Driving from Bergen to the Viking Village in Gudvangen in Winter

Route Breakdown, Stretch by Stretch

The times are rounded planning estimates, not measurements. Tunnel names come from Statens vegvesen’s 2014 E16 tunnel table and the Norwegian Wikipedia E16 list; check lengths on the road signs.

Roadworks and Closures in Winter 2026–27

1. The Arna–Stanghelle road and rail project (Fellesprosjektet Arna–Stanghelle). Statens vegvesen and Bane NOR are building a new E16 and a double-track railway between Arna and Stanghelle. On 16 October 2026 Statens vegvesen announced that Hæhre Entreprenør AS had won the first tunnel contract, worth about NOK 1.3 billion excluding VAT. Work starts in late November 2026 and is expected to take about two and a half years. It includes temporary roundabouts on today’s E16 at Romslo, Rødberg, Langhelleneset, Fossneset and Dalehagen, and Statens vegvesen warns road users to expect reduced accessibility and longer travel times. The contract could be signed only after a 10-day standstill period. Statens vegvesen’s English E16 Bergen–Lærdal page says the works will need temporary diversions and convoys. Earlier, in week 40 of 2026, ground drilling at Stanghelle closed the E16 for up to 10 minutes at a time on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

What it means for you: budget an extra 15 to 30 minutes each way and expect 60 km/h or lower zones, traffic lights or a pilot car. Check the app for that day’s restrictions. We have not seen a published schedule of exact closure times for winter 2026–27, so treat any specific closure times you read elsewhere as unconfirmed.

2. Åsbrekkegjelet–Skromle bru (south of Vinje): finished. This 3 km stretch at Kvarmakløvet was once called one of the worst sections between Bergen and Oslo, and it had traffic lights for many months. Statens vegvesen opened it officially on 20 October 2026. Follow-up work (lighting, more rockfall protection, a small night job on 22 October) may still cause brief disruption.

3. Routine maintenance. Statens vegvesen says tunnel cleaning and similar work between Bergen and Lærdal is done at night but may mean diversions or convoys. Day-trippers are rarely affected.

The Lærdal Tunnel Night Closures

The Lærdal Tunnel (Lærdalstunnelen, 24.5 km) is the world’s longest road tunnel. It is on the E16 east of Gudvangen, beyond Flåm and Aurland, so you don’t drive through it between Bergen and the Viking village.

The facts, from Statens vegvesen’s announcement of 23 September 2026:

• The first closure starts on Monday 16 November 2026 at 6 p.m. From then on the tunnel closes for 12 hours, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., every night for about two years while it is upgraded.
• The night to Sunday is open. In practice the tunnel stays open from Saturday evening to Sunday morning.
• Closing times are strictly enforced. If you reach the barrier after the closure starts, you won’t get through.
• Emergency vehicles get through when life and health are at stake, and Aurland and Lærdal residents get three evening bus departures from each side of the tunnel before midnight.
• When Rv7 Hardangervidda is closed by winter weather, the Lærdal Tunnel is meant to stay open, and the contractor has to adapt to that.
• During daytime work, expect short stretches with one lane and traffic lights.

Who it affects: anyone driving from Gudvangen to Lærdal or Oslo (or to Filefjell or Hemsedal) in the evening. Statens vegvesen points to Rv7 Hardangervidda and Vikafjellet as the alternatives. Aurlandsfjellet (the “Snow Road”) is no help because it closes in winter. The Vangsnes–Hella ferry is getting extra night departures.

Note on dates: reports from May and June 2026 said the closures would start “in September 2026”. The confirmed start is 16 November 2026, so ignore older articles.

What About Stalheimskleiva?

Stalheimskleiva is the famous hairpin road below the Stalheim Hotel. It is permanently closed to cars and buses, not just closed for winter. Statens vegvesen announced in 2021 that motor vehicles would no longer be allowed on it, and when it reopened in June 2024, after four years of restoration, it was for walkers and cyclists only. In winter don’t count on walking it either: it is steep, icy and unmaintained. Today’s E16 bypasses it through the Stalheim and Sivle tunnels. The viewpoint behind the Stalheim Hotel is the classic Nærøydalen photo, but the hotel is seasonal, so check that it’s open before you plan a stop.

Winter Tires and Legal Requirements

Speeding fines (rates from 15 February 2026): on roads of 70 km/h and above, 1–5 km/h over costs NOK 1,250, 6–10 over costs NOK 3,350, 11–15 over costs NOK 5,350 and 16–20 over costs NOK 7,450. In zones of 60 km/h or less the fines rise faster (11–15 over costs NOK 5,950). Average-speed and fixed cameras are common on the E16.

Renting a Car in Bergen for Winter: Checklist

• Confirm the tire type in writing. Studded tires grip better on Nærøydalen ice; studless tires avoid the Bergen fee. Either is legal with 3 mm of tread or more. If you get studs, buy a NOK 35 day pass for each day you drive in Bergen.
• Ask how tolls are billed. Most cars carry an AutoPASS tag, and tolls are charged to your card after the rental. Sixt, for example, charges NOK 45 a day for the chip, capped at NOK 295 per rental. Some companies add a per-transaction admin fee.
• Check the ice scraper, snow brush and washer fluid (rated for frost).
• 4WD is nice, not necessary. Good tires matter more than the drivetrain on the E16.
• EV? Plan your charging. Cold weather cuts range; see the charging section below.
• Pick up at Flesland airport or in the city. Picking up in the city saves a toll-ring passage or two; picking up at the airport keeps you out of central Bergen.
• One-way rentals (Bergen to Oslo, for example) are allowed by some firms but often carry a fee. Remember the Lærdal Tunnel’s 6 p.m. cut-off.

Tolls: What You’ll Pay

• Bergen toll ring (Ferde, Bypakke Bergen, rates from 1 January 2026): petrol and hybrid cars pay NOK 32 off-peak and NOK 64 at rush hour without an agreement. Diesel is NOK 38 and 70. EVs pay NOK 22 and 44 (rate adjusted from 25 March 2026). An AutoPASS agreement gives 20% off (petrol NOK 25.60 and 51.20). Rush-hour rates apply on weekdays 6:30–9 a.m. and 2:30–4:30 p.m., and only at marked stations among the ring’s 29, per Ferde’s Bypakke Bergen page. You pay once per hour within the ring.
• E16 Arna to Gudvangen: no toll stations today. Ferde lists future tolls for the new Arna–Stanghelle road, with collection planned from 2037.
• A realistic day-trip toll bill: about NOK 64 to 140 in a petrol car, plus any rental-company tag or admin fee.

How to Check Road Status, Step by Step

1. The evening before: open vegvesen.no/trafikk, or install the “Vegvesen trafikk” app and switch the language to English in innstillinger (settings). Enter Bergen to Gudvangen and your departure time; the planner factors in roadworks.
2. Set alerts in the app for “E16 Arna–Voss” and for the tunnels on your route.
3. Check the weather on yr.no (from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute) for Vaksdal, Voss and Gudvangen. Temperatures around 0 °C with rain or “sludd” (sleet) mean black ice.
4. On the morning you travel: check the app again before leaving. For live help, call the road traffic information line 175 from a Norwegian phone.
5. On the road: watch the overhead message signs at tunnel entrances. “Stengt” means closed; “Kolonne” means convoy.
6. Before driving home: check again from Gudvangen. Afternoon rain on frozen ground is the classic winter trap.

A Winter Self-Drive Day (November to March)

If you’d rather not drive the Stegastein road yourself, the Stegastein Viewpoint Scenic Bus Tour leaves from Flåm, takes about 1.5 hours and is rated 4.4/5 from 159 reviews on GetYourGuide.

Boat variant (park and sail): The Fjords’ electric Nærøyfjord boat runs all winter. In the 2025–26 timetable it left Gudvangen at noon and reached Flåm about two hours later, and Fjordrive’s winter tour uses the same noon sailing; check the 2026–27 times when you book. A shuttle bus takes about 20 minutes back to Gudvangen. Norway’s Best lists departures from Flåm at 10:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. for 16–31 October 2026, with separate November–March times, so check those for your date. The village closes at 2 p.m., so this works only if you visit the village first (10:30 to about 11:45 a.m.) and book the bus and boat together. Norway’s Best warns that winter sailings can change at short notice; when they do, the boat runs a return trip from Flåm instead, with a connecting bus. If you’d rather book the boat alone, the classic Nærøyfjord cruise sails between Flåm and Gudvangen. More details: our hour-by-hour winter day plan.

Parking and EV Charging

• At the village: Viking Valley says there is parking right in front of Njardarheimr and two EV charging stations nearby. Its website doesn’t state a fee. Have the EasyPark app ready in case signs show charges.
• Gudvangen quay and center: Aurland municipality charges for its municipal car parks. Visitor reports (2025–26) describe EasyPark-only parking on the E16 car park at around NOK 220 to 230 per 24 hours, with fines for non-payment. We could not confirm official rates; follow the signs on site.
• Fuel and charging on the way: stop at Dale or Voss, the dependable service towns. Gudvangen itself has very limited services in winter. Cold cuts EV range, so arrive at Voss with a buffer and top up there.

Safety: What to Pack and How to Drive It

Pack: warm layers and a hat even for a “car day”, gloves, a headlamp, a phone power bank, water and snacks, an ice scraper, a small shovel if you have one, a reflective vest within reach, a warning triangle (rental cars carry one) and sunglasses for low winter sun on wet roads.

Drive it like a local:

• Treat 0 °C as danger. The worst grip comes from wet ice around freezing, not deep snow, especially at tunnel mouths and on shaded bends in Nærøydalen.
• Tunnels: keep your headlights on and keep your distance. Never stop inside except in an emergency lay-by. If a sign says “snu og køyr ut”, turn around and drive out.
• Wildlife: moose and red deer cross at dusk, particularly between Voss and Stalheim.
• Overtaking: the E16 is narrow with few safe passing places. Let queues pass at lay-bys.
• Emergency numbers: 112 police, 113 ambulance, 110 fire.

Self-Drive vs Tour vs Public Transport

Our verdict: for two or more confident drivers, driving yourself is the cheapest and most flexible option. If you’ve never driven on ice, or you’re alone with one day, a tour is the better buy, and the operators have already timed the day around the village’s 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. hours.

Prefer not to drive? Fjordrive’s Winter Tour Viking Village, Nærøyfjord Cruise & Flåm Railway (4.6/5 from 33 reviews) visits the village first, and Guided Fjord Tours’ Bergen: Viking Village, Nærøyfjord Cruise & Flåm Railway is the most reviewed (4.8/5 from 1,468). Full comparison: which Viking village tour from Bergen is right for you.

If the E16 Closes: Your Backup Plan

1. Closed before you leave Bergen: wait it out. Most landslide or accident closures last a few hours. Meanwhile, consider the train to Voss. The Bergen Line runs in tunnels for much of this stretch, but the railway was also briefly closed during the March 2026 Vaksdal slide. See the car-free routes.
2. Closed between Arna and Stanghelle while you’re out: the alternative is the long way via Rv7 through Hardanger (Norheimsund–Granvin–Voss). It adds hours and isn’t a casual winter detour, so waiting is usually better.
3. Closed east of Voss: stay put in Voss, which has cafés, hotels and fuel. Scandic Voss is in the town center, or see all stays in Voss.
4. Stuck in Gudvangen or Flåm overnight: book early in winter, because few places stay open. In Gudvangen, Gudvangen Fjordtell is at the quay and Gudvangen Budget Hotel is the cheaper guest house (all stays in Gudvangen). In Flåm, try the Fretheim Hotel near the station (all stays in Flåm).
5. Insurance: check whether your rental and travel insurance cover delay costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the E16 from Bergen to Gudvangen open in winter?

Yes. The E16 via Voss to Gudvangen is a year-round road with no mountain pass, so it doesn’t need snow convoys. It can close at short notice for landslides, rockfall or accidents, as it did between Vaksdal and Trengereid on 12–13 March 2026. Check vegvesen.no/trafikk before you set off.

How long is the drive from Bergen to Gudvangen in winter?

About 2.5 hours each way in good conditions. In winter 2026–27, allow extra time for black ice, darkness and the Arna–Stanghelle roadworks starting in late November 2026; Statens vegvesen warns of longer travel times. Leave Bergen by about 7:30 a.m. to reach the Viking village soon after it opens at 10:30 a.m.

Is the Lærdal Tunnel closed at night in 2026?

Yes. From Monday 16 November 2026 the Lærdal Tunnel closes from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. every night except the night to Sunday, for about two years. Closing times are strictly enforced. It is east of Gudvangen, so it does not affect a Bergen–Gudvangen day trip.

Do I drive through the Lærdal Tunnel to get to the Viking village?

No. Coming from Bergen, you reach Gudvangen before the Gudvanga, Flenja and Lærdal tunnels. You’d use the Lærdal Tunnel only if you continue east toward Lærdal, Filefjell or Oslo.

Is Stalheimskleiva open in winter?

Not to cars, in any season. Statens vegvesen closed Stalheimskleiva to motor vehicles, and since it reopened in June 2024 after restoration it has been open only to walkers and cyclists. It isn’t a winter route even on foot. The E16 bypasses it through the Stalheim and Sivle tunnels.

Do I need winter tires to drive to Gudvangen?

Yes, in practice. From 1 November 2026 to 4 April 2027 tires must have at least 3 mm of tread, and you must have winter tires whenever conditions require them. Studded tires are allowed in the same period. Rental cars in Bergen come with winter tires in season, but confirm whether they are studded.

How much is the studded tire fee in Bergen?

For cars under 3,500 kg the 2026–27 piggdekkgebyr is NOK 35 a day, NOK 450 a month or NOK 1,400 a season. It applies throughout Bergen municipality, even if you’re only passing through. Pay in the Parkering i Bergen app; driving without paying risks a NOK 750 fine.

Are there tolls between Bergen and Gudvangen?

Only the Bergen toll ring: NOK 32 per passage for a petrol car off-peak, or NOK 64 at weekday rush hours (6:30–9 a.m. and 2:30–4:30 p.m.), without an agreement. There are no tolls on the E16 from Arna to Gudvangen today. Rental companies bill AutoPASS tolls to your card afterward.

How many tunnels are there between Bergen and Gudvangen?

Dozens; Statens vegvesen’s 2014 E16 table lists about 35 between Arna and Gudvangen, and most are short. Arnanipatunnelen near Arna is 2.1 km. The 11.4 km Gudvanga Tunnel starts just beyond Gudvangen on the way to Flåm.

Are there roadworks on the E16 between Bergen and Voss in 2026–27?

Yes. Hæhre starts a NOK 1.3 billion tunnel contract on the Arna–Stanghelle section in late November 2026, lasting about two and a half years. Expect temporary roundabouts at Romslo, Rødberg, Langhelleneset, Fossneset and Dalehagen, reduced speeds, possible convoys and longer journey times.

Can I drive to Stegastein in winter?

Usually, yes. The road from Aurland up to the Stegastein viewpoint is kept open all year, while the Aurlandsfjellet “Snow Road” beyond it is closed in winter. The road is narrow and steep with few passing places, so skip it if it’s icy. Aurland is about 30 minutes from Gudvangen.

What time does the Viking village close in winter?

Njardarheimr is open daily 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. from 1 November to 31 March and closed on 24 and 25 December. From 1 April to 31 October it’s open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you’re driving from Bergen, arrive by about 11 a.m. to have enough time inside.

Related Guides

• Is the Viking village open in winter?
• Which Viking village tour from Bergen is right for you
• The Viking village, Nærøyfjord and Flåm Railway in one winter day
• Getting there without a car
• Is the Viking village worth it in winter?
• Tour vs self-drive: what each costs

How We Checked

• Statens vegvesen, “Oppstart blir 16. november” (Lærdal Tunnel, 23 September 2026): closure start date, hours, the Sunday-night exception, enforcement, the residents’ bus and the Rv7 rule.
• Statens vegvesen, “Will you be driving on the E16 between Bergen and Lærdal?” (English project page, checked October 2026).
• Statens vegvesen press release via NTB, “Tildeling av tunnelkontrakt i Fellesprosjektet Arna–Stanghelle” (16 October 2026).
• Statens vegvesen press release on pilot-car and manual traffic control at Stanghelle (24 September 2026).
• Statens vegvesen on the Kvarmakløvet section of the E16 (21 October 2026; opening 20 October 2026).
• Statens vegvesen, “Stalheimskleivi er opna att” (June 2024).
• Police log and Avisa Hordaland reports on the Langhelle landslide (12–13 March 2026).
• Viking Valley (Njardarheimr), 2026 opening hours, prices and parking information.
• Visit Bergen’s Njardarheimr listing (driving time from Bergen).
• Ferde AS, Bypakke Bergen toll rates (from 1 January 2026; EV adjustment 25 March 2026).
• Statens vegvesen and Lovdata on tire rules; Bergen municipality’s studded-tire fee (2026–27 season).
• Norway’s Best (The Fjords), Nærøyfjord winter cruise and Flåm–Gudvangen shuttle pages.
• Nasjonale turistveger, Aurlandsfjellet and Stegastein winter information.
• Lovdata, speeding fine rates (in force from 15 February 2026).
• Statens vegvesen’s E16 tunnel table (2014) and Norwegian Wikipedia’s E16 tunnel list; Statens vegvesen for the Arnanipatunnelen length.

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