Money

Norwegian Kroner -- The Norwegian currency is the krone (plural: kroner), written as NOK. There are 100 øre in 1 krone. Bank notes are issued in denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 kroner. Coins are issued in denominations of 50 øre, 1 krone, and 5, 10, and 20 kroner.

ATMs -- Plus, Cirrus, and other networks connecting automated teller machines operate throughout Norway. If your credit card has a PIN (personal identification number), you can probably use your card at Norwegian ATMs to withdraw money as a cash advance on your card. Be sure to determine the frequency limits for withdrawals. In addition, you'll have to check if your PIN must be reprogrammed for use abroad. If you use a credit card in an ATM, you're charged interest from that day, even if you pay your monthly bill on time. For Cirrus locations abroad, call tel. 800/424-7787 or visit www.mastercard.com. For PLUS usage abroad, call tel. 800/843-7587 or check www.visa.com.

Credit Cards -- Naturally, these are useful throughout Norway. American Express, Diners Club, and Visa are widely recognized. If you see a Eurocard or Access sign, it means the establishment accepts MasterCard. With an American Express, MasterCard, or Visa card, you can also withdraw currency from cash machines (ATMs). Always check with your credit or charge card company about this before leaving home. Let your credit card company know where you're going so that charges are honored while you're visiting Santa's reindeer.

Currency Exchange -- Banks offer the best rates for performing currency exchanges. Most hotels will exchange money but usually at an unfavorable rate.

Many hotels in Norway simply do not accept a dollar- or pound-denominated personal check; those that do will certainly charge for making the conversion. In some cases, a hotel may accept countersigned traveler's checks or a credit or charge card.

If you're making a deposit on a hotel reservation, it's cheaper and easier to pay with a check drawn from a Norwegian bank. This can be arranged by a large commercial bank or by a specialist like Ruesch International, 700 11th St. NW, Fourth Floor, Washington, DC 20001 (tel. 800/424-2923 or 202/408-1200; www.ruesch.com), which performs a wide variety of conversion-related tasks, usually for about $15 per transaction.

If you need a check payable in a Norwegian currency, call Ruesch's toll-free number, describe what you need, and write down the transaction number. Mail your dollar-denominated personal check (payable to Ruesch International) to the Washington, D.C., office. When it's received, the company will mail you a check denominated in the requested currency for the specified amount, minus the $3 charge. The company can also help you with wire transfers, as well as converting VAT (value-added tax) refund checks. Information is mailed upon request.

In England, contact Ruesch International Ltd., Lower Cookham Road, Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 8XY (tel. 0845/880-0400).

Traveler's Checks -- Traveler's checks are a bit outdated in the wake of ATMs, but most banks give you a better exchange rate for traveler's checks than for cash. Traveler's checks denominated in U.S. dollars or British pounds are accepted virtually anywhere; you can also get checks in a local currency. The agencies listed below will replace checks if they're lost or stolen, provided that you produce documentation.

Issuers sometimes have agreements with groups to sell traveler's checks without a commission. American Automobile Association (AAA) sells commission-free American Express checks in several currencies.

American Express (tel. 800/221-7282 in the U.S. and Canada; www.americanexpress.com) is one of the largest issuers of traveler's checks. Holders of certain AmEx cards pay no commission.

Visa (tel. 800/732-1322) offers traveler's checks at banking locations nationwide. The service fee ranges from 1.5% to 2%; checks come in denominations of $20, $50, $100, $500, and $1,000. AAA members can obtain Visa checks for a fee of $9.95 (for checks up to $1,500) at most AAA offices or by calling tel. 866/339-3378. MasterCard (tel. 800/223-9920) also offers traveler's checks.

The Norwegian Krone

For American Readers At this writing, $1 = approximately 6.5 kroner. (Norwegian kroner are identified throughout this guidebook as NOK). Stated differently, 1NOK = approximately 15.4 US cents. This was the rate of exchange used to calculate the dollar values given throughout this edition. Bear in mind that throughout the context of this book, dollar amounts less than $10 are rounded to the nearest nickel, and dollar amounts greater than $10 are rounded to the nearest dollar.

For British Readers At this writing, £1 = approximately 12.37NOK, or, stated differently, 1NOK = approximately 8 pence. This was the rate of exchange used to calculate the pound values in the table below.

Regarding the Euro At the time of this writing, 1NOK = approximately 12 eurocents. Stated differently, 1€ = approximately 8.36NOK.