Oslo

Understand

Oslo is the demographic, economic and political centre of Norway. As the capital of Norway, Oslo hosts several national institutions within government, education, culture, sports and transport. The city has a good selection of cultural institutions and a good selection of restaurants, some world class but most ordinary, as well as night life in general. While it is an expensive city for some overseas visitors, many of the best things are free of charge, notably Oslo's proximity to wild nature, inner city parks and variety of outdoor activities. Metropolitan Oslo also includes most of Akershus county and the line between these is so blurred that the two is seen as one city. Local public transport such as the Oslo metro covers Oslo proper and the surrounding districts. Oslo proper has over 700,000 inhabitants while metropolitan Oslo has well over 1 million inhabitants. Oslo's influence is felt well beyond the metropolitan area and the wider "Oslo region" includes the densely populated lowlands around the inner Oslo fjord and the flatlands around the airport. This region covers only 5% of Norway's area but has 25 to 30% of the population.

Name and history

The history of the city can be traced back to at around year 1000. Oslo was according to the ancient saga founded by king Harald Hardråde in 1048, and became a diocese in 1070. The city became the capital of Norway around 1300, but lost its privileges during the Danish-Norwegian union from 1348 to 1814. In 1624, a fire devastated old Oslo, and the city was moved some kilometres west to gain protection from the fortress at Akershus. The new city was built in a strict grid plan that still appears modern, this area is now within downtown Oslo (between Akershus fortress and Oslo cathedral) and known as Kvadraturen. The expanding city Christiania was built on the land of the Aker estate so the river and the oldest church are "Aker" river and church respectively. Christiania developed west of the Aker river, while Old Oslo became a backwater between Alna river and Ekeberg hill. The new city was named Christiania, after the Danish King Christian IV, a name that remained until it was officially named Oslo on 1 January 1925 to remove the Danish name. Old Oslo, which had retained its name since the middle ages, was then renamed Gamlebyen ("Old town") to avoid confusion. In Gamlebyen there is a Oslo street, Oslo square and Oslo hospital. The original town Christiania built in 1624 is now called Kvadraturen and is the oldest part of Oslo. Traces have been found close to Ekeberg indicating settlement as far back a

Getting there

By plane Oslo is served by two airports: Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, Sandefjord Airport Torp. Oslo Airport is the largest of the two and is the main international gateway to Norway. Most internet flight booking sites will show flights to both airports when searching for Oslo Airport. Make sure to check the actual airport from the search results before booking. Sandefjord Torp is located far from the city centre, and ground transportation to Oslo takes more than one hour. You should be able to tell based on the IATA code: OSL for Gardermoen and TRF for Sandefjord.

Oslo Airport, Gardermoen For more information on facilities at and around Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, see the Oslo Airport, Gardermoen article. Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL IATA) is Norway's largest airport, in Gardermoen, 37 km north-northeast of Oslo. Direct flights are available to 107 airports, including 24 airports in Norway. The largest airlines in Norway, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Norwegian Air Shuttle, operate direct flights to many foreign destinations from Oslo Airport, and have large domestic networks. Flights by about 30 other airlines make this airport easy to reach from most of the world.

To travel between the city and the airport:

Flytoget (Airport Express Train), operates high speed express trains, generally taking 19-22 minutes to reach Oslo Central Station (Oslo S). Trains to Oslo Central Station depart every 10 minutes on weekdays from 07.00 to 23.10, Sundays from 11.30 to 23.10, and every 20 minutes at other times (04.40-06.50 and 23.10-00.50 everyday, 07.20-11.20 Sundays, and all-day during Saturdays and bank holidays). Every 20 minutes from 05.30 to 00.50, the train also calls at Lillestrøm and continues past Oslo S to Drammen, stopping at Nationaltheatret station, which is more convenient for destinations in the western end of the city center. The fare is 268 kr for most adults, 134 kr senior citizens, unaccompanied kids and students younger than 31 with a student ID, and free for under-16s accompanied by an adult. The fare can be paid for by (a) swiping one's debit/credit card on the card reader on the fare gate and selecting the destination on the touch screen, (b) buying a traditional paper ticket from the vending machine and scanning its barcode on the fare gate's reader, or (c) buying an e-ticket on Flytoget's website or mobile phone app and scanning the barcode on the fare gate's reader. To use option (a) as a discounted passenger or get a receipt, one will need to create an account on Flytoget's website, register the payment card one intends to use a

Getting around

There is a comprehensive public transport system in Oslo, consisting of buses, trams, local trains, metro (T-bane) and boats. The public transport is planned and coordinated by Ruter. The five metro lines have numbers 1 through 5, the six tram lines have numbers 11 through 19, buses have labels from 20, while boats (ferries) are B1, B2 and so forth. Local trains operated by Vy are covered by Ruter ticket system. The local public transport of Oslo also covers the suburbs in Akershus, notably Bærum in the west, where the tram and metro cross the county line. Ruter Service Center (formerly known as Trafikanten) is the information centre for public transport in Oslo. It is found at Jernbanetorget, just outside Oslo Central Station, by the foot of the clock tower, as well as at Aker Brygge and at Oslo Airport (Gardermoen). They hand out free maps, give information and sell all kinds of tickets. The Ruter website has timetables, maps, route planner and search engines for all city transport in Oslo, as well as all transport in the nearby counties of Akershus, Østfold, Oppland, Hedmark, Buskerud, Vestfold and Telemark. The Oslo Tourist Information Centre is in the same office at Jernbanetorget, at the rear counters. There are two main hubs for public transport inside the city centre: Oslo Central Station (Oslo S) / Jernbanetorget and Nationaltheatret (underground). All metro lines pass these stations, all trains pass Oslo S and most trains (including the Airport Express Train (Flytoget)) pass Nationaltheatret. Nationaltheatret is most convenient for key buildings such as the Royal Palace, the National Museum, the Parliament, Oslo Concert Hall and Oslo City Hall.

Tickets and the zone system

The Oslo and Akershus public transport utilizes a zone system in which the price for a trip is calculated based on how many zones you pass through. For clarity, all ticket prices listed here are for one zone only. All public transport runs on the same fare scheme, and the same tickets are valid for all modes of transport. A single ticket costs 40 kr when bought in advance from the app or a kiosk, and 60 kr when bought from a bus or tram driver. After being activated (validated), the single ticket is valid for one hour of free travel in the zones the ticket is valid for. You can also get a Travelcard where you load pay-as-you-go-credit for the price of a single ticket. There are also period tickets available; 24-hour ticket (117 kr), 7-day ticket (323 kr), 30-day ticket (814 kr) and 365-day ticket (8,140 kr) for one zone. Read more about the tickets and see prices for multi

See

Individual listings can be found in Oslo's district articles

Buildings and structures Architecture in Oslo may at first seem dull. Compared to Stockholm and Copenhagen, downtown Oslo has much less historic architecture. Most of the historic buildings are located along the Parliament-Palace axis (upper part of Karl Johan Street). This central area and the public buildings there were designed after Oslo became the capital of Norway in 1814. The charm of Oslo can also be found in the affluent inner-city suburbs of for instance Frogner and Fagerborg as well as above St.Hanshaugen park. The districts surrounding the very centre is characterised by the city's rapid expansion after 1850. These areas were developed when horses were still the most important transport, and blocks of flats from this period usually have a gate (known as port) from the street into the back yard where horses were kept. Oslo also has many exciting building projects, and the city's whole waterfront is undergoing a thorough change. The streets of Oslo are famous from films and TV series such as Skam and Beforeigners (see Nordic Noir).

Northern Europe has a distinct wooden house tradition. Wooden houses are not allowed downtown, but these charming houses can be found in large numbers in villa suburbs such as Bygdøy and Holmenkollen, or former workers' areas such as Rodeløkka, Kampen, Vålerenga, Damstredet, Hellerud or Telthusbakken. The 1624 fire destroyed much of old Oslo (some churches and Akershus castle remain) and central Oslo is dominated by the city that was designed after the fire.

Museums

Oslo has an amazing number of museums, among them the Viking Ship Museum, with the Oseberg and Gokstad ships. Many of the museums are located next to each other and don't take long to visit. If you are planning on seeing several of the expensive attractions in a short period of time, then the most cost effective way to do this is to buy an Oslo Pass. It includes unlimited entry to more than 30 museums and the Holmenkollen ski jump (but not the Royal Palace), free travel on Oslo's quite expensive public transport (Ruter and ferry to Bygdøy), and even limited discounts on some restaurants and other attractions (495 kr for 24 hrs). Students get a 20% discount on the Oslo pass. They can be purchased at Tourist Information Offices in Oslo.

1 Viking Ship Museum and Historical Museum, Huk aveny 35 (Bygdøy), [email protected]. Museum featuring the Tune, Oseberg and Gokstad Viking ships, found in burial mounds.Closed until 2027 for renovations. (updated Jul 2023) Oslo has many art galleries,

Do

Individual listings can be found in Oslo's district articles

Visit the local city district Grünerløkka, (tram 11, 12 and 18 to Nybrua, Schous plass, Olaf Ryes plass or Birkelunden, tram 17 or bus 30-31 to Heimdalsgata or Birkelunden, or bus 21 to Sannergata). A part of the city filled with cafés, bars, small fashion and designer shops, nice parks. The river Akerselva runs on the west side, with a selection of (well hidden) bars, clubs and cafés nearby. Explore the archipelago of the Inner Oslofjord. Islands with many beaches, hiking trails and sites of cultural heritage are just waiting to be discovered. In the summer there are ferries from the dock by the city hall to islands such as Hovedøya, Langøyene, Bleikøya, Nakkholmen and Gressholmen. If you have a fishing rod, bring it along, as well as the picnic basket, sunglasses and possibly swimwear! Football: the men's national soccer team plays home games at Ullevaal Stadion, capacity 28,000, five km north of city centre. Oslo has one club playing soccer in Eliteserien, Norway's top tier: Vålerenga. Clubs in the second tier, 1. divisjon, are KFUM and Skeid. The domestic playing season is March-Nov.

Hiking

The easily accessible nature and many trails are just a short boat, metro, or bus ride away from anywhere in the city. Both in the inner city and especially in the forests of southern and northern Oslo there are countless hiking and cycling opportunities.

Explore the Oslo forest (Marka). Oslo is surrounded by wide forested hills within reach metro, tram or pass. Ut.no maintains a list of routes. There hundreds of lakes, hills and small summits. There are fine roads and paths in these forests, hiking is possible everywhere, fine roads are accessible by bicycle, baby stroller and wheelchair. Nice gateways to the lovely nature are T-bane to Frognerseteren (line 1), Sognsvann (line 3), Romsås (line 5), Bogerud (line 3), Skullerud (line 3) or Ellingsrudåsen (line 2), or the train to Movatn or Snippen (local trains towards Hakadal, Roa, Jaren and Gjøvik). Also bus 56 from Torshov (tram 11, 12, 13 and bus 20) via Storo T-bane to Solemskogen or bus 51 from Nydalen (bus 37, T-bane 4, 5 and 6) to Maridalen offer many possibilities for walks and rural life, everything less than half an hour from the city centre. Bring something to drink and a chocolate bar (and do a bit of planning, buses 51 and 56 and the train does seldom run more than once per hour). Trails suitable for bicycles and strollers as well as hiking only can be found. Be prepared for some muddy sections of the trail as they take you through s

Buy

Individual listings can be found in Oslo's district articles Oslo is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Still, there are possibilities for getting bargains in Oslo during the big sales. The prices on famous brands are not higher in Oslo than in London or Paris, often lower even if they are not on sale. The big sales are in January and August, sometimes in between. The Norwegian word for reduced price is "Salg" or "Tilbud".

VAT refund/Tax Free Shopping In a number of shops you can get a VAT refund cheque when leaving the country. Most of these shops carry a Tax Free logo displayed in the shop window or on their counter, but you are advised to ask the sales assistant whether tax free shopping applies to the shop in question, as not all shops carry the tax free logo. If you use the tax free shopping service offered in these stores, you may receive a cash refund when leaving Norway. There are refund points at various locations in Norway, such as airports, road borders or onboard ferries and cruise ships. Which refund point you can use depends on how you leave the country. The minimum purchase amount in one shop (to get a tax refund check) is 315 kr on regular goods and 290 kr on food. In Norway, sales tax/VAT is included in the retail price. Goods must be exported in unused condition within 30 days from date of purchase. When approaching the refund counter, please make sure you have your goods, refund cheque as well as your passport/ID card. The tax refund service is not available for Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Finnish residents.

Shopping districts If you are out to shop there's plenty to choose from. The main pedestrian street Karl Johans gate has plenty of shops of dubious quality. The street Bygdøy allé (which is locally famous for its chestnut trees) (bus 20, 31) has regained its reputation of being a shopping street the past few years by establishments that focuses on kitchens, kitchenware, interior designs, exclusive Norwegian furniture, light design and others.

Eat

Individual listings can be found in Oslo's district articles There are a lot of both expensive and cheap places to eat in Oslo. The cheapest restaurants are Asian restaurants which, in many cases, serve good food at low prices. Check the menus on the door. Even though you should always use your eyes (and nose) in any food establishment, Norwegian Food and Health regulations are very strict and enforced effectively, so eating out in Oslo is safe. Street snacks are also available throughout the city, but they're usually more expensive than in comparable cities elsewhere. The locals use Vink from Aftenposten and the business daily DN for curated restaurant reviews – they're well worth a trial subscription that commonly is 1 NOK for the first month, provided you remember to cancel the subscription. Aker Brygge (tram 12, bus 21, 32, 33 or 54; stops Aker Brygge, Vika Atrium or Bryggetorget) is a waterfront located south of the city hall. During summer the area is very noisy and vibrant. There are outdoor restaurants and bars almost everywhere. Be sure to get some tasty seafood (or whatever else you like to eat) while you are there, or just enjoy your cold beer in the summer sea-breeze. This is the most expensive area in Oslo to dine or drink, so unless the weather is good, you can just as well stay indoors somewhere else. You are also close to most of the restaurants, bars, or nightclubs located within the city centre. A key reference point will be Stortingsgaten, running parallel to Karl Johans gate, both running eastwards from the Royal Palace (this is also the main shopping area). While both of these streets have a few restaurants and nightclubs, most will be found in one of the side-streets running out from them, or parallel to them. It doesn't matter much where you start, you will find restaurants, bars, and nightclubs almost anywhere from the subway station Nationaltheatret at the west, to far beyond Oslo central railroad station on the east. There are several other areas, such as Grünerløkka (tram 11-12-13 to Nybrua, Schous plass, Olaf Ryes plass or Birkelunden), Majorstuen (T-bane, tram 11-12-19 or bus 20-22-25-45-46 to Majorstua), and Grønland (T-bane to Grønland, bus 37 to Tøyengata or bus 60 to Norbygata) that are worth checking out. Nearly all bars and nightclubs close at the same time, so if you want to get a taxi back to your hotel, try to leave a few minutes before the rush starts.

Budget

Torggata Torggata is a good area for budget dining (from Hausmanns gate south to Youngstorget). You will find cheap Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese restaur

Drink & nightlife

Individual listings can be found in Oslo's district articles For more information on drinking in Norway, see the section Drink (Norway)

Buying alcohol in stores Beer at 4.75% or below can be purchased in supermarkets at a price of 30–50 kr for a 0.5L can. Supermarkets stop selling beer after 20:00 each day, 18:00 on Saturdays, and 16:00 on holiday weekends. It is not possible to buy beer in a shop on a Sunday. It is illegal to drink in public areas. You will usually only get a warning if spotted by a police officer, if they even bother to bother you, but if you behave impolitely or they are having a bad day you can get a fine of 1,500 kr. However, in public parks during summer, laws are not enforced much at all. Good places to go for a park beer are Sofienbergparken and Kuba at Grünerløkka, Frognerparken in Majorstua, or the park at St. Hanshaugen, on a hill with great view located between Grünerløkka and Majorstuen. Hard liquor, wine and beers above 4.75% ABV can only be bought at the state-owned shops called Vinmonopolet or at the international airport terminals. Vinmonopolet outlets are open M–F until 18:00, Sa 16:00, Su closed. Some of the central Vinmonopolet outlets in Oslo are:

Oslo Central Station, beneath the staircase leading down to Trafikanten In the basement of Oslo City shopping centre In the Steen og Strøm shopping centre, close to Karl Johans gate Rosenkrantzgate 11, close to Grand Hotel, Karl Johans gate At Aker Brygge, Bryggegata 9. This shop has been relocated from Vika and has the same large selection of beers. (Tram 12 or you can take one of several buses that stop in Dokkveien or Vika Atrium). Thereses gate, Bislett (near Bislett stadium, trams 17 and 18) Tøyengata 2, Grønland Basar. (All eastern subways, exit at Grønland Torg or bus 37 to Tøyengata)

Pubs and bars All bars, pubs and restaurants in Oslo are smoke-free, which means you have to go outside to smoke. But since you can't drink on the street, you have to leave your drink inside, unless the bar/pub has a designated drink-area which is still open (they always close earlier than the venues themselves). Oslo is generally expensive. The price for a half-litre of beer is typically ranging from 58-70 kr. Closing hours are as late as to 03:30 in city centre. National legislation says you can't serve any alcohol after 03:00. Areas with notable pub density are Grünerløkka (tram 11-12-13 to Nybrua, Schous plass, Olaf Ryes plass or Birkelunden), Aker Brygge (tram 12 to Aker Brygge or bus 21-32-33-54 to Vika Atrium or Bryggetorget), Solli/Frogner (tram 12-13 or bus 30-31 to Soll

Sleep

Individual listings can be found in Oslo's district articles There are several hotels, hostels in Oslo. Normally it is okay to find a room, but can be difficult when it is peak time during conferences, concerts, sports events etc. There are also a few youth hostels to stay at or you can consider staying with the locals via Airbnb. Affordable/budget accommodation is available outside the inner city center (Sentrum) but upscale hotels in the city centre can also be reasonably affordable during off-peak times of the year such as the summer.

At Oslo Airport See Oslo Airport, Gardermoen

Camping Campings are available at year round Bogstad Camping and at Ekeberg Camping.

Go next

Oslomarka is the large forest surrounding the city. This is an important recreational area for the citizens of Oslo, and quite unique for a capital. Take the T-bane to Holmenkollen (line 1), Frognerseteren (line 1), Sognsvann (line 3) or Skullerud (line 3 - in the opposite direction of Sognsvann), bus 41 from Røa T-bane to Sørkedalen or bus 51 from Nydalen T-bane to Maridalen. You can also visit the tourist association at Storgata (at Kirkeristen tram stop) for good maps and inexpensive accommodation alternatives in Oslomarka. Detailed online maps available at ut.no. Tusenfryd Amusement Park, the largest amusement park in Norway, is a 20-minute bus ride from central Oslo on Bus route no. 500 or route no. 521 from Ski Railway Station. Carousels, roller coasters, ghost castle, etc. (By car: From the exit at the European routes E6 / E18 at Vinterbro, southeast of Oslo: Follow the signs to Tusenfryd).

Further afield Kongsberg is a beautiful city well known for its 300 years silver mining history. The city is about an hour and a half west of Oslo by train or bus. The Kongsberg International Jazz Festival is hosted here every year in early July. Skiing Winter time: one of Norway's well-known winter sports resorts. Fredrikstad is a very enjoyable city not far from Oslo, with an old, walled old town (a fortress in fact) and lots of streetlife in summer. Trains run approx every hour (taking 1hr 10min), and express buses run about 10 times per day (1hr 30min). Tønsberg is an attractive seaside town with an attractive city centre. It's the oldest town in Norway, and even if this isn't instantly visible, there's lots of history to digest. Excellent highways will take you to the city in an hour from Oslo. The train uses around two. Drøbak is another of the picturesque, small seaside towns dotted all over southern Norway, and the closest to Oslo. Nice place to get away from the big city bustle, even if Drøbak also can become crowded in summer. Buses run at least hourly. Ferry from Oslo (Aker Brygge) via Nesodden in the summertime. Son (pronounced soon) is also one of the coastal pearls. Get local train to Moss, alight at Sonsveien station, and get the bus that meet most trains. Son is a small, picturesque 'artist town', because many well-known painters and writers have resided there. Good restaurants. Drammen was earlier an unremarkable industrial city dubbed "the biggest road crossing of Norway". Even if traffic is still rife, the city has gone through a face lift, and the centre is as cosy as any. Buses, and 3 trains an hour gets you there and away.