Oslo

Oslo => is the capital of Norway.

Understand

Chances are, if you are going to Norway, Oslo will maybe not be your primary target, as Norway's nature is more exciting in other parts of the country. Nevertheless, Oslo has plenty of sights, good nightlife and is worth seeing.

Oslo, with its approximately 453 square kilometers, is one of the largest capitals in the world by area. Granted, most of this is forest, but it is a highly appreciated recreational area by most of Oslo's inhabitants.

Get in

By plane

Oslo's Gardermoen Airport (OSL) is Norway's largest airport, located in Gardermoen, 45 kilometres north-east of Oslo. It's 19-22 minutes and 160 NOK by the Flytoget high speed train from Oslo central station. Alternatively, try one of the cheaper Flybussen buses which take roughly 45 minutes to the city centre, or the slower local trains (77 NOK). There are also a comprehensive bus service to other parts of Oslo and the region, through Flybussekspressen.

Taxis can be ordered in the booth inside the terminal for different fixed prices from NOK 395 to Oslo downtown.

Some airlines, most notably Ryanair, serve Torp airport near Sandefjord, 115 kilometres south of Oslo. The bus service Torpekspressen link the airport to Oslo, while local buses go to the nearby cities of Sandefjord and Tønsberg, connecting with trains to Oslo.

The airports are served with direct flights from most European capitals and holiday destinations, as well as from New York. There are also a comprehensive domestic flight network, run by several airlines. SAS Braathens, Norwegian and Widerøe are the biggest.

By train

Oslo Central Station (Oslo Sentral, T-bane Jernbanestasjon) is at the eastern fringe of the city centre, by the end of the main pedestrian street Karl Johans gate. Internationally, there are three daily services to Gothenburg (Sweden) (4 hours). On weekends, there are day services to Stockholm (Sweden) (6 hours), while a night service runs every night via Gothenburg (9 hours). For Copenhagen (Denmark) and beyond, you have to change trains in Gothenburg.

Norwegian state rail operator NSB run fairly frequent and efficient, though not very fast, domestic services to Stavanger, Kristiansand, Bergen and Trondheim, as well as a comprehensive local and regional service around Oslo.

By car

International highways E6 (from Malmö and Gothenburg) and E18 (from St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Stockholm) meet in Oslo. There is a road tax of NOK 20 to enter Oslo with a car. The money is used for road construction and public transport.

The E6 is the main north-south road of Norway, and continues north to Trondheim, Alta and Kirkenes, with branches to most Norwegian cities. The E16 runs west to Bergen, the E134 to Haugesund and the E18 run south-west to Drammen, Grenland (Skien/Porsgrunn) and Kristiansand. Other notable roads into Oslo include Rv4 from Gjøvik, Rv2 from Charlottenberg (Sweden) and Kongsvinger and Rv7, an alternative road to Bergen passing Gol and Geilo.

By bus

Oslo is well served by bus from most of Europe. The biggest operators of international buses are Swedish companies Swebus Express and Säfflebussen. Both run inexpensive services to and from Stockholm, Gothenburg and Copenhagen several times a day, Säfflebussen even goes to Berlin. Norwegian company Nor-Way Bussekspress runs services to Gothenburg, while Eurolines have connections to a number of countries, most notably Poland, Germany and the Netherlands. Moravia Express run direct buses to Prague and Brno.

For domestic services, Nor-Way Bussekspress is the biggest operator, with several buses to Bergen, Trondheim and tons of other Norwegian destinations. Lavprisekspressen has buses to Bergen and Trondheim twice a day, with cheap fares (Internet booking only).

By boat

Oslo is connected to Denmark and Germany by car ferry. Color Line runs services to Hirtshals (Denmark) and Kiel (Germany) daily. DFDS runs daily services to Helsingborg (Sweden) and Copenhagen (Denmark), while Stena Line runs to Frederikshavn (Denmark).

Get around

There is a comprehensive public transport system in Oslo, consisting of buses, trams, metro (T-bane) and boats. All run on the same tax scheme, and the same tickets are valid for all modes of transport. A single ticket costs NOK 20 when bought in advance from a kiosk or a machine, and NOK 30 when bought from a bus or tram driver. The ticket is valid for one hour of free travel. Discount cards with 8 journeys, each valid for one hour of travel, costs NOK 150. There are also daily passes (NOK 60), weekly passes (NOK 210) and monthly passes (NOK 700). No passes are valid on night traffic (fridays and saturdays only; NOK 50).

Trafikanten is the information centre for public transport in Oslo. It is situated just outside Oslo Central Station, by the foot of the clock tower. They hand out free maps, give information and sell all kinds of tickets. Their website has timetables, maps and search engines for all city transport in Oslo, as well as all transport in the nearby county of Akershus. Tickets can also be bought at all Narvesen, 7-Eleven and Deli de Luca-kiosks, which are numerous.

Here is a map of all local trains, trams and metro lines in Oslo.

By metro

Oslo's metro system is known as the Tunnelbane or just T-bane, just look for the "T in a circle" logo. There are five lines, but the network is easy enough to figure out: all lines merge together to a single tunnel through the city center, from Majorstuen through Jernbanetorget (Oslo Sentral) to Tøyen, and then spread out into the suburbs. When the last section of the line is completed in 2006, Line 5 will become the first loop line, running in a circle from northern Oslo to the center and back.

When entering a T-bane station, be sure to pick the right side: the central stations have separate entrances and separate platforms for trains going west and trains going east.

A metro network map is here.

By bus or tram

Trams and buses complement the subway network, and use the same tickets. They cover most of the city, and run from approx. 5 AM to midnight.

All tram lines run at least every 10 minutes during the day, and every 20 minutes at night and early morning. The main lines cover parts of the city with no subway, and are an efficient way of getting around. The main, central tram terminals are at Stortorget, Brugata and Jernbanetorget. Here is a map of the tram network.

Bus lines cover the rest of the city, as well as several ring lines. Nearly all central bus lines converge at Jernbanetorget. A map of the bus services are to be found here.

By train

Local trains cover parts of the city, and runs out to the neighbouring municipalities and towns. The same tickets are valid for travel inside Oslo municipality (until the stations Lørenskog, Rosenholm, Lysaker and Movatn).

The local train network is depicted in gray on this map.

By boat

Boats run from Vippetangen near Akershus fortress to the islands in the Oslofjord, as well as from Aker Brygge to Bygdøy, with many major museums. The same tickets are valid for all local boats.

The schedules in winter are infrequent, so make sure you don't lose the last one! Here are the schedules.

By bike

Oslo has a public bike service. Just get a keycard at the tourist office and you can get a bike at numerous places in the city. The bike can be used for up to three hours before you return it to any city bike stall.

See

The Frogner park (T-bane, tram 11-19, bus 22-25-45-46 to Majorstua, tram 12 or bus 20 to Vigelandsparken) with the Vigeland sculpture park is a large green area about 10 minutes by subway from the city center. In addition to being a nice green recreational area, it is also decorated with hundreds of sculptures by the Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland. There is a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere here, and if your children wants to climb the statues, nobody will even bother to look twice at you. There is also a cafeteria, and two museums, the City Museum of Oslo and the Vigeland Museum.
The Royal Palace is at the end of Karl Johans gata, the city's main avenue.
Oslo's City Hall (Rådhuset) is located by the waterfront, with Fritdjof Nansensplass on the inland side. It's open to the public, with a spectacular main hall featuring huge murals with typical Nordic socialist themes. There are also some displays of historical artifacts in the side rooms upstairs.
The Henrik Ibsen Museum on Drammensveien is closed for renovations until May 2006.
Vår Frelsers Cemetery north of city center on Ullevalsveien holds the graves of Edvard Munch and Henrik Ibsen.
The Munch Museum (T-bane, bus 20-60 to Tøyen) is definitely worth a visit if you want to enjoy paintings of the famous Norwegian painter Edward Munch. (The museum has been closed, but is now reopened with security improvements.) There is of course also the National Gallery, featuring Norwegian art from the national-romantic period, as well as some art by international artists.

Akershus festning (Tram 12 to Rådhusplassen, bus 60 to Bankplassen) is a medieval castle built in 1299, located close to the city center. There are several excellent viewpoints to the Oslofjord and surrounding areas. The stone walls create an exciting atmosphere, and you are free to roam around in tight passages and staircases. There are two museums here, both related to Norwegian military history.

Somewhat outside the city center is a peninsula called Bygdøy (bus 30 or boat from Aker Brygge). You can get there by bus, or (perhaps a bit more exciting) by ferry, which departs from pier 3 outside the city hall. At Bygdøy, you will find the Folk museum, a large open air museum featuring typical buildings from various periods in Norwegian history. Close by, you will find the Viking ship museum, which in addition to two viking-ships also contains various other viking artifacts, and a viking burial chamber, complete with ancient skeletons. You will also find the Norwegian maritime museum, and the Kon-Tiki museum (displaying Tor Heyerdahl's balsa raft Kon-Tiki, and Ra II, as well as some other artifacts from the Easter Island). Another museum, the Fram-museum is also located here. It features the vessel Fram, used to enter both the North and South Pole.

You should not miss Holmenkollen, the ski jumping hill located on the west side of Oslo (Catch subway number 1 towards Frognerseteren). It was first opened in 1892, but have been altered a few times since then. It has more than 1 million visitors every year. You can get all the way up into the tower, where you have a great view of the city. There is also the oldest ski museum in the world, opened in 1923.

Some other museums are:

The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology (Tram 11 or 12 to Kjelsås, bus 22, 25 or 54 to Kjelsås) is a fun place for both children and adults.
The Tramway Museum (T-bane to Majorstuen) shows the history of Oslo's trams, buses and subway.

Do

Take walks in Oslo's many forests
The area around Holmenkollen (T-bane 1) is well suited for cross-country skiing, but also a nice area for hiking during summertime. While you are there, you can also visit the ski-museum which is located close to the ski-jump. For additional fun, buy a cheap sledge or "akebrett", and sleigh down from Frognerseteren station. If you buy a day-card for the subway, you can race all day long, but make sure you are well dressed, as you are going to get wet.
In summertime, you can also take one of the ferries out to various islands in the Oslo-fjord (boat 91-92-93-94 from Vippetangen, bus 60 runs to the quay).
If you want to experience nightlife, Oslo has a surprisingly large selection of restaurants, nightclubs and bars considering the population size.

Learn

The University of Oslo is the biggest university in Norway.

BI is a private business school.

Work

If you're looking for work check out the website of the governmental agency Aetat.

Buy

In 2004 Oslo was ranked the 15th most expensive city to live in in the world; in a regularly published research paper by UBS (Prices and Earnings - A comparison of purchasing power around the Globe / 2003 edition), Oslo was rated most expensive city of the survey.

Eat

Aker Brygge (tram 12, bus 21 or 54) is a coastal area located south of the city hall, which during summer time is seething with life. There are outdoor restaurants and bars almost anywhere. Be sure to get some tasty sea-food (or whatever else you like to eat) while you are there, or just enjoy your cold beer in the summer sea-breeze. Be advised that this is also 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.

And somewhere else would mean any of the restaurants, bars, or nightclubs located within the city center. A key reference point will be Stortingsgaten, running parallel to Karl Johans gate, both running eastwards from the royal castle (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. Be advised that 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.

Norwegians are increasingly snacking on Kebabs and chips, but try a pølse instead - a hot dog served with fried onions, ketchup and mustard, wrapped in a piece of potato flatbread called lompe. Fast, tasty and cheap, with prices starting from just NOK 10.

Budget

A brilliant area for budget dining is Torggata (the area between Bernt Ankers Gate and Hausmanns Gate) and the surrounding streets. You will find cheap Vietnamese restaurants and cheaper kebab-joints, as well as other offerings. It's close to the centre, but you can get bus 34 or 54 to Jacobs kirke, or tram 11-12-13-17/bus 30-31-32-34-54 to Brugata or Hausmanns gate. The closest T-bane station is Grønland, then walk north along Brugata. Some great offers in this area are:

A Taste of China, Torggata (the best dim sum outside China)
Cafe Sara, Torggata/Hausmanns gate (turkish)
Hai cafe, Calmeyers gate (vietnamese, cheap and brilliant!)
Layali, Badstugata (brilliant lebanese)
Lille Amir, Torggata/Badstugata (lebanese)
Tay Do cafe, Torggata bad (vietnamese)

Grønland is often nicknamed "Little Karachi", and is full of cheap eating joints. Some of the best are:

Bangkok Thai, Grønlandsleiret (bus 37 to Politihuset). The best thai restaurant in Oslo?
Elvebredden take-away, Vaterlands bru (T-Grønland). A small take-away by the river with tasty, cheap food and a nice park just across the river.
Punjab Tandoori, Grønlandsleiret, just by Grønland T-bane. The friendliest sikh in the world dishes out ultra-cheap, tasty indian food.
Tandoori Curry Corner, Grønlandsleiret. The neighbouring restaurant of the Punjab Tandoori is even cheaper, but the helpings are smaller.

For true Norwegian budget dining, the choice is smaller. Most cafes and restaurants serving traditional food are upmarket, but there are a couple of good spots to get stuffed on meat cakes and brown gravy, lutefisk and other delicacies:

Dovrehallen, Storgata near Jernbanetorvet. Old-style beer hall serving delicious meat-and potato-dishes for less than NOK 100.
Schrøder, Waldemar Thranes gate (bus 21-37-46 to St. Hanshaugen). Dark drinking den with delicious, traditional, cheap and fattening Norwegian food.
Olympen, Grønlandsleiret (bus 37 to Tøyengata, T-bane to Grønland). A true experience. Hilarious band and lots of drunks, but decent enough food.

Mid-range

Arakataka, Mariboes gate (Tram 11,12,13,17 or bus 30,31,32,34,54 to Brugata). The most upmarket offering in Oslo's Bermuda Triangle of cheap eating, Arakataka manages to pull off decent French and Mediterranean cuisine at not too bad prices.
Cantina Rustica, Sporveisgata. (Tram 11 or 19 to Rosenborg) French-style bistro with a brilliant set menu for NOK 210.
Centraal, Stortingsgata. (Tram 13-19 to Nationaltheatret, bus 30-31-32 to Eidsvolls plass or T-bane to Nationaltheatret). Modern, stylish restaurant downtown with flawless cuisine, a tad cheaper than most.
Kampen Bistro, Bøgata (T-bane 1,2,3,4 to Ensjø or bus 60 to Kampen Park). Lovely neighbourhood joint with brilliant food and occasional free concerts. See Drinking.
Lanternen, First Ferry stop on Bygdøy. Salads, sandwiches. The herring is good. Three kinds of herring with bread is NOK 80.
Mucho Mas, Thorvald Meyers gate (tram 11,12,13 to Olaf Ryes plass). Cal-mex joint offering huge, delicious meals at low prices. No wonder it's always crowded.
Oriental, Prof. Aschehougs plass (tram 11-17-18 to Tinghuset/Prof. Aschehougs plass or T-bane Stortinget). Brilliant all-Asian restaurant with inventive dishes.
Palace Grill, just by Solli plass (tram 12,13 or bus 21,30,31,32 to Solli/Lapsetorvet). Fantastic food at fair prices, with brilliant outdoor seating.
Paris-Texas, Rådhusgata 28. tel: 22428833. Email:post@paristexas.no. Excellent mussels, lamb and steak. Beautiful simple room and good service. (Tram 12 to Christiania torv)
Rehman's, Thorvald Meyers gate (tram 11,12,13 to Birkelunden, bus 21 to Sannergata). Inventive indian serving up, among other things, deer curry.
Restaurant Victor, Hans Nielsen Hauges gate (Tram 11,12,13 to Grefsenveien). Oslo's best suburban offering, with innovative and fabulous food. Prices to match.
Siam Oriental, Waldemar Thranes gate (bus 21,37,46 to St. Hanshaugen). Friendly Thai ladies doles out fabulous shrimp dishes.
Smia, just by Vålerenga kirke (bus 20,37 to Galgeberg). Atmospheric restaurant in old wooden house area with tons of charm.
Sult, Thorvald Meyers gate (tram 11,12,13 or bus 30 to Birkelunden, bus 21 to Sannergata). Good neighbourhood-gourmet style food, with an ever-changing menu.

Splurge

If price is no object, there is some very fine dining to be found.

Annen Etage, in Hotel Continental, =>. One Michelin star.
Bagatelle, Skovveien (bus 30/31/32 to Skovveien, bus 21 to Lapsetorvet), =>. Has two stars in the Michelin guide.
Ekebergrestauranten, Ekeberg (tram 18,19 to Sjømannsskolen). An architechtural monument, this place offers gourmet dining and Oslo's best views. Hugely popular.
Oro, Tordenskiolds gt. 6'. One Michelin star.
Le Canard, President Harbitz gt. 4, =>. One Michelin star.

Drink

Pubs

As of 2004, 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. Oslo is in general very expensive, and you can often be expected pay up to NOK 60 or more for a pint (0.5l to be precise) of beer or a glass of the house wine. However, there are neighbourhoods and pubs with more reasonable prices.

Byråkrat, Grensen 10, tel: +47-22340241, =>. Tram 11-17-18 or bus 37-46 to Stortorvet, T-bane Stortinget. Beer, drinks, seafood. Free open Wireless Internet. Also almost covered outside area for smokers.

Cafe Sara, corner of Torggata and Hausmanns gate. Bus 34-54 to Jacobs kirke. Conveniently close to Anker Hostel, Cafe Sara pours beer and dishes up top-notch Turkish cuisine for not too much money. Avoid the coffee. 0,5l NOK 47.

Cafe Tiger, Torggata 5. Tram 11-17-18 or bus 37-46 to Stortorvet. No food but good drinks and coffee menu. Has free and open wireless internet.

Garage, Grensen 9. Tram 11-17-18 or bus 37-46 to Stortorvet, T-bane Stortinget. A rock club with a large stage in the basement, great outdoor seating in a cosy back yard, good rock music and unlimited amounts of beer on tap. 0,5l NOK 48.

Hard Rock Cafe, Karl Johans Gate 45, tel: +47-22863000, =>. Opened in December 2005.

Hell's Kitchen, Youngstorget (corner of Møllergata). Tram 11-12-13-17 or bus 30-31-32-34-54 to Kirkeristen/Nygata/Brugata. Fab pizza and music, lots of beer and cocktails. This is a brilliant, laidback pub.

Kampen Bistro, Bøgata. Bus 60 to Kampens park or T-bane 1-2-3-4 to Ensjø. Great food and affordable beer in a local restaurant in Kampen, one of the most picturesque residential areas of Oslo. Worth the trip!

Mono, Pløens gate. Tram 11-12-13-17 or bus 30-31-32-34-54 to Kirkeristen/Nygata/Brugata. Rock music club with local rock stars, frequent concerts with up-and-coming Oslo acts, not too expensive beer and a great back garden for smoking. 0,5l NOK 48.

M/S Innvik, moored to the quay behind Oslo Havnelager. Boat with hostel, theatre stage and a nice pub with good food and cheap beer. One of the most fabulous outdoor seatings in Oslo. 0,5l NOK 44.

Olympen, Grønlandsleiret. Bus 37 to Tøyengata, T-bane to Grønland. Big, German-inspired dark beer hall with greasy food, local alcoholics, cheap beer and great ambience. 0,5l NOK 39.

Spasibar, between St. Olavs gt and Kristian IVs gt close to the Royal Castle. Tram 11-18-19 to Holbergs plass. Weird and wonderful bar with decor resembling a 70's-inspired, underground Russian club. Lovely outdoor seating in summer too, and often concerts with up-and-coming Norwegian bands. 0,5l NOK 48.

Südøst, Trondheimsveien 5. Bus 31-32, tram 17 to Heimdalsgata. A short walk from the Anker hostel, this place has quickly become the most fashionable in Oslo. Lovely outdoor seating, great (but a tad expensive) food and a marvellous dining room. 0,5l NOK 52.

Teddy's Soft Bar, Brugata. Tram 11-12-13-17 or bus 30-31-32-34-54 to Brugata, T-bane to Grønland. The only bar in Oslo that's protected by cultural authorities. True 50's setting, this is where rockers and low-key film stars lurk in the corners. This is the cafe that brought soft ice to Norway! 0,5l NOK 52.

Tekehtopa, St. Olavs plass. Tram 17-18 to Tullinløkka or bus 37 to Nordahl Bruns gate. Lovely cafe serving beer, wine, drinks and small dishes in a fabulous former pharmacy. One of the prettiest cafes around! 0,5l NOK 49.

Two Dogs, Brugata. Tram 11-12-13-17 or bus 30-31-32-34-54 to Brugata, T-bane to Grønland. English-style football pub with big screen, jolly atmosphere and darts. 0,5l NOK 48.

Zen, Vogts gate, Torshov. Tram 11-12-13 to Biermanns gate, then continue for 100 metres. A mysteriously stylish interior for a dive bar, dishing out what's probably Oslo's cheapest beer (NOK 28 for 0,5l!).

Areas with notable pub density are Grünerløkka (tram 11-12-13 or bus 30 to Nybrua, Schous plass, Olaf Ryes plass or Birkelunden), Aker Brygge (tram 12 to Aker Brygge or bus 21-54 to Bryggetorget), Solli/Frogner (tram 12 or bus 30-31-32 to Solli), Grønland (T-bane to Grønland or bus 37 to Tøyengata) and the city centre.

Shops

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
Møllergata 10, close to Youngstorget
Vika, Vikatorvet shopping centre (tram 12 to Vikatorvet)
Majorstua, close to the T-bane entrance

Sleep

Getting a hotel in Oslo can potentially be difficult. It would be smart to reserve a room in advance. There are also relatively few youth hostels, etc., for backpackers and people travelling on a budget. Getting a reservation beforehand is essential during peak periods.

Budget

Camping

Ekeberg Camping, Bus 34 to Ekeberg Camping, =>. The closest campsite has a beautiful view of the city. No cabins.
Bogstad Camping, T-bane 2 to Røa, then bus 32, 41 or 47 to Bogstad Camping or Peder Ankers plass, =>. 9 kms out of town at the entrance of picturesque Sørkedalen, Bogstad has cabins as well as tent space.
Oslo Fjord Camping, Train to Hauketo, then corresponding bus 76 to Hvervenbukta, or bus 87 (both options summer only), =>. Near the beautiful swimming spot of Hvervenbukta, this campsite is a good deal.

Hostels

Anker Hostel, Hausmanns gate (tram 11-12-13-17, bus 30-31-32), =>. Very centrally located, right between the central station and Grünerløkka (both five minutes walking).

Haraldsheim Youth Hostel, Sinsenkrysset (tram 17 or bus 23-31-32), =>. The biggest HI hostel in Oslo is just outside the main ring road, in a nice, green area. Not too far from the action, walking distance to the lively neighbourhoods of Torshov and Grünerløkka.
Holtekilen Hostel, Stabekk/Kveldsroveien (train to Stabekk, or bus 151, 153, 161, 162, 252 or 261 to Kveldsroveien), =>. Outside the city border, extra fee needed if you have Oslo Transport card. Open May-August. In a picturesque neighbourhood close to the sea.
KFUM Sleep-In (CLOSED FOR REFURBISHING SUMMER 2005)
Rønningen Youth Hostel, Rønningen (''tram 11-12-13 or T-bane 5 to Storo, change to bus 56 (once an hour 0600-2400) to Rønningen, then walk 300m), =>. Open June-August, inconveniently located but nice.
Perminalen, Kongens gate (T-bane to Stortinget, bus 30-31-32-54 to Wessels plass, tram 10-12-13-19 to Kongens gate, =>. Bang in the centre, Perminalen offers slightly higher standards at slightly higher prices. OK cafe with good, old Norwegian homely grub at nice prices.

Mid-range

M/S Innvik, =>. Theatre boat with cabin accommodation 10 min. walk from the train station. Nice cafe/pub and good views of the opera construction site.
Radisson SAS Plaza Hotel, Sonja Henies Plass 3, =>. With 37 floors and breathtaking views of Oslo and the Oslo Fjord, the Radisson SAS Plaza Hotel is Northern Europe’s highest and Norway’s largest hotel. Suited 3 min walk from the train station. Rooms from 1300 NOK.
Radisson SAS Nydalen, Nydalesveien 33 (T Nydalen), tel. +47-2326-3000, =>. New hotel in the new district of Nydalen, 15 minutes from the city center by subway. Choose from funky "Chilli" or more staid "Urban" rooms, Internet rates from 900 NOK with breakfast.

Splurge

Hotel Continental Oslo, =>. Located between the National Theatre and Aker Brygge, this family-run hotel has a Michelin-listed gourmet restaurant (Annen Etage) and a large Vienna-style cafe (Theatercafeen) which is the place to be seen in Oslo. Outstanding service and prices to match, still considered good value for money. Nice quiet bar with original Edvard Munch litographs.

Grand Hotel Oslo, =>. This is the hotel where Nobel Peace Prize winners stay when coming to Oslo for the award ceremony. Expensive and lots of services. Excellent view over main street "Karl Johans gate". Grand Cafe, at street level, was Henrik Ibsen's daily watering hole.

Contact

Byråkrat =>, QBA (Grünerløkka) and Cafe Tiger has free open wireless internet. If you just want internet access a NOK 18 cup of coffee a Cafe Tiger is worth it.
There's an internet café inside the train station Oslo S, the subway station at Grønland, as well as in the bus terminal next to the central station. There are also a number of other internet cafés in downtown, especially in the eastern fringes.

Stay safe

Oslo is a very safe city, so specific advice is hard to give here. There are the usual pickpockets and panhandlers you find in most cities, but most Norwegians don't take any special security measures when going into Oslo, and neither should the tourists.

Cope

Oslo is easy to get around in, and almost every Norwegian speaks English more or less fluently.

Get out

Day trips

Fredrikstad is a very enjoyable city not far from Oslo, with an old, walled old town and lots of streetlife in summer. Trains run approx every hour, and express buses run about 10 times per day.
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. Train is the best way to get here.
Drøbak is another of the picturesque, samll seaside towns dotted all over southern Norway, and one of 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.

Further away

Take the most beautiful train journey in the world: take the train to Bergen and pass the Hardangervidda.
Go further north, go to Trondheim and eventually go to Bodø and Lofoten.
In summer, try heading down the south coast, to places like Lillesand, Risør, Kragerø and Sandefjord, very picturesque and beautiful.
In winter, go alpine skiing in Hemsedal, Lillehammer, Geilo or Beitostølen.