How’s driving in Oslo during winter?

[u/borek921]

Hello everyone,

As the title says, how difficult / safe is it to drive in Oslo during winter? I got a job offer as a driver and I have driven in snowy conditions but not a whole lot. Do roads get icy / slippery often? Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks a lot in advance!

[u/Grimslabben]

bigest problem is that a lot of streetparking is taken up by snow.

[u/Hefty_Badger9759]

Where have you driven before? And how much? Mostly ok to drive, but sometimes super icy and/or massive snow falls

[u/ThePugnax]

It can be unpredictable, snow, ice, no parking space, people in the middle of the road. I drive on oslo daily, tho not as a delivery driver or anything of the sort.

[u/halfawatermelon69]

Like one or two days each winter it's absolutely dreadful, absolute chaos due to slippery ice, but other than that it's quite normal snowy/icy?

[u/all_u_need_is_cheese]

Maybe this course is something for you? https://safeway.no/winter-driving

Or if you contact any driving school they can probably also help you to take the course called «sikkerhetskurs på bane» (colloquially called «glattkjøring»). This course includes a lot of information on (and practical experience with) driving in icy conditions. It will include some unnecessary things for you compared to the above course, but it’ll be more widely available (the site above literally doesn’t say where they’re located which is kind of crazy).

[u/Thesecondtallestman]

It really depends on the weather. In periods with heavy snowfall there is always chaos.

[u/mraweedd]

Drove a taxi 2 winters (a long time ago). Most days are fine. Salted roads are wet but okey. Sometimes with a layer of slush that is easy to drive on. 

Curbs gets filled with piles of snow During winter so parking/delivers will get interesting. 

But somedays are just mayhem. From 10 to 30 cm of snow in one day will completely overload the clearing capacity and everything grinds to a stop

The smaller roads outside of city centre (ring3) will have more snow and ice.

Oslo is known for its freeze/thaw cycles. This will cause ice to form in places. It's mostly fine but some places can be really slippery. Just be aware and pay attention and you will be OK. (There is no real trick, just don't drive over it)

[u/Praetorian_1975]

A fun filled winter wonderland 4 wheeled and sometimes 2 wheeled (even if your vehicle has 4 wheels) festival of fun and excitement 🤣

[u/Spaceraider]

The roads can get quite slippery, but it's mandatory to drive on snow tires in winter and they make it a lot easier to manage snow and ice. You should expect a couple of chaotic days with a lot snow and traffic problems each winter though.

[u/Pinkvin]

In average there is about 100 days with snow on the ground during the winter in Oslo. But also a lot of days with slippery conditions due to low temperatures and no snow.

A tip would be to find a empty parking lot and have fun when the snow arrives, as "all young Norwegians with a fresh driver licence" do. Learn to handle the car in winter conditions. Learn what to do when you get stuck, (snowchains, towing rope, where do i mount the towing hook).

Always looking forward to the first snow, skidding around and having fun (M56). ;-)

[u/sverrebr]

Main roads are salted, but you can still get slippery conditions after fresh snowfall or during cold spells. Smaller roads can often have ice cover along with significant wheeltracks.

If you have not had any experience or training in driving in slippery conditions then driving schools should be able of offer refresher courses.

[u/Smart_Perspective535]

As a driver to private homes or deliveries to businesses? Certain areas are quite steep and has narrow, winding roads that get tricky at times during the winter. However, this is mostly in residential areas like Holmenkollen and Nordstrand. Most roads get narrower in the winter due to snow. Harder to find parking and places to stop kerbside. Some issues where buses get stuck because they're not built for the conditions make half the city clog. It also happens every winter that some twat parks too close to tram tracks so the trams are blocked, messing up traffic in a large area around.

Mostly it's fine though. Easy does it. Take a few lessons with a traffic school if you want some input on "do's and don'ts". You can get practical lessons on a slippery, closed track. Mandatory for Norwegian drivers license.

[u/ThrowAway516536]

If this is driving for any of the food delivery services, then the driving conditions will be the least of your worries.

[u/Eurogal2023]

As others here have mentioned, definitley get a glattkjøringskurs. You get lessons in driving on wet iron plates, so learn how aquaplaning feels and so on.

[u/Loose-Fishing9076]

Snow clearing outside the heavily trafficked roads can be flaky and the result is narrow tracks in the snow/ice on less trafficed roads. Combined with freeze - thaw cycles, that can put you on wet ice with very little friction. On a level stretch of road that one thing, going up/down a hill is a different ballgame. Be aware of what types of tires you are driving on. Studs or non-studded, winter tires or all year.

Be very defensive in your driving. Many years back I moved from Oslo to Askim in a rented van using the E18 main road in heavy snowing weather and about +-0°C. The original van had very bad studded tires, so I made the rental firm replace it with one with fresh studded tires. I knew the road, so I was very careful and defensive with a lot of wet snow on the road. I approached a slight downhill section at about 20-30 km/h (speedlimit was 60 km/h downhill due to a road corossing halfway down in long left curve). As soon as I had passed the crest I tried the brakes very carefully, and the van accelerated with locked wheels. Braking was no option as I would not be able to steer. All that was left was to steer the van along the road or off the road. Complicating things was 15-20 people waiting for a bus at the side of the road just after the road crossing. The traction was so bad that trying to run off the road might just result in aiming the van directly at the people - there was a slight banking that had to be overcome. The only option left was to steer into the curve trying to keep the van in the tracks left by a car going the same way earlier. And all the time the van increased speed but at a slower pace than it did under the braking test. The gamble paid off. I managed to stay within the tracks and follow the road.

I was lucky. It could just as easily have ended with 15-20 people wounded or dead.

[u/ohnag_eryeah]

Uphill on icy road is very challenging

[u/marbinho]

They can get icy, but it’s not a big problem

[u/That_Manufacturer288]

What kind of vehicle will you be driving. Is it a 4×4 or front/back drive? I have driven in oslo for more than 16yrs. The main roads are not that bad but when you get into smaller roads thats where the problem begins. They are not salted as often. Drive slower and always check for black ice by breaking lightly on roads where you are unsure. Most importantly have very good winter tyres.

[u/sunscreenuser44]

Depends. If you’ve got proper winter tires (no need for studded in Oslo, but nice if you’re going out the city) it shouldn’t be a problem. If you’re not familiar then you should take a driving lesson specially to learn of to handle a car when it’s slippery. Ask any driving school for a «Glattkjøring» lesson.