Oslo averages 18˚C (63˚F) in July and -4˚C (24˚F) in January. The north is the coldest and wettest region, though Bergen and the surrounding mountains to the south are also rainy. For a few weeks around the summer solstice (June 21), the area north of Bodø basks in the midnight sun. The Northern Lights are a top attraction—many come to see the spectacular nighttime displays formed when solar flares produce plasma clouds that run into atmospheric gases, which peak from November to February. Skiing is best just before Easter.
Embassies And Consulates. Foreign embassies in Norway are in Oslo. Norwegian embassies abroad include: Australia, 17 Hunter St., Yarralumla, ACT 2600 (☎262 73 34 44; www.norway.org.au); Canada, 90 Sparks St., Ste. 532, Ottawa, ON K1P 5B4 (☎613-238-6571; www.emb-norway.ca); Ireland, 34 Molesworth St., Dublin 2 (☎16 62 18 00; www.norway.ie); UK, 25 Belgrave Sq., London SW1X 8QD (☎20 75 91 55 00; www.norway.org.uk); US, 2720 34th St., NW, Washington, D.C., 20008 (☎202-333-6000; www.norway.org).
Visa And Entry Information. EU citizens do not need a visa. Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the US do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days, beginning upon entry into any of the countries within the EU’s freedom of movement zone. For more info, see. For stays longer than 90 days, all non-EU citizens need visas, available at Norwegian consulates. For more info on obtaining a visa, go to www.norway.org/visas.
Tourist Offices. Virtually every town and village has a Turistinformasjon office; look for a white “i” on a square green sign. From the latter half of June through early August, most tourist offices are open daily; expect reduced hours at other times. Check www.visitnorway.com for a directory of local offices. More info on traveling in Norway is available at www.norway.no.
Money. The Norwegian unit of currency is the krone (kr), plural kroner. One krone is equal to 100 øre. Banks and large post offices change money, usually for a small commission. It’s generally cheaper to exchange money in Norway than at home. Tipping is not expected, but an extra 5-10% is always welcome for good service. It is customary to leave coins on the counter or table rather than putting the tip on a credit card. Hotel bills often include a 15% service charge.
Norway has a 25% value added tax (VAT), a sales tax applied to goods and services. The prices given in Let’s Go include VAT. Upon exiting the EU, non-EU citizens can claim a refund on the tax paid for goods purchased at participating stores. In order to qualify for a refund in a store, you must spend at least 315kr in a single store; be sure to ask for a refund form when you pay. For more info on qualifying for a VAT refund, see.
By Plane. The main international airport is Oslo Airport Gardermoen ( OSL; ☎06 400; www.osl.no), though some flights land at Bergen Airport Flesland ( BGO; ☎55 99 81 55) and Trondheim Airport Værnes ( TRD; ☎74 84 30 00). SAS (Scandinavian Airlines; Norway ☎91 50 54 00, UK 08 71 52 12 772, US 800-221-2350; www.flysas.com), Finnair, and Icelandair fly to Norway. Students and those under 25 qualify for youth fares when flying domestically on SAS. Budget airlines Norwegian (☎21 49 00 15; www.norwegian.no) and Widerøe (☎75 11 11 11; www.wideroe.no) have internal fares under €100 and cheap prices to European destinations. Ryanair (☎353 12 49 77 91; www.ryanair.com) flies to Sandefjord Airport Torp , near Oslo, and Haugesund, near Bergen. Book early for the best fares on all airlines, or try your luck with SAS domestic standby tickets (sjanse billetter) , purchased at the airport on the day of travel for around 400kr.
By Train. Norway’s train system includes a commuter network around Oslo and long-distance lines running from Oslo to Bergen and to Stavanger via Kristiansand. Contact Norwegian State Railways (NSB) for timetables and tickets (☎81 50 08 88; www.nsb.no). The unguided Norway in a Nutshell tour combines a ride along the Flåm Railway , a cruise through Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord to the port of Gudvangen , and a bus ride over the mountains to Voss . Tickets can be purchased from tourist offices or train stations in Bergen and Oslo. (☎81 56 82 22; www.norwaynutshell.com. Round-trip from Voss 595kr, from Bergen 895kr, from Oslo 1730kr.) Overnight trains may be the best option for travel as far north as Bodø and Trondheim; from there, you’ll need buses or ferries to get farther north. Eurail Passes are valid in Norway. The Norway Railpass, available only outside Norway, allows three to five days of unlimited travel in a one-month period (from US$187).
By Bus. Buses can be quite expensive but they are the only land travel option north of Bodø and in the fjords. Nor-way Bussekspress (☎81 54 44 44; www.nor-way.no) operates most of the bus routes and publishes a timetable (Rutehefte) , available at bus stations and on buses. Students with ISIC are eligible for a 25-50% discount—be insistent, and follow the rules listed in the Nor-way Bussekspress booklet. Bus passes, valid for 10 or 21 consecutive travel days (1300/2400kr), are good deals for those exploring the fjords or the north.
By Ferry. Car ferries (ferjer) are usually cheaper (and slower) than the passenger express boats ( hurtigbåt or ekspressbåt ) cruising the coasts and fjords; both often have student and InterRail discounts. The Hurtigruten (☎81 03 00 00; www.hurtigruten.com) takes six to 11 days for the incredible cruise from Bergen to Kirkenes on the Russian border. Discounts for rail pass holders are limited to 50% off the Bergen-Stavanger route, but some lines also offer a 50% student discount. The common ports for international ferries are Oslo, Bergen, Kristiansand, and Stavanger. DFDS Seaways (☎21 62 13 40; www.dfdsseaways.com) sails from Oslo and Kristiansand to Copenhagen, DEN and Gothenburg, SWE. Color Line (☎22 94 42 00; www.colorline.com) runs ferries between Norway and Denmark, plus several domestic routes.
By Car. Citizens of Australia, Canada, the EU, New Zealand, and the US can drive in Norway for up to one year with a valid driver’s license from their home country. Vehicles are required to keep headlights on at all times. Roads in Norway are in good condition, although blind curves are common and roads are narrow in some places. Drivers should be cautious, especially on mountain roads and in tunnels, as reindeer and sheep can make unexpected appearances. Driving around the fjords can be frustrating, as only Nordfjord has a road completely circumnavigating them. Insurance is required and usually included in the price of rental. Though expensive, renting a car can be more affordable than trains and buses when traveling in a group. There are numerous car ferries, so check schedules in advance. For more info on driving in Europe, see.
By Bike And By Thumb. The beautiful scenery around Norway is rewarding for cyclists, but the hilly terrain can be rough on bikes. Contact Syklistenes Landsforening (☎22 47 30 30; www.slf.no) for maps, suggested routes, and info. Hitchhiking is difficult in mainland Norway, but easier on the Lofoten and Svalbard Islands. Some travelers successfully hitchhike beyond the rail lines in northern Norway and the fjord areas of the west, while many others try for hours without success. Hitchhikers suggest bringing several layers of clothing, rain gear, and a warm sleeping bag. Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking.
Email And The Internet. Oslo and Bergen have many Internet cafes. Expect to pay about 1kr per min. Smaller cities might have one or two Internet cafes, and most have a public library open on weekdays that offers 15-30min. of free Internet. Free Wi-Fi connections for travelers with laptops are also readily available. For more info on the Internet in Europe, seep. 30.
Telephone. There are three types of public phones: black and gray phones accept 1, 5, 10, and 20kr coins; green phones accept only phone cards; red phones accept coins, phone cards, and major credit cards. Phone cards ( telekort; 40, 90, or 140kr at post offices and Narvesen kiosks) are the cheapest option, especially when prices drop between 5pm and 8am. Mobile phones are increasingly popular and cheap in Norway; buying a prepaid SIM card for a GSM phone can be a good, inexpensive option. Of the service providers, Netcom and Telenor have the best networks. For help with domestic calls, dial ☎117. International direct access numbers include: AT&T Direct (☎80 01 90 11); Canada Direct (☎80 01 91 11); MCI WorldPhone (☎80 01 99 12); Telecom New Zealand (☎80 01 99 64).
Mail. Mailing a first-class postcard or letter (under 20g) within Norway costs 7kr; outside Norway 9-11kr. To receive mail in Norway, have mail delivered Poste Restante. Mail will go to the main post office unless you specify a subsidiary by street address. Address mail to be held according to the following format: First name LAST NAME, Poste Restante, City, Norway. Bring a passport to pick up your mail; there may be a small fee.
Language. Norwegian is universal; some people speak English and Swedish. The indigenous people of northern Norway speak different dialects of Sámi. For basic Norwegian words and phrases, see Phrasebook: Norwegian .
Norske Vandrerhjem (☎23 12 45 10; www.vandrerhjem.no) operates HI youth hostels (vandrerhjem) . Beds run 100-400kr, and HI members receive a 15% discount. Linens typically cost 45-60kr per stay, and sleeping bags are forbidden. Few hostels have curfews. Most hostels open in mid- to late June and close after the third week in August. Many tourist offices book private rooms and hotels for a fee (usually 30kr). Norwegian right of public access allows camping anywhere on public land for fewer than three nights, as long as you keep 150m from buildings and leave no trace. Den Norske Turistforening ( DNT; Norwegian Mountain Touring Association) sells maps (60-70kr), offers guided hiking trips, and maintains more than 350 mountain huts (hytter) throughout Norway. A one-year membership (465kr; under 26, 265kr) entitles the holder to discounts on DNT lodgings (☎40 00 18 68; www.dntoslo.no). The 42 staffed huts are open in summer; most have showers and serve dinner. Unstaffed huts are open mid-February to mid-October; a sizable minority have basic provisions for sale on the honor system. Members can leave a 100kr deposit at any tourist office to borrow a key. Prices vary according to age, season, and membership; official campgrounds ask 25-140kr for tent sites, 300-600kr for cabins. For more info on camping in Norway, visit www.camping.no.
Many restaurants have an inexpensive dagens ret (dish of the day; 70-80kr). Otherwise, you’ll rarely spend less than 150kr for a full meal. Fish —cod, herring, and salmon—is fresh and relatively inexpensive. Other specialties include cheese (ost) , Jarlsberg being the most popular; pork-and-veal meatballs (kjøttkaker) with boiled potatoes; and, for more adventurous carnivores, reindeer, ptarmigan, and whale meat (hval) . Christmas brings a meal of dried fish soaked in water and lye (lutefisk) . Beer is expensive in bars (45-60kr for ½L); purchase cheaper bottles from the supermarket. Try the local favorite, Frydenlund, or go rock-bottom with Danish Tuborg. You must be 18 to buy beer and wine, and 20 to buy liquor at the aptly named Vinmonopolet (wine monopoly) stores.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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