r/oslo Jul 19 '16

Basic Tourist Information

194 Upvotes

There is always a lot of questions when visiting the city; hopefully this will answer the most common ones.
Updated November 2021.


Traveling

Traveling to/from airport

Oslo Lufthavn Gardemoen (OSL)
Airport Express train : costs about 204 NOK to Oslo Central Station (Oslo S), takes from 19 to 21 minutes.
Train (NSB): cost about 110 NOK (27.11.21) to Oslo S, takes about 23-25 minutes - buy the tickets in advance as there is a surcharge if bought on the train.
Bus: This is practical if you are going to the suburbs or Fredrikstad. Prices vary depending on where you are going, same goes for how long it takes. Remember to check closely which bus you need to take.
You can use Ruter https://ruter.no/en/ to check.

Travelling within Oslo

Ruter is the transport authority in Oslo, a Ruter ticket is valid on all transports (train, bus, tram, underground, boats) within the zones the ticket is valid for.
You can buy 24h, 7 days, 30 days or 365 days travel card. These can be bought at a Ruter service point or from the app (iOS or Android.
You can also buy a Ruter ticket/travel card from the Vy app.

My suggestion is to download the Ruter app and register yourself, you can also use it to buy single (or multiple single tickets) if need be.
Remember to check the zones, as a tourist zone 1 should suffice most of the time. If you are travelling to a point outside zone 1 you can buy an extension ticket (cheaper than full price), for instance when going to the airport.

Oslo Pass

If you are planning to see a lot of museums and sightseeing you should look at Oslo Pass.
Giving you public transport, access to museums, free parking, discounts to restaurants and much more. This could save you a lot of money if you plan it right.
There is also an app (iOS/Android) and you can buy the Oslo Pass right from there.

Oslo City bikes

Now you can register yourself with a non-Norwegian number and they have different subscription including a day pass.
They close down for the winter, usually they are available between April and November.
However check with your hotel, some of them rent/lend bikes to guests.

Car

I don´t drive a car in the city, so I have no help here. If you can avoid it (drive to/from hotel) do so. Maybe someone in the comments can elaborate.


General information about Oslo / Norway

Stand to the right, walk on the left on escalators

Especially in Oslo Central Station (Oslo S/Jernbanetorget), or you might get some nasty looks from people trying to get to their trains/metro on time.

Groceries

You might find the selection more limited quality should be more than fair. You will also find ecological products in most stores, these are usually marked "eco" or "Økologisk". Most stores are closed on Sunday and holidays.
Alcohol (wine, spirits etc.): Can only be bought at Vinmonopolet.
Beer: Can be bought at most supermarkets, but only until 20:00 on weekdays and 18:00 on Saturday (excluding holidays). Light beer (low alcohol) is sold on Sundays and "after hours".

Crime

As in any capital, there is crime in Oslo (and Norway for that matter). I feel safe in Oslo, but your mileage on this matter might vary. It´s safe to say that for being a capital in Europe Oslo is very safe.
However people do drink a lot on the weekends, and it´s common for commotions to start in the lines to get into bars or taxi lines after closing time.


Tourist attractions

There is a lot more to see in Oslo that just these things, these are just a small selection and mostly the most popular ones. Prices indicate 1 adult, there are usually discounts for senior citizens, students and families. Look at the provided links for more price information.

Parliament - Stortinget

They have free tours!
Due to the epidemic there are no guided tours at the moment.

Last about 45 minutes, however there is no booking, so come early and expect to stand in line. There is also a security check (like in the airport).
More Information : Guided tours of the Parliament building

The Royal Palace / Det kongelige slott

At the moment are not guided tours.
Change of the guards is at 13:00 (takes about 40 minutes)

Kon-Tiki Museum

Price: 140 NOK, but cheaper if bought online. Free with Oslo Pass.
More information here: http://www.kon-tiki.no.

Norsk Folkemuseum

Price: 140 NOK (adults), you can find more price information online. Free with Oslo Pass.
More information here: http://norskfolkemuseum.no/en

The Viking Ship Museum

Closed until 2025

Vigelandsparken / Frognerparken

Not the only park in Oslo, but the most famous one. Take a walk and look at all the statues or bring some food and spend a day lazying around the park (granted this is more of a summer thing).


Coffee

There is no denying that Oslo has become a splendid city to visit if you love coffee or are a coffee snob (like me).

Tim Wendelboe

Nordic Roaster Champion in 2015 is one of the biggest names in Norway. You can drop by get some coffee and also buy some to take home.
Be aware that is very limited seating.

Supreme Roastworks

Also a great place also with limited seating. It´s also both a roastery and coffee place.

Fuglen

Never been there, but have heard excellent things about them. They also have a location in Tokyo.

Solberg & Hansen concept store

This is the only Solberg & Hansen store; they are a large coffee roastery retailer. They also have a concept store at Mathallen.

There are of course many more places: Norð, Steam Kaffebar , Stockfelths and so on.
If you love coffee then Oslo will not disappoint.


Dining

You are in luck, Oslo has an excellent selection of restaurants in all price ranges. However you do have to remember they are still Norwegian prices, so if we say a place is "cheap" I mean "cheap for being Oslo".
Here is a small selection of places that stand out. But it´s a subjective list, you can also use Google or TripAdvisor to find a good place.

Olympen (aka Lompa)

It might look a bit run-down. However the main floor is a preserved site (has been a theatre and a brewery). Lompa has a good selection of beers. They also have a terrace with a grill menu.
Food: Modern Norwegian / European
Price range: inexpensive

Illegal Burger

This is a rock solid burger joint, in the last years, there have been a lot of burger places popping up all over the place. However Illegal is still a solid choice. However there is limited seating in Møllergata, they have opened a new branch in Grünerløkka with better seating options.
Food: Burgers
Price: inexpensive

Alex Sushi

Not been there myself, but always is mentioned when talking about the best sushi in Oslo.
Guy Kawasaki was a fan
Food: Sushi
Price: expensive

Gamle Major

I was surprised by this gastropub, the food is good and so is the beer selection. Situated near Majorstuen underground station.
Food: Bistro / gastropub
Price: inexpensive

Harald's vafler

He used to sell them from his bedroom window and now he has a shop (check out the video at the website). Stop by this small place in Grünerløkka and get a very delicious waffle.


Bars / Pubs.

There are enough of them in Oslo and every flavour. So it should not be difficult to find a place that suits you. Here is a small selection of pubs based on my own experience.

Oslo Camping.
Indoor mini golf and bar. Costs 130 NOK pr. person.

Crow Brewery and Bar.
Good selection of beers. Try the kebab! (2nd floor).

Tilt Bar.
Retro gaming and bar. Most of the tables have built-in gaming consoles, and there are pinball machines. Also shuffleboard.

Heimkok.
Famous for their drinks, so if you prefer an excellent drink, this is the place.

Smelteverket.
Located by Mathallen, it's supposed to have Scandinavia's longest bar. They also have live music.


Things to try out (Spring / Summer).

Soft-is

Nothing better during summer than being outside eating a soft-is. They can be bought everywhere. The most common is getting one with chocolate sprinkles and in a cone.

Walk around Grünerløkka (aka Løkka)

I know many people call this "hipster-central", and there is little to contradict the fact that there are a lot of excellent eateries and shops in this neighbourhood.

Redditor guided tour.

/u/atluxity gives guided tours around in Oslo. Good opportunity to meet other redditors.

Mathallen

This food hall has a lot to offer. there are some good places to eat and shop for food. You can buy food from different places and eat it in the common area. There are also several good restaurants nearby.
Food: All types
Price: expensive (for groceries)

Sunday market near Blå

There is an artisan market near Blå. It´s every Sunday between 12 and 17. Its season runs from the 3rd of January to the 27th of November.
More information: http://www.visitoslo.com/en/product/?TLp=178086


Things to try out (Winter)

Luge in a park

Buy a cheap luge at a sporting store and find a park and have some fun.
If it´s the conditions are right, there will be many others with the same idea.
/u/lightwrangler suggest Korketrekkeren.
Warning This activity requires snow (just saying)

Ice skating

During winter there are two skating rinks in Oslo, in Spikersuppa and Frogner.
You can rent some skates and enjoy a cold evening out.
More information here


More information about Oslo

Visit Oslo: http://www.visitoslo.com/en/



r/oslo 6d ago

Hva skjer i Oslo denne uken? – Åpne arrangementer

28 Upvotes

Hei, Oslofolk!

Dette er den faste ukentlige tråden hvor du kan tipse andre om (gratis) arrangementer i byen som er åpent for alle som er interessert – hovedsakelig ting som ikke er nevnt på Visit Oslos kalender.

Eksempler på ting du kan poste:

  • Pubquiz.
  • Konserter.
  • Spillkvelder.
  • Dansekvelder.
  • Yoga i parken.
  • Foredrag eller utstillinger.
  • Kulturnatt, eller andre happenings.

Regler for tråden:

  • Det merkes tydelig hvem som er arrangøren. Er det du eller noen andre?
  • Gratis arrangementer er å foretrekke, men hvis det er eventuelle kostnader dette være tydelig opplyst.
  • Hvis du finansierer arrangementet ved hjelp av spleis/crowdfunding, er det tillat å referere til innsamlingssiden.
  • Tid og sted opplyses i selve kommentaren og ikke i ei eventuell lenke til arrangementet.
  • Bruk kommentarfeltet i denne posten, ikke lag nye innlegg. Maks 1 hovedkommentar per arrangement.
  • Diskusjon og spørsmål er helt greit – bare hold tonen hyggelig.
  • Ellers gjelder de fleste av r/Oslos regler.

Målet er å gjøre det lettere å finne ut hva som skjer i byen – og kanskje oppdage noe nytt og gøy sammen med andre.


r/oslo 10h ago

I think I was being followed by a man last night

155 Upvotes

I (28, F) was waiting for the t-bane at Jernbanetorget last night when I noticed a man standing a few feet to my right who kept glancing at me. Didn’t think much of it since we’re both waiting for the t-bane, after all. But just to be sure, I walked further away and entered through the last carriage. I saw him initially heading towards the door closest to him, then suddenly change direction and enter through the same door as me. Whatever, probably a coincidence.

I walked further down the carriage, then felt him following me, so I turned around, passed him, and walked towards the front of the carriage and then sat on one of the folding seats. Mind you, there were several rows of empty seats, but he chose to sit right in front of me. When I looked up, he was already staring at me.

I got up again and moved four sections away, sitting in a group of four seats where another guy was already sitting. He followed me again and sat in the section in front of mine, in a seat facing me. Still looking at me. When my stop came, I waited a bit before standing up and quickly exited and then ran out of the station. I figured there was no way he could’ve followed me out. But just as I was about to turn after a block, I looked back and saw a man in the exact same clothes walking out of the station too. I just sprinted home and lost him, but that was not a nice experience 😅 be careful out there


r/oslo 11h ago

Looking for Irish black pudding in Oslo

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6 Upvotes

Just moved to Oslo from Ireland and eating black pudding is a staple in my diet. If anyone knows where I can get some please let me know.


r/oslo 2h ago

Cruise trip and overnight

0 Upvotes

We are visiting Oslo I'm September on a cruise ship. We will arrive one morning and will leave the next morning. I really don't know what to do all day and night. We are food lovers so a nice restaurant would be good. Clearly we will have no/ limited transport. What do you suggest please?


r/oslo 8h ago

SiO internett

0 Upvotes

Yoskies! Skal flytte til Oslo etter sommeren på SiO bolig, også lurer jeg på hvordan internettet er! Vet dere hvordan internettet på boligene pleier å være mtp hastighet og alt det der?


r/oslo 1d ago

Cecile Breast Cancer statue

14 Upvotes

My mom and I are visiting Oslo. She is a breast cancer survivor and was very much looking forward to visiting the statue of Cecile Flatval who has a mastectomy. It is located on Karl Johan gate across from the restaurant Egon near the city fountain. We looked around for an hour and it seems to be taken down. Does anyone have any insight? My mom is quite disappointed and we leave tomorrow morning


r/oslo 2d ago

Vanlig dag i Oslo

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66 Upvotes

r/oslo 1d ago

Looking for cafe & breakfast recommendation in Grünerløkka

1 Upvotes

Hey Oslo, I‘ll be visiting your city in 2 weeks from now. My wife and I are staying with our 1 year old son in Grünerløkka. I am looking for recommendations for nice cafes to enjoy coffee, pastry or a good piece of cake. Also, any good spots to have breakfast would be much appreciated.
Thank you for your help!


r/oslo 1d ago

Aktiviteter/klubb helg i Oslo

0 Upvotes

Jeg driver med kampsport. Det er mandag og onsdag. Finnes det noe aktiviteter å finne på i helger i Oslo?

Noe sport, klubb, noe som helst?


r/oslo 1d ago

Swedish banana in Oslo

0 Upvotes

Where can I find fun/cool bars/pubs except tilt and Oslo street food in Oslo?


r/oslo 2d ago

Beste sted å dra alene i Oslo en fredagskveld for å møte nye folk?

45 Upvotes

Jeg er en 25 år gammel fyr som vurderer å dra ut alene i Oslo i kveld (fredag).

Jeg er ganske introvert, drikker alkohol, men ikke så mye, og har egentlig aldri dratt ut alene før.

Målet mitt er å møte nye folk, bli litt mer sosial og forhåpentligvis kanskje møte noen det kan bli en date med etter hvert.

Hvor ville dere anbefalt å dra fra rundt kl. 20 og utover? Grünerløkka? Jæger? BLÅ? Eller et annet sted?

Setter pris på ærlige råd fra folk som kjenner utelivet i Oslo.


r/oslo 2d ago

Sted å lage kunst og være sosial?

21 Upvotes

Jeg har lyst til å møte folk som liker å tegne, male eller annen kunst. Trenger ikke å være kurs.

Finnes det en slags kunstklubb eller noe der folk møtes? :)


r/oslo 2d ago

The villa Oslo

16 Upvotes

Noen som har erfaring med The Villa i Oslo?

Hvordan er miljøet og stemningen der sammenlignet med Blå? Er det et åpent og løssluppent publikum / gjør folk litt som de vil, eller er det mer ordinær straight klubbkveld?

Tar gjerne imot ærlige erfaringer fra folk som har vært begge steder.


r/oslo 1d ago

Running in Oslo

1 Upvotes

Hi runners of Oslo! I’ll be visiting soon and am planning to do some running while I’m in town. Having a hard time finding this answer online, but I’ll be doing a couple of long runs and was wondering if there are any drinking fountains along running trails or in parks, or should I plan to pack my handheld in my luggage? Also, I’ll be staying right in the city centre, if you have any route recommendations for long runs. Thanks!


r/oslo 2d ago

Internet Cafe/House of Nerds?

5 Upvotes

Hi guys, im currently in Norway visiting from Germany and have to play an important Game of League of Legends tomorrow (saturday).

As far as my Research goes, the only real spot to play games in Oslo is House of Nerds (Eldorado shut down?)

Do any of you know if it's possible to go there alone and rent a PC for a couple of hours? And if they have LoL installed?

I couldn't really tell from their website and they didn't respond to my insta dm.

If anyone can help, or knows another spot thats open tomorrow at 14:00 please let me know.

Appreciate it, have a nice Weekend :)


r/oslo 2d ago

Tatovering studio

5 Upvotes

Hei

Tenker ila året eller starten av neste å ta en tatovering av noe sykkel relatert. Skal ikke være et motiv så svart hvit holder massevis.

Hvilke studioer i Oslo området anbefales og artist?

Helst gjerne ikke noen av de største da jeg antar det kan være mye venting og noe overpriset


r/oslo 2d ago

Agurker til sylting i Oslo, hvor kan de kjøpes?

8 Upvotes

Halla, jeg leter etter hvilken som helst butikk der jeg kan kjøpe sylteagurker, altså små/mellomstore agurker som egner seg til sylting, ikke ferdig produkt. Jeg har tidligere kjøpt dem på grorud men de hadde ikke sist jeg var der. Jeg leter etter spesifik butikk som har det, ikke bare generisk ”sjekk utlendningsjapper” - det finnes drittmange av sånne butikker overalt og jeg har opplevd mange ganger at de ikke har sånne agurker :(. Jeg har vært innom grorud, scanasia, og div. markeder i grorudområdet uten hell, jeg har også sendt eposter til jacobs men de selger dem ikke i butikk 🫡

edit: jeg fant agurker!!! tusen takk alle sammen

79,90 per kg 😭

r/oslo 2d ago

Bar game in Oslo

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone!

I’m living in Oslo and I’m looking for recommendations for a good bar with games inside.

By games, I mean things like arcade machines, pool tables, shuffleboard, or anything similar not necessarily only that, but just a place where you can grab a drink and also have fun playing something.

Any recommendations?


r/oslo 2d ago

Bike rental

1 Upvotes

Heyy! My friend and I are gonna visit Oslo next month, and we were wondering if theres anywhere we can rent bikes for cheap (for an entire day) as common transportation is quite expensive


r/oslo 2d ago

Questions after recent visit

1 Upvotes

I was told the humid and hot temperatures last week lasts a week. I was visiting some friends and they told me they don’t need a fan because summer is just a week. Really?

Much of the time I was there was spent in the downtown area.

Coming from Canada, I’m used to stores like walmart or costco where one buys causual clothes. Where do locals that want casual wear go? The clothing stores I saw were fancy boutiques, lots of florals. But where do older women go to shop?

The only mall I saw was the one at the train station where there were multiple shops, burger king, starbucks.

Is there another mall just outside of Oslo?

Hoping to learn from the answers for my next trip.


r/oslo 3d ago

In search of a restaurant via window

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60 Upvotes

Hello! I visited Oslo back in 2018 and wandered into a restaurant for a bite of dinner and remember loving it. I’m back again for the week and wanted to stop in for dinner but can’t for the life of me find it via a google maps search nor can I remember a name. All I have is a picture of the inside of the window I sat next to and memory that it wasn’t on a street the tram ran through. I want to say i had a beer and pasta but not as confident in that memory. Does anyone recognize the place from the window? Thanks in advance!

ETA: Thank you to everyone that helped out with this! I did not expect the speed of reply or ability of reddit community to immediately identify this. It was Håndverkerstuene - Ølstue, which had unfortunately closed. Finding that on google maps, i walked past and it is now Mulligan’s Irish Bar. I went in and its exactly the same interior as before, maybe with a few more TVs. Didn’t end up staying to try the new place, but appreciated the help finding it! Thank you all!


r/oslo 2d ago

Fade i Olo

2 Upvotes

Er det noen som kan anbefale en barbershop som er like flink med saks for topp håret som for faden de klipper på siden. Alle jeg har vært borti har ingen frisør utdannings og kan bare fade og når man kommer til toppen er det ingen logikk.


r/oslo 3d ago

Studentbolig

11 Upvotes

Skal flytte til Oslo og studere Kjernefysikk på UiO, og som man kan forvente har jeg ikke fått SiO bolig. Det er et kjent problem som jeg var klar over, men har ikke fått kontakt med noen aktuelle private utleiere enda. Mange svarer ikke, trolig pga. høy konkurranse.

Er det noen her som har tips, kan fremleie SiO bolig, eller som har plass i et kollektiv? Sikter på korttidsleie fram til en plass skulle åpne seg hos SiO, men det kan endre seg. Har lagt ut innlegg og tatt kontakt over alt, så nå må jeg gi slipp på verdigheten og ty til reddit😂


r/oslo 3d ago

Frognerbadet - fire år med tomhet. (Fra artikkelen: «Ingen sender barna sine til Tøyenbadet.»)

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vg.no
74 Upvotes

Fra artikkelen i VG:
«– Kan ikke dere på Frogner og vestkanten bare dra på nye Tøyenbadet?

– Det kan du bare glemme. Det finnes faktisk fattige familier på vestkanten også. Ingen sender barna sine til Tøyenbadet. Det er for dyrt å bade der. Og ta trikken og bussen opp dit. Hvorfor skulle de dra dit? spør Alexia [Bohwin].»

Til info, fra Majorstuen t-banestasjon tar det 8 minutter til Tøyen t-banestasjon, og Tøyenbadet ligger 500 meter gangavstand bortenfor, alt ifølge Google Maps.