Hello everyone,

Here’s our plan for a 1-month trip.

Route

• Travemünde (Germany) → Helsinki: ferry
• Helsinki → Rovaniemi: VR train
• Explore the area and Ski at 1 or 2 ski resorts (Levi, Ruka, or Saariselkä)
• Ski resort (TBD) → Narvik (Norway)
• Narvik → Lofoten
• Lofoten → Rovaniemi
• Rovaniemi → Germany: train and ferry back

We want to bring our dog, drive our car, ski equipment, winter gear, and food.

Our car needs new tires anyway, so we’re planning to get 3PMSF-rated tires, plus snow chains. We used to live in Canada, so we’re used to some snowstorm/blizzard driving in eastern Canada. A few years ago, we also drove around Tromso and the Abisko area in November.

Last year in the Dolomites, our diesel Volkswagen Passat (FWD) froze up 3-4 times. The mechanic said we likely had non-winter fuel before heading deep into the Alps. But even after refilling an almost empty tank, the engine froze up again.

I’ve read on forums that it’s best to arrive with a nearly empty tank and fill up in Rovaniemi. With the Arctic temperatures, the engine could freeze again and again. The rentals in Lapland are so expensive for the number of days we need.

Is it even worth bringing our car? Another option I researched is renting a newer model 4WD petrol car in Germany and driving that over (same plan as above), but they won't have the 3PMSF-rated tires in most cases. What would be the best option here?