Getting to Lofoten by Camper Van | Best Itinerary & Campsites

Getting to the Lofoten Islands by campervan is a long and demanding drive, which is why we spent a long time weighing up whether we really wanted to take on a road trip to Norway’s northern islands. It’s more than 2,500 km to reach the Lofoten archipelago, depending on where in Germany you start from. Once we’d finally made our dream of owning a campervan come true, we quickly got into planning our first Lofoten trip in July 2022. Getting there was a huge part of that planning.

What’s the best way to get to the Lofoten Islands? Do you take the ferry from Hirtshals, or drive over the toll bridges into Sweden? And should you route your journey through Norway or through Sweden? Which route is faster and easier to drive? In this guide we’ll show you which route to choose for driving your campervan from Germany to the Lofoten Islands, and how to plan the journey.

Want to know what to see and do once you’re there? Check out: Lofoten Road Trip | The Perfect 7-Day Route

Last updated: July 2026 

Quick Facts: Getting to the Lofoten Islands by Campervan

Getting to the Lofoten Islands by Campervan

Since we were driving from the Ruhr area in our own campervan, it’s between 2,500 and 2,700 km to the Lofoten Islands, depending on which route you take. According to Google Maps, that route takes a good 32 hours of pure driving time to reach the Lofoten Islands by campervan.
That means even if you drive 6 hours a day, every day, you’ll need at least 5 days. And that’s already fairly stressful, especially if you’re travelling with kids or a dog. Even from the German-Danish border (starting in Flensburg), it’s still 2,000 km and 27 hours until you reach the Lofoten Islands by campervan.

We gave ourselves just under a week for the journey from the Ruhr area to the Lofoten Islands, so we could arrive without too much stress. But even if you drive from morning to night, you’ll still need at least 3 days from the Danish border (at around 9 hours of driving per day). We wouldn’t recommend that, though, unless you’re really short on time for the whole Lofoten trip.

Getting to Lofoten | Explaining the Route Options

Broadly speaking, your campervan options for reaching the Lofoten Islands fall into:

• the route through Norway (blue route), and
• the route through Sweden (red route)

There are of course plenty of other ways to get there, but we’ll focus on the two most common options here. One big difference between the routes is how you cross the North Sea from Germany or Denmark into Norway or Sweden. You have the option of taking a ferry, for example from Hirtshals in Denmark to Kristiansand or Larvik. Alternatively, you can cross two long toll bridges from Denmark via Copenhagen into Sweden and continue north from there.

In the next sections we’ll go through both variants in detail and describe the route we chose to the Lofoten Islands, so you know which route to pick and what to expect along the way. We’ll also show you the overnight spots we used along the route to the Lofoten Islands, some of which were genuinely unique and beautiful.

Route 1 (red) | Getting to Lofoten via Sweden (recommended)

Since we wanted to keep our exact departure day flexible, we chose the toll-bridge route through Denmark and Sweden and didn’t use a ferry at all. Within 7 days we made it all the way to the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway. Along the way we took plenty of breaks and overnight stops at great spots, but we also just kept driving on rainy days. Since the start of the journey varies a lot depending on which part of Germany you’re coming from, we describe the route starting from Denmark.

Info for travellers from north-eastern Germany: As an alternative, you can take the ferry from Rostock or Fehmarn to reach Sweden. You’ll land directly in the region around Copenhagen. Since this route didn’t apply to us, we haven’t covered it in detail.

From Denmark via Copenhagen into Sweden

On the Lofoten route through Denmark, you first follow the E45 to Kolding and then the E20 towards Copenhagen. Unfortunately the drive through Denmark isn’t free, as you’ll cross two toll bridges. After about 2 hours of driving through Denmark, you’ll reach the Great Belt Bridge (Storebælt) first. It’s 18 km long and currently (as of 2026) costs campervans over 6 metres up to approx. €87 at the counter, or only around €41 with a free campervan discount contract via ØresundPAY.

After the bridge it’s another 110 km until you pass Copenhagen and reach the Øresund Bridge. This one is 7.8 km long and costs campervans over 6 metres up to approx. €89-135 at the regular rate, or also just around €41 with a discount contract. Pretty steep, but you save yourself the ferry costs and stay completely flexible on timing.

Tip: Sign up for a free campervan discount contract before your trip – it roughly halves both toll costs combined, from around €176-222 down to around €82. 

After crossing the bridge, that’s it: you’re in Sweden. After the border crossing, stick to the coast and drive past Gothenburg. Google Maps will suggest other options too, but if you take our route, you’ll pass one of Sweden’s highlights: Mellbystrand, one of Sweden’s most beautiful beaches.

The beach stretches for kilometres and is made of powder-fine sand. Right behind it are beautiful dunes and a dense forest with plenty of well-kept hiking trails. It’s not just a great spot for a break by the sea – you can also camp here for free. How, where, and everything else: we’ll tell you in our trip report on Mellbystrand:

Mellbystrand I Sweden’s Most Beautiful Beach

Along the E45 north to the swimming lake

The next day of the journey to the Lofoten Islands by campervan continues north along the E45. Best to put the cruise control on and simply enjoy the views of the forests and lake landscapes passing by. That was exactly our mental image of Sweden before the trip, and it turned out to be spot on: Sweden is mostly made up of huge forest landscapes and thousands of large and small lakes.

Since the weather during our trip was simply perfect, we kept imagining stopping at every lake and just jumping straight into the cool water. And that vision came true that evening. We stopped at a large swimming lake.

The pitch was exactly how you’d picture a Swedish campsite: a beautiful large lake with a sandy beach, surrounded by dense forest. It was honestly so lovely there that we didn’t set off again until the following afternoon. We simply enjoyed the time far too much.

You can find the swimming lake here on Google Maps.

Past Hamra National Park to Östersund

There’s a lot of driving today, but there’s also a great stop along the way that you should definitely make. Almost 6 hours of driving lie ahead, and if you spend some time at the swimming lake like we did, you’ll reach your next overnight spot pretty late in the evening. Today you continue following the E45 all the way to Östersund.

Roughly halfway along the route, you can take a break and stretch your legs in the beautiful Hamra National Park. The national park has several hiking trails leading you through one of Sweden’s oldest forest and bog landscapes. It’s also the area with the most bears in Sweden. Don’t worry, though: it’s still fairly unlikely you’ll run into an actual bear.

You’ll find all the info on Hamra National Park here: Hamra National Park Sweden | On the Hunt for Bears After visiting the national park, it’s another roughly 3 hours along the E45 until you reach the small town of Östersund. Here we camped a bit outside town, on a small, secluded clearing in the forest overlooking a rushing river. You can find the spot here on Google Maps.

Decision point: crossing into Norway or continuing through Sweden

Most campervan travellers cross the border either around Storlien/Östersund, or considerably further north near Mo i Rana or Narvik – there isn’t a big time difference between the two options. At this point on your route to the Lofoten Islands by campervan, you’ll need to decide whether to keep driving north through Sweden to cross the border near Mo I Rana (or even further north near Narvik), or cross into Norway already here.

The reason we crossed into Norway this early was our dog. If you’re bringing a dog into Norway, it needs to have been treated against tapeworm at most 120 hours beforehand. After that window, entry is officially no longer possible. If we hadn’t had that restriction, we’d probably have kept driving through Sweden a bit longer to experience more of that country’s wonderful nature, and crossed the border only in northern Sweden.

The border crossing we used is at Storlien and is open from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm. If you need to declare your dog or any goods, you simply stop here, head into the customs building on the left, declare everything, and continue on your way.

Oddly enough, we didn’t get any confirmation at all when we declared our dog, and the border officer didn’t note anything down or enter it into a computer either. Which means we technically wouldn’t have needed to declare our dog at all, since neither we nor the border officer have any proof the declaration ever happened.

Route 1b: Completely ferry-free – continuing into northern Sweden via the Lofast land connection

If you don’t want to cross into Norway near Östersund like we did, you can stay on the E45 and continue further into northern Sweden. The big advantage of this option: you’ll reach the Lofoten Islands completely without a single ferry, because the islands are permanently connected to the mainland via the so-called Lofast land connection (bridges and tunnels along the E10). Because of the Scandinavian mountain range (also known as the Scandes), which separates Norway from Sweden over more than 1,700 km, there aren’t many connecting roads between the two countries.

You then only have two further options for crossing into Norway:

• You can either turn off onto the E12 at Storuman and cross the border at Högstaby. You’ll then hit the E6 highway in the town of Mo i Rana and continue north on it (following the blue route).
• Alternatively, stay in Sweden on the E45 until Svappavaara and then turn off onto the E10. You’ll cross the border at Riksgränsen and hit the E10 again at Bjerkvik – then follow it over the Lofast land connection, ferry-free, all the way to the Lofoten Islands.

A short break at Norway’s most idyllic rest stop

We’d recommend a stop right after the border, at what is arguably the most beautiful rest area in all of Norway. If you have time, you could even spend a full day here. The car park itself has a few picnic benches, a pit toilet, and enough space for 4-5 motorhomes. But the various paths leading away from the car park are far more interesting.

If you follow the path to the right, you can hike along a lovely river and enjoy the beautiful nature. Follow the signs to the barbecue area and you’ll reach the lake below. There’s a great terrace above the lake with seating, a fire pit with free firewood, and even a paddleboat you can use for free. You really only find things like that in Norway. You can find the picnic spot here on Google Maps.

Follow the slightly hidden path to the left from the car park and you’ll reach a viewpoint with seating. From here you can enjoy the view over the lake and surrounding area. Simply a wonderful spot. We stayed overnight at a cosy campsite right by a large lake not far from the E6. You can find the recommended Vegset Camping spot here on Google Maps.

Continuing north to the ferry at Bognes

On the rest of the way north, we drove the E6, the main artery between northern and southern Norway. Along the way we made two more overnight stops, in Mo i Rana (we can recommend Røssvoll Camping) and, about 5 hours further on, just before the ferry at Bognes. The spot here is highly recommended, as we found a secluded little corner right on a beautiful beach. The next morning we could drive to the ferry nice and early, to cross over to Lødingen from there. You can find the spot here on Google Maps.

You made it: you’re on the Lofoten Islands! Best to find yourself a nice campervan spot on the Lofoten Islands and enjoy the wonderful nature.

Still looking for a route for your Lofoten road trip? Here’s what you need to know: Lofoten Road Trip I the Perfect 7-Day Route

Route 2 (blue) | Getting to Lofoten through Norway

If you’d rather not drive through Sweden on your way to the Lofoten Islands, because you want to take in Norway’s highlights on the way there, you should choose a different route – one that keeps you driving through Norway the whole way. But for that, you’ll need to cross by ferry first.

Which ferry should you take to Norway?

Our recommendation is the ferry from Hirtshals in Denmark to Kristiansand* in Norway. You’ll land in Fjord Norway, and there’s no direct route north from there. This route really only makes sense if you have plenty of time and want to see a lot of southern Norway. You can use our 2-week route through southern Norway for orientation, and check out the many highlights of the south.

If you’d rather take a shorter, though scenically less impressive route, cross from Hirtshals to Larvik instead. From there you can drive straight up the E6 highway via Oslo into the north. Once you’ve made your way through one of the many possible routes across Fjord Norway, or past Oslo, and reached Trondheim, there aren’t many route alternatives left to choose from.

From Trondheim, it’s north all the way

From around Trondheim, Norway gets so narrow that there’s really only one main route north: the E6 highway. So you’ll likely end up taking the same road on both the outbound and return journey. The one exception, up in the far north (between Saltstraumen and Holm), is a recommended parallel route to the E6 that’s worth taking if you have enough time: the Helgelandskysten Norwegian Scenic Route (Fv17). This spectacular coastal road runs for over 400 km right along the Norwegian coast and will take you a few days to drive. The scenery here is gorgeous and a complete contrast to the busy E6.

Northern Norway also has noticeably fewer scenic highlights than the south, but there are still some great sights. In northern Norway you should definitely check out the Svartisen Glacier and the Saltstraumen tidal current, both of which are conveniently located along the fantastic Helgelandskysten coastal route.

By ferry to the Lofoten Islands

You can take a ferry from Bodø over to the Lofoten Islands. The crossing takes around 3-4 hours and lands you in the southern part of the Lofoten Islands, at Moskenes. Alternatively, drive about 3 more hours along the E6 and cross over at Bognes instead, landing after about an hour’s crossing in the northern part of the Lofoten Islands, at Lødingen.

Which ferry to take depends on whether you want to cross the Lofoten Islands from top to bottom, or do a loop trip around the archipelago. The length of the crossing matters too, of course – we didn’t want to put our dog Aaro through a 3-hour crossing, especially since you have to leave your dog in the car on the ferry to Moskenes. If you’re short on time, though, take the ferry between Bodø and Moskenes.

Money-saving tip: Since 2022 you can also cover the Bodø-Moskenes stretch completely free of charge by routing via the islands of Værøy or Røst and getting off there – the legs Bodø↔Værøy/Røst and Værøy/Røst↔Moskenes are toll-free for vehicles. You’ll need considerably more time and patience for this though, as departures are less frequent. 

Pros and Cons of the Two Routes

We’d recommend Route 1, the one we drove ourselves. Getting to the Lofoten Islands via Sweden is simply a fair bit faster. Anyone who’s ever driven on Norwegian roads knows why. Norway has a lot of roundabouts and winding roads. That makes the drive interesting and exciting, but also slow going.

In Sweden the roads tend to run dead straight and are easier to drive. You’ll make faster progress and get the bonus of discovering an extra country on your road trip. Sweden is of course scenically much less spectacular than Norway, and in our opinion the two really aren’t comparable.

For the return journey, though, we chose the route through Norway, so we wouldn’t drive the same stretch twice and could still take in the spectacular highlights of southern Norway.

Other Ways to Get There

Hurtigruten: Want to leave your campervan at home and travel by coastal steamer instead? The Hurtigruten sails from Bergen along the Norwegian coast all the way to Kirkenes and calls at the Lofoten Islands along the way – a much slower but very scenic alternative, though without your own vehicle on board.

Flying: Would rather travel without your own vehicle? The Lofoten Islands are also easy to reach by plane – the airports at Bodø and Evenes (Harstad/Narvik) are served by several airlines, and from there you continue by rental car, airport bus (Flybuss), or express boat.

By train: By train, you can either go via Oslo-Trondheim-Bodø, or through Sweden from Stockholm to Narvik, in each case changing to a bus or ferry for the final leg.

Tips for Getting to the Lofoten Islands

Travelling with a dog

If, like us, you’re bringing a dog along, there are a few things to be aware of when entering Norway, Sweden, and also Denmark.

Entering Norway with a dog

Before you can bring your dog into Norway, there are a few things to check. Your furry friend needs to meet the following requirements:

• You’ll need an EU pet passport
• The dog must be microchipped, and the ID number must be listed in the pet passport and on all veterinary certificates/original documents
• The dog must have a valid rabies vaccination
• Dogs (including puppies) must have been treated against tapeworm within the last 120 to 24 hours
• You’re allowed to bring in a maximum of 5 dogs
• The following dog breeds are not allowed entry: Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, as well as mixes of these breeds and dog-wolf hybrids

On entry, you’re required to show the documents to customs without being asked. When we crossed into Norway, though, nobody seemed particularly interested. The border officer didn’t note anything down and we didn’t get any certificate or confirmation either. Which means we wouldn’t have been able to prove we’d declared our dog at all.

Entering Sweden with a dog

Entering Sweden with a dog is a bit easier than Norway. You’ll need to meet the following requirements:
Your dog must

• have an ID marking (microchip).
• have a valid rabies vaccination.
• have a valid EU pet passport.
• be declared to customs.

You can also complete this declaration online in advance. That way you won’t need to show anything on entry to Sweden and can simply drive through the green lane, where there’s nothing to declare.

Entering Denmark with a dog

Entering Denmark with your dog is the easiest of all. You don’t need to declare your dog in advance – just keep the following in mind:
Your dog must

• have an ID marking (microchip).
• have a valid rabies vaccination (at least 21 days old).
• have a valid EU pet passport.

Tolls in Norway

Many roads in Norway have toll sections. You’ll be warned by a sign a few hundred metres beforehand, but in most cases you have no real alternative route anyway. At the toll gantry you’ll be photographed automatically, though you won’t notice it happening. You just drive straight through – no need to stop and pay directly like in France or other countries.

If you want to save on toll costs, you should register before your trip – it’s genuinely worth it. Most campervans are classified as vehicle class M1, but without a transponder (tag) from a certified provider or a registration with EPASS24, you’ll automatically be placed in the much pricier truck tariff group 2 instead of the cheaper tariff group 1. Without registering, tolls can end up 2-3 times more expensive.

On top of that, since May 2025 there’s been an extra fee for vehicles travelling without a transponder or EPASS24 registration, to cover the cost of identifying the registered keeper (around €5.10 for German number plates, around €14 for Austrian ones) – this is waived if you register in advance. Toll costs for foreign vehicles are captured automatically by camera either way, and a few months later you’ll receive an invoice – either from EPASS24 (if registered) or from the UK (EPC plc – Euro Parking Collection, if not), with a detailed breakdown of the routes driven and the costs incurred.

Interestingly, some ferry crossings are also billed through the Autopass system, seemingly at random. On some ferry crossings we paid by card on board for the outbound journey, while on the return leg our number plate was simply photographed and we didn’t pay anything on site at all. Those costs then simply turn up on our toll invoice later. 

Can you get to the Lofoten Islands without a ferry?

Yes, via the Lofast land connection: drive the E10 through northern Sweden via Riksgränsen and Bjerkvik, and from there the E10 runs over fixed bridges and tunnels straight to the Lofoten Islands – with no ferry crossing at all. 

Still looking for a route, or the best highlights of the Lofoten Islands?

Lofoten Road Trip I the Perfect 7-Day Route

Lofoten Islands Highlights I The 10 Best Sights