COVID-19 information: self-quarantine for ten days immediately upon arrival. The quarantine address must be known before entry. The requirement does not affect travel from a few countries with low transmission (the Baltic countries; Nordic countries except Iceland, much of Denmark and Sweden, and Kainuu in Finland; check latest information). Stay in such countries immediately before entry count as part of the quarantine. See the UDI page for entry requirements. (Information last updated Sep 2020)

Norway (Norwegian: Norge or Noreg) is the westernmost, northernmost — and surprisingly also the easternmost — of the three Scandinavian countries. Norway is known for the complex and deep fjords along its west coast, as well as the midnight sun and Northern Lights.

The overall impression of Norway is a country with ample space and unusually rugged landscape. While famous for the great fjords along the Atlantic, the interior also has great valleys, wide forests and fjord-like lakes. Norway is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. Water in all varieties is perhaps what characterizes Norway most: the endless coastline, the great fjords, countless waterfalls, crystal rivers, lovely lakes and numerous glaciers.

Although the great outdoors is Norway's number 1 attraction, there are also many interesting and lively cities like Oslo and Bergen. Man-made attractions include Norway's cultural heritage as well as modern structures and architecture - often found in cities but also in terms of impressive engineering in remote corners.

Regions [ edit source ]

Cities [ edit source ]

– the capital and largest city of Norway, with museums of national importance, a beautiful setting and lively nightlife and cultural scene.

– Once the capital of Norway, old Hanseatic trading centre with a rich culture and dramatic scenery, Norway's second largest city. Wonderfully cute wooden buildings, a magnificent mountain setting, varied nightlife and lots of atmosphere. This is your gateway to the western fjords. The city has been dubbed "the rainiest city in Europe" with an average of 250 days of rainfall a year. Bring an umbrella.

– The gateway to the magnificent Lofoten islands. And the place of Saltstraumen, the worlds strongest maelstrom.

– Once known as industrial and grimy, but refurbishment has made Drammen an enjoyable side trip from Oslo.

– A magnificent old town stands out from the rest of the rather nondescript city. Brilliant as a day trip from Oslo.

– The jolly capital of the South. Best known for the family attraction Kristiansand zoo and amusement park and as Norway's "cool riviera".

– The fourth largest city, and the third largest urban area. Commercially important due to the oil business. The wooden, cobbled central area is one of the most charming places in Norway. Home to one of Norway's medieval cathedrals, you can also visit Iron Age homes and stone age caves. Stavanger is where Erik the Red was born.

– A magnificent, modern cathedral and absolutely no polar bears roaming the streets.

– Famous for its stunning cathedral (Nidarosdomen). Wonderful riverside wharfs, wooden buildings and the best student nightlife in Norway give beautiful, leafy Trondheim its charm.

Other destinations [ edit source ]

Atlanterhavsveien with the iconic Storseisundet bridge

– The Atlantic Ocean Road is a spectacular road with bridges along islands and skerries on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

– Norway's largest national park on a large highland plateau.

– The largest glacier on the European mainland.

– A majestic landscape and home of Norway's highest mountains.

– Experience the midnight sun in this traditional fishing district in the northern province with islands and mountains.

– This cliff is the northernmost point of continental Europe, overlooking the Barents ocean.

– Glaciers, mountains and picturesque settlements are but a few of the sights on the Sognefjord. Flåm and Nærøyfjorden (also a UNESCO World Heritage site) are parts of the mighty Sognefjorden system.

Understand [ edit source ]

Capital Oslo Currency Norwegian krone (NOK) Population 5.3 million (2020) Electricity 230 volt / 50 hertz (Europlug, Schuko) Country code +47 Time zone UTC+01:00 Emergencies 112 (police), 110 (fire department), 113 (emergency medical services) Driving side right

Olden lake is a typical fjord-lake and colored turquoise by glacial melt water

History [ edit source ]

The petty Viking kingdoms of Norway were unified in 872 AD by Harald Fairhair. In the following period, Norwegians settled in many places, such as Iceland, the Faroe Islands and parts of Scotland and Ireland, where they founded Dublin and Waterford. In the beginning of the 14th century, Norway and Sweden were unified as the Norwegian king was also elected king of Sweden. At the end of the century, the two countries and Denmark were unified in the so-called Kalmar Union.

Sweden broke out of the union in 1521. Norway remained in union with Denmark until the Napoleonic Wars of 1814. Because of Denmark being on the losing side of the Napoleonic wars Norway was handed over to Sweden which was part of the winning coalition. Norway declared independence, but Sweden invaded Norway and enforced a personal union, still allowing Norway a great deal of independence.

The union with Sweden lasted until 1905, which is considered the beginning of modern Norway. Norway have later rejected membership in the European Union, arguing that "we just left a union". From 1940 until 1945, Norway was occupied by German forces during World War II. In the 1960s, oil was found in the North Sea. Oil drilling has brought Norway prosperity, but contrary to many other oil-exporting countries, Norway invests its profits in a very egalitarian and collectivist way creating an affluent, harmonious society taking advantage of excellent infrastructure and pioneering environmentally friendly technologies in everyday lives. Repeatedly ranked as a country with one of the world's highest standards of living, Norway has attracted migrants from many places all over the world, which add to today's colourful and inclusive society. All this does not come cheap, and consumer prices are among the highest in the world.

Geography [ edit source ]

“ I design coastlines. I got an award for Norway. ” —The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams

Typical polished, coastal cliffs

Norway sits on a large peninsula shared with Sweden in the north of Europe. In the north, it also borders Finland and Russia. Some 5 million inhabitants share an area about the size of Germany and larger than Britain. Norway is primarily a very long country - driving from the most southern to the most northern cities equals the distance from Hamburg to Malaga (and through much more rugged terrain). Norway's coastline is also one of the longest in the world - if islands and fjords are included the coastline has been calculated as 50,000 to 100,000 km. Nordland county alone has a longer coastline than the entire United Kingdom when fjords and islands are included.

Norway is well known for its amazing and varied scenery. The famous fjords are long narrow inlets of the ocean, flanked on either side by tall mountains where the sea penetrates far inland. Norway's endless coastline also includes countless islands of all sizes - there are more than 200,000 identified islands along Norway's coast (only surpassed by Greece). The many islands and skerries shelter the coast from the rough Atlantic such that Hurtigruten and other ships can travel long stretches on calm waters. These sheltered (internal) waters (fjords, bays and straits) covers some 100,000km2.

There are more than 450,000 lakes throughout Norway well over 100,000 of these are in Finnmark county; even inside the city of Oslo there are several hundred lakes. Norway is home to the deepest lakes in Europe. Lakes and rivers cover more than 5% of the land. The vast majority of the land (about 95%) is rocky wilderness and forests, and thus Norway has large, completely unpopulated areas, many of which have been protected as national parks. Also outside the national parks, much of the land is largely unspoiled nature - there is in fact no need to visit a national park to experience wilderness and great landscapes. Roads and railways as well as ordinary ferries offer easy access to great panoramas. There are few sandy beaches along Norway's endless shores; shores are typically rocky, steep cliffs or smooth polished slabs of rock.

Water in all forms dominates Norway's landscape and economy.

Norway's highest point is Galdhøpiggen, 2,469m (8,100 ft) in the Jotunheimen region that lies midway between Oslo and Trondheim, but away from the coast. In the far north (Finnmark), there are relatively flat open spaces. Several of the world's tallest waterfalls are in Norway, particularly in the western fjords and the mountain region. While there are mountains all over Norway, some major mountain areas define Norway's main regions. The north-south line of mountain areas (notably Hardangervidda and Jotunheimen) are major barriers and separate West Norway from East Norway. Similarly the wide Dovrefjell separates Middle Norway (Trøndelag) from East Norway. Norway also includes the nearly unpopulated Svalbard archipelago far from the mainland, on the edge of the arctic ice shelf.

The long rugged coast, fjords, countless lakes, tall waterfalls and pretty rivers means that water is the one thing that most characterizes Norway. Norway's mainland has more than 2000 glaciers that covers almost 1% of the land. Jostedalsbreen occupies about 500 km2 and is the largest glacier in mainland Europe. Svalbard is covered by 60% glaciers and has the largest glacier in Europe - only matched by Vatnajökull in Iceland. Glaciers are most common in Hardanger, Sogn og Fjordane/Jotunheimen, Nordland and Lyngen.

Administratively, Norway is divided into counties that are grouped into regions East, South, West, middle (Trøndelag) and North. The landscape of Norway can also be described by zones that cuts across these administrative divisions.

The " fjordland ", the part of Norway dominated by fjords, runs as a wide belt all along the country, 20 to 200 km wide. This particular landscape is typically a tangle of fjords and peninsulas, valleys and lakes.

", the part of Norway dominated by fjords, runs as a wide belt all along the country, 20 to 200 km wide. This particular landscape is typically a tangle of fjords and peninsulas, valleys and lakes. Island belt , Further out the mainland is sheltered by a belt of islands and skerries, this belt is often wide and complex for instance around Bergen or the Lofoten archipelago. Such belt of islands allows ships safe journey along major parts of the coast. Just south of Stavanger there are neither fjords nor islands, leaving the long sandy beaches unprotected.

, Further out the mainland is sheltered by a belt of islands and skerries, this belt is often wide and complex for instance around Bergen or the Lofoten archipelago. Such belt of islands allows ships safe journey along major parts of the coast. Just south of Stavanger there are neither fjords nor islands, leaving the long sandy beaches unprotected. Mountain region : Somewhat inland and partly coinciding with fjords is the high mountain belt running basically South-North through the entire Scandinavian peninsula separating East Norway and West Norway, while further north separating Norway and Sweden. The high mountains vary from wild alpine summits and glaciers towards the Atlantic and more mellow landscapes further east. The mountain landscapes include barren plateaus ( vidde ) such as Hardangervidda in the south and Finnmarksvidda modest elevation in the north.

: Somewhat inland and partly coinciding with fjords is the high mountain belt running basically South-North through the entire Scandinavian peninsula separating East Norway and West Norway, while further north separating Norway and Sweden. The high mountains vary from wild alpine summits and glaciers towards the Atlantic and more mellow landscapes further east. The mountain landscapes include barren plateaus ( ) such as Hardangervidda in the south and Finnmarksvidda modest elevation in the north. Big valleys : East/South of the central mountains are the land of big valleys that stretch from the lowlands around Oslo to the central mountains. Gudbrandsdal, Hallingdal, Setesdal and Valdres are typical big valleys. In eastern and central Finnmark the fjords instead of high mountains changes into a wide plateau at moderate altitude.

: East/South of the central mountains are the land of big valleys that stretch from the lowlands around Oslo to the central mountains. Gudbrandsdal, Hallingdal, Setesdal and Valdres are typical big valleys. In eastern and central Finnmark the fjords instead of high mountains changes into a wide plateau at moderate altitude. Central eastern lowland: Greater Oslo, both shores of the Oslofjord (Vestfold and Østfold counties), and around big lakes Mjøsa and Tyrifjorden is the most densely populated and most important agricultural area.

Nature and wildlife [ edit source ]

Common road sign in moose areas of East Norway, Trøndelag and Nordland.

Norway's wild animals are rarely seen during a brief visit. In Norway's wide forests there are several hundred thousand moose (elk, Norwegian elg) and some 40,000 are hunted every year. Most of the European moose are in the Norway, Finland and Sweden. Visitors may spot these large animals along roads at dusk and dawn, occasionally they stroll onto the highway causing traffic hazard. In West Norway there is an equally large number of red deere (Norwegian: hjort). The red deere is somewhat more watchful and careful than the moose, but can in some areas be seen in large numbers grazing meadows in spring and autumn. There is a small group of musk ox in the Dovre plateau, this animal does run away but forms a defense and can attack if approached. In the high plateaus like Hardangervidda and Rondane there are large reindeer flocks and smaller groups of young males roaming on their own. Reindeer are only occasionally seen from roads, usually several days of hiking is needed to spot this high mountain animal. In Northern Norway, the reindeer are semi-domesticated and privately owned; they are often seen along roads and close to settlements.

There is a moderate number of brown bear, wolverine and lynx. These predators are very watchful and are rarely observed even by locals. Wild animals are generally protected and should not be disturbed.

The most intense wildlife is found along Norway's endless coast notably the several million sea birds, sea animals and fish. The harbour porpoise is common and can occasionally be seen in fjords. Killer whales (orcas) are common and hunt herring along the Norwegian coast particularly in Nordland and Troms. Previously dolphins were rarely seen in Norway, since about year 2000 dolphins visit the Oslofjord, the Agder coast as well as the West coast. The puffin (Norwegian: lunde) exist in large numbers (possibly more than 1 million) at some locations in Western and Northern Norway. The bird cliffs at Runde island is home to several hundred thousand puffins. In Nordland county, there are more than thousand sea eagles (white-tailed eagle), the greatest density of this large bird in Europe.

People [ edit source ]

Norway is one of Europe's most sparsely populated countries. With a population of only 5 million people and a land area of 385,802km2, the population density is only 16 inhabitants per km2. Most of the population are Norwegians. The indigenous Sami people traditionally inhabit the northern part of Norway, that along with parts of Sweden, Finland and Russia outlines an area known as Sapmi (or Sameland). Other recognized minorities are the Kven people, Jews, Forest Finns, and Norwegian Romani Travellers. Net migration to Norway peaked at 49,000 people in 2012, and fell to 18,000 in 2018.

Norway is formally a Christian country with a dominant Lutheran majority of around 80%; however, many Norwegians do not attend church.

Norway has become rather liberal in moral issues and thus more similar to southern neighbours like Denmark and the Netherlands. Homosexuality is accepted by most people and in 2008 same-sex marriage was given the same legal status as traditional marriage. For instance, a previous male minister of finance and prominent figure in the conservative party is in partnership with a prominent male business manager. Some parts along the southern and southwestern coast, however, are fairly conservative, especially in the more rural areas.

Although the crime rate is low, Norwegians like locking things away - in cities you will even see communal washing lines for drying clothes surrounded by a chain-link fence and a padlock to which all the entitled tenants have access.

Economy and politics [ edit source ]

Norway's primary source of income is the North Sea oil and gas industry, which makes up more than 20 per cent of its GDP. It also has several other natural resources such as hydro-electric power, wood, fish and minerals, some manufacturing, and a healthy technology sector. Politically, it is dominated by a widespread and continued support for the Scandinavian model, which means high taxes and high government spending to support free schools, free healthcare, an efficient welfare system and many other benefits. The unemployment rate in Norway is about 4.5 percent.

Norwegians rejected EU membership, in referendums held 1972 and 1994, both times just by a few percentage points. France vetoed Norwegian EU membership in the 1950s and 1960s. However, being a member state of the European Economic Area and part of the Schengen agreement, Norway is closely harmonised with the EU, and integrated as a full member in most economic matters, as well as in customs and immigration matters. This is of great economic importance to Norway.

As one of the richest countries in the world and with a strong currency, most visitors should expect higher prices than at home. In addition, Norway has a very compressed wage structure which means that even typically low skilled work is relatively well paid. For the same reason, firms try to keep the number of staff as low as possible, even for low-skilled service staff. On the other hand, many attractions in Norway are free of charge, most notably the landscape and nature itself. Furthermore, you don't have to spend much money on accommodation if you're prepared to sleep in a tent or under the open sky. According to the Norwegian right to access, you may stay for up to two nights in one spot in uncultivated land if you keep away from houses and other buildings and out of the way of other people, provided that you leave no trace. If you move far away from people, you can stay for as long as you want.

Climate [ edit source ]

Annual mean temperature. Source: The Norwegian Meteorological Institute (met.no)

Annual mean precipitation. Source: The Norwegian Meteorological Institute (met.no)

Because of the gulf stream, the climate in Norway, especially along the coast, is noticeably warmer than what would otherwise be expected at such a high latitude. Although half the length of Norway is north of the Arctic circle, the climate is not Arctic. Summers can be moderately warm (up to 25–30°C, 75–85°F), even in northern areas, but only for limited periods. The length of the winter and amount of snow varies considerably. In the north there is more snow and winters are dark; on the southern and western coast, winters are moderate and rainy. Further inland (North Norway and East Norway) the temperature can easily fall below -25°C (-15°F). In the interior of Finnmark -25°C to -35°C is common in January (record low at -50°C (-58°F)). Along the coast of Hordaland and Rogaland temperatures only occasionally and briefly drop below -5°C (20°F). Some mountain areas have glaciers and permanent snow, but there is no permafrost on the mainland.

While the coast of West Norway is among the rainiest in Europe, East Norway is largely in the rain shadow and relatively dry. In fact, northern Oppland is among the driest areas in Europe (comparable to dry areas in Spain and Greece). The interior of North Norway also obtains very little precipitation. Longyearbyen in Svalbard gets less than 200 mm precipitation per year similar to Almeria in Spain.

Norway's hours of daylight, temperature and driving conditions vary greatly throughout the year. Seasonal variations crucially depend on region (distance from ocean) and latitude as well as altitude. The area with midnight sun (north of the arctic circle) also has winter darkness (polar night) when the sun does not rise above the horizon at all.

Midsummer and midwinter average temperatures Where July January Oslo 16.4°C -4.3°C Lillehammer 14.7°C -9.1°C Bergen 14.3°C 1.3°C Trondheim 13.0°C -3.0°C Tromsø 11.8°C -4.4°C Alta 13.4°C -8.7°C Kautokeino 12.4°C -14.7°C

Norwegian weather is most pleasant during the summer (May to early September). If you like snow, go to Norway in December to April. Along the coasts and in southern part of West Norway there is little snow or frost and few opportunities for skiing, even in winter. In the mountains there is snow until May and some mountain passes are closed until the end of May. If you come in the beginning of May some passes can be still closed, but since the snow is melting very quickly, you will get a possibility to enjoy plenty of waterfalls before they disappear. And in this time the number of tourists is very small. Spring in Norway is quite intense due to the abundance of water (melting snow) in conjunction with plenty of sunlight and quickly rising temperatures (typically in May). Complete forecasts and statistics.

Northern lights (aurora borealis) in Tromsø.

Daylight [ edit source ]

Be aware that daylight varies greatly during the year. In Oslo, the sun sets at around 15:30 in December. North of the Arctic Circle one can experience the midnight sun and polar night (winter darkness). However, even at Oslo's latitude, summer nights exist only in the form of prolonged twilight during June and July, these gentle "white nights" can also be a nice and unusual experience for visitors. The polar (or northern) light (aurora borealis) occurs in the darker months, frequently at high latitudes (Northern Norway) but occasionally also further South.

Kirkenes is more than 30° East compared to Bergen at 5° East and Oslo at about 10° East. This means that in East Finnmark the sun is more than 1 hour ahead of the sun in Oslo. All of Norway uses Central European Time while Finland uses Eastern European Time and Russia across the border from Kirkenes uses Moscow time. In the easternmost corner of Finnmark three time zones meet.

Polarnight (winter darkness) and midnight sun by city City Start darkness End darkness Midnight sun End midnight sun Bodø none (no winter darkness) June 4 July 8 Tromsø November 27 January 15 May 20 July 22 Svolvær December 7 January 5 May 28 July 14 Alta November 25 January 17 May 19 July 24 Nordkapp November 20 January 22 May 14 July 29 Longyearbyen October 26 February 16 April 20 August 22

Because of very long twilight at northern latitudes, there is usable daylight 1-2 hours after sunset. In summer this means that for instance in Trondheim midsummer nights are not dark at all.

Sun rise and sun set by city (midsummer and midwinter) City Sun rise June 21 Sun set June 21 Sun rise December Sun set December Kristiansand 4:25 22:35 9:15 15:40 Oslo 3:55 22:45 9:20 15:10 Bergen 4:10 23:10 9:45 15:30 Trondheim 3:00 23:40 10:00 14:30 Tromsø midnight sun midnight sun polar night polar night

Holidays [ edit source ]

The major holidays are Easter, Christmas (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are all considered holidays), and the "common vacation" throughout July. In May there are several holidays including constitution day (17 May) - the main national celebration and an attraction in itself.

Public holidays (schools and offices closed):

January 1 - New Year's Day

Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday, "Skjærtorsdag")

Good Friday ("Langfredag")

Easter Sunday ("påskedag")

Second day of Easter (Monday) ("andre påskedag")

May 1 - Labour day

May 17 - Constitution Day

Ascension Thursday ("Kristi himmelfart")

Pentecost (Whit Sunday, "pinsedag")

Pentecost 2ed (Whit Monday, "andre pinsedag")

December 25 - Christmas Day ("juledag")

December 26 - Boxing Day ("andre juledag")

Many Norwegian holidays are celebrated on the day before (Holy Saturday, Christmas Eve etc.). On Christmas Eve ("julekveld", "julaften"), New Year's Eve ("nyttårsaften"), Holy Saturday ("påskeaften") and Saturday before Pentecost ("pinseaften") shops close early. Norwegians also celebrate midsummer at St. John's day on 24 June by making a bonfire late evening the day before - "St.John's Eve" ("St.Hansaften" or "Jonsokaften").

Read [ edit source ]

Classical travel journals [ edit source ]

W. Matthiue Williams: Through Norway With a Knapsack (1859)

(1859) Mary Wollstonecraft: Letters written during a short residence in Sweden, Norway and Denmark (1796)

(1796) Thomas Malthus: Travel journal from Norway (1799)

(1799) Samuel Beckett: The fjords and folk of Norway (1915)

(1915) W.C. Slingsby: Norway: the Northern Playground (1904)

(1904) Dhiravat na Pombejra: A Month in Norway: King Chulalongkorn's travels July–August 1907 .

. Robert Everest: A journey through Norway, Lapland, and part of Sweden: with some remarks on the geology of the country, its climate and scenery. (1829)

Lees, James A. and Clutterbuck, Walter J: Three in Norway (by two of them) (1912)

Get in [ edit source ]

Entry requirements [ edit source ]

Minimum validity of travel documents EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, as well as non-EU citizens who are visa-exempt (e.g. New Zealanders and Australians), need only produce a passport which is valid for the entirety of their stay in Norway.

Other nationals who are required to have a visa (e.g. South Africans), however, must have a passport which has at least 3 months' validity beyond their period of stay in Norway in order for a Schengen visa to be granted.

Norway is a member of the Schengen Agreement.

There are normally no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. This includes most of the European Union and a few other countries.

There are usually identity checks before boarding international flights or boats. Sometimes there are temporary border controls at land borders.

Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.

granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed implemented the treaty. Please see Travelling around the Schengen Area for more information on how the scheme works, which countries are members and what the requirements are for your nationality .

. Still there is an identity check before boarding flights or boats into Norway.

Russians who live within 30km from the border may enter Norway visa-free for up to 15 days, provided they have been resident in the border area for at least 3 years, and do not travel more than 30km from the border. A border certificate, which is valid for multiple entries, must be obtained from the Norwegian consulate in Murmansk in advance.

Citizens of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro*, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia*, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, as well as holders of Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR passports are permitted to work in Norway without the need to obtain a visa or any further authorisation for the period of their 90 day visa-free stay. However, this ability to work visa-free does not necessarily extend to other Schengen countries.

Be keenly aware that Norway is not a member of the European Union. This means, especially if arriving by plane, that all persons entering Norway, regardless of point of origin, may be subject to customs controls at the port of entry. Information on duty-free allowances and regulations can be found on the Norwegian Customs website.

While Svalbard has no border controls, most regular flights depart from Norway, so foreign visitors need to clear Norwegian immigration control.

By plane [ edit source ]

Oslo [ edit source ]

For more information on facilities at and around Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, see the Oslo Airport, Gardermoen article.

Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL IATA ) is the biggest airport in Norway and the main international hub, at Gardermoen 60 km (37 mi) north of Oslo. The airport is served by many major international and most domestic airlines.

Oslo Gardermoen Airport

The airport has scheduled flights to around 100 destinations abroad and 24 domestic destinations in Norway.

From the United Kingdom there are direct services to Oslo Gardermoen from:

From Ireland:

Dublin (Scandinavian Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle)

From the United States:

Boston, MA (Norwegian Air Shuttle) (seasonal)

Fort Lauderdale, FL (Norwegian Air Shuttle)

Las Vegas, NV (Norwegian Air Shuttle) (seasonal)

Los Angeles International Airport, CA (Norwegian Air Shuttle)

Miami, FL (Scandinavian Airlines)

Newark Liberty Airport, NJ (Scandinavian Airlines)

JFK Airport, New York (Norwegian Air Shuttle)

Oakland, CA (Norwegian Air Shuttle) (seasonal)

Orlando, FL (Norwegian Air Shuttle)

From Australia and New Zealand, the quickest connection is via Bangkok, Doha or Dubai. Thai Airways and Norwegian Air Shuttle fly non-stop from Oslo to Bangkok. Both Qatar Airways and Emirates fly daily from Doha and Dubai respectively, with connections from several destinations in Asia and Oceania. A popular connection from New Zealand is Air New Zealand's flight to London, with a stop in Los Angeles.

Sandefjord [ edit source ]

Sandefjord Airport, Torp (TRF IATA ) is located just north of Sandefjord, 115 km to the south of Oslo.

Sandefjord Airport Torp has scheduled flights to various destinations in Europe and in Norway.

From the United Kingdom there are direct services from:

Stavanger [ edit source ]

Stavanger Airport, Sola (SVG IATA ) has scheduled flights to/from London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Berlin, Paris, Kraków, Madrid, Nice and some other European cities.

From the United Kingdom there are direct flights from:

London Heathrow (Scandinavian Airlines, British Airways)

London Gatwick (Norwegian Air Shuttle)

Newcastle (Loganair)

Aberbeen (Scandinavian Airlines, Widerøe)

Bergen [ edit source ]

Bergen Airport, Flesland (BGO IATA ) has scheduled flights to/from major European cities as London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Stockholm, Prague, Warsaw and other cities.

Apart from to previously mentioned airports there are domestic flights to Trondheim and Tromsø.

From the United Kingdom there are direct flights from:

Aberdeen (Widerøe)

London Gatwick (Norwegian)

Edinburgh (Loganair) (seasonal)

Glasgow (Loganair) (seasonal)

Inverness (Loganair) (seasonal)

Kirkwall (Loganair) (seasonal)

Sumburgh (Bergen Air Transport) (Loganair) (seasonal)



From the United States there are seasonal direct flights from:

Newburgh/ Stewart, NY (Norwegian Air Shuttle)

Providence/ T. F. Green, RI (Norwegian Air Shuttle)

Kristiansand [ edit source ]

Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik (KRS IATA ) has direct flights to/from major European cities, notably Amsterdam, London and Copenhagen.

From the United Kingdom there are direct flights from:

Trondheim [ edit source ]

Trondheim Airport, Værnes (TRD IATA ) can be reached by direct flights from several European cities, notably Amsterdam, London and Copenhagen.

From the United Kingdom there are direct flights from:

London Gatwick (Norwegian Air Shuttle).

Tromsø [ edit source ]

Tromsø Airport (TOS IATA ) has direct flights from London Gatwick with Norwegian Air Shuttle twice a week.

By train [ edit source ]

There are trains from Sweden to Oslo, Trondheim and Narvik, with onwards inland connections.

For Oslo, daily service from Stockholm and Gothenburg. There are local services from Karlstad as well.

For Trondheim, the Nabotåget service from Östersund corresponds with one day and one night service from Stockholm, as well as the train from Sundsvall.

For Narvik, two trains run daily from Stockholm via Kiruna. Both are overnight.

Train schedules can be found on the website of the Norwegian State Railways and the Swedish Railways.

By bus [ edit source ]

Several international bus lines run into Oslo from Sweden, the major operators being Eurolines, Swebus Express and Säfflebussen. Service to Gothenburg and Copenhagen is almost hourly. The service to Stockholm is also far more frequent than the train. Lavprisekspressen has cheap bus tickets between the large cities in Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

The minibus service between Kirkenes and Murmansk run once per day. Contact Pasvikturist in Kirkenes for booking.

Other coach lines exist between Sweden and Bodø and Mo i Rana, as well as between Denmark and Stavanger.

From Finland it is possible to travel by Eskelisen Lapin Linjat bus from Oulu and Rovaniemi to Tromsø, Skibotn, Tana, Vadsø, Karasjok, Lakselv and Nordkapp.

By car [ edit source ]

Finnish-Norwegian border in Enontekiö (sign in Finnish, Swedish and English); when crossing from Finland or Sweden, border formalities are often non-existent

It is possible to enter by road from Sweden, Finland, or Russia. Major roads to Norway include European route E6 which runs through Malmö, Helsingborg and Göteborg in Sweden before crossing the border at Svinesund in the south-east of Norway, E8 which runs through Turku, Vaasa and Oulu in Finland before crossing the border at Kilpisjärvi. There is an enormous number of possible routes and border crossings, but keep in mind that the road standards vary, there are few motorways and that speed limits are low (generally 80km/h). Ferries from Denmark and Kiel (Germany) also takes cars (see boat section), and is a way to avoid long transport legs.

From Russia: European route 105 (E105) enters from Russia at Storskog border crossing 15 km east of Kirkenes. This is the only overland crossing between Norway and Russia. Crossing by vehicle (also bike) only, no pedestrians (as of 2015). Most people need a visa to cross.

By boat [ edit source ]

From Belgium [ edit source ]

DFDS operates a cargo line from Ghent to Brevik with limited passenger capacity which is normally for truck drivers. There are departures once or twice a week.The ferry may be scheduled to arrive at Brevik in the middle of the night.

From Germany [ edit source ]

Ferry from Kiel approaching Oslo through the narrow section of Oslofjord.

Color Line runs a daily ferry from Kiel to Oslo. The ferry leaves Kiel at 13:30 and arrives in Oslo at 09:30, the following day. The ferry terminal in Kiel is on Norwegenkai, which is a short walk across the bridge from Kiel's main railway station (the bridge may at times be closed for pedestrians due to ship traffic). At the Oslo end of the journey, the terminal is located at Hjortneskai, which is just west of the city. There is a bus from the terminal to the city centre, which departs shortly after passengers disembark.

From Denmark [ edit source ]

Several companies run from various harbours in Denmark (Frederikshavn, Hirtshals, Copenhagen) to various Norwegian harbours (Oslo, Larvik, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Bergen).

From the United Kingdom [ edit source ]

There are no ferry routes to the UK from Norway any more, although DFDS Seaways have been to known to allow passengers on their freight service from Immingham to Brevik.

Thomson Cruise ships operate from Harwich and visit Flåm, Bergen, Molde, Hammerfest, Nordkapp, Tromsø, Lofoten Islands, Geiranger and Ålesund in Norway. The duration of the cruise varies from 5 days up to 2 weeks. Sailing time from Harwich to south Norway is 1.5 days. The cruise ship has restaurants, bars, casinos, cinemas and also a stage show to keep you entertained during the journey. Various classes of cabins are available, ranging from shared rooms to singles, doubles and luxury suites.

Smyril Line used to operate a once-weekly service to Bergen. This service now only operates Denmark-Faroe Islands-Iceland.

Get around [ edit source ]

National transport system (primary roads in red, railways in green)

Norway is a wide country with some very difficult terrain so getting around, particularly up north, is expensive and time-consuming. Because of difficult terrain in large parts of the country, navigation is largely related to landscape features such as valleys, lakes, fjords and islands rather than to towns. Norway is sparsely populated compared to continental Europe; visitors should not expect that every name on the map is served by frequent public transport or offers commercial services such as taxi, cafés and hotels – it may not be a town or settlement at all. The best way to see the Norwegian wilderness and countryside is by having access to your own vehicle. This way you can stop wherever you want, admire the view and venture onto smaller roads. Hiking and cycling allow you to experience more of the landscape as you pass through it and as parking spaces in popular nature spots are deliberately kept sparse, it may be better to not be tied to a car in many places.

Long distance train travel is done with Vy, the Norwegian State Rail system. A number of long distance bus companies also operate. Each region in Norway has its own local public transportation company. For public transportation (trains, buses and ferries) use the online travel planner Entur.

By plane [ edit source ]

As Norway's craggy coastline and mountainous terrain slow down overland traffic, domestic flights are a convenient option, especially in northern Norway where towns and cities are fewer and farther between. Unfortunately, it is also in these areas where tickets can be most expensive. Planes between the small airports are small, and they generally have several intermediate stops along the route to embark and disembark passengers. The high income and slow overland connections combine to make some domestic Norwegian flights among the busiest in Europe. To give just a few examples, in 2018 more than two million passengers flew between Oslo and Trondheim and between Oslo and Bergen – more than flew between Berlin and Munich or Madrid and Mallorca.

Flights in southern Norway are cheaper than in northern Norway, and even though this area has better roads and rail, planes are generally faster than taking the train or bus. There are however no air routes between the cities within 200 km from Oslo, use the train or bus for this kind of travel.

The largest operators are SAS, Norwegian and Widerøe.

If you plan to fly to the many smaller towns in Northern or Western Norway you should consider Widerøe's Explore Norway ticket (unlimited air travel for 14 days in summer for less than a full price return ticket).

By train [ edit source ]

Bergen railway line at Hardangervidda

The Flåm Railway, running between Myrdal and Flåm.

The state-owned railway firm Vy (formerly Norwegian State Railways or NSB) operates all railway lines except the airport express train Flytoget. Norway's rail network basically connects Oslo to other major cities, there are no rail lines North to South in West Norway between Stavanger and Trondheim, and there are no rail lines North-South in North Norway north of Bodø. These main lines run several times a day:

Oslo–Kristiansand–Stavanger (Sørlandsbanen, runs inland from Drammen to Kristiansand, connections to Arendal)

Oslo–Skien (serving coastal towns southwest of Oslo)

Oslo–Bergen (Bergensbanen - Bergen line, across the mountains via Finse, connections to Flåm)

Oslo–Trondheim (Dovrebanen, through Lillehammer, connections to Åndalsnes at Dombås)

Oslo–Sarpsborg–Halden

Hamar–Røros–Trondheim (Røros line)

Trondheim–Bodø (Nordlandsbanen - Nordland line, through Trondheim airport, connections to Sweden), Norway’s longest, crosses the arctic circle

Trains are generally well-maintained and comfortable.

You can buy a Norwegian Rail Pass or the equivalent InterRail One Country Pass to travel relatively cheaply by train through Norway. If your itinerary is fixed and you don't have too many destinations, it might be cheaper to buy 'Minipris' tickets online. If you book well in advance, you can get one-way tickets for as little as 199 kr. When buying online, you can choose ticket delivery at the station or at the train, the latter means you only need to know your seat number, the train steward has your ticket. Their website sometimes does not work for people outside of Norway. In that case you can call their call centre, but be sure to mention that you tried on the website first. Phone reservations normally incur a 50-kr fee per train ticket bought. Vy has a phone app for buying tickets, but as of 2016, a Norwegian cell phone number is needed for it.

For long-distance trains and night trains, seat reservation is mandatory, but usually can be done on short notice, e.g., at a train station, since the trains are rarely fully booked. Generally, the trains are most crowded at the beginning and end of the weekend, i.e. Friday and Sunday evening. Shortly before and at the end of major holidays like Christmas/New Year and Easter, trains are usually very busy. If you try booking for these days at a late time, you may find all the cheap tickets sold out. Furthermore, the seat you reserve may be among the least desirable, that is, facing backwards, without recline, and facing towards and sharing the legroom with other passengers.

Night trains operate from Oslo to Bergen, Kristiansand, Bergen, Trondheim and Bodø. With a regular ticket, you will get an ordinary seat, blanket and earplugs. Sleeping compartments are available for an extra of 750 kr. If you choose to order sleeping compartment, you pay for the compartment, not the bed: 2 people, same price. This also means that you will never have a stranger in your compartment.

For 90 kr you can upgrade any regular train ticket to NSB Komfort, the equivalent of first class, which means a little more room for your legs, free coffee, papers and a power socket. Usually the NSB Komfort coach is either the first or the last coach in the train, resulting in much less through traffic and a quieter environment.

The regular night train seats have a power plug, too. In some trains there is even free Internet access via Wi-Fi; one just needs to register (giving any 8-digit number as 'phone number').

Unlike much of Continental Europe, Norway does not have a high speed rail system, except for the route between Oslo and its airport. Attempts at implementing high speed trains are underway, but have failed so far. Therefore, a journey between the two largest cities, Bergen and Oslo, takes as much as six and a half to seven and a half hours.

In eastern Norway, where cities are closer together, there are several people who make a daily commute, and hence many of these cities have more frequent train service with hourly departures much of the day. This includes the cities in the counties of Østfold, Vestfold, Gjøvik, Hamar and Lillehammer. In general, these trains do not have seating reservations available, but it is still possible to upgrade to NSB Komfort.

If you get even closer to Oslo, there are local trains which may have departures as often as every 30 minutes. Local trains never have seating reservations, nor do they have a first class section. Local trains also operate between Bergen and Voss (sometimes to Myrdal), Stavanger and Egersund and around Trondheim.

By boat [ edit source ]

The Folkestad ferry in Volda.

Car ferries are an integral part of the road network in coastal and fjord regions. The road in principle continues onto the ferry such that for instance Fodnes-Mannheller ferry is part of national route 5. Prices and time vary with the length of the crossing and amount of traffic, call 177 for more information or check nearby camping sites for information booklets and timetables. Prices on public roads ferries are set by the Department of roads. Small cars (as of 2018) are up 6.0 meters, longer vehicles must pay a considerably higher price and this often affects campervans.

Ferries often have information about other ferries in the region and other ferries along the same road. On the main roads ferries are frequent during daytime, typically every half hour. Reservations are usually not needed, drive to the ferry quay and wait in line until the ferry docks. Car ferries also take foot passengers. On main roads tourists typically do not have to worry about timetables as there are frequent departures. Most ferries do not run after midnight or they run only every second hour on main crossings. Norwegians refer to car ferries as "ferje" or "ferge". Vessels that only take foot passengers are refered to as "båt" (boat). To avoid confusion, visitors should use the term ferry only for car ferries.

Stretches with lots of ferries are desirable when bicycling, as the ferries are cheap for bicyclists and offer an often well-deserved break with a great view. Except for some of the shortest crossings (10 min), ferries typically have cafeterias serving coffee, cold beverages, sandwiches and some hot food. Due to numerous deep fjords and islands, driving in West Norway and Northern Norway as a rule (with few exceptions) involves ferries. Although car ferries are very reliable and operate with spare capacity, tourists should allow plenty of time on stretches including ferries. Ferries on unusually long crossings (several hours) or ferries crossing open stretches of sea are more frequently delayed or cancelled.

Hurtigruten route from Bergen to Kirkenes

In regions with lots of fjords and islands, particularly along all the coast from Stavanger to Tromsø, an extensive network of catamaran express passenger boats ("hurtigbåt") shuttle between towns and cities, and connect islands otherwise accessible only with difficulty. There is no general network of boats connecting every village along fjords and coast, transfer by bus or car to nearest port may be needed. These vessels are also not called ferries. Service and prices are comparable with trains. Check in advance if you want to bring a bicycle. There are also some passengers in the inner part of Oslofjord.

One option particularly popular with tourists is the Hurtigruten coastal steamers that hop along the coastline from Bergen all the way to Kirkenes, taking five and a half days for the whole journey. Cabins are expensive and mandatory for multi-day journeys, but deck fares are more reasonable and there's even a 50% off discount with Inter Rail. Prices are summed up for all chargeable elements like persons, fuel charge (approx. 1/30 of a person), bike (approx. 1/20 of a person), car, cabin (approx. 125% of a person). Reservations are recommended for cabins and cars; on deck is usually enough space for persons and bikes.

Lakes do in general not have public transport by boat, here are however a handful of important exceptions. There is one car ferry crossing the very long Randsfjorden lake. Skibladner, a 150-year-old steam boat, allows tourists to cross lake Mjøsa (at Gjøvik and Hamar) the old way. Some other lakes maintain boat service for foot passengers for sightseeing or to access wilderness. Telemark canal, Norway's only major canal, takes visitors from the coast and deep inland along charming lakes and impressive locks through the rugged terrain. Halden canal is Norway's other proper canal and shorter than Telemark's. Except for the two canals Norway's rivers are in general not used for transport.

By bus [ edit source ]

An extensive range of express buses connect cities all over Norway and even most national parks. NOR-WAY Bussekspress and Boreal Transport are the biggest operators. Nettbuss also runs some express routes.

Lavprisekspressen offer cheap tickets for Oslo—Trondheim (via Røros and via the Dovre mountain range), Oslo—Kristiansand—Stavanger and back. If you're lucky, you can get a ticket for as little as 49kr, but usually the tickets go from 199kr to 299kr. The double decker buses are clean and modern with free Wi-Fi internet, coffee and tea.

Bus schedules and frequencies vary greatly, and seating may be limited, so plan ahead. For more information check each operator's website or try the extensive connection search en-tur.no – available in English and Norwegian. Some mountain passes are closed all winter, and buses covering these typically run May—September only.

In the north of Norway north of Trondheim, there are no private express buses. Instead the provinces organise also long-distance buses, which also stop at local stops, having sparse schedules. There is no bus Trondheim–Bodø, instead the stretch is served by train (Nordlandsbanen line). There are for example comfortable buses Bodø–Narvik, Narvik–Tromsø, Tromsø–Alta and Alta-Kirkenes (they are daytime buses and accommodation is needed at Narvik, Tromsø and Alta if going all that way).

By taxi [ edit source ]

Travelling with cab in Norway can be very expensive, and in most cities it is not necessary as bus, tram and train (or even walking) are easier. Taxis are generally safe as long as you choose a licensed taxi (with a white taxi sign on the roof). In villages there may be no or only one taxi car, so visitors should be prepared to book in advance.





In some cities, like Oslo, Trondheim and Kristiansand are several local taxi companies.



By car or motorcycle [ edit source ]

Typical road in rural area.

Main article: Driving in Norway

Norway has right hand traffic, like the rest of mainland Europe. Norwegian roads have varying quality, but all public roads have asphalt. Most roads are two-lane undivided, there is a limited motorway network around Oslo. General speed limit is 80km/h and speed is often slower due to road conditions. Driving in winter requires special equipment, snow and ice experience is highly recommended prior to a winter trip. Some of the scenic mountain passes, notably at Geiranger, Trollstigen and Nordkapp (North Cape), are closed during winter.

Due to the rugged terrain, there are a lot of tunnels. Generally the tunnel will charge a toll until its construction costs are deemed to have been "paid off" after which the tunnel will be free. Due to Norway's high income and their experience in tunnel building, tunnels are even built where they would be deemed too marginal or difficult in other countries - the longest and deepest road tunnel is under construction in Norway.

Driving is generally easy as traffic is calm, and most drivers are disciplined and law abiding, although moderate speeding is common on highways. However, some city centres (such as Bergen and Oslo) may be confusing to navigate for the first time visitor due to many one-way streets. Traffic is generally light except for city centres and a handful of stretches on main roads (notably E18 near Oslo). Near or inside Oslo the E18, E6 and ring roads can get congested during morning and afternoon rush, as well as during weekend rush (Friday afternoon) out of Oslo. Gas is expensive, starting at around 16.50 kr per litre (July 2018). Manual transmission is regarded as standard in Norway and is found in most private cars. Renting a car is very expensive, but can be essential for easy access to some of the more rural areas, although most areas have a good reliable bus service.

Some rules:

Headlights are mandatory even during daylight.

Off-roading is generally forbidden. Motor vehicles must stay on public roads.

Don't drink and drive. Your blood alcohol concentration must not exceed 0.2 ‰ (or 0.02 %).

Rules are strictly enforced, particularly regarding alcohol, speed and overtaking.

By bicycle [ edit source ]

While the bicycle seat may be one of the best ways to experience the landscapes of Norway, it can be a gruelling experience for those who are unfit. There are few bicycle paths, and most of the time cyclists have to share narrow roads with heavy transport. Attitudes to cyclists vary. While some drivers show respect, slowing down and giving cyclists a wide berth, others show hostility, driving far too close and at far too high a speed, when passing. Cycling, as a sport, is becoming increasingly popular in Norway, especially since the success of Norwegian cyclists like Thor Hushovd. Attitudes to bicycle tourists vary, but in general are positive. Hostels and camping sites are generally a good place to meet people with similar interests. Norwegians themselves prefer to ride on well equipped, often expensive, bicycles. Good bicycle shops can be found in most cities.

You will find quite a number of travel diaries online. Only few designated cycle paths exist, mostly in the big cities, and they are not fully interconnected. Except for densely populated areas, they can mostly be ignored. While speed limits are relatively low and the vast majority of drivers are responsible and patient, Norway also has its share of speeders and road hogs. At places where a highway is built, the old road is often re-designated as a cycle route.

It is important for cyclists to be seen. The use of highly reflective safety vests, along with flashing lights on the bicycle, is encouraged to help prevent accidents.

In most of Norway, cycling can be physically challenging, due to steep climbs and strong winds. Your equipment should be lightweight and aerodynamic. You will need a wide range of gears: a ratio of 39-27 for a strong cyclist without luggage or even 22-32 for a normal cyclist with luggage is necessary on many slopes. Your brakes should be of high quality and you'll need spare brake pads when doing a trip of more than a few days. Lights are necessary because of the many tunnels. Because of the winds, it is advisable to avoid wide panniers and loose fitting clothes. A lightweight recumbent should be considered as a serious option for those experienced with this type of bicycle, especially when cycling south to north.

The roads are generally paved well, although gravel roads are sometimes unavoidable. As long as you do not go off-road, you will not need suspension or grooved tyres.

Because of the long distances and numerous hills, bicycle tourists are advised to plan well and be prepared to use public transport for the less interesting or difficult stretches. Particularly in western and northern Norway, passenger boats (including longer tourist ferries) can sometimes be used to avoid tunnels, mountain passes or less interesting stretches.

Ferries take bikes for free or a minimal charge. On trains you have to pay a fare. Some buses do not allow bikes, but in all other cases will only be transported if there is enough space (no fare or children's fare). The Norwegian Cyclist Association offers information.

4km long and narrow tunnel, not recommended for bikes.

It is legal in Norway (and Finland and Sweden) to put up a tent anywhere for one night. This must not be too near someone's home, or on other unsuitable places. This is particularly suitable for bicyclists, who can roll the bike into the forest at a suitable place. It is more troublesome for car drivers to do this, as it is hard to find a good parking place near a suitable tent place (car parking is not permitted on private roads, e.g. in the forest).

Tunnels [ edit source ]

Special attention should be given to tunnels, as many of them are forbidden for cyclists, as are a few roads. Some long and narrow tunnels are not recommended for bikes, even if allowed. An online map of tunnels can be found. The tourist information also has a map of those forbidden routes. When renting a bike, you can consult the person who rents you the bike concerning the track you want to take. In many cases, signposts indicate the route for cyclists and pedestrians around forbidden roads or tunnels. Some of the high speed tunnels have bus stops a short distance from the entrance where you can board special buses equipped with bike racks to transport you through the tunnel. On main roads, buses usually run frequently. Some sub-sea tunnels are in addition really steep. If you do enter a tunnel on bike, use lights and safety reflectors (such as reflector jackets or vests). Norwegian drivers do not slow down in tunnels.

Warning: Do not underestimate the number and length of tunnels, particularly in western Norway. Norway's roads have well over 1,000 tunnels. On the E16 between Bergen and Lærdal for instance, 30–50% of the road is in tunnel. Frequently, tunnels replace an older road that remains open for bicycles and pedestrians in summer or for local traffic all year. Ask locals or read the map carefully to find your way.

By thumb [ edit source ]

Hitchhiking in Norway is best on the routes from Oslo-Trondheim (E6), Oslo-Kristiansand (E18) and Kristiansand-Stavanger (E39). However, near the cities these are now motorways and it is not possible to stand at the road itself. Hitchhiking is not that common in Norway. If hitchhiking is ever safe, it is pretty safe in Norway, however it is difficult to get a lift and it may be very slow.

When waiting, make sure to stand in a place where the vehicles can see you and have a safe opportunity to stop. Ferry docks and main fuel stations are good places to try. Stretches with low speed limits (50–60km/h) are generally better than high speed roads, as drivers find it less cumbersome to make a halt there. Drivers of heavy trucks in particular prefer to keep a steady speed. Roadside cafeterias where truckers have a break can be good place to ask for a lift.

Good hitchhiking spots from major cities are:-

Oslo to:

Bergen and the mountains- if you're daring, try Oksenøyveien (see Kristiansand), but be aware that most cars continue southwards to Drammen. Rather catch the Timekspressen bus, direction Hønefoss, to Sollihøgda.

and the mountains- if you're daring, try Oksenøyveien (see Kristiansand), but be aware that most cars continue southwards to Drammen. Rather catch the Timekspressen bus, direction Hønefoss, to Sollihøgda. Trondheim and the north- is getting more difficult as motorway development continues. The best bet inside Oslo is bus stop Ulvenkrysset. Get the metro to Helsfyr, then bus 76, 401 or 411 for one stop. Further outside, to avoid the local traffic, you are best off at the Shell gas station at Skedsmovollen, bus 845 and 848 from Lillestrøm train station.

and the north- is getting more difficult as motorway development continues. The best bet inside Oslo is bus stop Ulvenkrysset. Get the metro to Helsfyr, then bus 76, 401 or 411 for one stop. Further outside, to avoid the local traffic, you are best off at the Shell gas station at Skedsmovollen, bus 845 and 848 from Lillestrøm train station. Kristiansand and the south: Few spots beat the bus stop Oksenøyveien, connected by bus 151, 251 and 252. You may be dropped in Sandvika by cars heading towards Hønefoss and the mountains/Bergen. Carry a sign.

and the south: Few spots beat the bus stop Oksenøyveien, connected by bus 151, 251 and 252. You may be dropped in Sandvika by cars heading towards Hønefoss and the mountains/Bergen. Carry a sign. Sweden along E6 : Highway all the way, except close to the centre. Try the bus stop Nedre Bekkelaget, bus 81 and 83.

: Highway all the way, except close to the centre. Try the bus stop Nedre Bekkelaget, bus 81 and 83. Sweden along E18: You may try Nedre Bekkelaget, but as most traffic continue towards Strömstad and Gothenburg, you should rather catch the Timekspressen bus 9 to Østensjø stop, just after the Holstad roundabout.

Bergen to:

Oslo - Get local train to Arna and try near the entrance to Arnanipa tunnel.

- Get local train to Arna and try near the entrance to Arnanipa tunnel. Northwards - Go by bus to Vågsbotn in Arna, and try hithing a ride close to the Hjelle bakery.

- Go by bus to Vågsbotn in Arna, and try hithing a ride close to the Hjelle bakery. Southwards - Get the light rail to Nesttun, then nearly any bus for three stops to Skjoldskiftet. Hitch southwards along E39.

Trondheim to Oslo - Get bus 46 to the shopping centre City Syd, then go under the E6 and try your luck at City Syd E6 stop. Soon, the city tax on buses will be extended past the Klett roundabout, if this is in effect you should go to the bus stop just after the roundabout at any Melhus-bound bus and try your luck there.

Molde/Ålesund - Get any Orkanger bus to the stop just after Klett roundabout. Soon, Trondheim city tax will extend to Børsa, after which you should stay on the bus for as long as you can, and hitch a ride from there.

Northwards - Get city bus 7 or 66 to Travbanen stop.

- Get city bus 7 or 66 to Travbanen stop. Sweden - To be sure to hitch only on cars going towards Sweden, get a train or bus to Stjørdal and hitch on the E14.

Looking polite and friendly is a good trick. Asking cars in line at a ferry quay (if travelling along the coast) is a very good idea, and may bring you very far. Hitching rides from Molde all the way to Bergen are not unheard of, but don't bet on it. In general though, you can really get to anywhere from anywhere by thumb, just in some places it might take a while.

Talk [ edit source ]

See also: Norwegian phrasebook

There is no standard spoken Norwegian (norsk) – a wide range of dialects is used even in public broadcasting. There are even two standard ways of writing it, Bokmål and Nynorsk. Norwegians learn both at school. The two varieties are very close and mostly mutually intelligible with the two other Scandinavian languages, Danish and Swedish. Bokmål is by far the more common form in most of the country, though Nynorsk is prevalent in Western Norway. Norwegian is very similar to Danish, but pronunciation is quite different and speakers may have difficulty understanding each other. Spoken Norwegian and Swedish sound more similar, but the vocabulary differs notably. Norwegians usually understand spoken Swedish and written Danish well.

Many of the younger retail and hospitality workers in Norway are Swedish, and make themselves understood in Swedish with a few Norwegian words added.

Sami is a minority language that has official status in some northern regions, completely different from Norwegian. Road signs and other public information there is provided in both Norwegian and Sami. Norwegian and Sami place names may differ – maps will typically use the Norwegian name. Sami is quite closely related to the Finnish language (not enough for comprehension, though), thus totally unrelated to Indo-European languages such as Norwegian or English (but there are quite a few loanwords).

English [ edit source ]

Almost all Norwegians speak English and you should have no trouble getting around in English; 91% of the population can speak English, with most younger people having near native fluency, making Norway one of the most English proficient countries where English is not an official language.

Many people learn French, German and/or Spanish as well. As a Germanic language, Norwegian is also related to German and English. Many basic English words are similar to Norwegian, such as "brød" (bread), "dør" (door), "hus" (house) or "hund" (hound). In fact there is a large number of originally Norwegian (or Danish) words in English (as Vikings settled in and ruled big parts of the British Isles; cf the Danelaw). Norwegian and English syntax is also similar.

Foreign films and television programmes are generally shown in their original language with subtitles. Only children's programmes are dubbed into Norwegian.

See [ edit source ]

Vøringsfossen falls, hotel and road 7 on the edge above

Norway has plenty of rural attractions - mountains, fjords, islands, glaciers, waterfalls, forests and small villages. Norway's natural and cultural sights often coincide, such as an impressive mountain road within a great scenery or the ancient stave churches located in the most serene landscape.

Natural [ edit source ]

Norway has an abundance of water in all forms: glaciers, snow, fjords, rivers, waterfalls and lakes. Other attractions worth a visit are the northernmost point of Europe at Nordkapp, the islands of Lofoten, the glacier of Jostedalsbreen and the mountains of Jotunheimen. Nordkapp is on an island but connected by road to the actual mainland. Kinnarodden at 71° 8′ 2.04″ near Mehamn is the northermost point on the European continent (islands not included).

Lakes [ edit source ]

Totak lake in Telemark

Norway has countless lakes and even inside Oslo there are several hundred. Hornindalsvatnet lake near Stryn and Hellesylt is the deepest lake in Europe at 514 meters, if the lake was completely drained rivers would need 20 years to fill it. Hornindalsvatnet is also unusually clear largely because it unlike many other lakes does not receive glacial meltwater with a characteristic milky turquoise color. Lake Mjøsa, Norway's largest, is the second deepest in Europe. The largest lakes are found in the lowlands of East Norway. Sogn og Fjordane and Telemark have a large number of pretty fjord-like lakes. There are also many lakes around Jotunheimen and other uplands.

Waterfalls [ edit source ]

Norway has an abundance of waterfalls, in all sizes and shapes. Norway is home to a notable number of the world's tallest waterfalls, particularly in the central mountains and Western Norway. The tallest waterfalls are in the inner parts of Western Norway where the great fjords intersect with the central mountains. Sunndal, Romsdal, Geirangerfjord, Stryn, Lysefjorden (Ryfylke district), Byrkjelo, Sognefjord area (Flåm, Gudvangen, Lærdal, Skjolden) and Hardanger are areas with a large number of tall and easily accessible waterfalls. The more powerfall waterfalls are usually lower and found along major rivers in the big valleys for instance in Gudbrandsdalen, Valdres, inner Troms or Telemark. Many waterfalls are surprisingly accessible as they are often found close to main roads or railways, some plunge directly into the great fjords close to ferries and cruise ships.

Fjords [ edit source ]

For more information on fjords, see the Fjords of Norway article.

The iconic Geirangerfjord with "Seven Sisters" waterfall

From Leikanger by the largest fjord in Norway, Sognefjorden

Norway's famous fjords are found throughout the country and are not limited to a particular region or location. All major cities sit on the shores of a fjord. While the most picturesque fjords are less populated, most are easily accessible by road. The fjords increases Norway's coastline from a modest 3000km to 30,000km, islands add another 70,000km - in total creating the most complex coastline in the world. Norwegian fjords have twice been rated the best destination in the world by National Geographic Traveler.

There are well over 1,000 distinct (named) fjords in Norway. The vast Sognefjord is some 200km to the far end and includes a number of arms each about the size of the famous Milford Sound in New Zealand. Some fjords are very narrow, such as Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, others are wide like bays or enclosed oceans, such as Boknafjord or Trondheimsfjord. In most parts of Norway fjords are the dominant landscape features, traditional districts are often identified by proximity to a major fjord and the district or region often have the same name as the dominant fjord. For instance Sogn is the area surrounding Sognefjord. Fjords are often so deep and/or wide (particularly in western Norway) that they can only be crossed by ferry (a few daring bridges or tunnels have been built). Today fjords remain as obstacles for roads and railways, only cruise passengers experience travel along these vast corridors.

In large parts of Norway there is in fact very little continuous land, instead a wide tangle of islands and peninsulas. These peninsulas are often connected to the actual mainland by (narrow) isthmuses. Such isthmuses are shortcuts between fjords and have always been important transport corridors. Still today main roads often run across these such isthmuses. In many cases such isthmuses sits between a saltwater fjord and a freshwater lake (in effect an extension of the lake), for instance at Nordfjordeid ("Nordfjord isthmus") sits between Nordfjord and Hornindal lake.

Fjord regions

From the Randsfjorden lake

Western Fjords : The most dramatic and famous fjords are largely in West Norway, approximately from Stavanger to Molde. Although the western fjords vary slightly in appearance they are generally relatively narrow, surrounded by steep rock faces, tall mountains and extremely deep (particularly the middle and innermost parts). These typical features of western fjords are most pronounced at the easternmost part where fjords intersect with the highest mountains (such as Jotunheimen). Melt water from glaciers flow into major fjords such as Sognefjorden. The fjords of western Norway (represented by fjords of Geiranger and Nærøy) is a UNESCO world heritage site

: The most dramatic and famous fjords are largely in West Norway, approximately from Stavanger to Molde. Although the western fjords vary slightly in appearance they are generally relatively narrow, surrounded by steep rock faces, tall mountains and extremely deep (particularly the middle and innermost parts). These typical features of western fjords are most pronounced at the easternmost part where fjords intersect with the highest mountains (such as Jotunheimen). Melt water from glaciers flow into major fjords such as Sognefjorden. The fjords of western Norway (represented by fjords of Geiranger and Nærøy) is a UNESCO world heritage site Nordland and Troms : These counties are also home to wild landscapes with alpine summits, islands and impressive fjords. The narrow strait into Skjerstadfjorden at Bodø creates the world's strongest tidal current, the Saltstraumen.

: These counties are also home to wild landscapes with alpine summits, islands and impressive fjords. The narrow strait into Skjerstadfjorden at Bodø creates the world's strongest tidal current, the Saltstraumen. Middle Norway : The fjords of Trøndelag, notably the large Trondheimsfjord, are less dramatic but still dominates the landscape. The Trondheimsfjord runs from the large Hitra island to the interior town of Steinkjer. The central part of this fjord is like a small enclosed ocean.

: The fjords of Trøndelag, notably the large Trondheimsfjord, are less dramatic but still dominates the landscape. The Trondheimsfjord runs from the large Hitra island to the interior town of Steinkjer. The central part of this fjord is like a small enclosed ocean. East Norway : The fjords in the wider Oslo region, primarily Oslofjord, are also key to the geography of these lowlands and flatlands, similar to the Trondheimsfjord. The Drammensfjord is an important arm of the great Oslofjord. There are no saltwater fjords in the interior of East Norway, but there are countless lakes many of which resemble western fjords and are in fact called "fjord", for instance the long narrow Randsfjorden is a lake.

: The fjords in the wider Oslo region, primarily Oslofjord, are also key to the geography of these lowlands and flatlands, similar to the Trondheimsfjord. The Drammensfjord is an important arm of the great Oslofjord. There are no saltwater fjords in the interior of East Norway, but there are countless lakes many of which resemble western fjords and are in fact called "fjord", for instance the long narrow Randsfjorden is a lake. South Norway has some scattered fjords, but smallish compared to the wild fjords of the west and the wide Trondheimsfjord.

has some scattered fjords, but smallish compared to the wild fjords of the west and the wide Trondheimsfjord. The fjords of eastern Finnmark are far less dramatic but these long and wide fjords dominate the landscape.

Fjord-lakes

Many freshwater lakes in the interior are called fjords, for instance Randsfjorden and Tyrifjorden, even lake Mjøsa is called "the fjord" by locals. These lakes are very similar to saltwater fjords with a typical elongated shape and also mostly deep. Mjøsa for instance is 450 meters deep such that most of the lake is in fact below sea level even if water surface is 120 meters. Several lakes in Western Norway are in fact extensions of the main fjord and some were in the geological prehistory part of the saltwater fjord itself. For instance the surface of the very deep Hornindal lake is only 50m above sea-level and separated from Nordfjord by a low isthmus. These western lakes are often so similar to the fjord that only the lack of salt reveals that it is indeed a lake.

Uplands and mountains [ edit source ]

Coastal alps at Senja island

Norway is one of the most mountainous countries of Europe, while not as high as the central European Alps many mountain areas are very alpine despite modest altitude. Mountains and high plateaus dominate most of the land. Some of Norway's wildest and most alpine mountains are on islands or along the coast. The wildest summits are in areas like Lofoten, Vesterålen, Lyngen, Jotunheimen and Sunnmøre-Romsdal-alps.

Northern lights and midnight sun [ edit source ]

Midnight sun at the North Cape Plateau

If you want to see the northern lights, CNN has Tromsø on top of its list of best places to see it. Tromsø should also be visited during summer to see the midnight sun. Of course both can be enjoyed anywhere in the northern parts of the country. Northern lights is most frequent roughly north of arctic circle (from Bodø and further north). Because the midnight sun occurs in the same area, these phenomena can not be experienced at the same time. As northern lights otherwise is not restricted to a specific location, a dark night and clear sky are the only prerequisites. Clear sky correlates with cold weather, so visitors should be well-dressed, particularly November to March. Midnight sun and, more importantly, 24-hour daylight occur around midsummer north of the arctic circle - the further north, the longer the midnight sun season. At midwinter there is a corresponding period when sun is below the horizon and there is no real daylight (so called polar night).

Typical wooden town on the south coast.

Wildlife [ edit source ]

Norway has an abundance of birds particularly along the coast. Some bird cliffs with millions nesting birds are protected as natural reserves. The sea fisheries are very rich although a limited number of species and dominated by cod. Sea mammals such as killer whales, harbour porpoise and seals are seen along the coast or in fjords occasionally or during particular seasons. There are tree major kind of big game: The elk («elg», «king of the forest»; Am: moose), red deer and reindeer. The elk is often seen along roads at dusk and dawn in the forest regions of East Norway and Trøndelag. The red deer exist in large numbers in Western Norway and can also be seen in meadows along roads, particularly in spring and autumn. The wild reindeer mostly roam the barren high plateaus and mountains (from Agder through Jotunheimen and Dovre to Røros), and are rarely seen by coincidence. Reindeer live in big herds (at Hardangervidda about 10,000 animals) and should not be disturbed. Particularly in Northern Norway there are large numbers of domesticated reindeer.

Cultural [ edit source ]

While most people don't pick Norway because they'd like to walk around in cities with museums, monuments, parks streetside cafés or luxurious restaurants, in Oslo and some other cities that's also an option. Just getting around in Norway by car, boat, train, bike or foot usually rewards you with great views.

Urne stave church at Luster fjord

UNESCO world heritage sites of the country are:

The rock paintings of Alta, dated to 4200 BC

The Vega archipelago

Urnes stave church in Luster

The mining town of Røros

Bergen's waterfront, Bryggen

Rjukan–Notodden Industrial Heritage Site

While Norway's cultural heritage is most pronounced in rural areas, Norway's cities also offer interesting cultural sights, old or new. Cities like Bergen, Ålesund, Kongsberg, Røros, Trondheim and others are interesting because of architecture and history. Norway's cities also offer fascinating modern architecture, most notable in the capital Oslo with landmark buildings such as the new Opera house and the University library, as well as the new controversial skyline downtown. There are only three preserved Norwegian medieval cathedrals: Nidaros (Trondheim) and Stavanger, the third is St. Magnus cathedral in Kirkwall, Orkney Islands. Norway is the only country in Europe with a notable number of preserved wooden buildings from the middle ages. There are more than 100 log built houses from before the black plague, mostly in Telemark. The 30 surviving stave churches are also a unique cultural heritage.

Hardanger fiddle with fine decorations

The hardanger fiddle (hardingfele) is a characteristic instrument from Norway. This idiosyncratic violin has four or five sympatheic or resonance strings beneath the standard four strings, and made from thin, delicate and decorated wood. The haunting, powerful sound is used to create traditional folk music: dance music as well as "listening music". The oldest hardanger fiddles are from the 17th centuries and one from 1650 is held at Bergen museum. Edvard Grieg and other modern composers incorporated folk music for the hardanger fiddle in their own music. The Sami people maintain their own musical tradition, notably the joik (or yoik) a characteristic form of singing. The Sami also used a ceremonial drum. Contemporary artists such as Mari Boine and Jan Garbarek have developed or incorporated Sami music in their own compositions.

Churches [ edit source ]

Elaborated wood carving by local master in Lesja church, about 1750.

Outside main cities there are few if any monumental buildings except the local church. Norway hardly had any aristocracy that built palaces or imposing manors. Rural areas is dominated by wooden buildings, including most churches. From the middle ages about 30 idiosyncratic stave churches survived (from perhaps 1000), and some 100 stone churches. Most churches built after the Protestant Reformation are basic wooden "long" churches (rectangular shape), but there is also a number of other shapes such as the characterisic cruciform (cross shape) design with a central tower. The rare Y-shape exists in a small number of churches.

The octagonal shape was used for a larger number of churches and several landmark churches with this largely endemic style can be seen around Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, and Nordland as well as other areas. Many church interiors are in a barren protestant style, but there is a large number of churches with elaborate interios such as tolepainted walls, impressive wood cut altar pieces and pulpit designs. A large number of church are log buildings and logs are usually visible on the inside. In stave churches the elaborate construction is largely visible.

Several medieval winged altarpieces has been preserved in rural churches in Norway, including altarpieces installed before the Reformation. Many of these were imported from north German towns like Lübeck and the low countries, while for instance in the Netherlands altarpieces from that period are lost, several can be seen in Norway. In the 1700s elaborate wood carving and rosemaling (a kind of tole painting) were used in altarpieces and other decorations within churches, notably in the interior valleys.

Cityscapes [ edit source ]

Oslo burned down in 1624 and was rebuilt in stone and brick only (in a grid pattern), and the rapid expansion in the 1800s makes Oslo different from most other towns. Trondheim and Kristiansand were both laid in a strict "military" grid pattern, while Bergen and many other wooden towns further south grew organically into a charming labyrinths. Ålesund burned down in 1904 and was rebuilt in a unique variant of art noveau (Jugendstil).

Towns destroyed during the second world war (Molde, Kristiansund, Åndalsnes, Steinkjer, Namsos, Bodø, Narvik, Hammerfest, Kirkenes) were largely rebuilt in a less charming post-war style, although Kristiansund is an interesting example of bold urban planning. These World War II "burned towns" are also home to the first daring, untraditional church architecture.

Wooden towns [ edit source ]

Octagonal style church typical to Trøndelag, and Møre og Romsdal area

Typical for Norway is the widespread use of wood as building materials, even in centres of main cities like Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim, and the friendly atmosphere created by the many modest buildings. Some wooden cities have been lost to fire, for instance Ålesund (fire in 1904, rebuilt in local Jugend-style) and Steinkjer (bombing second world war). Molde, Kristiansund, Bodø, Narvik and all of Finnmark were destroyed during the war. Levanger and Trondheim were not harmed by the bombings and their wooden charm is largely retained. The wooden town of Røros is on the UNESCO world heritage list.

A number of other towns has notable wooden architecture, for instance Lillehammer, Skudeneshavn, Lillesand, Risør, Arendal, Tvedestrand, Kristiansand, Farsund, Flekkefjord, Lærdal, Brevik, Drøbak and Son village. The wooden towns of the south/south-west coast is Norway's version of "pueblos blancos". The capital Oslo is in fact not very typical as the inner city is dominated by concrete and masonry structures, only small pockets of wooden houses exist in central parts of Oslo. Fire is a constant threat to these traditional towns and neighborhoods, and every year some parts if this heritage is lost.

Do [ edit source ]

A great introduction to Norway is the one-day Norway in a Nutshell package on a single ticket from Oslo or Bergen into the mountains, with a boat trip through the fjords. You can break the trip at several interesting cabins for walking or just admiring the view, and even hire a mountain bike for part of the journey. One of the highlights of the 'Norway in a Nutshell' package is Flåmsbana, a 20 km railway that's one of the steepest in the world. Along the way you'll see beautiful mountains, rivers, valleys, waterfalls, and other beautiful sights on your way to the town of Flåm.

Go on top of the nearest top/mountain. Just for the walk. And for the view.

Hiking [ edit source ]

Hiking in Jotunheimen National Park

Hiking, gå på tur, is a national pastime in Norway, from easy walks in Oslo's city forest to alpine climbing in Jotunheimen or the "alps" of Troms. About 30% of Norway is covered in forest, more than 50% of Norway's total area is barren mountain (little or no vegetation), a mere 5% include farms and all sorts of built-up areas (houses, roads, towns, etc). A number of areas are protected as national parks, but most the country is equally attractive and available to the public. Skiing season is generally from mid-November to late April, while bare ground hiking season is generally from mid summer to September. Hiking season varies greatly depending on region (and from year to year): In the high mountains there may still be deep snow until July, while in the lower areas and along the coast hiking season start early spring. Visitors should be aware that the tree line is much lower in Norway than in continental Europe and US Rockies, high alpine conditions (no vegetation, glaciers, extremely rugged surface may start even at 1000 to 1500 metres above sea level).

Proper mountain clothing is needed for hikes even in summer in the uplands. The right foot wear is the essential for a successful hike. Hiking boots with ankle support and a sturdy sole on rougher trails and in the terrain, particularly at high altitudes (above 1000 to 1500 metres) where trails often cross wide screes or blockfields.

In Norway, travellers enjoy a right to access, which means it is possible to camp freely in most places for a couple of days, as long as you're not on cultivated land and provided you are at least 150m away from houses and farm buildings. Don't leave any traces and take your rubbish away for recycling.

Den Norske Turistforening (DNT) (The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association) operates many staffed and self-service mountain cabins, marks mountain routes, offers maps and route information, guided tours, and several other services for mountain hikers in Norway.

Mountainous areas are popular among both Norwegians and tourists. Tourists can visit Galdhøpiggen (2469m), the highest mountain in Norway, or join a musk ox safari in Dovrefjell.

Google Maps can only be used for initial planning, not for navigation in the field. Try the national mapping agency's Atlas.no site, which concords with their excellent printed hiking maps. Hikers in the wilderness should bring a detailed topographical map 1:50,000 (1:75,000 can also be used) and a compass. GPS (satelite navigation) is only supplement to, not a substitute for, traditional map and compass navigation.

Skiing [ edit source ]

Both cross country and alpine skiing are popular sports in winter, and the largest areas, such as Trysil, Hafjell and Hemsedal, compete well with the Alps at lower altitudes. Telemark is also a nice area to ski in. (The birthplace of cross country ski.) Voss, Geilo and Oppdal are other major ski resorts. Even inside Oslo there is a notable ski resort. There is more than 200 alpine ski resorts and 500 ski lifts in Norway, and countless cross-country groomed trails, some with lighting to allow exercise after in winter evenings.

Winter sport resorts typically open in early December, whereas cross-country skiing may begin in November in some uplands. Around Oslo, within reach of the metro and city buses, there is a large park ideal for cross-country skiing, as well as hills for alpine skiing. In Stryn, at Galdhøpiggen and at Folgefonna there alpine ski centres that are open in summer only (May–September), offering unique opportunities for alpine skiing in T-shirt and short pants. Back-country skiing is popular in late winter and spring, and the season lasts until late May in the high plateaus/central mountains.

Hemsedal slopes

Dagens Næringsliv, the leading business daily, ranked the best alpine resorts (2013, 2016, 2018):

Hemsedal - Norway's most complete alpine resort, can be compared to leading resorts in Austria and Canada. Trysil - Norway's largest winter resort, best for children, but it also has many steep pistes Hafjell - best snowpark, stable cold climate, 1994 olympics (rank #3 in 2016) Kvitfjell - Norway's toughest downhill slopes, 1994 Olympics Myrkdalen - in Voss district, heavy snowfall, open November-May Stranda - Norway's best offpiste skiing, best scenery and wilderness, heavy snowfalls (ranked #8 in 2016)) Oppdal - some for all Geilo - well suited for families with diverse preferences Voss - ideal for day trips from Bergen# Lyngen - best summit skiing Hovden - best in South Norway, 200km from Kristiansand (ranked #6 in 2016) Røldal - in Odda district, heavy snowfall, second best off-piste, open until early May Narvik - second best off-piste and second best scenery, open until early May

Groomed cross country tracks in the Oslo forest

Best cross-country resorts according to Dagens Næringsliv (2019 update):

Hafjell/Kvitfjell in Gudbrandsdalen/Lillehammer Beitostølen in Valdres Hovden in Setesdal Geilo Hemsedal Oppdal Trysil Gausta at Rjukan Voss including Myrkdalen Narvik Oslo - 2600 km trails (350 km with lights) inside the big city

Dagens Næringsliv in 2014 and 2019 ranked the winter sport resorts that have the most complete offer (alpine skiing, cross-country skiing in groomed tracks and "summit skiing"):

Hemsedal - all options in a high valley, stable winter (number 1 in 2019 update) Beitostølen - good place for children, excellent for cross country Voss including Myrkdalen - offers everything, somewhat limited range for cross country Hovden - cross country and alpine slopes (not ranked in 2014) Geilo - perfect for cross-country skiing and for families, limited off-piste options Oppdal - all options in a high valley, somewhat dated facilities Hafjell/Kvitfjell in Lillehammer/Gudbrandsdalen - cross country and alpine although limited off-piste options, no mountains Narvik - wild mountains directly on fjord, limited offers for families and cross-country skiers Stranda - excellent off-piste and panorama, limited cross-country (not ranked in 2014) Trysil - great variety of alpine slopes, well suited for families, limited off-piste Tromsø - mediocre alpine facilities, but superb mountainous hinterland Sogndal - excellent summit skiing options, lots of powder snow, limited facilities Røldal - steep hills and heavy snowfalls, few options for beginners and families

Cycling [ edit source ]

You can rent a bicycle virtually everywhere in Norway. Cycling routes exist usually near bigger cities; you can find some tours at Cycle tourism in Norway. Some roads and tunnels are forbidden for cyclists as they are life-threatening; read the section By bicycle above. Some city dumps may have a special section where you can pick up discarded bicycles (and other stuff) for free. The charity thrift-stores (FRETEX/ELEVATOR/NMS Gjenbruk) sometimes stock used bicycles.

Swimming [ edit source ]

svaberg, polished cliffs typical for Norway's coast. Summer day on, polished cliffs typical for Norway's coast.

There are few sandy beaches and water is mostly cold, in salt water as well as fresh water. The coast of Skagerrak, parts of the Oslofjord for instance, can however get pleasantly warm in late summer. The coast is mostly rocky, but some areas have stretches of gently rounded, polished slabs of rock, "svaberg", these get quickly dry and warm in sunny weather, and is a popular hangout in summer. Except for the long sandy beaches south of Stavanger, there are few and only short stretches of sandy beaches.

Norway's towns have many indoor swimming pools and a few heated outdoor pools too. Visitors to pools are supposed to shower well and completely naked before going into the pool. Use proper swimwear, swimming in underwear is not accepted. Small children may change and shower with parents. Most indoor pools have saunas ("badstue" in Norwegian).

Fishing [ edit source ]

Norway's long coastline has ample opportunity for fishing. Salt water fishing for own consumption is free for all. For pollock/saith and mackerell there is no minimum size. Cod must be at least 40 cm, while sea trout must be at least 30 cm.

Rivers are mostly private and permit for fresh water fishing (mostly salmong and trout) must be obtained from the owner. Permissions are often sold in the local tourist information. Some of the largest lakes have the specific rules similar to salt water fishing.

Norway has some of the best salmon rivers in Europe. English gentlemen anglers discovered Norway's rivers in the early 1800s and initiated Norway's first tourist boom. Norwegian salmon is typically 3 to 4 kg in rivers, but the best rivers may see catch at 20 and 25 kg. Tana river in Finnmark has the world record for atlantic salmon at 36 kg. There are about 600 notable rivers with salmong and trout in Norway. The northern rivers (for instance Alta, Tana, Lakselv, Reisa, Børselva and Målselv) and Trøndelag (Orkla, Gaula, Stjørdalselva and Namsen) are at the top of angler's list. There are also fine, but shorter, rivers in Western Norway notably Rauma, Driva, Suldal and Lærdal.

Other outdoor [ edit source ]

White water rafting services

Sjoa (Gudbrandsdalen area)

Skjåk/Lom

Valldal

Voss

Oppdal

Jølster

Music [ edit source ]

See also: Nordic music

Norway has a bustling scene for both folk, classical and popular music, and is especially known for heavy metal music.

Buy [ edit source ]

Money [ edit source ]

Exchange rates for Norwegian kroner As of January 2020: US$1 ≈ 8.8 kr

€1 ≈ 9.9 kr

UK£1 ≈ 11.6 kr Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available from XE.com

100 kroner notes introduced in 2017

500 kroner banknotes of the old design, legal tender until October 2019

Norwegian currency is the Norwegian krone (crown, plural: kroner) (ISO code: NOK), sometimes abbreviated kr or kr., but often just the amount is shown on price tags. A 1/100th krone is called øre. Be careful when crossing borders to differentiate the Norwegian krone (NOK) from the Swedish (SEK) or Danish (DKK) krone.

Euros are generally not accepted in shops, except in some airports, international transport (flights, ferries), and a small number of business targeting tourists.

Coins come in 1, 5, 10, and 20 kr. Paper notes come in 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 kr. While price tags still include øre, for instance 9.99 kr, there are no coins smaller than 1 kroner so prices are rounded. As of 2018, Norway is in the process of renewing its banknote design. New 100 and 200 kr designs were launched in May 2017, and the old designs ceased to be legal tender one year after. And new 50 and 500 kr designs launched in October 2018, and it will likewise be possible to use the old 50 and 500 kr banknotes for one year after that (until October 2019). Finally, new 1000 kr notes will be launched in late 2019, and the old notes will be demonetized one year after.

Banking [ edit source ]

ATMs in Norway are called Minibank. There is no problem locating an ATM machine in urban areas. At main airports and Oslo Central Station you can withdraw euros, dollars, British pounds, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian kroner. Nearly all stores accept major credit cards such as MasterCard and Visa (bring your passport/driving licence, as you are required to identify yourself when using a credit card). Matter of fact, Norway might well be the most card-centered country in the world, and you may encounter businesses where cash isn't accepted.

Costs [ edit source ]

Norway is an expensive country for visitors. While the krone has fallen compared to major hard currencies since the record levels of the early 2010s, and it is possible to travel in Norway on a limited budget, some care must be taken. Because labour is costly, anything that can be seen as a "service" will in general be more expensive than you expect. Travel costs can also be a killer, because the country is large and distances long, so a rail or air pass can save you a lot of money.

If you are a bit careful about your expenses a daily budget of around 1,500 kr (€190) per day is not unrealistic. As rules of thumb, subsisting on under 500 kr/day will be difficult even if you stay in hostels and self-cater, with 1000 kr/day allowing a more comfortable mid-range lifestyle and over 2000 kr/day needed for good hotels and restaurants.

Take care when buying alcohol and tobacco. It will most certainly be more expensive than you expect. A 400 or 500 mL beer in a pub or restaurant will cost around 60 kr whilst a 500 mL can of 4.7% beer in a supermarket costs about 25 kr. Cigarettes cost about 100 kr for a pack of 20, and a bottle of 500 mL Coke will usually cost 20 kr in shops. On the positive side: Norway has good quality tap water. Buying bottled drinking water is unnecessary and hugely expensive.

Fast food restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King are also more expensive than in most countries due to the labour costs. A large Big Mac menu will set you back around 90 kr, the same goes for a Double Whopper Cheese menu. Also, keep in mind that most bakeries, fast food chains, and other types of restaurants that offer takeout, charge more if you eat it at the restaurant than if you take it with you, due to differences in the VAT rate.

You can save some money by bringing supplies. Norwegian border regulations are strict: they allow a maximum of 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco, 1 litre of hard alcohol and 1½ litre of wine and 2 litres of beer or 3 litres of wine and 2 litres of beer or 5 litres of beer. As a general rule, tobacco, alcohol and meat will be comparatively expensive. Vegetables, flour, baby articles, car supplies (oil, window wiper fluid and so on), and clothes will have (almost) the same price as in neighbouring countries, or even be cheaper.

Many Norwegians living near the borders with Sweden, Finland or Russia head into those countries to purchase groceries, as the costs are significantly cheaper. While the option of crossing into Russia is not available for most travellers due to Russia's onerous visa requirements, those visiting areas near the Swedish or Finnish borders should consider this option before travelling to other areas, as there are no border controls between Norway and Sweden or Finland. Except for the border areas near Oslo, Sweden and Finland are very sparsely populated near the Norwegian border. Still there are shops near the border, which wouldn't exist without Norway.

Tipping [ edit source ]

Traditionally, the tip has not been common, but is being introduced by outside influence. Tipping should be given only as a token of real appreciation for the service.

In Norway, like most of Europe, waiters are not dependent on tips from customers as they are in the US, as they are well paid. However, tipping is not unusual in mid- to high-end cafés and restaurants, but only if you feel you have been treated well. In restaurants, even though there is a service fee, rounding up is the norm, and 10% is considered generous. It is not normal to tip outside restaurants and bars, but in situations where change is common it is polite to leave the change (for example, taxis). Tipping cab drivers is usual if you travel for more than 200 kr, but you will get no reaction from the driver should you choose not to tip, so this may be a new experience to American and English tourists. Tipping is never considered offensive, but not tipping is also rarely frowned upon.

Money exchange [ edit source ]

It is possible to exchange money in most banks near tourist information offices, in the post-office or withdraw the money in local currency from the ATM. In some places, however, they don't handle cash in the banks so they only way to exchange money is in the post offices where the exchange fee might be up to 75 kr!

You will get the best rate when you withdraw money from the ATM or pay with a credit card. The country is upgrading to a new system using computer chips embedded in the card and a pin number. Credit cards with magnetic strips are still accepted throughout the country; however, you will have to let the merchant know that the you do not have a pin code you need to sign instead. Sometimes a merchant system will not allow signatures, so it is a good precaution to have cash on hand to pay if needed.

Shopping [ edit source ]

Opening hours in Norway are better than they used to be, though many smaller stores still close early on Saturday (13:00 or 15:00 is typical) and nearly everything is closed on Sundays. Grocery stores (particularly in the cities) have long opening hours frequently until 22:00 or 23:00 on weekdays. You'll often see opening hours written as "9-21 (9-18)" on doors, meaning 9am to 9pm weekdays, 9am to 6pm Saturdays. The grocery market is dominated by a handful of chains covering most of Norway: Rema 1000, Kiwi, Prix and Bunnpris are low price shops with a narrow selection of items; Coop and Spar have wider selection and better quality at a slightly higher price; Meny, Mega and Ultra have fewer shops and higher prices.

Convenience stores, notably the major chains Narvesen and Mix (all over the country), Deli