Getting to Norway
Norway is a popular holiday destination and used to be easily accessible with direct connections, such as the Newcastle-Bergen-Stavanger ferry. Unfortunately, there are no direct ferries from Scotland or England to Norway these days. So you first have to get to the continent. This is possible with one of the two ferries to Holland (from Hull or Newcastle) and a drive to either Emden or Kiel.
Last year it was possible to travel from the Netherlands to Norway directly, but this connection has changed ports to Emden.
The two single best options to travel from Scotland to Norway via the continent are the ferries from Kiel to Oslo and from Emden to Kristansand, both German cities.
The ferry from Eemshaven to Norway changed ports to Emden (Germany) and then went bankrupt. So this crossing is not active anymore. It is also possible to drive further to Denmark and then cross to Norway.
If you want to know how to travel from Scotland to Norway, keep on reading and check our unique ferry map with all possible connections.
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If you travel from Scotland, it is best to choose one of the two ferries to Holland first. From there, you can choose to take the next ferry from Denmark, Germany, or Holland. We will cover these options further down this page but let's have a look at how to travel to mainland Europe first.
Traveling to Norway from Scotland in 3 steps:
- Drive to Newcastle (A) or Hull (B).
- Take the ferry to Amsterdam (A) or to Rotterdam. (B)
- Drive from either Amsterdam or Rotterdam to Kiel in Germany (#1. best option) or to Hirtshals (#2. the alternative).
- (Kiel) Will get you in Oslo. Frederikshavn will get you in Oslo to.
- (Eemshaven / Emden) Will get you in Kristiansand. (stopped)
- (Hirtshals) Will get you in Bergen or Kristiansand.
It is possible to travel in a few other ways however from Scotland these are probably the best options out there as most other options have a focus on German travelers from the East / South not from the South West.
Timetable, availability, and compare prices
With our online booking module, you can easily find and book your desired ferry crossing in just a few clicks. Simply enter your travel dates and destinations, and the system will show you all available options. You can then choose the one crossing that best suits your needs and budget. It’s that simple! In this case you have to book two separate ferries to get to Norway from Scotland.
If you want to book two ferry routes, you must do this in two separate steps.
It’s best to book your ferry ticket as far in advance as possible
The price of ferry tickets increases as more passengers book their spots. So, if you want to save money and secure your desired crossing, booking your tickets as soon as possible is best. That way, you can take advantage of the lower prices and avoid the disappointment of a fully booked ferry.
The ferries to Holland / Netherlands
Whether you take the ferry from Hull or Newcastle to The Netherlands does not matter much. This can best depend on the price and the travel distance to the departure port from Scotland. Although the arrival of the Newcastle-Amsterdam ferry is slightly more northerly, it does not matter much regarding travel time to the ports of Emden, Kiel, or Denmark.
Travel time by car after the first crossing
- From Rotterdam or Amsterdam to Kiel: ± 6 hours
- Frin Rotterdam or Amsterdam to Frederikshavn: ± 10 hours
- From Rotterdam or Amsterdam to Hirtshals ± 10 hours
- Or ± 15 hours to the Swedish/Norwegian border via the Oresund toll bridge.
The further you are prepared to drive yourself, the shorter and cheaper the next crossing will be.
Ferry from Holland or Germany to Norway
Interesting routes to consider are the Eemshaven-Kristiansand ferry or the 20h ferry from Kiel to Oslo. This is a night crossing on the beautiful ship from Color Line. This is sometimes a cheaper alternative for the Holland-Norway ferry, so compare these.
At the moment we would recommend the ferry from Kiel to Oslo as this is the more stable option.
Depending on which crossing you choose from the UK to the continent, the distance to Kiel is between 6 and 9 hours by car.
Ferry from Denmark to Norway
The departure ports in the north of Denmark are not just around the corner, but anyone taking a road trip to Scandinavia will certainly benefit from one of these crossings.
Depending on where the rest of your vacation or trip will take place, you can choose between various destinations. For example: Larvik, Kristiansand, Oslo, Langesund and Bergen.
The advantage of travelling from Denmark to Norway is mainly the short sailing time. These differ between 2 hours and 15 minutes and approximately 19 hours.
Frequently asked questions Ferry Scotland-Norway
There is no direct ferry from Scotland to Norway. You can choose to travel to Holland (Rotterdam or Amsterdam) or France and drive to Germany. From there you can take a ferry to Kristiansand or Oslo. Travelling to Germany (Kiel – Oslo) or Denmark (Hirtshals, Frederikshavn or Copenhagen) is another option.
Three ferry companies sail to England from the Netherlands. These are P&O ferries, Stenaline and DFDS. The ferries from France to Dover are from P&O ferries and DFDS.
There was one ferry connection from the Netherlands to Norway: the crossing from Eemshaven to Kristiansand. It was operated by HNL – Holland Norway Lines.
This crossing has now changed ports to Emden, but went broke. A great alternative is the ferry from Kiel to Olso.
By boat to England from the Netherlands can be done in 6.5 hours. This is how long the shortest crossing takes between Hoek van Holland and Harwich (day trip). The longest crossing, on the other hand, takes more than 16 hours (night sailing). This one goes between IJmuiden / Amsterdam and Newcastle.
From departure to arrival takes 18 hours on this route. You will leave in the afternoon (15.00) from Eemshaven to Kristiansand where you will arrive the next morning on 09.00
If you don't dislike a longer drive you can drive to Kiel, Kopenhagen, Langesund, or Hirtshals. You will be longer in the car but the crossing by ferry is a lot shorter.
Depending on whether you bring a car and book a cabin, the costs for the ferry to Norway vary a lot. You can cross to France first, but the options to the Netherlands are more convenient. From there on you can travel via the Ferry in the North of the Netherlands or drive further by car and take the ferry from Germany or Denmark to Norway. To give an indication: a ferry to the Netherlands will be approximately €100,- per person and from the Netherlands to Norway up to around €200,- per person. So if you opt for the easy way this will cost you somewhere around €300,- to travel to Norway.
On both crossings, you can take your dog along. Be sure to inform about vaccination rules and rules aboard the ships.
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