plate is clear enough.

We have now rescheduled to Late April/May/June 2018.

Gerry & Anne

 

[DavidG58]

Hi David I decided the E45 E20 route would be quicker than ferries and considerably cheaper. The Augusta is 7.5mtrs and 4500kg. Interestingly our V5 document doesn't show a weight, but the VIN plate is clear enough.

We have now rescheduled to Late April/May/June 2018.

Gerry & Anne

that's odd about the weight, I thought that all above 3,5t had to show the weight, mine does and was changed from 5000kg to 5500kg, classed as PHGV

as someone else said higher up virtually all the crossing options seem to work out virtually the same, but the annual pass on the Oresund bridge cost about €20, then lets MH's cross for €44 instead of €100 in our case, still hoping e get discount on the Storebaelt bridge as well, or that they let us over at the lower weight rate, €51 instead of €100

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[DavidG58]

Now getting down to nitty gritty, money, specifically cash

I know most of do everything by card, I am recognising we might have to more this trip as well, but always like to have enough cash, just in case and I just prefer it

but for this trip we will need Danish, Swedish and Norwegian Krone

questions for those that have been before

did you need or use much cash?

if you went across the bridge from Denmark did you pay in Danish Krone or Swedish?

are Euro accepted in many places? if so is the exchange rate 'decent'?

cant believe I am so prepared, mind you I haven't ordered the cash yet, still time to forget

 

[moulin 87]

In Norway most everywhere took cards including campsites, ferries etc... We ended up having to buy fuel with what we had left.. Bridge we paid in euros by card....

Used very little cash, just for a coffee or a cake from the bakers..etc..

Everybody speaks English so in supermarkets you can't read anything but they are helpful.. Most shops/campsites certainly near the borders seemed to take any of the Kroner cash..but not guaranteed.

 

[jumartoo]

We've used a mix of cards and cash (obtained from the cash point) here in Sweden so far. The place we stayed on in Ullared had to be paid for by card in a machine at the entrance. Other places we've stayed we paid cash.

We've not spent much yet but will need to fuel up soon!

 

[Jenben]

Now getting down to nitty gritty, money, specifically cash

I know most of do everything by card, I am recognising we might have to more this trip as well, but always like to have enough cash, just in case and I just prefer it

but for this trip we will need Danish, Swedish and Norwegian Krone

questions for those that have been before

did you need or use much cash?

if you went across the bridge from Denmark did you pay in Danish Krone or Swedish?

are Euro accepted in many places? if so is the rate 'decent'?

cant believe I am so prepared, mind you I haven't ordered the cash yet, still time to forget

We took about £100 in each currency and that was more than enough to see us through ! However this is us northern mean folk who didn't eat out on our trip, this would just about cover two beers and a pizza.

We used credit cards most of the time, they are widely accepted everywhere, there were plenty of cash machines. You do need some cash for honesty boxes which were widely used at camperstops, in Denmark the camperstop accepted euros as well ( in Norway this was also sometimes an option).

 

[moulin 87]

Just remembered in Norway most petrol stations were card only... automatic pay at pump. To use cash was a hazzle.ie reversing out from one pump into another pump which they could unlock from the shop...

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[Augusta08]

I've got my Oresund pass ready to stick on the windscreen so should be ok for tolls. I'm hoping that I can pay with the Creidt Agricole Mastercard and use €'s for the rest.

What has anyone done about AA or vehicle recovery? I normally don't bother in Europe as I think there wouldn't be much difference getting a clutch fixed on Peugeot Van in France as the UK, but I wouldn't like to find out what it would cost in Norway???

 

[DavidG58]

I've got my Oresund pass ready to stick on the windscreen so should be ok for tolls. I'm hoping that I can pay with the Creidt Agricole Mastercard and use €'s for the rest.

What has anyone done about AA or vehicle recovery? I normally don't bother in Europe as I think there wouldn't be much difference getting a clutch fixed on Peugeot Van in France as the UK, but I wouldn't like to find out what it would cost in Norway???

Bev ordered our annual pass yesterday, then got involved in reading which toll booth we have to use, trying to convince me we have to use an auto booth, I hate them, always convinced that will be the time no cards work and I have the get a queue to back up, so will sneak into the manned booth lane

still hoping that pass also gives discount on the other bridge and that they don't check our weight, if over 6m and over 3.5tons the toll doubles to 100€, you can be over 6m as we are but if up to 3.5 tons (which we aren't) it is only 51€

As for breakdown, we have RAC full European cover, but I must check that extends to Norway, until I read your post I had just presumed it did to cover over 8m and over 5 tons we had to get RAC cover via C + CC, oddly you can't get that cover if you go directly to RAC

But by the time we travel we might have changed our insurers due to the mileage issues and are looking to include breakdown cover with that new policy so would have double cover

 

[Jenben]

still hoping that pass also gives discount on the other bridge and that they don't check our weight, if over 6m and over 3.5tons the toll doubles to 100€, you can be over 6m as we are but if up to 3.5 tons (which we aren't) it is only 51€

Looking at the easygo.com website (that the oresundbizz toll pass links to) the pass will work on the Storebælt Bridge. Prices are -
Camper vans over 6 m - max 3,500 kg 346,75 DKK
Camper vans over 3,500 kg up to 10 m 679,25 DKK

so worst case around £80 - still a discount

When we signed up for the toll pass they didn't ask for length, height or weight. I assumed the tool stations would auto sense the appropriate rate like in France but we ended up classed as a car on the Oresund bridge so I suspect you have a good chance of getting the car or small camper rate

 

[DavidG58]

When we signed up for the toll pass they didn't ask for length, height or weight. I assumed the tool stations would auto sense the appropriate rate like in France but we ended up classed as a car on the Oresund bridge so I suspect you have a good chance of getting the car or small camper rate

I think the annual pass that we have also ordered means the rate per crossing drops to €44 which I think is also the car rate, but I am very easily confused and decided we will pay what is asked for

We nave ordered the bizz pass and like you didn't have to enter size, did you then use auto tolls with the bizz thing, or stop and use CC, or manual tolls ?

Auto open options terrify me, watching the lorries barely slow on the French tolls is very scary, not that the barrier will do a lot of damage to the front of a lorry compared to our MH

 

[Jenben]

I think the annual pass that we have also ordered means the rate per crossing drops to €44 which I think is also the car rate, but I am very easily confused and decided we will pay what is asked for

We used the bizzpass toll tag with no problem on the Oresund bridge - you can use any of the green lanes on the left marked with a car and the bizz symbol (dont use the green lanes on the right marked with a bus/truck). It also worked fine at all the other toll points in Norway. You will see the green light flash as you pass each toll gantry but the beep on our tag never worked.

The rate on the Oresund bridge should be €44 with the pass but we were charged €22. Well, nearly €22 but they charge in DKK everywhere so there is often a slight difference from the quoted € or NKK due to exchange fluctuations. Any transactions will be posted to your online account overnight so you can check the following day (although it did take 48hrs for them to decide what class to charge us on the bridge!).

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[Just smiffy]

Now getting down to nitty gritty, money, specifically cash

I know most of do everything by card, I am recognising we might have to more this trip as well, but always like to have enough cash, just in case and I just prefer it

but for this trip we will need Danish, Swedish and Norwegian Krone

questions for those that have been before

did you need or use much cash?

if you went across the bridge from Denmark did you pay in Danish Krone or Swedish?

are Euro accepted in many places? if so is the exchange rate 'decent'?

cant believe I am so prepared, mind you I haven't ordered the cash yet, still time to forget

I think this would be a perfect time to get the Revolut card David, you can add different currencies to the card at anytime and get the best rates, you can have GB pounds, euros and all the Krone's you need on one card and add to it any time from your main account....

 

[DavidG58]

Thanks @Smith and Sharp we did try a Caxton card to use on aires in France, never did find one that accepted it

Will have a serious look at this option, but it sounds complex to me, but open minded, I will look




then leave it to Bev to sort

 

[Just smiffy]

Thanks @Smith and Sharp we did try a Caxton card to use on aires in France, never did find one that accepted it

Will have a serious look at this option, but it sounds complex to me, but open minded, I will look




then leave it to Bev to sort

It's easier then you think, I have family that use it all over the world and never had a problem... for me it's unbeatable

 

[DavidG58]

It's easier then you think, I have family that use it all over the world and never had a problem... for me it's unbeatable

had a look thanks, but more importantly sent a link to Bev to sort out, it now has an excellent chance of happening

 

[Hellski]

Thanks @Smith and Sharp we did try a Caxton card to use on aires in France, never did find one that accepted it

Will have a serious look at this option, but it sounds complex to me, but open minded, I will look

then leave it to Bev to sort

Agree with @Smith and Sharp, Revolut all the way. Fantastic resource for any traveler. Recently used in France and accepted everywhere including Aires. No need to worry about what currency you'll need, just load with sterling and let Revolut convert the transaction for you using the inter bank exchange rate.

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[DavidG58]

This pre planning business is making me worried now, no wonder I don't usually bother

the Oresund crossing with its bizzpass link then says do not carry or use 2 tags

but we have preregistered with EPCPLC for Norway tolls, although that's not a tag, am I now in danger of paying tolls twice?

 

[moulin 87]

@DavidG58 I'll say one thing, how to make a simple and relaxing holiday, complicated and stressful... You are 'THE MAN'

 

[Jenben]

but we have preregistered with EPCPLC for Norway tolls, although that's not a tag, am I now in danger of paying tolls twice?

No. You're won't be carrying two tags (unless you have one for another country already - if so stick it in the metallic bag they provided to stop it registering). EPCPLC is a manual system and will only chase instances where a vehicle doesn't have a tag at all and the toll camera is activated. You will have a record of all your tolls, so if for any reason you got billed twice then Oresundbizz would quickly fix it. After using a French tag for years, then the Oresund one, they just work. We have never been mischarged. Don't worry about it. Stick the tag in your windscreen and forget about it.

 

[DavidG58]

nice development today, Oresund pass arrived in post

Bev even wants to keep the envelope, something to do with scrap booking

Bev has also been shopping, she has convinced herself that north means cold

less than three weeks to go now

been into our own vets today to ask about getting the passport stamped before we leave, gives us 5 days to get over the Norway border and be safe crossing into Sweden, need to replan route now though, will go up through Norway, probably Oslo / Lillehammer, then trolls ladder, atlantic road, Lofoten Isles, then back down through Sweden

 

[Robert Clark]

Nice hats David

What about the dog?

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[Riverbankannie]

I think those hats will be useful today in UK let alone going north! Just spoken to my sister in Stockholm, warmer there than here.
Don't forget plenty of mossie protection for Sweden.

 

[jumartoo]

So we should pass somewhere between Lofoten and the Atlantic road!!!

It's not cold here at the moment. We're now almost at the Swedish coast at Soderhamn. Would have made it but we were held up in a traffic jam. Burnt out car and caravan!

Not seen or heard a mozzie yet in Sweden. Had a (very) few midgies in the forest one day. There seems to be a lack of any small, irritating, flying things. Just wait now I've said that!!!

 

[DavidG58]

So we should pass somewhere between Lofoten and the Atlantic road!!!

At least that narrows it down to a few hundreds miles

sounds like a nice plan though, I reckon we need to be allowing 6 days for the drive home at a decent pace, so must be out of Lofoten by 18th September, at the other end on similar logic will be allowing 6 days to get to Trollstigen, from where our Norway will really start for us this time, leaving the southern end for next time

So somewhere between 1st - 18th September, we will be heading north towards Lofoten , although I hope to be on the Lofoten isles for a good few days


I am going to sneakily over order the currency we take, then use the excess we get home with to justify a return trip next year

 

[jumartoo]

We need to be in Bergen to meet up with Jan and Eli either before 16 September or after the 24th. Between these dates there is the Bergen Cycle week (World Championships for road cycling) and, although we'd like to watch some of this, the place will be stuffed!!!

 

[jumartoo]

Out of interest I looked up the motorhome parking for the event. 500 NOK per night and you have to book the whole package!!!

Will be giving that one a very wide berth.

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