Destinations
Internet in Norway: fjords, tunnels and surprising coverage
The country is in the European Economic Area, so roaming travels with you. Where the signal fails between the fjords and what to carry downloaded.
Irene Salazar 5 min Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash First the practical part: Norway is not in the European Union but it is in the European Economic Area, and that is enough for included roaming to apply just the same. A European plan travels with you.
Coverage, better than the landscape suggests
With that terrain you expect the worst, and the reality is that Norway has a very good network, even in small fjord villages and on a good share of the mountain roads.
Where there is no signal is where there is no road either: high mountains, glaciers and uninhabited interior. And in the tunnels, which in Norway are many and very long.
The detail about ferries and tunnels
The fjord routes string together ferries and tunnels several kilometres long, so the signal drops every few minutes. Nothing serious if you have the map and the booking downloaded; awkward if you depend on checking timetables as you go.
What you will use
Little: between 200 and 500 MB a day. It is a destination for driving, looking and photographing, and most accommodation has good wi-fi.
What European roaming does and does not cover is in roaming in the European Union.
And paying without cash
Norway is one of the countries where least cash is used: you pay by card or phone almost everywhere, car parks and tolls included. That makes the phone's battery considerably more important than at other destinations.
Frequently asked questions
Is roaming included in Norway?
Yes. The country is not in the European Union but it is in the European Economic Area, and the roaming regulation applies just the same.
Is there coverage in the fjords?
Surprisingly good in villages and on roads. It drops in long tunnels, in patches on ferries and in the high mountains.
How much data does a trip to Norway use?
Little, between 200 and 500 MB a day: it is a destination for driving and photographing, and accommodation usually has good wi-fi.
Do you need cash?
Almost none: you pay by card or phone for practically everything, which makes the phone's battery more important than usual.
