Planning a trip to Oslo
Arriving
By Plane -- Planes from all over the world fly into Oslo International Airport in Gardemoen (tel. 91-50-64-00), about 50km (31 miles) east of downtown Oslo, a 45-minute drive from the center. All domestic and international flights coming into Oslo arrive through this much-upgraded airport, including aircraft belonging to SAS, British Airways, and Icelandair.
There's frequent bus service, departing at intervals of between 15 and 30 minutes throughout the day, into downtown Oslo. Bus service is maintained by SAS (tel. 81-50-01-76; www.flybussen.no), whose buses deliver passengers to the Central Railway station and to most of the SAS hotels within Oslo. The cost is NOK130 ($26/£13) per person. There's also a high-speed railway service between Gardemoen and Oslo's main railway station, requiring a transit time of only 20 minutes, priced at NOK160 ($32/£16) per person each way. If you want to take a taxi, be prepared for a lethally high charge of around NOK600 to NOK700 ($120-$140/£60-£70) for up to four passengers plus luggage. If you need a "maxi-taxi," a minivan that's suitable for between 5 and 15 passengers plus luggage, you'll be assessed NOK900 ($180/£90).
By Train -- Trains from the Continent, Sweden, and Denmark arrive at Oslo Sentralstasjon, Jernbanetorget 1 (tel. 81-50-08-88 for train information), located at the beginning of Karl Johans Gate, in the center of the city. The station is open daily from 4:30am to 1am. From the Central Station, trains leave for Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim, Bodø, and all other rail links in Norway. You can also take trams to all major parts of Oslo. Lockers and a luggage office are available at the station, where you can exchange money, if needed.
High-Speed Link from Stockholm -- The first high-speed train between Stockholm and Oslo has reduced travel time to 4 hours and 50 minutes between these Scandinavian capitals. Depending on the day, there are two to three trains daily in each direction. This high-speed train now competes directly with air travel.
By Car -- If you're driving from mainland Europe, the fastest way to reach Oslo is to take the car ferry from Frederikshavn, Denmark. From Frederikshavn, car ferries run to several towns near Oslo and to Gothenburg, Sweden. You can also take a car ferry from Copenhagen to several points in western Sweden, or from Helsingør, Denmark, to Helsingborg, Sweden. Hwy. E6 runs the length of Sweden's western coast from Malmö through Helsingborg and Gothenburg, right up to Oslo. If you're driving from Stockholm to Oslo, take E3 west to Örebro, where it connects with E18 to Oslo. Once you near the outskirts of Oslo from any direction, follow the signs into the Sentrum.
By Ferry -- Ferries from Europe arrive at the Oslo port, a 15-minute walk (or a short taxi ride) from the center. From Denmark, Scandinavia's link with the Continent, ferries depart for Oslo from Copenhagen, Hirtshals, and Frederikshavn.
From Strømstad, Sweden, in the summer the daily crossing to Sandefjord, Norway, takes 2 1/2 hours; from Sandefjord, it's an easy drive or train ride north to Oslo.
Visitor Information
Assistance and information for visitors are available at the Tourist Information Office, Fridtjof Nansens Plass 5, N-0160 Oslo (www.visitoslo.com). Free maps, brochures, sightseeing tickets, and guide services are available. The office is open June to August daily 9am to 7pm, April to May and September Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, and October to March Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm. The information office at the Oslo Sentralstasjon (Central Station), Jernbanetorget 1, is open daily from May to September 8am to 8pm and October to April daily 8am to 6pm. The centralized phone number to call all the tourist offices in Oslo is tel. 81-53-05-55.
Getting Around
By Public Transportation -- Oslo has an efficient citywide network of buses, trams (streetcars), and subways. Buses and electric trains take passengers to the suburbs; from mid-April to October, ferries to Bygdøy depart from the harbor in front of the Oslo Rådhuset (City Hall).
Discount Passes -- The Oslo Pass can help you become acquainted with the city at a fraction of the usual price. It allows free travel on public transportation, free admission to museums and other top sights, discounts on sightseeing buses and boats, a rebate on your car rental, and special treats in restaurants. You can purchase the card at hotels, fine stores, and tourist information offices; from travel agents; and in the branches of Sparebanken Oslo Akershus. Adults pay NOK220 ($44/£22) for a 1-day card, NOK320 ($64/£32) for 2 days, and NOK410 ($82/£41) for 3 days. Children's cards cost NOK95 ($19/£9.50), NOK115 ($23/£12), and NOK150 ($30/£15).
By Bus, Tram & Subway -- Jernbanetorget is Oslo's major bus and tram terminal stop. Most buses and trams passing through the heart of town stop at Wessels Plass, next to the Parliament, or at Stortorvet, the main marketplace. Many also stop at the National Theater or University Square on Karl Johans Gate, as well as stopping through Oslo's suburbs.
The subway (T-banen) has four branch lines to the east. The Western Suburban route (including Holmenkollen) has four lines to the residential sections and recreation grounds west and north of the city. Subways and trains leave from near the National Theater on Karl Johans Gate.
For schedule and fare information, call Trafikanten (tel. 81-50-01-76; www.trafikanten.no). Automated machines cancel tickets. Drivers sell single-trip tickets for NOK30 ($6/£3); children travel for half-fare. An eight-coupon Flexi card costs NOK160 ($32/£16) and is half-price for children. Maxi cards can be used for unlimited transfers for 1 hour from the time the ticket is stamped.
By Taxi -- If you need a taxi, call tel. 23-23-23-23, available 24 hours a day. Reserve at least an hour in advance.
Hiring a taxi is very expensive in Oslo. Tariffs start at NOK30 ($6/£3) for hailed taxis in the streets or at NOK50 ($10/£5) if you summon one in advance. In addition to regular fares, there are lethal surcharges between 5 and 10pm costing NOK110 ($22/£11), or between 10pm and 4am costing NOK210 ($42/£21). All taxis have meters, and Norwegian cab drivers are generally honest. When a cab is available, its roof light goes on. Taxis can be hailed on the street, provided they're more than 91m (298 ft.) from a taxi rank. The most difficult time to hail a taxi is Monday to Friday 8:30 to 10am and 3 to 5pm, and Saturday 8:30 to 10am.
By Car -- Driving is not a practical way to get around Oslo because parking is limited. The efficient public transportation system makes a private car unnecessary. You can reach even the most isolated areas by public transportation.
Among the multistory parking lots in the city center, the best is Vestre Vika Bilpark, Dronning Mauds Gate (tel. 22-83-35-35). The cost of parking a car in a public garage is NOK50 ($10/£5) per hour or NOK178 ($36/£18) for 24 hours. Illegally parked cars are towed away. For car problems, call the NAF Alarm Center (tel. 22-34-14-00), available 24 hours a day.
By Ferry -- Beginning in mid-April, ferries depart for Bygdøy from Pier 3 in front of the Oslo Rådhuset. For schedules, call Båtservice (tel. 23-35-68-90). The ferry or bus to Bygdøy is a good choice because parking there is limited. Other ferries leave for various parts of the Oslofjord. Inquire at the Tourist Information Office, Fridtjof Nansens Plass 5, N-0160 Oslo (tel. 24-14-77-00).
Neighborhoods in Brief
Main Arteries & Streets -- Oslo is at the mouth of the Oslofjord, which is 97km (60 miles) in length. Opening onto the harbor is Rådhusplassen (City Hall Square), dominated by the modern City Hall, a major attraction. Guided bus tours leave from this point, and the launches that cruise the fjords depart from the pier facing the municipal building. You can catch Bygdøy-bound ferries from the quay at Rådhusplassen. On a promontory to the east is Akershus Castle.
Karl Johans Gate, Oslo's main street (especially for shopping and strolling), is north of City Hall Square. This boulevard begins at Oslo Sentralstasjon (Central Station) and stretches all the way to the 19th-century Royal Palace at the western end.
A short walk from the palace is the famed Studenter Lunden (Students' Grove), where seemingly everybody gathers on summer days to socialize. The University of Oslo is nearby. Dominating this center is the National Theater, guarded by statues of Ibsen and Bjørnson, the two greatest names in Norwegian theater. South of the theater, near the harbor, is Stortingsgaten, another shop-filled street.
The main city square is Stortorvet, although it's no longer the center of city life, which has shifted to Karl Johans Gate.
At a subway stop near the National Theater, you can catch an electric train to Tryvannstårnet, the loftiest lookout in Scandinavia, and to the Holmenkollen Ski Jump.
Finding an Address -- Street numbers begin on the southern end of streets running north-south and on the eastern end of streets running east-west. Odd numbers are on one side of the street, and even numbers on the other. Where large buildings hold several establishments, different addresses are designated with A, B, and C.
Street Maps -- Maps of Oslo are distributed free at the tourist office. For extensive exploring, especially of some back streets, you may need a more detailed map. Opt for a pocket-size map with a street index that can be opened and folded like a wallet. Such maps are sold at most newsstands in the central city. If you can't find a map, go to the city's most central bookstore, Tanum Karl Johan, Karl Johans Gate 43 (tel. 22-41-11-00).
Neighborhoods in Brief
Oslo is made for walking -- in fact, you can walk from the Central Station all the way to the Royal Palace (Slottet) in a straight line. Except for excursions to the museum-loaded Bygdøy peninsula and the Holmenkollen Ski Jump, most attractions can be covered on foot.
Oslo is not neatly divided into separate neighborhoods or districts. It consists mainly of central Oslo, with the Central Station to the east of the city center and the Royal Palace to the west. Karl Johans Gate, the principal street, connects these two points. Central Oslo is the heart of the city -- the most crowded and traffic-congested, but also the most convenient place to stay. Those on the most rushed of schedules -- the average visitor spends only 2 days in Oslo -- will book accommodations in the center. It's not a real neighborhood, but it's the core of the city, as Piccadilly Circus is to London. Most Oslo hotels and restaurants are here, as are almost 50 museums and galleries -- enough to fill many a rainy day. The best of the lot include Akershus Castle, the Historical Museum, and the National Gallery.
The streets Drammensveien and Frognerveien lead northwest to Frogner Park (Frognerparken), whose main entrance is on Kirkeveien. This historical area is the site of the Vigeland Sculpture Park, which displays some of Gustav Vigeland's masterpieces.
The Old Town (or Gamlebyen) lies south of the Parliament Building (the Stortinget) and Karl Johans Gate. This section contains some of the city's old-fashioned restaurants, along with the Norwegian Resistance Museum and the Old Town Hall. A stay here is the same as staying in central Oslo . The only difference is that the streets of the Old Town have more old-fashioned Norwegian flavor than the more modern parts of central Oslo.
Aker Brygge is Oslo's newest neighborhood, an excellent place for dining and diversions, but not for hotels as it is sadly lacking in those. For sights along the waterfront, it's the best place for long walks to take in the port life. It emerged near the mouth of the Oslofjord in the old wharf area formerly used for shipbuilding yards. Fueled by oil wealth, steel-and-glass buildings now rise from what had been a relatively dilapidated section. Some of the best shops, theaters, restaurants, and cultural attractions are here, along with apartments for such well-heeled owners as Diana Ross.
The main attractions in Eastern Oslo are the Botanisk Hage (Botanic Garden), the Zoological Museum, and the Munch Museum in Tøyen -- little more is worth seeing here. Unless you're interested in seeing those sights mentioned, you might skip eastern Oslo. However, thousands of visitors head here just to see the Munch Museum.
The West End is a chic residential area graced with some of the city's finest hotels and restaurants. It's a more tranquil setting than the center and only 15 minutes away by public transportation. Many visitors who stay here don't mind the short commute and prefer this area to the more traffic-clogged center. However, for walking and sightseeing, central Oslo and its port are more alluring. There is little to see in the West End unless you like walking up and down pleasant residential streets.
Farther west -- 6km (3 3/4 miles) by car, but better reached by car ferry -- is the Bygdøy peninsula. Here you'll find such attractions as the Norwegian Folk Museum, the Viking ships, the polar ship Fram, and the Kon-Tiki Museum. Break up your sightseeing venture with a meal here, but plan to stay elsewhere.
The suburb of Frogner begins .8km (1/2 mile) west of Oslo's center and stretches for a mile or so. Unless you specifically have business here, you can probably skip this section of the city.
Lying behind the S-station, the main rail station for Oslo, is the Grønland district, where many Oslovians go for ethnic dining. There is little of sightseeing interest in this ghettolike area. Many refugees from Pakistan and India, among other countries, fill the area; however, the town's best Indian and Pakistani restaurants lie within more upscale neighborhoods. Come here for affordable dining, not for long, leisurely walks. On a hurried visit, you could afford to skip Grønland entirely without suffering any cultural loss.
At last, once-staid Oslo has grown big and diverse enough to have its own trendy, counterculture district. Lying in east Oslo is trendy Grünerløkka, which most of its inhabitants refer to affectionately as "Løkka." This once-run-down sector of Oslo traditionally was known as the worker's district. Today many professional Oslovians are moving in to restore apartments, and the district is the site of several fashionable cafes and restaurants. If you're young with a roving eye at night, you might want to check out some of the establishments in this area.
Many Oslo neighborhoods lie along the Oslofjord, which stretches more than 97km (60 miles) north from the Skagerrak to Oslo. Basins dotted with islands fill the fjord. (There are 40 islands in the immediate Oslo archipelago.) Chances are, you won't be staying or dining along the fjord, but might consider a boat trip along the water, as it's a grand attraction on a summer day.
Nearly all visitors want to see Holmenkollen, a wooded range of hills northwest of the city rising to about 226m (741 ft.). You can reach it in 35 minutes by electric train from the city center. Skiers might want to stay here in winter, lodging at the Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica. Otherwise, visit for the view and perhaps make it a luncheon stopover, then head back to the historic core.
Marka, Oslo's forest, is a sprawling recreation area with hiking, bicycle riding, skiing, fishing, wild-berry picking, jogging trails, and more. It contains 343 lakes, 500km (310 miles) of ski trails, 623km (386 miles) of trails and roads, 11 sports chalets, and 24 ski jumps and alpine slopes. If you like to go for long walks on summer days, Marka's the spot for you. It's also one of the best places in Greater Oslo for a picnic.
Fast Facts
American Express -- American Express Reisebyrå, Maribores Gate 13 (tel. 22-98-35-00), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm.
Area Code -- The country code for Norway is 47. If you're calling from outside the country, the city code for Oslo is 2. Inside Norway, no area or city codes are needed. Telephone numbers have eight digits.
Babysitters -- Hotels can often enlist the help of a housekeeper for "child-minding." Give at least a day's notice, or two if you can. You can also contact the tourist office, which keeps a list of available sitters on file.
Bookstores -- Oslo has many bookstores. The most central and one of the best stocked is Tanum Karl Johan, Karl Johans Gate 43 (tel. 22-41-11-00).
Currency Exchange -- Banks will exchange most foreign currencies or cash traveler's checks. Bring your passport for identification. If banks are closed, try automated machines at the Oslo Sentralstasjon to exchange currency. For foreign currency exchange go to Forex, at Oslo Sentralstasjon, Jernbanetorget 1 (tel. 22-17-64-00).
Dentists -- If you're having a dental emergency, you can contact either of these organizations at extended hours, usually 24 hours a day, for the address of a dentist who can take a new client on short notice: Volvat Medisinske Senter (Volvat Medical Center), Borgenveien 2A (tel. 22-95-75-00); and Oslo Legevakt (Oslo Emergency Hospital), Storgten 40 (tel. 22-11-80-80; ask for emergency services).
Doctors -- Some larger hotels have arrangements with doctors in case a guest becomes ill, or try the 24-hour Oslo Akuttetaten (Emergencies), Storgata 40 (tel. 22-93-22-93). A privately funded alternative is Oslo Akutten, Nedre Vollgate 8 (tel. 22-00-81-60). For more routine medical assistance, you can contact the biggest hospital in Oslo, Ullaval, Kirkeveien 166 (tel. 22-11-80-80). To consult a private doctor (nearly all of whom speak English), check the telephone directory or ask at your hotel for a recommendation.
Drugstores -- A 24-hour pharmacy is Jernbanetorvets Apotek, Jernbanetorget 4A (tel. 22-41-24-82).
Emergencies -- Dial the Oslo police at tel. 112; to report a fire, call tel. 110; call an ambulance at tel. 113.
Eyeglass Repair -- Synsam Karl Johan, Karl Johans Gate 20 (tel. 22-00-83-10), is a big eyeglass supplier. Most contact lenses are in stock, too. Unusual prescriptions take about 2 days. Hours are Monday and Wednesday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Tuesday 9am to 6pm, and Saturday 10am to 3pm.
Internet Access -- You can tap in free at the Rådhuset, the City Hall on Rådhusplassen (tel. 23-46-16-00).
Laundry & Dry Cleaning -- Washing and drying can usually be completed in an hour. You must have your coins ready to put in the machines. Dry cleaning is extremely expensive in Oslo, and many establishments take more than a week to return clothing. Try American Lincoln Norge, Østmarkv 25 (tel. 22-27-24-50), which promises 24-hour service.
Lost Property -- It's uncertain -- even in law-abiding Norway -- whether someone will actually return a valuable object that you've lost, but the two most obvious places to begin your search are the Lost Property office at Gardermoen Airport (tel. 64-81-34-77), which is open daily 7am to 6pm, and the Lost Property office at the Central Railway Station (tel. 81-56-83-40), open Monday to Friday midnight to 5pm.
Luggage Storage & Lockers -- Facilities for luggage storage are available at the Oslo Sentralstasjon, Jernbanetorget 1 (tel. 81-50-08-88). It's open daily 4:30am to 1am. Lockers cost NOK40 to NOK70 ($8-$14/£4-£7) per day, depending on size.
Newspapers & Magazines -- English-language newspapers and magazines are sold -- at least, in the summer months -- at newsstands (kiosks) throughout Oslo. International editions, including the International Herald Tribune and USA Today, are always available, as are the European editions of Time and Newsweek.
Photographic Needs -- Try Preus Photo, Stovner Senter 3 (tel. 22-42-98-04), for supplies, including black-and-white and color film. Film can be developed in 1 hour. It's open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and Saturday 10am to 3pm.
Police -- Dial tel. 112.
Post Office -- The Oslo General Post Office is at Dronningensgatan 15 (tel. 23-14-90-00 for information). Enter at the corner of Prinsensgate. It's open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm; it's closed Sunday and public holidays. You can arrange for mail to be sent to the main post office c/o General Delivery. The address is Poste Restante, P.O. Box 1181-Sentrum, Dronningensgatan 15, N-0101 Oslo, Norway. You must show your passport to collect it.
Safety -- Of the four Scandinavian capitals, Oslo is widely considered the safest. However, it is still a major city, so don't be lulled into a false sense of security. Be careful, and don't carry your wallet visibly exposed or sling your purse over your shoulder.
Taxes -- Oslo has no special city taxes. You'll pay the same value-added tax throughout the country.
Toilets -- Clean public toilets can be found throughout the city center, in parks, and at all bus, rail, and air terminals. For a detailed list, contact the Tourist Information Office.
