Fast Facts

Area Code -- The country code for Norway is 47. Most land-based telephones within Bergen begin with 55. (Cell phones, however, are not bound by that general rule and might begin with virtually anything.) In Norway, all telephone numbers have eight digits, the first two of which are usually defined as the "area code." It's always necessary to dial all eight digits.

Banking -- Bergen has dozens of banks. The most visible is Den Norske Bank, Torg Almenning 2 (tel. 55-21-10-00). Branches of many of its competitors can be found near the Radisson SAS Hotel Norge, on Rådstuplass.

Bookstores -- One of the best, with a wide range of books in English, is Norli, in the Galleriet, Torgalmenningen 8 (tel. 55-96-28-10). It's open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm.

Business Hours -- Most banks are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm, and Thursday until 6pm. Most businesses are open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm. Shops are generally open Monday to Wednesday and Friday 9am to 4:30pm, Thursday 9am to 7pm (sometimes also on Fri until 7pm), Saturday 9am to 2pm.

Currency Exchange -- You can exchange currency at the Bergen Airport. In town you can exchange money at several banks. When the banks are closed, you can exchange money at the tourist office.

Dentists -- Emergency care only is available at Bergen Legevakt, Vestre Stromkaien 19 (tel. 55-56-87-00), from 5 to 10pm.

Doctors -- For medical assistance, call Bergen Legevakt, Vestre Stromkaien 19 (tel. 55-56-87-00), 24 hours a day. If it's not an emergency, your hotel can make an appointment with an English-speaking doctor.

Drugstores -- One convenient pharmacy is Apoteket Nordstjernen, at the Central Bus Station (tel. 55-21-83-84). It's open Monday to Saturday 8am to 11pm and Sunday 10am to 11pm.

Embassies & Consulates -- Most foreign nationals, including citizens of the United States, will have to contact their embassies in Oslo if they have a problem. Exceptions to this rule include the United Kingdom, which maintains a consulate in Bergen, at Øvre Ole Bulls Plass 1 (tel. 55-36-78-10); and Canada, which has a consulate at Asbjørnsen Gate 20 (tel. 55-29-71-30).

Emergencies -- For the police, dial tel. 112; to report a fire, call tel. 110; for an ambulance, dial tel. 113.

Eyeglass Repair -- A good optician is Optiker Svabø, Strandgaten 18 (tel. 55-31-69-51).

Hairdressers & Barbers -- One of the best in town is Prikken Frisørsalong, Strandkaien 2B (tel. 55-32-31-51). It's open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 9am to 4pm; Wednesday 10am to 7pm; and Saturday 9am to 2pm.

Hospitals -- A medical center, Accident Clinic (Legevakten), is open around the clock. It's at Vestre Stromkaien 19 (tel. 55-56-87-00).

Internet Access -- Your two best bets are Accezzo, next to the Galleriet shopping mall at Torgallmenningen 8 (tel. 55-31-11-60), and CyberHouse Internett Café, Vetrlidsallmenninggen 13 (tel. 55-36-66-16).

Laundry -- Try Jarlens Vaskoteque, Lille Øvregate 17 (tel. 55-32-55-04). It's near the Hotel Victoria in a little alley about 45m (148 ft.) northeast of the 17th-century Korskirken church, off Kong Oscars Gate. It's open Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 10am to 6pm; Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 7pm; and Saturday 10am to 3pm.

Libraries -- The Bergen Public Library, Strømgaten (tel. 55-56-85-00), is open in July and August on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 10am to 3pm, Monday and Thursday 9am to 7pm, and Saturday 9am to 1pm; the rest of the year, it's open Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm.

Lost Property -- Various agencies recover lost objects. For assistance, contact the local police station or Tourist Information (tel. 55-55-20-00).

Luggage Storage & Lockers -- Rental lockers and luggage storage are available at the Jernbanestasjonen (railway station), Strømgaten 1, which is open daily 7am to 11:50pm. The cost ranges from 20NOK to 40NOK ($3.10-$6.15/£1.65-£3.30) per day, depending on the locker's size.

Photographic Needs -- Go to Foto Knutsen, in the Galleriet, Torgalmenningen 6 (tel. 55-31-16-78). It's open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 6pm.

Police -- Call tel. 112.

Post Office -- The main post office is on Småstrandgaten (tel. 55-54-15-00), 1 block from Torget. It's open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, and Saturday 9am to 2:30pm. If you want to receive your mail c/o General Delivery, the address is Poste Restante, N-5002 Bergen. You'll need your passport to pick it up.

Taxes -- Bergen adds no city taxes to the national value-added tax.

Telephone -- Public telephones take 1NOK coins. Local calls cost 5NOK (75¢/40p), but to an increasing degree, most locals pay for their calls with debit phone cards, available in various denominations at newspaper kiosks and pharmacies. To call abroad, dial tel. 00; to call collect, dial tel. 115.