Airport Details
Airport Full Name
Oslo Airport
IATA Code
OSL
Location:
The airport is situated 29 miles (47km) northeast of
Oslo.
Airport Facilities
Facilities at the airport include banks, bureaux de change, ATMs, a post office, left luggage, duty-free, tourist information and hotel reservation kiosk. Business facilities are available including fax and Internet access. There is a selection of bars, shops and restaurants. Disabled Facilities are good; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Transfers
An Airport Express train and a variety of taxis go to the city centre. An airport bus travels between the Oslo Bus Terminal downtown and the airport, with night services connecting to every arrival (90 kr).
Contact
Tel: +47 64 81 20 00
Oslo Hotel Deals
Climate Details (C)
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
| Min | -7 | -7 | -4 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 3 | -1 | -4 |
| Max | -2 | -1 | 4 | 10 | 16 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
Travel Guides: Oslo
General Information
Legends of heroes, trolls and princesses roaming the countryside outside this charming city attract many travellers looking for a Scandinavian holiday. Oslo, situated at the end of a 70-mile (110km) long fjord, is Norway's capital and its largest city, rich in culture and folklore with a fascinating Viking history.
Oslo is an eclectic mix of old medieval buildings, churches and modern architecture, sitting among the green trees and extending forests that form the natural balance of nature and civilization. Around the city there are numerous museums, art galleries and places of interest, especially the Edvard Munch Museum and the Norwegian Folk Museum on the sought after Bygdøy Peninsula. Other attractions include Vigeland Park with its interesting collection of sculptures, and the medieval Akershus Fortress dominating the seafront.
Although Oslo has small population compared to other European capital cities, it retains a true vibrancy about it. The city centre is filled with restaurants, bars, cafes, clubs and theatres and has a very cosmopolitan feel to it with street artists hanging around the main street, Karl Johans Gate. Oslo is renowned as a city of culture and the City Hall hosts the annual awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Getting Around
Oslo is a relatively small city and parking is at a premium so a car is a bit of a liability. Fortunately there is an extensive and superbly efficient public transport system involving buses, trams, subway, trains and ferries, operated by Oslo Sporveier. The city is served by 50 bus lines and eight tram routes, all starting from Jerbanetorvet at Oslo S Station. The subway is called the Oslo T-Bane and there are five underground lines covering the city. All public transport runs from 5.30am to midnight, with tickets available from bus drivers or vending machines at stations. The Tourist Ticket allows for unlimited use within 24 hours, while the 1, 2, and 3-day Oslo Card allows unlimited travel on any form of public transport, and includes free museum admissions and other discounts. Ferries operate on a seasonal basis, between April and September, linking the City Hall to the museum-studded island of Bygdøy. There are also ferry services to the harbour islands. Metered taxis are easy to come by, and can be found at ranks near shopping centres, city squares, stations and other gathering points. Cabs can also be ordered by telephone from a central office, or from taxi ranks.
Activities
The Viking Ships Museum, Oslo
Situated on the Bygdøy Peninsula, the Viking Ship Museum houses three 9th-century Viking ships that were excavated from ritual burial mounds in the south of Norway. Their excellent condition is due to the clay in which they were embalmed. Viking ships were used as tombs for royalty who were buried with everything they might need in their life after death. The biggest and best preserved of the ships is the Gokstad, and the finest is the Oseberg, a richly ornamented dragon ship with an intricately carved animal head post, that was the burial chamber of a Viking queen. The elegantly carved sleigh used by the Viking royalty, and a hoard of treasure was found on the buried ship and is displayed at the back of the museum. Raised platforms allow visitors to view the inside of the ship's hulls.
Getting There:
Bus 30 to Bygdøy stops at the National Theatre, or ferry
91 from Pier 3 behind the City Hall (summer only)
Opening Times:
Daily 9am-6pm (May to September), 10am-4pm (October
to April). Closed on public holidays.
Admission:
NOK 60 (adults), NOK 30 (children); other concessions
available.
The Kon-Tiki Museum, Oslo
Situated on the Bygdøy Peninsula, the Kon-Tiki Museum contains the renowned balsawood raft, the Kon-Tiki, on which Thor Heyerdahl made his famous journey across the Pacific in 1947 to prove the theory that the first Polynesian settlers could have sailed the 4,300 miles (6,923km) between Peru and Polynesia. The museum also contains the original reed raft, Ra II, on which Heyerdahl sailed across the Atlantic in 1970. Besides the rafts there is a huge stuffed whale shark, artefacts from his expeditions and exhibits from his visits to Easter Island, and an intriguing collection of archaeological finds from Easter Island, Galapagos, East Polynesia and Peru.
Getting There:
Bus 30 from the National Theatre, or ferry 91 from Pier
3 behind the City Hall to Bygdøy (summer only)
Opening Times:
Daily except public holidays 9am-5:30pm (June to
August), 10:30am-4pm (January to March), 10am-5pm (April to May and
September to October).
Admission:
NOK 70 (adults), NOK 30 (children) from January 2012.
Other concessions are available.
Vigeland Park, Oslo
Vigeland Park is the city's most visited attraction, a vast green area of duck ponds, trees and lawns that is a monument to the celebrated Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, who spent 40 years creating the life-size statues that decorate the walkways and open spaces. There are more than 200 works presenting the human form in a variety of poses and conveying a range of emotions. At the centre of the park is the most impressive piece, the Monolith, a gigantic mass of writhing bodies carved from a single column of stone, and believed to be the largest granite sculpture in the world at a height of 46ft (14m). Surrounding the column are groups of human sculptures in various forms of interaction with each other. The most famous and most photographed piece is the Angry Boy, a fat child stamping his foot. There are many more sculptures to be seen in the park and in the nearby Vigeland Museum, featuring a display on the development of the artist's work and his sketches and plaster originals.
Getting There:
Bus 20 or tram 12 to Vigelandsparken; all westbound
underground lines to Majorstuen station
Opening Times:
The park is always open. The museum is open Tuesday
to Sunday 12pm-4pm (September to May), and Tuesday to Sunday
11am-5pm (June to August). Closed on Mondays.
Admission:
Free
Events
Independence Day
Norway achieved Independence from the Danes, creating their constitution on this day back in 1814, and progressed to become one of the most successful countries of the twentieth century. Independence Day is the biggest day of the year in Norway and the whole country celebrates with parades and music, performances and parties throughout the long spring nights.
Date:
17 May 2012
Venue:
Throughout the country
Norwegian Wood Festival
This festival is one of the highlights on the country's musical calendar attracting many of the world's top artists as well as plenty of local Scandinavian bands.
Date:
14 - 17 June 2012
Venue:
Frognerbadet
