Driving in Stavanger 2026: No LEZ, but Tolls Still Bite

Stavanger has never enacted a low-emission zone; Norway’s only car LEZs are in Oslo and Bergen, so no emission sticker or fine applies here. Every plate is still billed automatically through AutoPASS tolls, so register a foreign vehicle at autopass.no/visitors before driving in. Rogaland’s winter tyre rule — 3mm minimum tread — runs from 1 November to the first Sunday after Easter, not a fixed date.

Do You Need a Car?

For the city itself, a car is optional. Stavanger centre is compact — Gamle Stavanger (the historic wooden quarter), the cathedral, and the waterfront bars are all within 15 minutes on foot. Buses cover the main routes.

A car becomes essential for:

• Pulpit Rock — the car park at Preikestolen Fjellstue is 30 km out with no practical public transport
• Kjerag boulder — 70 km by road via Forsand, no bus service worth mentioning
• Ryfylke countryside — rolling hills, farms, and small villages inland
• Day trips to Egersund or the Dalane region

Skip the car if:

• You only want the city and Lysefjord boat trips (boats depart from central harbour)
• You’re visiting on a weekend summer morning — car parks at Pulpit Rock will be full before you can get there; take the shuttle

AutoPASS Tolls

Norwegian toll roads run on the AutoPASS system. There are no toll booths — cameras read your number plate as you pass and bill your registered account. Foreign vehicles are handled through the AutoPASS visitor payment system.

What this means for you:

• Register your vehicle at autopass.no/visitors before or shortly after your trip
• If you don’t register, a bill for each toll crossing arrives at your home address weeks or months later (this is legal and happens)
• The Stavanger city toll ring charges approximately 20 NOK per crossing
• Rental cars from Norwegian companies usually handle tolls automatically — confirm when you collect the car

The toll ring has multiple entry points around the city. You will cross it going to and from the airport, to Forus (the oil industry business park south of the city), and on most routes into the centre from the E39.

Parking

City centre options:

• Stavanger Stasjon P-hus — central multi-storey next to the train station, ~30 NOK/hour, well-signed
• Jorenholmen — garage near the fish market and Gamle Stavanger, ~25 NOK/hour, the best option for the old town
• Street parking — available in the centre but limited, metered, and increasingly restricted in the innermost streets

South/airport area:

• P-hus Forus — large facility in the oil business district south of the city, useful if you’re staying in that area or heading for the airport

Pulpit Rock car park:

• Preikestolen Fjellstue (30 km from city) charges ~100 NOK/day. Summer weekends: arrive before 08:00 or use the shuttle from Tau (take the ferry from Stavanger harbour to Tau first, then the shuttle bus to the trailhead — runs May to September).

Getting to Stavanger

From Bergen (210 km, ~3 hours): Via the E39 — scenic, includes two ferry crossings (Mortavika–Arsvågen and Sandvikvåg–Halhjem). The ferries run frequently and take 20-25 minutes each. Book crossings at fjord1.no during busy summer months. The alternative Ryfast tunnel route (opening fully integrated into E39) cuts the ferries but adds multiple tolls.

From Oslo (590 km, ~6.5 hours): Via the E134 over the Haukelifjell mountain road. Very long. The mountain section can close in winter storms. Most travellers fly or take the Sørlandsbanen train (8 hours but no driving stress).

From Kristiansand (250 km, ~2.5 hours): Mostly via the E39 — manageable and scenic along the coast.

The Drive to Pulpit Rock

Preikestolen is the defining day trip from Stavanger. The flat-topped cliff rises 604 metres above the Lysefjord — one of the most photographed viewpoints in Norway.

Getting there by car:

• Leave Stavanger via the E39 north, then follow Rv13 through Forsand
• Total distance: ~30 km, allow 45 minutes
• The Preikestolen Fjellstue car park is the terminus — you cannot drive closer
• Park costs ~100 NOK/day (pay machine, cards accepted)

The hike:

• 3.8 km each way, 350 m elevation gain, rocky terrain
• Allow 4-5 hours round trip including time at the top
• No guard rail at the edge — this is Norway; you’re trusted to be sensible

Practical:

• Arrive before 08:00 in July and August or the car park is full
• The shuttle from Tau is a good alternative: ferry from Stavanger harbour to Tau (30 min), then shuttle bus to trailhead. Runs May–September, check ryfylke.com for schedules.
• Good hiking shoes are not optional — the trail is rocky and wet

Day Trips by Car

Speed Limits

Speed cameras are common on Norwegian roads. Fixed cameras appear on the E39, and mobile enforcement vans park in laybys on rural roads. Fines are issued to the registered address — foreign plates are not exempt.

Fuel

Norway has some of the most expensive fuel in Europe, partly offset by high wages locally. For visitors, budget carefully on longer drives. Most stations in Stavanger are self-service with card payment. Circle K, YX, and Uno-X are the main brands. Rural stations exist but can be 30+ km apart toward Ryfylke.

Required Equipment

Norway has no mandatory equipment list for private cars — no legal requirement to carry a warning triangle, reflective vest, or first aid kit. This is unusual compared to most European countries.

That said, winter conditions change the picture. Winter tyres are mandatory whenever roads are snow or ice covered (broadly November–April, though conditions can demand them from October). Studded winter tyres are permitted in Stavanger between November 1 and the first Sunday after Easter.

Rental cars from Norwegian companies are properly equipped for conditions.

Emergency Numbers

Related Guides

• Complete Norway Driving Guide — toll system, left-hand traffic, fines
• Norway Tyre Laws — winter tyre rules, studded tyre dates
• Driving in Tromsø — Arctic Norway, northern lights routes
• More City Driving Guides