Ten days from Evenes to Bodø via Andøya, the E10 through the Lofoten Islands to the village of Å, then the Moskenes ferry with the car. White-sand beaches, fishing villages on stilts and the whales of Andenes, on tarmac roads that hug the sea.
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
From late May to mid-July, the sun never sets (28 May to 14 July according to Visit Lofoten); June to September for hiking. From late August to mid-April for the northern lights, with studded tyres, bridges closed in strong winds and polar night in Svolvær from 7 December to 5 January.
🚗 222 km · 3h50 of driving from Harstad
The Rv83, E10 and Rv85 to Sortland, then the Rv82 over the Andøy Bridge and along the east coast of Andøya. Urban toll in Harstad.
🚗 219 km · 3h40 of driving from Andenes
The Andøya tourist route via Bleik, the Rv82 and Rv85, then the E10 via Lofast. Closures of up to 8 hours near the spaceport.
🚗 68 km · 1h10 of driving from Svolvær
The E10 over the Gimsøystraumen Bridge, which closes automatically in strong winds, then Borg and its Viking museum.
🚗 69 km · 1h15 of driving from Leknes
The E10 through the Nappstraumen undersea tunnel, a detour to Nusfjord, then the Kåkern Bridge, closed in strong winds, and Hamnøy.
🚗 101 km · 3h25 of driving from Reine
The E10 to the Moskenes quay, then the 3 hour 15 minute ferry to Bodø: NOK 605 per car, booking recommended from May to September.
Evenes, then Svolvær (2 nights) via Lofast, Leknes (1) and Reine (2), before the ferry to Bodø (1). You skip Harstad and Andøya, and with them the whales.
| Evenes, July (most expensive month) | ≈ €100 a day (Kayak, September 2026) |
|---|---|
| Evenes, May (cheapest month) | ≈ €48 a day |
| Small car at Evenes | €45 to €112 a day |
| Bodø, July and November | ≈ €78 and ≈ €41 a day |
| Vehicle | City car or compact: everything is tarmac. An electric hire car pays NOK 424 on the ferry instead of 605. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Evenes Airport, dropped off in Bodø after the ferry; or a loop from Evenes. |
| One-way hire | One-way fees vary by rental firm and car size: compare the total price. |
| Insurance | CDW included, excess up to NOK 20,000; Supercover reduces it to NOK 2,000 (Hertz). |
| Age and card | Age 19 and one year's driving experience; credit card in the driver's name. |
| Tolls, ferries, car parks | Read by camera (AutoPASS) and recharged by the rental firm after the hire. |
⚠️ One-way Evenes-Bodø: the one-way fee depends on the rental firm, so check it. And without a booking (NOK 130), the ferry may leave full in summer.
Valid for as long as it is valid at home (Norway is in the EEA), no International Driving Permit needed; rental firms require one year's driving experience. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
Dipped headlights compulsory day and night, even under the midnight sun.
50 in town (30 in residential areas), 80 by default, 90 to 110 on signposted expressways.
Strict checks; in practice, not a single drink before driving.
Half the spaces can be booked, before 20:00 the day before; arrive 45 minutes before departure.
The Gimsøystraumen and Kåkern bridges (E10) close in strong winds, sometimes at very short notice.
Away from cultivated land, 150 m from houses, unless a sign forbids it; never in a passing place.
Tents at least 150 m from an inhabited house; open fires in nature banned from 15 April to 15 September.
In Nordland and Troms; at least 3 mm of tread in winter, whatever the tyre.
Hand-held phones banned while driving; hands-free kit only.
Cameras and tags. The rental firm recharges the cost; a foreign-registered car receives an invoice, unless registered on Epass24.
≈ €2.75 a litre (NOK 29.63 on 21 September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 679 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €130 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
Filling stations in Svolvær, Leknes, Ramberg (unmanned) and Reine, then Bodø. Norwegian prices fluctuated sharply in 2026: check locally.
| Harstad (Harstadpakken) | NOK 20 per pass, only one charged per hour |
|---|---|
| Bodø (Veipakke Salten) | NOK 21 per pass, only one charged per hour |
| E10 in the Lofoten, Lofast, Nappstraumen tunnel | Free |
| Bodø-Moskenes ferry, car under 6 m | NOK 605; booking NOK 130; passengers free |
| Haukland Beach | NOK 26 an hour, first 20 minutes free |
| Innersand car park (Kvalvika, Ryten) | NOK 100, plus NOK 100 for the night |
| Nusfjord | Entry fee for the village in season |
| Gimsøystraumen and Kåkern bridges (E10) | Close automatically in strong winds, at any time of year |
|---|---|
| Bodø-Moskenes ferry | Cancelled in storms, as were all departures on 1 April 2026 |
| Andøya tourist route, near the spaceport | Up to 8 hours during Andøya Spaceport operations |
| Andenes-Gryllefjord ferry (to Senja) | Summer only; last day 27 September 2026 |
| Reinebringen | Sometimes closed in summer for works; not advisable in snow |
| Sun in Svolvær | Polar night from about 7 December to 5 January |
Allow 7 to 10 days. Our itinerary has 6 stages and 9 nights from Evenes to Bodø, about 650 km of driving plus a 3 hour 15 minute ferry, not counting the return trips to Henningsvær, Unstad or Å. With 7 days, skip Harstad and Andøya and drive from Evenes to Svolvær on the E10.
For 10 days in July: about €1,000 of hire at Evenes (€100 a day, Kayak average), €150 of petrol for about 800 km at September 2026 prices, €70 for the Bodø-Moskenes ferry including the booking, and a few euros in tolls and parking. Add the one-way fee, which varies by rental firm.
From May to September, yes. A car under 6 m costs NOK 605, plus NOK 130 for the booking; passengers travel free. Half the spaces can be booked with Torghatten, before 20:00 the day before. Without a booking, you queue at the quay and the boat may leave full. The crossing takes about 3 hours 15 minutes.
Tents are allowed at least 150 m from an inhabited house, for two nights in the same place. This right does not extend to vehicles: a van stops at a rest area away from cultivated land, with no prohibition sign, and never in a passing place. Open fires in nature are banned from 15 April to 15 September.
Yes, the E10 stays open all year. The northern lights can be seen from late August to mid-April. Studded tyres are allowed from 16 October to 30 April, the Gimsøystraumen and Kåkern bridges close in strong winds, and the Moskenes ferry is cancelled on stormy days. In Svolvær, polar night lasts from about 7 December to 5 January.
One-way from Evenes to Bodø saves retracing your steps but comes with a one-way fee. To avoid it, do a loop from Evenes: from Reine, the drive back takes nearly 5 hours on the E10. In the other direction, take the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes and finish at Evenes.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/lofoten · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
