Getting There & Onward Travel

At a little over two to just under four hours, the Hirtshals - Kristiansand ferry is the shortest part of a trip to Norway. Before it comes the drive through Jutland; after it, the onward journey along the south coast, to Oslo or into the mountains. Here's the whole journey by car, motorhome, train and bus.

By car to Hirtshals

From Germany, the A7 takes you via Flensburg to the border, and from there the Danish E45 runs via Kolding, Vejle and Aarhus to Aalborg. In Aalborg you switch to the E39, which covers the roughly 50 kilometres to Hirtshals and ends right at the port entrance. It's around 500 kilometres from Hamburg, about 650 from Berlin and around 750 from Cologne. Denmark charges no tolls on these roads; the toll bridges are off the route.

If you're taking the early ferry, stay the night in North Jutland: Hirtshals itself, Hjørring or the coast near Løkken are an hour or less from the port. If you're taking Color Line's evening ferry, you can leave Hamburg the same day and arrive in Kristiansand shortly before midnight. The two terminals in Hirtshals and how to reach them are described on the Hirtshals Ferry Port page, and the ferry companies' deadlines on the Check-in page.

By train and bus to Hirtshals

From Hamburg, trains run via Flensburg or Fredericia to Aarhus and Aalborg; from Aalborg you continue towards Frederikshavn as far as Hjørring, where the regional train to Hirtshals leaves. Hirtshals railway station is about a ten-minute walk from the Color Line terminal. For Fjord Line, the train is less convenient: the Nordsøterminalen is in the west harbour, 35 to 40 minutes on foot from the nearest stop, Lilleheden; buses link the terminal with Aalborg, or else take a taxi from the station. Journey times and connections are available from the rail companies; how to get on board without a car is described on the On Foot & by Bicycle page.

Arriving in Kristiansand

Both terminals are by the city centre: Color Line at Havnegata 47, Fjord Line at Vestre Strandgate 31. From the car deck you're on the main road out of town in a few minutes, longer at rush hour. Foot passengers reach the railway station and bus station in a few minutes' walk. Details of the port are on the Kristiansand Ferry Port page.

Norway isn't in the EU: customs carry out spot checks at the terminal, alcohol and tobacco are subject to allowances, and pets must go through the red channel. Tolls on Norwegian roads are collected at automatic stations without stopping; the bill reaches the registered keeper later.

Onward by car

To Oslo: the E18 runs along the south coast via Arendal, Larvik and Drammen, around 320 kilometres to Oslo, about four hours without a break. The road is mostly well built; if you have time, take a detour to the wooden towns of Risør or Tvedestrand.

To Stavanger and the west coast: the E39 follows the coast west via Mandal, Lyngdal and Flekkefjord, around 240 kilometres to Stavanger, about three hours of mountains and fjords, tunnels and a ferry across the Boknafjord north of the city. From Stavanger you can continue to Bergen and the Hardanger region.

Into the mountains: the Rv9 runs north through the Setesdal via Evje and Valle to Haukeligrend, where it meets the E134 between Haugesund and Drammen. It's the quietest route inland and is usually open in winter, which isn't always true of the E134 passes.

For motorhomes up to 3.5 tonnes, the car rules apply on all three routes; what to bear in mind with a motorhome on board the ferry is on the Motorhome & Caravan page.

Onward by train and bus

Kristiansand railway station is on the western edge of the city centre. The Sørlandsbanen runs east via Drammen to Oslo and west via Egersund to Stavanger; both journeys take several hours and run inland, not along the coast. The bus station next door serves the south coast as far as Oslo and Stavanger, as well as the Setesdal. Kristiansand Kjevik Airport is about 17 kilometres out of town and can be reached by airport bus and taxi; flights go to Oslo, Bergen and several European cities.

The return journey

In the other direction, it's the same journey in reverse: from Oslo via the E18 or from Stavanger via the E39 to Kristiansand, onto the ferry there, and from Hirtshals south via the E39 and E45. For Color Line's 08:00 morning ferry from Kristiansand, it's best to stay the night in the city or on the coast; for the afternoon departures, you can drive in from Oslo or Stavanger the same day. Both ferry companies' departures are in the timetable.