Frequently asked questions
Showers and toilets
Luckily Lofoten is a small place, so a toilet and a shower is always close by - most campsites in Lofoten offer this.
You can use gas stations, cafes or any tourist office for toilets. Showers you find at most camps and is never far away.
- People here are usually very friendly, so you might even end up sitting on a toilet in someones home.
- you are handed a map upon arrival pointing out camp sites, toilets, showers and gas stations
- Our van "Klara" has her own shower and toilet
Water and food
You can refill water at all the gas stations as well as the camps around Lofoten, and is never a problem getting.
Lofoten has the BEST water! Super fresh, cold and super clean.
Shops you will find in every small town you pass, never more than 15 - 20 minutes away.
Some cheaper than others. In Leknes and Svolvær you can even get fresh bread from one of the bakeries.
Insurance and tolls
There is a 7500,- NOK self-risk fee, if there is an accident that damages the vans exterior or interior or other cars or properties. Engine failure/problems is covered by our insurance and is not covered by you.
The fee of 7500 NOK will be charged upon arrival, and held during your stay and refunded on departure.
IMPORTANT: You are responsible for the van while renting it, this means damages caused by you, or by another car to the van is your responsibility and will be covered by your self-risk fee. - you agree to this when renting a van from us.
There are no tolls in Lofoten.
What kind of license do you need, and how old do you have to be to drive our vans
You must be 18 years of age and have a valid international drivers licence to drive our vans.
An international driverslicense is a license that has a picture of you, and usually a translation into english.
- We will take a picture of your licence when you arrive for record keeping.
Driving our vans outside of Lofoten
It is NOT allowed to drive outside the Lofoten Islands,- this has to do with deals that we have with local mechanics in Lofoten, making it easy to give you assistance should anything happen to the van. If you drive outside of Lofoten without permission, then you will risk paying the transportation of the van back to Lofoten should anything happen, - up to 20 000 NOK.
Pick up, drop offs, and late returns
Pick up and drop off is in Svolvær at Vorsetøyveien 20, just next to the Police station.
- Look for the big blue VOLVO sign, our office is just to the right of it.
Pick up and drop of is only possible at our location in Svolvær.
Pick up is at 15:00 (3:00 PM )and drop off at 12:00 (noon) - unless other times are agreed.
Important!: Late returns will result in a penalty of 1000,- NOK pr hour the van is late.
Booking, payment, cancellations and deposit
The minimum booking days is 3.
The entire booking amount is charged when you book, but you can cancel up to 14 days before arrival for a full refund
(minus the booking fee: 1.4% for European cards, 2.9% for non-European cards)
After 14 days we can not refund any of the booking amount.
Exeptions regarding cancellations: We hold the right to reference to force majeure: Events beyond the company's control - all external elements that effect you as a customer, and not us as a business. - If this comes into play, we are still comitted to fullfilling your booking at a later time, when force majeure does not apply anymore.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_majeure
The booking fee includes a 25% tax fee.
Insurance: A fee of 7500 NOK will be withdrawn upon arrival and refunded at departure.
(in case of an accident or damage to the vehicle or the interior, the fee will be witheld until the final report and damage control is done)
We accept:
Cash, VIPPS, VISA, VISA Electron, mastercard, Maestro, AMEX
Refunds can take up to 5-10 days to appear on your bank statement.
How many people can sleep in the vans
All our vans are different, so check out the "book our vans" page for more info on bedspace regarding each van.
Check this before booking.
We can often offer a solution with a combination of van and tent, so that you can travel up to 5 people together. Ask us about this in the chat.
Heat in the vans
Willy is our only van with a diesel heater. The other vans need to be connected to electricity to have the heating fan work when the engine is turned off. When driving, the van produces heat through the aircon system.
In the summers, extra heat is usually not needed, but we recommend you park at camps that offer electricity, should it be needed.
Most camps in Lofoten offer electricity.
How to travel to Lofoten and how to get to our office
Here we will help you with details on how to get to Lofoten and to us here in Svolvær. (read about bus options at the bottom)
Our address is Vorsetøyveien 20, 8300 Svolvær.
https://goo.gl/maps/8BqjLviMszUKAFF29
Flight options:
Easiest way is to fly to Svolvær airport (SVJ) you can catch a direct flight from Oslo (OSL) to Svolvær or fly to Bodø (BOO) and then to Svolvær - these flights are operated by
www.wideroe.no
Second best option is flying to Leknes (LKN), 1 hour away from us by bus or
car.
You can reach Leknes directly from Oslo or via Bodø with
www.wideroe.no
Third alternative (THIS IS USUALLY THE CHEAPEST OPTION) is a flight to Evenes (EVE). Evenes is reachable from Oslo, Stockholm (ARN) and many other desinations. At Evenes you can catch a 3,5 hour bus to Lofoten and Svolvær.
Airlines flying to Evenes are:
www.norwegian.no
www.sas.no
www.wideroe.no
Fourth alternativ is a flight to Tromsø (TOS) but is a complicated commute to Lofoten, and takes about 6-7 hours by bus, including changing busses a few times.
Schedule from Tromsø to Lofoten can be checked here:
https://177nordland.no/
Boat connections:
Here are 3 options getting to Lofoten by boat:
Best option:
Flying to Bodø and catching "hurtigbåten" from Bodø to Svolvær. Takes about 3,5 hours.
You can check the schedules here:
https://177nordland.no/a/regionale-hurtigbaatruter
Option 2:
Hurtigruten which departs from all major harbours in Norway and ports in Svolvær.
Check the schedules here:
https://www.hurtigruten.no/havn-til-havn/
Option 3:
The ferry from Bodø to Moskenes, followed by a busride from Moskenes to Svolvær.
Check the schedules here:
https://177nordland.no/ac/reiseplanlegger
Bus connections: - there are 2 option going to and from Evenes
1: The local busschedules can be checked here:
https://177nordland.no/ac/reiseplanlegger
2: (best option in summer)
There is a new airport bus starting up on July 3rd 2020, that will take you to and from Evenes airport, you can check the schedule at https://www.flybussen.no/
*If the information above is incorrect or is difficult to understand or work with, please let us know, and we can be helpful in planning your travel to Lofoten
Fuel and gas-stations
Our vans are delivered with a full tank of gas, that is not included in the rental, so you can return the van full, or we can charge you the amount you used.
Petrol (95) is at 17,29 NOK Pr Liter (PR February 2020)
Diesel is at 16,30,- NOK PR Liter (PR. February 2018)
Fuel stations can usually be found not much further than 30-40 minutes apart, but usually much closer.
Google will easily guide you to the closest one.
What you need to pack with you and bring
We recommend you pack clothes for all types of weather. The weather in Lofoten can change within hours, so you need to be prepared.
What is NOT included in the rental:
- Soap, conditioner, shampoo
- Towels
- Food
- water/drinks
- Sheets (unless you rent from us)
Animals in the vans
You can bring an animal in all our vans, but you need to pay a rinse fee of 650,- NOK (one time fee). This fee is added at the end of your booking, under "add extra options", and must be added before boking.
Winter rentals (October 10. - April 20.)
Our winter season starts October 10. and ends April 20. In this period the only van available for rental is Willy. Willy is very well suited for the Lofoten fall, winter and spring because he has heat isolation, a diesel heater and spikes on the tires. We also equip Willy with thick blankets and duvets, making him the perfect van for Lofoten winters.
What time of year should you visit Lofoten
Lofoten can be beautiful all year around, the winter brings beautiful northern lights, snow and fantastic ski.conditions, but if you are looking for a summer experience, stable weather and nice temperatures, then we recommend visiting Lofoten between mid May and mid September.
May and June is beautiful, the midnights sun is up, but can also be abit rainy and windy.
Starting September and out, the northern lights can appear, but is most likely to be seen from November till February/March.
When should I book
Our summer calendar starts to fill up in January/February, so the earlier you book, the better the chance of getting the van you want, and the dates you want.
You can always book, and cancel up to 14 days before arrival. (read more about cancellations in the thread about bookings and cancellations)
Bringing your own car, where can you park it
We have a parkinglot where you can park your car for the whole period you rent a van. The parking is free.
PLEASE READ: What happens if our van breaks down and/or is not available when we arrive
If we are having problems with the van when you arrive and can not give you the van you rented, we will give you another van if we have one available. We have 2 backup vans that are just for this purpose, so we are well prepared for any problems that might occur.
If we do not have a van available, we will then contact other van rental companies and try to help you book another one with another company (if you end up renting from another company, you will have to follow their rules and guidance, and our business will be concluded, as so we do not have any responsibility for you or the van you rent).
If there are no vans available in Lofoten, we will help you sort out accomodation and a rental car as long as there is availability. If we can not sort out any of these options, you will be on your own, as we have done all we can to sort out the situation. - By renting a van from us, you accept this risk.
If a van breaks down while you are driving it, we will first try to fix the problem at the sight of the breakdown, - if that cant be done we will bring the van to the closest mechanic and have it fixed there. Our aim is always to fix the problem as quickly as we can, as we know this will disrupt your holiday, but you might be required to go with the van to the work shop whilst they fix it.
Regarding refunds if a breakdown occurs: If the van breaks down, we refund the hours from when the van breaks down and until we have solved the situation. By this we mean the time it takes for us to fix the van, give you a new van or have solved new accommodation and rental car.
If you are displeased with the van you have rented
If the van you have rented is not up to the standard which you expected, then we must be informed as soon as possible. This can include cleanliness, parts or equipment that does not work, car problems, and or damages. We must be informed immediately when and if you discover an issue, - if we are not informed before the end of your rental, we can not give a refund or solve the issue.
Check in: arriving late and or departing early
If you are arriving later than check in hours (15:00, 3pm) then that is no problem, but you must let us know 2-3 days in advance of your arrival date what time you are arriving and by what transportation.
Checking out before 12:00 / 12pm is no problem. We have a keydrop outside our office, so you are free to check out any time you wish (before 12:00/12pm), - you will park the van at our designated parking area and leave the key in the keydrop box by our office door. Check out later than 12:00 (noon) might be possible, just ask us and we will sort it out.
Whale whatching in Andenes
Alot of people ask us about whale whatching trips to Andenes, and Andenes is outside the Lofoten area, and so it is outside our insurance area, making it not legal to go there with our vans. The best solution if you wish to visit Andenes, is to park the van at our location and rent a car from Lofoten Bil, they are fairly cheap and we have a 10% discount deal with them, - just let them know you are renting through us.
Other options is of course renting a car and doing the Andenes trip before our after your rental with us.
Car rentals in Svolvær:
Lofoten Bil (10 % discount) www.lofotenbil.no
Avis (no discount)
Hertz (no discount)
Eurocar (no discount)
Electricity inside the van
The only van that has a usable battery (a battery for charging devices when not driving), is Willy. This means that in Willy you can charge your units without being connected to external electricity, as he has a chargable battery that charges whilst driving.
All the other vans have USB charging that is available only when the engine is running. When you park and turn the engine off, you need to connect the van to external electricity to charge or use the heat fan etc.
But we do provide you with at least 2 powerful powerbanks, giving you extra electricity when not being close to a camp or a connectable area.
- finding areas to charge or connect to electricity is not a problem in Lofoten. And even if you go to a camp and not to park there, you can pay for electricity so that you can charge up your units.
How many kilometers/miles are included in the rental
You have unlimited mileage when renting a van from us, but you are restricted to driving only within the Lofoten islands.
Can´t find the dates you are looking for?
If the dates you are looking for are not available, then write us a message in the chat, and we can give you alternative dates around the dates you wish to rent. Or we can have other solutions with other vans.
Hiking in Lofoten
Hiking in Lofoten is maybe the main reason why people visit our beautiful islands.
We are very focused on our guests having the best and safest experience possible when hiking; so we have listed a few apps we recommend you download before arriving;
Fatmap: Find the perfect route, plan like a pro with the world's most advanced 3D outdoor map and record your adventures and share them with the community.Whether skiing, ski touring, freeriding, hiking, biking or running, if you love mountain adventure, you'll find your community on FATMAP.
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fatmaprn&hl=en_US&gl=US
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fatmap-ski-hike-bike-maps/id1294681561
UT;
www.ut.no - webpage overlisting most hikes in Lofoten, with detailed route descriptions.
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=no.bouvet.nrkut&hl=no
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/no/app/ut-no/id510575024
PEAKBOOK: The Peakbook App is a very handy tool enabling you to register your tours, ascents and other visits as well as being a fully functional navigation device with gps and maps. With the App your tours are instantly available on Peakbook, long before you reach home. Your tours can already be fitted with text and images from your device while on tour. No need to turn on your computer to register unless you want to refine your tours via the website, which of course is possible.
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.peakbook.app&hl=no
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/no/app/peakbook/id1128076203
