Oslo is such an enchanting city, and even more-so in the winter. My husband and I visited in December of 2019. Scandinavia has always been on my husband’s travel wish list, so we decided to make it our big trip for that year. Our full itinerary started with 2 days in Oslo, then we moved on to Svalbard for a few days, Tromsø for another 3 days, then we ended our trip in Stockholm for 2 days before heading home. In this post, I’ve highlighted our 2 days in Oslo, and will be adding a separate post soon detailing the Stockholm segment of our trip. Check out my post about Svalbard during polar night here and my post on our time in Tromsø here!
**Disclaimer: some links in this post may link to external websites and I may earn a commission on purchases made through those sites.**
Getting to Oslo
We took a flight from Chicago to Oslo with an 8-hour layover in Munich (look out for my post on that soon!). We landed in Oslo at 11:30pm and after a 19-hour travel day, we were exhausted. Luckily, I had anticipated this, so we booked our first night’s hotel at the Park Inn Radisson Oslo Airport hotel so once we had our bags from the baggage claim, we had a short trip over to the hotel, got checked in, and were asleep nearly immediately. Side note: the beds everywhere in Norway were SO comfortable. The way they design their beds is just superior to pretty much anything else I’ve ever experienced, and we loved it so much we remind each other how well we slept in those beds.
Getting Around in Oslo
From the airport it is very easy to get into the Oslo city center. The train is the fastest and most efficient option, though taxis are also available. Uber does not operate in Norway.
There are two options for trains that will take you from Gardermoen airport to Oslo city center: the Flytoget Express Train and the Vy. A ticket on the Flytoget will cost you 230 NOK (about $22 USD as of March 2023) one way per adult, while the Vy train will run 118 NOK per adult (about $11 USD as of March 2023) making the Vy train the less expensive option. The Flytoget, however, will get you to Oslo city center faster, and they offer travel guarantees if there are delays. We opted for the Flytoget express train.
Both trains include space for luggage.
Flytoget: From the baggage claim area, follow the signs that say “Flytoget, tog” (the signs also include “Express Train, trains” in English below) and you’ll come to silver and orange ticketing kiosks where you can purchase your tickets. Flytoget also has an app where you can purchase your tickets. There is no option to pay in cash once you’re on the train, so you must buy a ticket in advance at either the kiosks or on the app. While purchasing your ticket, you must select the station where you’ll be getting off the train. The main stations in Oslo city center are “Oslo S” (for Oslo Sentralstasjon or Oslo Central Station), or the three Nationaltheatret stations. There is a train departure every 10 minutes (and they truly mean every 10 minutes), and the ride is 19 minutes into the city center. The Flytoget also offers free wi-fi, outlets, and toilets. From Oslo Central Station, you can connect to the subway, buses, and trams, or other trains.
Vy: From the baggage claim area, follow the signs that say “Flytoget, tog” (the signs also include “Express Train, trains” in English below) and you’ll come to a set of blue and white ticketing kiosks for the Vy train. While you are purchasing your ticket on these kiosks, you will get an alert screen notifying you that these tickets are not valid on the Flytoget to confirm you are purchasing tickets for the correct train line. The Vy train also has an app where tickets can be purchased. Once you have your ticket, check the information screen to see which track your train will be departing from. The Vy train tickets are valid on the R10 or R11 regional trains, or the L12 local train. These trains all stop at the Oslo S (Oslo Central Station). The trains leave every 10 or 20 minutes.
Taxi: If you’d prefer to take a taxi from the airport to the city center, there is a taxi information desk located in the airport where staff will help you get the best taxi rate.
Private Transfers: Hiring a ride in advance is also incredibly easy. Plus, this company will wait for you inside the airport at the baggage claim holding a sign with your name, which is such a fun experience!
Local Trains and Buses: The local trains and buses all use the same ticketing system, so you can purchase a 24-hour ticket that can be used on any of the local trains and buses, so long as you’re staying within the same zone (all of Oslo is in Zone 1, so if you’re staying within the city limits, you’ll be in the same zone). You can purchase tickets on Ruter’s mobile app, at the Oslo Visitor Centre at Oslo Central Station, Ruter’s Customer Service Centre and in most Narvesen and 7-Eleven shops. You can find route maps for all public transit and plan your route using the Ruter app, or on their website.
Day 1: Oslo
After arriving at our hotel and getting settled, we explored Oslo a bit, and did some souvenir shopping at Dale of Norway. We got some incredible wool sweaters that have become our winter staples back home. We also stopped at the local Clas Ohlson to buy some new outlet converters because I accidentally left ours at our first hotel. Clas Ohlson sells them for about 100 NOK, so it was easier to just buy new ones. Clas Ohlson is a home improvement store which sells many basic necessities, and with many locations it’s a very convenient option if you realize you’ve forgotten something.
We spent some time walking along Damstredet which is a charming street in Oslo with well-preserved wooden houses from the late 1700s and 1800s.
A self-guided audio walking tour of Oslo, a driving sightseeing tour, or a walking tour plus hop-on hop-off bus tour are great ways to explore and learn about the city.
That evening we went to a Christmas Market in Spikersuppa, along Karl Johan Gate. We explored the market, “window” shopped at the kiosks, got some great food, and of course some mulled wine. I definitely recommend trying the moose burger whenever available. It was so good! This Christmas Market had a great area with a bonfire and several benches surrounding for a nice place to sit, eat/sip, and enjoy the surroundings.
Day 2: Oslo
Our second full day in Oslo we spent exploring museums. We were staying in the city center nearby the National Theater, so we took the #30 bus over to where the museums were located.
Taking the bus, the best option is to purchase your tickets ahead of time. You can purchase tickets on the Ruter app, the Oslo Visitor Center in Oslo Central Station, and in most Narvesen and 7-Eleven shops. The bus tickets are divided into zones, but if you’re staying within the Oslo city limits, you’ll always be traveling in Zone 1. When buying tickets, you’ll buy a one-way ticket, or a 24-hour, 7-day, or 30-day ticket. A single adult ticket will cost 39 NOK (59 NOK if bought on the bus) and a 24-hour ticket will cost 117 NOK. The #30 bus dropped us off about a one-minute walk from the museums.
There are three great museums located all right by each other, so we were able to easily get around to all three this day.
We started off at the Kon-Tiki Museum which showcases artifacts from the expeditions of Thor Heyerdahl. One of the main attractions is the Kon-Tiki raft which Heyerdahl made out of balsawood and used to cross the Pacific. This museum was surprisingly fascinating. We almost skipped it and am so glad we didn’t. The museum tells the story of a Norwegian who couldn’t swim but dedicated his life to proving the currents of the ocean. The documentary Heyerdahl filmed won an Academy Award. You can fly through this museum quickly, but I recommend you take your time and dedicate a couple hours to take your time exploring Heyerdahl’s story.
After the Kon-Tiki Museum, we headed over to the Viking Ship Museum. This museum had on display a few different Viking ships that were built in the 800s-900s and paints a picture of what Viking life was like during the 9th and 10th centuries. It is a fascinating museum, though it is currently closed and will be reopening in 2026 as the Museum of the Viking Age. I expect this museum will be one not to miss and we will have to add it to our to-do list whenever we visit Norway again!
Note: as of March 2023, this museum is closed for refurbishment and will reopen in 2026.
We then trekked over to the Norsk Folkemuseum (Norwegian Museum of Cultural History). This might have been my favorite of the day, as it is an open-air museum comprised of 160 buildings from rural and urban Norway and Norwegian history. You’re able to wander around the grounds exploring inside and outside the many beautifully built Norwegian style buildings, including a Stave Church, which my husband, the death-metal enthusiast, was the most excited to see. There are also exhibition buildings with exhibits dedicated to folk art, folk dress, church art, and Sami culture. There is so much to see at this museum that you’ll need to dedicate several hours here to truly take it all in, and it is so worth the time! The museum has a super cozy café with a fireplace and delicious coffees, teas, hot chocolate, and plenty of food items to keep you sustained.
At the end of our day, we enjoyed a nice meal and watched the gorgeous sunset at one of the waterfront bars at Aker Brygge, then headed back to our hotel to get packed back up and head on to the next part of our itinerary!
Our next stop on our itinerary was Svalbard during polar night then Tromsø for a few days. Check out my post on Svalbard here and my post on Tromsø here. Keep an eye out for my post on Stockholm coming soon!
Other Things To Do in Oslo
There were a couple other things on our wish list to add into our time in Oslo that we didn’t end up getting to do because weather conditions weren’t on our side. We really wanted to go skiing and sledding while we were in Oslo, but there hadn’t been enough snow yet that winter so the sledding hill wasn’t open and we had to skip skiing due to time constraints, but I highly recommend checking these options out for your trip to Oslo if you have another day (and optimal snow conditions!).
Skiing at Oslo Winter Park: there are two ways to get to Oslo Winter Park from the city center. You may take a train to Frognerseteren and walk the rest of the way to the park, which is about 20 minutes and uphill but with beautiful scenery. The other option is to take the train to Voksenkollen where you can take a free shuttle bus which will drop you right outside the park.
Sledding: I think this is the one I’m most disappointed we weren’t able to fit into our itinerary, and it was only because Oslo hadn’t had enough snow that season to open for sledding. The most popular sled run is the Korketrekkeren (corkscrew) toboggan run. You can get there easily by taking the metro line 1 to Frognereseteren, getting off at the last station. You can rent sleds there for 130 NOK per day for adults, 80 NOK for those under 18. Helmet rental is free. If you plan to add this to your itinerary, visit their website here to see if they’re open.
Where to Stay in Oslo
A note on hotel beds in Norway for those used to American hotel beds. Many of the larger beds in Norway hotels are two single beds pushed together. Personally, my husband and I did not mind and the beds were so comfortable we slept so well we have no complaints. The hotels will typically ask if you’d like your beds together or separate, so if you prefer two singles, that’s always an option!
Park Inn Radisson Oslo Airport : we stayed here the first night because our flight landed at 11:30pm and we were exhausted. This hotel was so nice; very clean, great service, super affordable, and a great breakfast in the morning, plus it gets major points for convenience related to the airport. Exiting the international terminal, you only need to walk a few minutes down a direct walkway until you’re at the hotel. Highly recommend if you want comfort, affordability and convenience near the airport.
Scandic Victoria, Oslo : we stayed in this hotel for the bulk of our time in Oslo and had a great experience. The Scandic staff was so welcoming, friendly, and helpful. This hotel is in a great location for exploring Oslo by foot. The décor was beautiful, everything was very clean, quiet, and comfortable. Just around the corner from Karl Johan Gate and Stortinsgata to the north, and a 10 minute walk to Aker Brygge on the waterfront to the South, there are so many great things to do and places to eat nearby.
Other Tips on Visiting Norway in the Winter
Language: Everyone we encountered spoke English fluently, so you won’t need to worry about a language barrier, but I like to learn a few phrases in the local language when I travel, so here are a few!
| English Word/Phrase | Norwegian Word/Phrase | Pronunciation |
| Hello | Hei | Hi |
| Goodbye | Hadet | hah-deh |
| How are you? | Hvordan går det? | vor-dahn gor deh |
| I’m well, and you? | Bra, med deg? | brah, meh dye |
| Good, thanks | Bra, takk | brah, tahk |
| Please | Vær så snill | var soh snil |
| Thank you | Takk | tahk |
| You’re welcome | Vær så god | var soh gooh |
| Yes | Ja | yah |
| No | Nei | ny |
| Do you speak English? | Snakker du engelsk? | snah-kerh doo engelsk |
Currency: Norway uses the krone (kroner, plural) which is equivalent to the US dollar. The krone is divided into 100 øre (equivalent to US cents). Foreign currency is not typically accepted; however, you can use electronic payments just about anywhere you go, and there are plenty of ATMs if you’d prefer to have some cash with you. Just be sure to check your bank and credit card’s foreign transaction fees and notify your bank of your travels before you go!
Tipping: Tipping is not necessarily expected in Norway, but always welcome! The standard we followed was 15-20% at bars and restaurants, and for tour guides.
Weather: Coming from Chicago, the weather in Norway in the winter wasn’t too much colder than what we can experience in the US in the winter. The average temperatures were about 25-30F (about -3 to -1C). Since Norway is situated so far north, however, daylight hours differ greatly depending where you are (the further north you go, the shorter the daylight hours in the winter).
