Oslo Travel Guide

Getting There

By Air: Opened in 1998, Oslo Airport (OSL) (+47 815 50 250/http://www.oslo.no/) is a one terminal, prize-winning, user friendly travel hub perched approximately 30 miles from the city center in the suburb of Gardermoen. Each spacious hall within the terminal is equipped with ATMs, currency exchange centers, shops (including duty free) and restaurants. Staffed info desks are located in the departure and arrival halls. The SAS Radisson Hotel is just a quick stroll from the terminal. Airlines coming and going from the airport include:

Aeroflot (+47 64 81 0410/http://www.aeroflot.com/)

Air France (+1 800 237 2747 (US)/+47 2350 2001/http://www.airfrance.com/)

Air Malta (+33 1 58 18 64 05/ http://www.airmalta.com/)

Blue1 (+358 20 585 6000/ http://www.blue1.com/)

British Airways (+1 800 257 9297/http://www.britishairways.com/)

Condor (+1 800 524 6975/ http://www7.condor.com/)

Finnair (+47 810 01 100/http://www.finnair.com/)

Germanwings (+44 870 252 12 50/ http://www1.germanwings.com/)

KLM (+47 22 64 37 52/http://www.klm.com/)

Lufthansa (+1 800 645 3880/http://cms.lufthansa.com/)

Norwegian Air (+47 815 21 815/http://www.norwegian.no/)

SAS (+47 815 20 400/http://www.scandinavian.net/)

SN Brussels (+47 2316 2568/http://www.flysn.com/)

Spanair (+47 815 20 400/http://www.spanair.com/)

Sterling.dk Airline (+457 33 3370/ http://www.sterlingticket.com/)

Transavia (+312 406 0406/ http://www.transavia.com/)

Wind Jet (http://w3.volawindjet.it/)

Ground Transportation:

Onsite rental companies include:

Avis (+1 800 230 4898 (US)/+47 66 77 11 00 (Nor)/http://www.avis.com/)

Budget (+1 800 527 0700 (US)/+1 800 472 3325 (Intl)/https://rent.drivebudget.com/)

Europcar (+1 877 940 6900 (US)/+47 64 81 05 60 (Nor)/http://www.europcar.com/)

Hertz (+1 800 654 3131 (US)/+1 800 654 3001 (Intl)/http://www.hertz.com/)

Statoil Car Rental (+47 64 81 05 80)

The E6 jogs into the center of Oslo and is a relatively easy drive.

Taxis are usually the most expensive route to the city, but the variety of services offered through different companies can cut the costs if carpooling is involved. Check the taxi desk in the arrivals hall for any special fares. The taxi rank is located outside the arrivals hall. The SAS Airport Bus has quick service to various downtown locations including the Oslo Bus Station and Oslo S (Central Station). Journey time is around 45 minutes and service runs from 4a-10:10p. An SAS night bus is also available. Stor-Oslo Lokaltrafikk (SL) (+47 815 00 176/http://www.trafikanten.no/) buses web the city with coach service, and NOR-WAY Bussekspress (+47 815 44 444/http://www.nor-way.no/) operates five buses from the airport to numerous destinations around the city and region.

Flytoget, otherwise known as the Airport Express train, (+47 815 00 777/http://www.flytoget.no/) offers service to Oslo S (Central Station) on the eastern edge of downtown and other points beyond. It departs the airport every 20 minutes from 5:30a-1:30a. Trains, both InterCity and Express operated by NSB (+47 815 00 888/http://www.nsb.no/), running on the Skien-Olso-Lillehammer-Trondheim line make a stop at the airport.

By Bus:

Domestic and international coach service is provided by NOR-WAY Bussekspress (+47 815 44 444/http://www.nor-way.no/) departing and arriving out of out of the Bussterminalen station. Long haul routes include links between Oslo and Warsaw, Oslo and Krakow, Oslo and Stockholm, and Oslo and Berlin.

By Car:

The E6 from the north and south, the E16 from the northwest, and the E18 from the southeast and west converge on Oslo. Each motorway designated with an "E" has tolls.

By Rail:

Norges Statsbaner (NSB) is Norway's national rail operator, and through cooperative efforts with Denmark and Sweden offers international links leaving and arriving from the Oslo S (Oslo Central) station. Routes include lines between Oslo and Stockholm and Oslo and Malmo/Copenhagen where links to other European cities are available. Domestic routes cover the major towns in Norway and saunter passed some of the globe's most stunning scenery. Routes include the Bergen Line between Oslo and Bergen, the Dovre Line connecting Oslo and Trondheim, and the Southern Line linking Oslo and Stavanger. Some of the commuter trains end the line at Oslo's other significant rail station, the Nationaltheatret Tunnelbanen.

By Water:

Ferry travel is convenient for those traveling with a car, and considering Oslo is a water town, ship service is readily available. The city's main port is situated on the Oslofjord and is managed by the Norway Port Authority (+47 23 49 2600/http://www.ohv.oslo.no/). Buses and taxis service the port, and the Nationaltheatret station is just a short jaunt where you can catch the subway to the city center. Color Line (+47 810 00 811/http://www.colorline.com/) has ferry routes between Oslo and Kiel, Germany, and Oslo and Hirtshals, Demark for as little as EUR24 minus a car and EUR88 with a car. All ships are equipped with restaurants, bars and duty free shopping. DFDS Seaways (+44 12 5524 0240/http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/) darts between Oslo and Copenhagen via Helsingborg starting at EUR45. StenaLine (+47 23 17 9100/http://www.stenaline.com/) sails between Oslo and Frederikshavn, Denmark.

Getting Around

Public Transit:

Few stones are left unturned when it comes to Oslo's extensive public transit system, which consists of buses, trams, ferries, commuter trains and an extensive T-bane (metro/subway) run under the umbrella of Oslo Sporveier (+47 22 08 4111/http://www.sporveien.no/). Single tickets run NOK20/NOK30 but the best deals are on the various multimodal passes available like the FlexCard (NOK125). Tickets and passes can be purchased from drivers, at local 7-Elevens and from vending machines in the metro stations.

The T-Bane metro scheme is unique in the fact that four of the five lines essentially become one as they pass through a tunnel burrowed through the city center from Majorstuen to Tøyen/Grønland. Once the lines emerge on each end of the tunnel the lines slowly take individual shape as they branch out over ground to the suburban edges of the city.

Eight trams (numbered 10-19) chug through the main areas in central Oslo, and more than 60 bus lines (numbered 20 to 89) spread out to the remaining nooks and crannies left in the city, as well as hit every tourist attraction and make stops at most metro and tram stations. Night buses operate on Friday and Saturday nights. Ferries float from Vippetangen to all of the local islands and from town hall square during summer to Bygdøy where a good number of the cities museums reside.

Taxi:

All cabs in town are under the wing of Oslo Taxi (+02323/www.oslotaxi.no/) and ranks are generally found outside hotels, shopping plazas and metro stations. You can call ahead and have an arranged ride (booked 20 minutes to 24 hours in advance) to avoid massive late night lines during the week when the night buses are idle.

Car:

Like most European cities, parking in Oslo can be a chore, especially in the center of town. Other than that it is best to search out a lot where you can leave the car for the duration and explore the city on foot, using the transit system to get from point to point. If you do venture out, make sure to pick up a copy of the "Stor Oslo" at a bookstore or gas station. It is the ultimate driving companion, not only acting as a sensible map but pointing out important measure like where petrol stations are located.2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 97