From the south of Sweden, through Oslo, Trondheim and Narvik all the way up to Nordkjosbotn you follow the E6. From Nordkjosbotn it is under an hour on the E8 to Tromso. So unless you want to get off the main road and explore there’s really no need for the SatNav.
Don’t be fooled by the E6 name, thinking you’ll be whizzing up the country on dead straight motorways. More or less the whole way north from Trondheim, the roads are single lane, taking you along the coast and the stunning scenery.
From Oslo to Tromso is about 1,700km (a little over 1,000miles), and with national speed limits at 80km/h (just over 50m/h) you wont get anywhere particularly fast. Roads are very rarely straight, winding their way in and out of fjords along the coast, so you probably wouldn’t want to test your engine size here. It is wise to allow a couple of days for the drive, and if possible take the time to stop off in places like Trondheim or go through the LofotenIslands on the way.
Driving through Sweden
You can also drive to Tromso through Sweden. It is somewhat longer, and by no means scenic, but because of the straight roads through endless forests and higher speed limits it is normally a faster way to get North. Not recommended for people prone to falling asleep at the wheel.
Driving from the Baltic and Finland
Regular ferry services from Tallinn to Helsinki and then following the E8 all the way to Tromso takes you through the Sami heartland. Also consider the car train from Helsinki to Kolari or Rovaniemi.
Winter driving in Norway
In winter the roads get icy and although foreign registered cars do not have to have winter tyres it is not recommended driving around in Northern Norway in winter without them.
Occasionally, snowstorms and extreme weather force some roads, ferry- and mountain crossings to close for short periods of time. Check with local petrol stations or listen to the radio for traffic updates.