YOUR GUIDE TO OSLO

YOUR GUIDE TO OSLO
Food / Nightlife / Shopping / Sleep / Activities / Practical
WHERE
TO GO
WHAT
TO SEE
TIME &
MONEY
MADE BY USE-IT OSLO
MADE BY LOCALS / NO-NONSENSE / NOT COMMERCIAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Shopping
Editor
René Brunsvik
art director
Magnus Moholdt
writers & research
René Brunsvik, Magnus Moholdt,
Nina Aziza Plau, Kasper
Munk, Sigrun Tara Øverland,
Erlend boe, Odrun Misje
photography
Magnus Moholdt, sxc.hu, Erik
Moholdt
print
07 gruppen
thanks to
openstreetmap.org for the free
maps!
Norway
population
5,000,000
area
385,252 km2
capital
Oslo
government
Unitary parliamentary constitutional
monarchy
Currency
Norwegian Krone (NOK)
biggest cities
Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger,
Kristiansand
welcome to oslo 4
welcome to use-it 5
know the people 6
souvenirs 7
find your way from karl johansgate 9
things to do in oslo 10
know the areas 12
tips from our friends on underskog 13
Food
cheap food 16
norwegian food 18
gourmet on a budget 19
sushi 20
vegetarian 21
cAfés & diners 22
Nightlife
youngstorget 26
grünerløkka 30
downtown 34
grønland 36
concert venues 38
under 20 39
buying norwegian 44
book stores 45
alternative shopping 46
record stores 47
Activities
festivals 52
islands 53
forrest & hiking 54
bathing 55
museums 56
park life 61
winter activities 62
cinema & theatre 63
Sleep
hotels & hostels 66
camping 68
Practical information
leaving oslo 75
DISCLAIMER: By the time Streetwise was printed, in May 2012, content was accurate and up to date. Streetwise will
not be held responsible for any changes being made later or printing errors. Constructive feedback is always welcome.
3

welcome to oslo
Help is on the way
welcome to use-it
The information center for young travelers
OK, so you decided to visit the land of the Vikings
and the fjords. You probably imagined yourself
dancing and ice-skating with polar bears in an
endless sum of non-expensive joy and happiness.
Now you are standing outside the central station,
spending a huge amount of your salary on a bagel
and a soda.
Norway is expensive. We are famous for it. Our
norwegian salarys are raised to match the expenses,
but even we prefer to sit at home in the weekends
until midnight so we won’t spend most of our
money on beer. A pack of cigarettes? A 100 NOK.
That’s 12 euros a pack. A cheap beer in Norway
is around 50 NOK and a cheap lunch about 80
NOK. Jeez.
A norwegian poet once said that it is not possible to
turn around in Oslo without using a “hundrings”
(100 NOK). If you are not aware, your stay can get
expensive.
As always, when in trouble - heroes emerge. For
20 years Streetwise has guided the young travellers
trough the city highlighting the cheapest alternatives
to make their stay in Oslo as budget friendly
as visiting another country, without loosing out on
any experiences.
So - welcome to Oslo. And enjoy your stay.
Welcome to Use-It Oslo. The information center
for young travelers between the ages of 13 to
26. Every year we get visitors from all over the
world asking for information about Oslo and
we do not charge money for our many services.
It is highly recommended that you drop by
our offices before you start exploring Oslo. We
don't want your money, we don't want to sell
you anything and we don't bite. We just want
you to make the most out of your stay in the
city we love.
Free lugguage storage
Free internet
Free Information
Use-It Oslo
Møllergata 3
+47 24 14 98 20
oslo.use-it.travel
Use-It Oslo is run by Oslo Youth Information
center (UngInfo) and is located in Møllergata 3.
Use-It produces info for young people traveling
on a budget. Use-It guidebooks, maps and
websites are made by locals, free, no nonsense
and up to date.
Do you like our guidebook? Wouldn't it be
great if such a publication were to be published
where you live? You can help us expand Use-It
Europe network - contact us at post@ung.info!
4
5

know the people
Here is what you need to understand us better
souvenirs
Bring something back home
Norwegians are “harsh”, the ancient old
myth goes. “It’s the climate. It makes
them bitter”.
Nonsense.
Yes, we define our personal space as more
“sacred” than say the Italians. And no.
We will not strike a conversation with
you just to kill time on the bus.
But smile, be friendly and seem interested,
and you will be surprised by the
warmth and generosity you will receive
in return.
Remember that the timid norwegians you
bump in to on the streets, are the same
ones that wrap their tie aorund the head
during the weekends and dance on tables
with loud and energetic noises. There are
a lot of great persons and personalities in
this city.
When bumping into these norwegians,
these great personalities, have this checklist
in mind.
It is like a mirror into our soul.
Your average norwegian
• We are cross-country skiers in the winter,
and park-animals in the summer.
• Norwegians are mostly rich (due to the
oil industry), and you’ll see iPhones and
Androids everywhere.
• There is nothing your average norwegian
cares more about than beating the
Swedes in whatever sport or event. We
usually beat them too, you know.
• We love the outdoors and spend our holidays
in the mountain, the weekend in
the forest and once a year a trip to Spain.
• One of our favourite past-times is a stroll
– you can see Norwegians wandering
around, sometimes for hours, with no
other purpose than to “ponder”.
• 7 out of 10 Norwegians work out at least
once a week (young people in Oslo even
more), and there are over a 100 crowded
gyms in the city.
• As a people we are fashion-oriented,
technologically equipped, and with
plenty of time to indulge in cultural
activities.
These are your typical Norwegian Souvenirs. They all hold some cultural value to us, they are all
easy to get hold of, and none of them are too expensive. We’re not saying that these will revolutionize
your life – we’re just saying they might.
Brunost & Ostehøvel
{ Brown cheese & slicer }
Brunost is made by boiling a mixture of milk, cream and whey
for several hours. The milk sugar then turns into caramel. And -
voila. A traditional lunch in Norway consists of sliced bread with
brown cheese on top. The cheese slicer - maybe our most cherished
creation - was invented by the norwegian Thor Bjørklund
in 1925.
Freia Melkesjokolade
{ Norwegian milk chocolate }
You can get this product everywhere you turn. Swiss chocolate is
not bad, but this one is for connoiseurs. Children all over Oslo
have their obligatory school trip to the Freia Factory as we speak,
to see how it all goes down. “Et lite stykke Norge”, Freia’s slogan,
means A little piece of Norway.
Aquavit
{ Norwegian liquor }
Aquavit is a scandinavian liquor made by potatoes. It’s strong
taste and character comes from a variation of spices. The name
Aquavit, (Akevitt in norwegian), comes from the latin words
Aqua Vitae, which means water of life. This product is only available
in our liquor stores; Vinmonopolet.
With these things you are on your way to becoming norwegian. Go to a grocery store and buy some
Jarlsberg cheese and some Norwegian smoked ham, and you got our lifestyle perfectly pinned.
6
7

The opera house
5 minute walk. The famous opera
house. Go over there and take a
walk on the roof. Beautiful view.
The islands
10 minute walk. From Vippetangen
you can take the ferries over to the
islands. Three great destinations to
relax, swim, barbeque and enjoy the
sun.
‘T’ is for T-bane, which in turn means subway.
If you see a sign like this there’s an underground
subway stop nearby. There are three subway stops
in downtown Oslo; Jernbanetorget, Stortinget and
Nationaltheateret. All lines go from these stops.
find your way
from karl johansgate
Karl Johansgate is the busiest street
of Oslo and the first street you meet
when you arrive. Walk all the way up
to the Royal Castle.
AKER BRYGGE / AKERSHUS Fortress
10 minutes walk. Busy boardwalk pier
with restaurants, shops and ice cream
stands. View the fjord from Akershus
fortress.
YOU ARE
HERE
Nationaltheateret
Stortinget
Jernbanetorget
8
CENTRAL TRAIN STATION
This is where you arrive.
GRØNLAND
10 minute walk. The
multicultural area of Oslo,
flavours, tastes, full of life.
grünerløkka
20 minute walk. The popular urban
area. Cafés, independent shops, designer
boutiques and nice parks.
USE-IT / YOUNGSTORGET
3 minute walk. Here you’ll find our
office. Drop off your luggage, use the
computer and get information.
Theatre square
3 minute walk. Theatres, coffee shops,
book stores and museums – including
The National Gallery.
THE ROYAL CASTLE
2 minute walk. Majesticly rested at the
top of Karl Johansgate. If the flag is up,
the King is in.
9

1
8
Here are the 8 things you should do in Oslo - and tell your
friends about later.
The Fram-ship
Seriously. How often do you get the
chance to do this? This is the original
ship which explorer Fridtjof Nansen used to
conquer the North Pole. And it is perfectly
rested on land in Oslo, in the beautiful Bygdøy
Peninsula, and you can walk all around on it.
You can walk inside or stand by the steering
wheel like a boss. This is cool – cooler than you
think. Do it.
2
The Opera
We know, we know. There are plenty
of Operas around. But this one is
quite new, it is definitely trying to be up there
with the Opera
in Sydney and
other landmark
buildings.
And it pretty
much succeeds.
5-minute-walk
from downtown,
beautiful
scenery, the “tourist” thing to do at the Opera
is to walk on the roof. So when your friends
ask you what you did in Oslo, you can say: Oh,
nothing. Just wandering about on world class
rooftops.
things to
do in oslo
3
The Forest
It may sound stupid to spend your day
in a Capitol city on going to the forest,
but it really is not. If you find a city this
size with a more beautiful forest surrounding
it - merely a 15 min metro-ride away – tell us
about it. The forest is the pride of Oslo and perfectly
renders the Norwegian spirit. You’ll meet
plenty of a friendly Norwegian among the trees,
this forest is truly beloved. Take the metro to
either Frognersetern or Sognsvann and walk
around. There is peace to be found.
4
the famous painting scream
Yes. You have seen it, even though you
may not be aware of it. The painting
“Scream” from Edvard Munch is the most iconic
painting in the world besides Mona Lisa. It is
the inspiration
for Macauley
Culkins “Home
Alone”-pose, as
well as the horror
mask in the
scream-movies.
A version of
“the Scream” recently
sold for 120 million dollars at an auction
in New York. In Oslo, there are three original
versions of this painting – one in the National
Gallery and two in the Munch Museum. Go see
at least one of them.
tusenfryd amusement park
A bit expensive, and be prepared to
5 7
use the full afternoon – this is nevertheless
hilariously fun. It is just a 15 min bus
ride out of town, and filled with kids, teenagers
and people
looking to
have a good
time. Some really
good rollercoasters
(one
entirely made
of wood) and
some top notch
w a t e r y - t y p e
rollercoaster
slides. Some of
the attractions are not for the faint hearted.
With pictures of you in a slide, your friends will
question your social status no more.
6
The royal castle
This is not up there with the likes of
Buckingham Palace, but it is a castle
nonetheless, and we should pay our respects.
This one rests majestically on the top of the
main street Karl Johan and is a popular tourist
venue. If the
flag is up, that
means the King
is in. And he is
not a stiff upper
class King,
he is a downto-earth,
nice
chap. Once at You’re welcome.
the castle, watch the Royal guards. The have a
routine when they swap places on and off duty,
and tourists crowd around them and point and
take pictures. You too. Go do that.
the vigeland park
Probably our most known tourist attraction.
This park is huge, it is definitely
pretty, and it is packed with impressive
statues from artist Gustav Vigeland. On the
highest top in the middle you will see “the
Monolitt” a 17 meter high, firm, cylinder
shaped statue. Almost like a giant fallos symbol,
watching over where you go. The Vigeland Park
is free, it is crowded also with Norwegians, and
you should go there. Not only for the statues,
go there for relaxation and general park life.
Throw some Frisbee. Grill some meat. Just be
yourself. Stop being such a tourist.
8
akershus fortress
Fortress situated next to the Oslo
Fiord, built in the 1300s. Some great
guided tours inside, the best view over the Oslo
Fiord from up on the hill, and popular park
surrounding it.
This Fortress
is next to the
Town Hall and
Aker Brygge,
the popular
port where you
shop, meet up
with some friends, buy ice cream and dangle
your feet over the pier.
So. There you are. Nail down at least a couple
of these things, and your life, both here and
when you return, will be more fun.
10
11

12
know the areas
Here are some areas you should know of
Downtown
This is where most of you will spend your
days. Downtown you’ll find shops, restaurants,
museums, as well as the Opera House and the
beautiful Akershus Fortress. Most Norwegians
actually don’t live downtown, but in the areas
surrounding it – and then hit downtown for
stuff to do.
Grünerløkka
Former working class areas gone hip and trendy,
this is a mere 10-15 min walk from downtown
and is packed with cafés, diners, small designer
boutiques and hairdressers – as well as some immensely
popular park areas. Grünerløkka is the
closest Oslo gets to Berlins Kreuzberg or NYs
Greenwich village, and is a place you definitely
should check out.
Grønland / Tøyen
If you’re tired of pale norwegians, visit Grønland.
This immigrant area is packed with small
restaurants, jewellers, fabric shops and vegetable
markets. A handful of beautiful mosques
have been erected in Grønland during the last
decade. Just as Grünerløkka, Grønland is undergoing
changes, but seems more resistant to
gentrification than Grünerløkka.
Majorstua and Frogner
This is where you find the Famous Vigeland
Park, as well as Oslos second biggest shoppingstreet,
Bogstadveien. Majorstua, and it’s
neighboring part of town Frogner, is among
the most posh city-areas (rivaled by some areas
more up north and west, near the forest), so
expect high quality smoothies, caffe lattes and
fashion stores.
Gamlebyen
Situated in the eastern part of the city centre,
this is where you find the medieval Oslo. In the
Medieval Park there are ruins of The Church
of Mary and the King’s Royal Palace. The park
has a nice pond and is perfect for picnics. Those
residing in Gamlebyen are not allowed to dig
deep in their backyards, due to the chance of
discovering items of archeologically importance.
Visit to get a historical feel of old Oslo.
Bygdøy
Here you can visit six museums in one day without
too much travelling. When you are tired of
the museums, you can take a swim in Paradisbukta
or Huk, or just take a stroll around the
area and observe the life of the bold and the
beautiful. Rich, quiet and nice.
underskog.no
the ultimate saving tip
“If you’re really broke and you’re hungry, you can
take the free buses to IKEA. A giant warehouse with
cheap swedesh furniture. However, they also have a
cafeteria where you can buy brekfast (eggs and bacon)
for only 19 NOK.”
cheap opera tickets
“For only 100 NOK you can get
tickets to all the main performances
at the Opera. Not the best seats,
but still well worth the price.”
tips from
our friends
on underskog
Underskog is Oslos popular web forum
for events, activities and cultural happenings.
Here is what they want you
to know.
sunday tradition
“Each and every Sunday for eleven
years, and still going strong.
Frank Znort Quartet plays at Blå.
The shows are free and highly
recommended for the friendly
atmosphere.”
The towns best hot chocolate
“Check out Oslos best hot chocolate,
go to Hotel Bristol right off
Karl Johan. Delicious!”
a quick and cheap snack
“Go to United Bakeries in
Karl Johan and order a bread
roll with butter and jam for
only 25 NOK.”
islandhopping
“There are three beautiful
islands out in the Oslo
fjord. For a day pass you
can travel from island to
island. Bring your own
food and drinks, swim
in the ocean, see the old
ruins at Hovedøya, have
a few beers on Gressholmen.
You can even camp
at Langøyene.”
13

14
food
Eat and dine in Oslo
– budget style
The main character in the famous Norwegian novel “Hunger” by Knut Hamsun wanders around
Oslo trading in his clothes and belongings for the next meal. He did not have Streetwise in his
hand. Oslo has plenty of class A restaurants, plenty of cheap, hidden places as well. Here is what
you need to know:
Eating out late
Norway is not Spain and Oslo is not Barcelona. We eat early, at least compared
to rest of Europe. Expect restaurant kitchens to close between 9pm and 11pm.
However, you’ll find lots of Fast food until 3-4 am. Check out the kebabs and
pizzas in the street Torggata if you are hungry.
Grocery shopping
You’ll find regular food store chains like Rema 1000, Rimi, Kiwi and Ica
everywhere. Most of these are open from 0900-2200 on weekdays and from
0900-2000 on Saturdays. Smaller chains such as Joker and Bunnpris are open
on Sundays as well.
Watch Out for Kiosk prices
All over the place you’ll find Kiosks like 7-11 and Deli de Luca. Great for a
quick snack or some basic groceries when everything else is closed, but be aware
that prices here are nearly double. Open all night some places, this convenience
has a cost.
Also, tap water in Norway is drinkable, and of excellent quality. Don’t waste your money on bottled
water, fill up your empty bottle and walk happily around with a smile of success and content.
14
15

cheap food
You won’t find these places in the Michelin Guide, but they are
decent meals nonetheless. A price range of NOK 50 to NOK 150
is considered a cheap meal in Oslo.
vietnam house
{ Downtown }
Bernt Ankersgate 6B
Adds new meaning to the term multicultural;
in a former Greek restaurant you get delicious
Vietnamese food. Redecorating was never a top
priority, but who cares when the meals are this
tasty and cheap.
Ma´Raja
{ Downtown }
Torggata 8
Indian food, not that there’s anything special
about that, but their lunch special is exceptionally
cheap. Ma´Raja has an all lunch buffet until
15:00 each day, starting at budget friendly 60
NOK.
Gil Gamesj
{ Grünerløkka }
Trondheimsveien 10
Main dishes priced at around 100 NOK. Nice
atmosphere as well. Visit this place before a
night out at Grüneløkka’s clubs.
Curry & Ketchup
{ Majorstuen }
Kirkeveien 51
Charming Indian restaurant with a casual atmosphere,
nearby the Vigelandspark. Tasty
meals for about 120 NOK. The interior is remniscant
of an Indian shop with ricebags, spice
and tin cans. The quality of both food and
prices together is a great combo. The place is
crowded, mostly by students.
Rice bowl
{ Downtown }
Youngsgate 4
www.ricebowl.no
Really good thai-food in the city center, nearby
Youngstorget. Only 54 seats so make sure to
be there early! Very budget friendly with main
dishes from about 90 NOK.
Illegal burger
{ Youngstorget }
Møllergata 23
The best burgers in town and right next to the
Use-It office. Try the Cheese Royale, with potatoes
on the side, mmmm! You can get a burger
everywhere, but not like this. Usually crowded
during the weekends.
Pizza Pancetta
{ Majorstuen }
Kirkeveien 69
www.pancetta.no
These guys started up with one store in the
posh area Frogner, quickly won everyone over,
and are now expanding with branches all over
town. Try one!
Vann og brød
{ Tøyen }
Tøyenbekken 5
www.vannogbrod.no
Vann og brød (water and bread) is placed in an
old prison building now restored to a place for
cultural events. Great tapas menu. The place is
semi expensive, but if you’re low on your budget
you can order potatoes with aioli and fried
chicken clubs with salad for about 70 NOK.
Restaurant Dehli Tandoori
{ Downtown }
Maridalsveien 4
rdtandoori.com
If there’s one indian restaurant you should
check out, it is this one. They are located a 10
minute walk from downtown Oslo.
Yaya’s
{ Downtown, Majorstuen }
Øvre vollgate 13
Industrigata 36
Munkedamsv 53b
www.yayas.no
A piece of Thailand in the middle of Oslo.
Surrounded by a jungle, you’ll be walking on
bambus floor and sit in small “stalls” – these
guys imported tons of interior, and everything
you see is authentic. The food is great as well.
Nice staff, great prices – and a surprise thunder
storm during your meal.
Hell’s kitchen
{ Youngstorget }
Møllergata 23
On the top of Youngstorget you’ll find the
place that serve spicy Italian pizza from hell.
The prices are ok, but the pizza’s legendary. But
beware, after you’ve had your delicious meal,
the staff is eager to give your table away to some
other hungry group. We strongly suggest you
book a table if you’re thinking of going there in
the weekend. Hell’s Kitchen is a great place to
start your night out.
Café sara
{ Downtown }
Hausmanns gate 29
www.cafesara.no
A fusion between a pub and a diner, Café Sara
serves a variety of meals for a reasonable price.
The kitchen is open until 02:45 every day and
is a very popular place to get some food after
a night out. Café Sara also serves as an all-inone
option, whereas you spend the night drinking
topped off with a great meal before you go
home. Or maybe it was the other way around,
we don’t remember.
people’s
{ Youngstorget }
Arbeidersamfunnetsplass 1
www.cafepeoples.no
Serving burgers, salads, mexican, grill
and more, People’s is a very popular
choice during the summer season. Not
only because they serve a cheap 0,6l beer,
but mainly because of their huge outdoor
area. The place is central and is located
right between Oslo’s two popular concert
venues; Rockefeller and Sentrum Scene.
16
17

norwegian food
Trendy food in Scandinavia is often imported - like bruschettas
with mozzarella from the Mediterranean. Here are restaurants
that specialize in the Norwegian culinary traditions
gourmet on a budget
Streetwise is a guide for low-cost experiences, but be too tight
on your budget and you can miss out on some great experiences.
Here are some affordable gourmet restaurants
Fyret
{ Youngstorget }
Youngstorget 6
www.fyretmatogdrikke.no
We love Fyret. The atmosphere is informal
and relaxed and the Norwegian/Scandinavian
menu is brilliant and affordable. In the summer
you can sit outside in the arcades, looking over
to Youngstorget. 1 minute walk from Use-It.
Kaffistova
{ Downtown }
Rosenkrantz gate 8
www.kaffistova.com
Kaffistova is the restaurant at Bondeheimen
Hotel, specialising in traditional Norwegian
food at affordable prices. All bread and cakes
are homemade, and some say they have the best
breakfast in town.
Lofoten fiskerestaurant
{ Downtown }
Stranden 75
www.lofoten-fiskerestaurant.no
Lofoten is said to be the best fish restaurant in
Norway. The food is, as you may guess, based on
Norwegian fresh seafood. But be aware, this is an
expensive restaurant, so if you can’t afford a three
course meal, check out the fish soup for lunch.
Schrøder
{ St. Hanshaugen }
Waldemar Thranes gate 8
www.restaurant-schroder.no
Informal atmosphere in a restaurant with a long
history. Schrøder serves traditional Norwegian
food on white stained tablecloths. It is definitely
worth a visit, as the food is cheap and tasty
plus they are generous with the portions.
Buying norwegian food
Fenaknoken
Tordenskioldsgate 12
www.fenaknoken.no
Meat prepared the Norwegian style:
smoked, dried and salty! And flatbread,
of course! When you have eaten cured
meat from Fenaknoken, you know how
cured meat should taste.
The farmers Market
www.bondensmarked.no
The farmers market is a market place
where you can buy food directly from
the producer. Check out their website to
see when and where the next market is.
Arakataka
{ Downtown }
Mariboes gate 7
www.arakataka.no
At Arakataka they serve international cuisine
with a slight breeze from the Middle East. Arakataka
combines creative dishes with top quality
service at reasonable prices.
Ekebergrestauranten
{ Ekeberg }
Kongsveien 15
www.ekebergrestauranten.com
The Ekeberg Restaurant is functionalistic high
watermark in Norway. Today it offers great
food, and if the weather is nice we highly recommend
their terrace. When there, ask for a
glimpse of the 1st floor as well. The design and
decoration is beautiful. Make sure you check
out the sculptures surrounding the building as
well. Fancy a walk before dinner? Walk through
Grønland to the restauraunt.
Oslo Spiseforretning
{ Grønland }
Oslo gate 15
www.oslo-spiseforretning.no
This is the gourmet restaurant we recommend
which is nearest to the Opera. Here normal
people can have their anniversary or celebrations
without getting ripped off. A three course
meal is about 460 NOK. But the dinner is
cheaper before 6 pm, if you want to save money.
We know that Oslo is not friendly on your
wallet, but these places are good. Go feel like
a bigshot!
Nam Fah
{ Downtown }
Prinsens gate 18
www.nam-fah.com
Nam Fah has one of the best thai dishes
in Oslo. Strong curry & coconut noodle
soup made with fresh ingredients. This
is a very popular place and it’s sometimes
wise to book a table in advance.
They have two restaurants in Oslo, one
downtown and the other at Grünerløkka,
which is take-out only. Go buy yourself
a decent meal for about 100 NOK and
bring it to a local park.
18
19

sushi
It’s raw, healthy and trendy
vegetarian
Here are some vegetarian places in Oslo
Once the norwegians were sceptics, but now
sushi is everywhere in Oslo. It’s convenient,
delicious, and not too expensive. For a fast and
healthy meal in Oslo, you could do a lot worse.
Most places you’ll stumble across will have excellent
quality. And check out these if you want
to be sure.
Mitsu
{ Downtown }
Møllergata 42
This is the place for huge chunks of sushi
wthout going broke. Mitsu is ranked high
among sushi-lovers in Oslo, and if you are in a
different mood, try their chicken baguette.
Sumo Sushi
{ Youngstorget }
Youngstorget 3
www.sumosushi.no
This is nearby the Use-It Oslo office, so if you
spot someone extraordinarily handsome and
well-behaved at Sumo Suhi during lunch hours,
it might be one of us. Great place.
Dvdon Hai Minh Hoang
{ Grünerløkka }
Grüners gate 9
Sushi and asian dishes! 99,- for “todays special”.
Includes appetizer and a main course.
Fish mongers
Fiskeriet
{ Youngstorget }
Youngstorget 2
fiskeriet.com
A fishmonger and take-away restaurant
all in one. Trendy and young employees,
definitely trying to be the rockstars
of the industry.
Fjelberg fisk & vilt
{ Frogner }
Bygdøy allé 56
Fjelberg fisk&vilt have been selling
food since 1917.
Flyvefisken
{ Grønland }
Lilletorget 1
www.flyvefisken.no
A fishmonger at Grønland with good
and fresh fish.
Blitz
{ Downtown }
Pilestredet 30
www.blitz.no
An independently run youth house with a punk
and anarchist crowd – and some cheap vegetarian
food. Hot dinner is served everyday.
Spisestedet
{ Majorstuen }
Hjelmsgate 3
www.vegetar.com/spisestedet
Spisestedet serves ecological vegetarian food.
The major part of their menu is vegan; free of
milk, eggs and other animal products.
The Café at Hausmania
{ Downtown }
Hausmannsgate 34
www.hausmania.org
A famous building previously occupied by
punks and anarchists. It has evolved into a
haven for creative and free spirits and now offers
a vegan café, a bar and a place for cultural
happenings.
Krishnas Cuisine
{ Majorstuen }
Sørkedalsveien 10 B
www.krishnas-cuisine.no
Krishnas cuisine serves, go figure, food inspired
by the Hare Krishna movement. Krishnas cuisine
gives you value for your money in an otherwise
expensive neighbourhood.
Vega Fairfood
{ Downtown }
Akersgata 74
www.vegafairfood.no
Vega is a buffet restaurant, with its own café
and bakery. Their food is varied with vegan,
lactose vegetarian and gluten-free. Menu’s start
from NOK 60.
Vegetarian food
Even though there are not a crazy ammount
of specialized vegetarian restaurants,
you’ll find good vegetarian
options in most up-to-date restaurants.
20
21

cAfés & diners
Norwegians love to socialize in a cozy café or diner
Liebling
{ Grünerløkka }
Øvrefoss 4
A little piece of Berlin right in the middle of
Oslo. A café with cheap breakfast and lunch,
combined with a delicate corner shop. Liebling
has an informal continental atmosphere, with
ever-friendly staff.
Tim Wendelboe
{ Grünerløkka }
Grünersgate 1
www.timwendelboe.no
Oslo’s best coffee. Precise, passionate, charming.
Quality is in the front seat at Tim Wendelboe
and co. The price is above average but so is
the coffee. PS! Not to many seats
Fuglen Café
{ Downtown }
Universitetsgaten 2
www.fuglen.no
Fuglen (the bird) is inspired by the 60’s and 70’s
and can remind you of your grandparents interior
– in other words it’s retro. In the evening
Fuglen turn into a cocktail bar.
Oslo Mekaniske Verksted
{ Grønland }
Tøyenbekken 34
www.oslomekaniskeverksted.no
Chill atmosphere, nice people and best of all
– you can bring your own food. They have
takeout menus instead of their own, so you can
order whatever from the takeouts nearby.
Diners
Ryes
{ Grünerløkka }
Thorvald Meyers gate 59
Bacon & eggs, pancakes, various flavoured
milkshakes, popcorn and more. Ryes is your
stereotypical american inspired diner with elements
from the fifties. The price is reasonable
and the staff is nice.
The Nighthawk Diner (TND)
{ Grünerløkka }
Seilduksgata 15
www.nighthawkdiner.com
Truly dedicated to the american thirties theme,
walking into TND can feel like a time travel.
Price over the average, but they have a better
menu than their competitors and most of the
food is organic.
q
{ Downtown }
Pløensgate 4
www.cafemono.no/stedet-q
If you are planning a night out, Q is a popular
place to start. Grab a burger and a beer in this
seventies inspired diner.
nina
What is your favorite place to eat out with
friends?
I must say Vann og brød. This is a small and
delightfully cheap tapas place in Grønland,
5 minute walk from downtown. Great food.
And they serve San Miguel in big frozen
glasses. In the summer you should sit outside
in their backyard and just enjoy life.
Somewhere else?
Also, Yaya’s a classic - especially if it’s cold
outside. If there is a birthday to celebrate or
just some of us going out to eat, Yaya’s is often
picked. They have a really good vibe and
atmosphere, with chill music and a feeling of
being in a restaurant in Thailand.
What is a perfect food day to you?
I am a park animal and in the summertime I
always chill in the park or on the islands. So
the perfect food day for me would be buying
a disposable barbeque and either prepare food
at home or buy it - then buy some vegetables
where do
you love
eating out?
Nina works at the Use-It office and
is one of the friendly faces you might
meet if you stop by.
in the shops at Grønland and just spend the
evening in the park with friends in the sun.
And, of course, with something good to
drink!
what about the day after a night out?
Well, the day after an evening in the park
(and perhaps a night out as well, like it always
turn out), I would definitely recommend Illegal
Burger. Tasty burgers, right of the grill!
Illegal is kinda small though, so if it’s full, I
go to Peoples right down the street. Peoples
serve their “House Classic”-burger which is
really good!
anywhere you should avoid?
I would just stay away from the expensive
places. You will easily find good food without
spending too much anyway, so don’t bother
with too fancy restaurants.
22
23

24
nightlife
Oslos nightlife is more vibrant
than you might expect.
Norwegians most like to party, and people save up both stamina and money to let it all out in the
weekends. Norwegians may be shy during regular hours, but not so when it comes to partying. As
a result we can get more outgoing drunk than say our brothers and sisters in southern Europe – but
don’t be put off by this. It is just a way of acting out all the conformity in the daily life. If you are
friendly and open-minded, Norwegians most would love to get to know you.
Where to go
There are basically three main areas to go out – Downtown, with the hip
“Youngstorget Square”, Grünerløkka for some bar life and serious clubbing, and
Bogstadveien/Solli plass, with more “posh” clubs and a decent amount of rich,
white kids.
Prices
You’ll rarely face cover charge (unless there is a concert playing) – which is good.
But the prices on drinks and beer will kill you. Which is bad. What you generally
should do, as all the Norwegians do, is to arrange you own “vorspiel” beforehand.
The parks scattered around Oslo is great for this. Norwegians most hit town
around 11pm.
Things to know
Everything closes 3 am (and even earlier, 1 am, in the areas outside of downtown).
It is near impossible to find a place with alcohol after that. “Nachspiel”, the “after
party” at home, is where people go if they want more. Hook up with some Norwegians
and join them. Also, lines form quickly and get pretty heavy around the
12am - 1am mark. If you are smart, you’ll hit town around 11am.
24
Pigalle at Grønland
Photo: Sara Rose
On weekdays, people tend to go out mostly to relax, and the nightlife in general is less crowded.
You’ll still find a good party if you are up for it, but not anywhere you like. Look for special concerts
or gatherings.
25

youngstorget
Youngstorget is located in the very heart of Oslo. The word
“torg” means square, and Youngstorget is a classical example
of a square; full of life, happenings and history.
Café Sør
Torggata 11
www.cafesor.no
An extremely chill café that turns into a club in
the evenings. They serve coctails with emphasis
on fruits and berries, and in the daytime you
can enjoy their tasty soup. This is one of our
usual hangouts after work, as well as Saturday
nights.
Mono
Pløens gate 4
www.cafemono.no
Mono has been around for years and has grown
very popular. It is a rock’n roll bar with more focus
on Indie and Americana than Heavy Metal.
If the bar looks empty during a nice hot day,
the regulars are probably to be found smoking
in the backyard. Mono has expanded and now
includes a 60s diner & bar called Q.
Justisen
Møllergata 15
www.justisen.no
A pub/restaurant in a 18th century building,
with a popular backyard in the summer. In the
wintertime inside is the place to be, and you can
wander around the two floors of Justisen and
stumble over cosy, little places to sit.
Stratos
Youngstorget 2A
www.stratos.as
Open only in the summer, Stratos is on the
rooftop of the big building at Youngstorget.
Take the elevator to the top of the building
and sit on their terrace with a cold drink. Terrific
view over the city, popular pulsating club.
Often around 100,- in cover, but well worth it.
Tilt
Torggata 16
www.tiltoslo.no
This place kicks ass. Tasty beer brands,
arcade games, pinball machines and shuffleboards.
Tilt is divided into four rooms,
two bars and two gaming rooms. The
place is sometimes crowded but if you’re
there early, about seven-ish, you and your
friends will find a table to sit down and
there’s probably no queue for a game of
shuffleboard. Absolutely a place to check
out during your time in Oslo. Have fun,
we always do!
Playing shuffleboard at Tilt, Youngstorget.
Photo: Magnus Moholdt
26
27

Hanging out at Mono.
Photo: Magnus Moholdt
Fisk og vilt
Pløens gate 1
A cool bar with a cool crowd. If you want to
hang with Oslo hipsters, check out Fisk og
vilt. A combined dance floor/smoking section
in the back yard is always a winner. If you get
bored with Mono, Fisk og Vilt is just across the
street, and it manages somehow to be cool and
popular without being overcrowded or have big
lines outside.
Internasjonalen
Youngstorget 2
www.internasjonalen.no
This used to be a bar only but has expanded
on the first floor with a dancefloor. There are
a lot more hipsters upstairs than on the ground
floor. Internasjonalen has a great selection of
both brilliant booze and bartenders.
Sosialen
Møllergata 13
www.sosialen.com
Sosialen attracts people in their thirties who
are looking to mate. Recommended if you are
interested in a serious commitment. The trick
with Sosialen is to arrive before 12 when the
line outside has yet to form.
The Villa
Møllergata 23
www.thevilla.no
One of the most clean cut clubs in Oslo. Very
popular, some great DJs, and lots of electronica.
Go here to dance and go wild.
bonanza
Youngstorget 6
www.barbonanza.no
Sit in the old bazaar while enjoying a scenic
view of Youngstorget by night. This little pub
in the very centre of Oslo is a popular starting
point for a relaxing beer. The place is tiny but
they do have a few tables outside with heated
lamps, which makes for a cozy evening observing
the square of Youngstorget.
Beer Prices
No matter where you’re from you
will probably find norwegian beer
heavily over priced. Even norwegians,
with our salaries, think the
prices are too high.
What you pay for a 0,5l varies, as you
can imagine, from place to place. All
depending on the location, the quality
of the place and other factors. We’re
not saying that you won’t find a cheap
beer at a very nice place. There are lots
of nice and cheap places, butthese factors
often impact the prices.
>35: as cheap as it gets
35-49: a good bargain
50-65: the average price in Oslo
65-75: This place should be awesome
75

grünerløkka
Set your foot in Grünerløkka and your night will unfold
naturally. You are probably going to dance rockabilly-style at
Ryes and find some intense African rhythms at Fru Hagen.
Kaos
Thorvald Meyersgate 56
www.cafekaos.no
A spacious mainstream place where the young
and wild go crazy in the weekends, dance the
night away and practice their pick up-lines in
the fancy bar. Kaos has proper facilities for
smokers, with a heated tent in the backyard.
Blå
Brenneriveien 9c
www.blaaoslo.no
Blå is Oslos popular factory hall style club and
a legendary jazz club – with a really wide definition
of jazz. On Saturdays you go clubbing, on
Sundays you go shopping at the market and on
Mondays you rock out to metal. This is the way
Blå is, and that is why we love the place.
Bar Boca
Thorvald Meyersgate 30
Bar Boca is the place for high quality drinks.
This 50s-inspired shoebox sized cocktail bar
is ideal for social non-claustrophobic people.
With only 5 tables it is impossible not to speak
to your fellow customers. Bar Boca is visited by
people of all ages. Best drinks in Oslo.
Aku Aku Tiki Bar
Thorvald Meyersgate 32
www.akuaku.no
Aloha! If you want a night with high quality
drinks in a Hawaiian inspired bar, go to Aku
Aku. They carry a huge selection of various
exciting drinks and are definitely worth a visit.
Cool surf music in a friendly environment.
Fru Hagen
Thorvald Meyersgate 40
www.fruhagen.no
Fru Hagen was one of the first hip cafés
that popped up when Grünerløkka transformed
from being a working class area to
a trendy magnet for hipsters. Though Fru
Hagen might have dropped a bit on the
hotspot barometer, the place still attracts
people. At daytime you can sink into the
red velour couches and enjoy sandwiches
and pastry. At night, it turns into a popular
party place with some real groove and
rhythm. Some top notch DJ’s.
Enjoying a home made brew
at Schous Mikrobryggeri.
Photo: Magnus Moholdt
30
31

32
Blå by day.
Photo: Magnus Moholdt
Ryes
Thorvald Meyersgate 29
Groovy bar and restaurant. Great interior design
and a rockabilly style, this is an American
diner in the middle of Grünerløkka. Enjoy
tasty burgers, pancakes and milkshakes in the
afternoon. Before 8pm you can have three pints
for NOK 100. Then – before you know it – the
place is packed, with a dancefloor that goes
wild to music form the 50s and 60s.
Parkteateret
Olaf Ryes plass 11
www.parkteatret.no
A former movie theatre where the foyer has been
transformed into a minimalist 50’s inspired bar.
The place and its visitors are cool without being
“too much”. There is a concert stage in the
back, with clubs and live music. They also host
some cool concept nights. Check out “Get Dancy”
on Facebook, see when it is on next, and pop
in for a night of moves and grooves.
Mir
Toftesgate 69
www.lufthavna.no
By far Grünerløkka’s best kept secret. Hang out
with rockers and the alternative nation. On the
ground floor you drink your beer in old aeroplane
seats, or whatever they decide to decorate
with. In the basement you’ll feel you’re visiting
someone’s living room. Play dart or fußball
game, or check out the small library, where you
can take a book with you – as long as you leave
another book.
Sound of Mu
Markveien 58
www.soundofmu.no
Sound of Mu is an art galleri, bar and concert
venue. Sound of Mu is always crowded but considering
the place is as big as a bed room, filling
up the place is never a challenge. The live gigs
are intimate and cozy. If you have trouble getting
in and the band is very interesting, you can
always stand outside and watch through their
huge window.
schous mikrobryggeri
Trondheimsveien 2
Situated in the basement of the old Schous
brewery you will find the micro brewery of
Schouskjelleren. This charming damp basement
serves you high quality, self-brewed beer.
It’s not as budget friendly as many other places
but the beer alone is definately a reason to visit.
When in doubt of what beer to go for, ask for a
taste and you will get a small glass with a mouth
full of beer for 15 NOK.
the crossroad club
Maridalsveien 3
www.thecrossroadclub.no
Between Grünerløkka and downtown in a
big red brick house you’ll find The Crossroad
Club. If you’re into rock, blues, beer and delicious
food, this is definately your place. The
food is not that budget friendly, but if you’re
looking for a place to listen to some great music,
drink a few and meet new people it’s great. They
are known to have alot of concerts with cover
charge so check their website to see what’s up.
Oslo Nights
Originally a fashion blog from Oslo
but the site offers alot of pictures from
a variety of Oslo’s clubs, bars and
pubs: oslonights.blogspot.com. A good
first place to start to get a feel of Oslos
nightlife.
33

downtown
Downtown is not only the popular Youngstorget square, there’s
a cool collection of clubs, bars and pubs. Stumble over them
yourself, or find one of these places.
Bohemen
Arbeidergata 2
www.bohemen.no
Bohemen is the place for meeting local football
supporters. It is the official Vålerenga pub (local
team) , but is also considered a traditional
sports bar. Every night they screen matches,
both local derbys and international football.
Where do men hug? On a football field, or at
Bohemen.
Nomaden
Bernt Ankers gate 17
One of our favourite clubs in Oslo. A basement
with colorful interior and everything between
funk, reggae and afro-pop. Still a great
underground feel in this club. They do have a
cover charge, but nothing over the top. Recommended!
Bare Jazz
Grensen 8
www.barejazz.no
Bare Jazz (“Just Jazz”) is something as rare as
a jazz café in Oslo. Run by internationally acclaimed
saxophonist Bodil Niska - the credibility
is definitely maintained at this place. In the
summer the place opens its charming back ally.
This is also a records store that has a large selection
of – surprise, surprise – jazz!
Living Room
Olav V’s gate 1
A club for urban hip hop and RnB music. After
a hip hop concert, Living Room used to be the
place for the afterparty. Not so much anymore,
but occasionally. The club is expensive and has
a cover, but it is still one of the places with real
RnB and hip hop.
Fugazi
Tordenskioldgate 3
www.fugazi.no
Fugazi has two floors and an outside backyard,
where everybody can dance the night away. A
couple of times a month they have concerts
in the backyard with some of Oslos best DJ’s.
Some great clubbing to be had here.
Revolver
Møllergata 32
www.revolveroslo.no
Just a small 3 minute walk from Youngstorget
you’ll find the little red painted
house. Revolver is a place for everyone.
Tasty food, loads of concerts in the basement,
tasty beers, drinks and music from
different genres. Revolver has become
a popular weekend destination for the
young and trendy.
Bar Robinet
Mariboes gate 7
A tiny retro-esque bar, populated by musicians,
media-people and all sorts of liberal hedonists.
Robinet gets easily crowded so expect to hang
around a while before you get a seat. Robinet
has a southern feel that is rarely found in other
bars in Oslo, all in all, highly recommended!
Remember to bring cash, they don’t take card.
Great drinks!
Last Train
Karl Johansgate 45
www.lasttrain.no
Last Train is Oslo’s oldest rock bar serving concerts,
beer and no bull shit for 20 years. Just a
stone throw away from Hard Rock Café you can
experience true rock and roll in a friendly environment
amongst the many regulars. Whatever
you do, do not request a song.
Rock In
Øvre Slottsgate 10
www.rockinoslo.com
Tattoos, long black hair and makeup. This kinda
describes both the female and male guests
of Rock In, a 7 year old metal bar in the heart
of Oslo. If you want heavy and black metal
topped off with power ballads and sentimental
drunken talks at the end of the day, this is the
place to go.
Picking up a Norwegian
Norwegians are often referred to as
more straight forward than Swedes
and Danes. But that doesn’t mean we
are easy to get to know, or that your
Don Juan-skills don’t need an adjustment.
Here are some quick pointers:
• Norwegian girls aren’t particulary
easy to sweep off their feet. For instance;
they may turn sceptical if
you try to buy them a drink. Ask
before buying.
• Norwegian boys are always happy
when girls take initiative.
• Norway is a very egalitarian society
and we like to split the bill. Very few
girls expect to be paid for, and guys
can get surprised if girls expect them
to pay.
• If you’re interested in getting to
know Norwegians, be prepeared
that the talkative and outgoing person
you met in the bar, can turn out
to be quite introvert and shy the day
after.
34
35

grønland
Grønland has a rich culture, lots of immigrants and lots of life.
Close to downtown, this is a growing place for Oslos nightlife.
Olympen
Grønlandsleiret 15
www.olympen.no
Café, pub and restaurant. The interior looks
like an old courtroom with brown tall walls and
big chandeliers in the middle of the room. Beer
from several Norwegian producers you won’t
find other places. They are also known for serving
Norwegian food. We usually go here after
working hours, just to relax, eat, drink.
Pigalle
Grønlandsleiret 15
www.olympen.no
So now you are at Pigalle, and you suddenly notice
that the bartenders are the same as Olympen.
Relax you’re not drunk, the two places
belong together. Here you can relax in the stalls
and every stall has its own phone so you can call
other stall-people. They have a good dancing
floor and good music.
Queens pub
Brugata 14
queenspub.no
A little place hidden in Grønland. The crowd is
a mix of adults out looking for fun and regular
drunks. But what makes this worth mentioning
is their live piano performances and karaoke
nights, which are really fun. You can choose to
participate or just hang out on their “balcony”
and watch the show from above.
Oslo mekaniske verksted
Joachim Nielsens gang
www.oslomekaniskeverksted.no
Chill atmosphere, nice people and best of all –
you can bring your own food. They have takeout
menus instead of their own, so you can order
whatever from the takeouts nearby. People
in the neighborhood usually hang here, especially
in the summer when you can sit outside.
Dattera til Hagen
Grønland 10
www.dattera.no
One of the most popular hangouts in
Grønland. Dattera is always crowded,
from morning until late in the evening.
Have a drink, some food, and go clubbing
later on. Great backyard. Recommended.
Tara
Where do you usually hang out, Tara?
I pretty much go to either Grünerløkka or
Youngstorget. Both areas are packed with
great clubs, pubs and concert halls, so if you
don’t like where you are you can just go to the
next!
Do you have any favorites?
Sure! I’m a big fan of cocktails, so usually my
nights out start or end at Bar Boca in Grünerløkka.
They have the best cocktails in Oslo!
The place is tiny, so you probably have to
share a table with someone. But that’s just a
great way to get to know people! Robinet and
Fuglen (downtown) also have great drinks!
Where do
you love
going out?
Tara runs the online calendar Kult
and definately knows what is going
on in this city.
Nice. Anywhere else?
Sure! “Tilt” at Youngstorget is a really cool
place with shuffle board and lots of arcade
games. To quote a male friend of mine: “Tilt is
where all the cool girls hang”. And all the cool
guys know it, so it’s usually packed... They
also have a great selection of drafts and bottled
beers. Another beer faovurite is Grünerløkka
brygghus. Say hi to the bartender from
me! Oh, and try Mono in Youngstorget. This
place is legendary in the Oslo nightlife, and
they have a free concert every Saturday at
18.00 with up-and -coming bands.
Any other tips?
Most people tend to eat kebabs in the street
Torggata (near Youngstorget) when the night
is over, but I usually go an extra block to
Trondheimsveien (near Anker Hostel) for my
falafel. The kebabs and falafels here are better,
and the shops are more like small restaurants
than fast food joints - but still cheap! Also,
I have this ritual: the day after a night out I
always go to Liebling in Grünerløkka. They
have the towns best breakfast, and even a special
menu for hangovers.
AnY LAST tips?
Check out havresekken.no, a genre free, popup
concert series I run!
36
37

concert venues under 20
Thanks to some hardworking spirits, Oslo is the best concert
city in Scandinavia. You’ll find the big headliners as well as
some great underground stuff
To find a suitable place when you are under 20 is not to
easy. The places are scarce, they often have a line outside,
and expect some cover charge
Oslo Spektrum
Sonja Henies pl. 2
www.oslospektrum.no
If Snoop Dog or Rihanna or some other biggie
is in town, this is where they’ll be. Spectrum
is located downtown with a capacity of around
10.000 guests.
Rockefeller
Torggata 16
www.rockefeller.no
Maybe the most popular live scene, though not
the largest. The main stage area plus the two
extra balconies houses about 1.300 guests.
Parkteateret
Olaf Ryes plass 11
www.parkteatret.no
One of the oldest cinemas in Europe (dating
back to 1907), Parkteatret is now a popular
400-capacity music venue. Intimate scene, easy
accessible bar, cool and alternative line ups.
John Dee
Torggata 16
www.rockefeller.no
Located in the same building as Rockefeller.
John Dee houses about 400 guests.
Møllers Café
{ Downtown }
Mariboes gate 9
Møllers is known as the place every 18-year
old goes to, even though they mostly play hard
rock/metal. This is one of the first places we try
out when we turn 18.
Trompeten
{ Downtown }
Skippergata 29
One of the more popular places for people under
20, Trompeten (the Trumpet) is a karaoke
bar. No cover charge except on Saturdays.
Studenten
{ Bislett }
Parkveien 1
Cheap food, cheap beer, and tv-screens. This is
very budget-friendly and very student friendly.
Evergreen
{ Bislett }
Pilestredet 39
A small pub with really good beer prices. The
result is a tight pick-up marked for thirsty and
horny students who are out to have fun.
Sentrum Scene
Arbeidersamfunnets plass 1
www.rockefeller.no
Just a stone throw away from Rockefeller and
John Dee you will find Sentrum Scene. It’s
slightly larger than the Rockefeller area, housing
1.750 guests.
Blå
Brenneriveien 9 C
www.blaaoslo.no
Great place for club nights, but also a concert
venue housing 300 guests and with some pretty
interesting line-ups.
Who’s playing?
To find out who is playing where,
check out kultoslo.no and underskog.
no. They are both in Norwegian, so
use Google Translate.
Buy tickets
The fastest and most efficient way to
obtain tickets is to buy online at
billettservice.no and pick up your
ticket at a local kiosk such as Narvesen
and 7-Eleven
Studentersamfunnet
{ Bislett }
Pilestredet 52
samfunnetbislet.no
This student-run pick up joint is not visible
from street level since all the action takes place
in the basement. Cool place, lots of people.
Nexus
{ Downtown }
C.J. Hambros plass 2A
A Brazilian style night club. The music is mostly
Latino.
Could you sneak in?
We at streetwise never condone irresponsible
behavior of course - but
if we were to be asked hypothetically
if it is possible to sneak in at regular
20+ clubs when your under 20 – we
might have to answer: “not too easy”.
You might be able to get in if you look
sharp, grown and well behaved. And if
the place is not too full. But generally,
you either need fake ID or some luck.
38
39

40
shopping
Oslo is filled with fashion,
design, and artifacts
If you have money in your pocket and wondering where to go, look no further. We try to be budgetfriendly
in this guide, but if you haven’t spent all your salary on overpriced bagels and a smoothie
just yet, there are some places that will give you greater value for your money than others. Here’s
where to go.
Areas
Downtown is where most of the malls and regular stores are. You’ll see them
whether you like to or not. At Grünerløkka you’ll find Sunday markets, small
designer boutiques, and generally a more alternative outlook. If you want to go
all “posh”, visit Bogstadveien or Aker Brygge.
Prices
Norway as a country and Norwegians most are doing financially very well. As a
result you’ll find expensive designer clothing and other high class stuff all over
the place. Expect some high prices - and some decent ones.
Things to know
The most popular, and probably the cheapest, mainstream clothes shops are
H&M, Indiska and Gina Tricot. If your head phones break or you need some
batteries, the cheapest place to get these is the very budget friendly Clas Ohlson.
Moods of Norway
Photo: Magnus Moholdt
40
41

Oslo kollektivtrafikk / Public transport / Nahverkehr
T-bane
Metro
U-bahn
Trikk
Tram
Straßenbahn
Hovedbusslinjer
Main bus services
Hauptbuslinien
Båt
Boat
Boot
Overgangsmulighet
Interchange stop
Umsteigemöglichkeit
Stoppested i én retning
One direction stop
Eine Richtung Haltestelle
Jernbane
Railway
Eisenbahn
Informasjon
Information
Information
trafikanten.no
U-bahn Straßenbahn Hauptbuslinien Boot
Information
Hakadal
Frognerseteren
Voksen skog
Sognsvann
Østerås
Bogstad camping
2
Jar
Bekkestua
6
13
Sandvika Asker
Jar
32
23 32
31
Røa
1
32 3
23
Lilleaker
23
Lysaker
Fornebu
20
Holmenkollen
Smestad
Skøyen
Skøyen st
30
32
2 6
30
Folkemuseet
Vikingskipene
1
Vigelandsparken
Frogner plass
Olav Kyrres plass
20
Gaustad
30 31
13
Dronningen
Bygdøynes
Slemdal
3 4 5
12
12
91
20
19 11
1 2 3 4 5 6
Briskeby
Skillebekk
32
Rikshospitalet
17 18
Blindern
Majorstuen
Solli
19
21
23
Ullevål stadion
SLOTTET
(april–september)
54
Kringsjå
Ullevål sykehus
Rosenborg
21
Homansbyen
20
11 17 18 37
74
12
Aker brygge
Adamstuen
BISLETT
Holbergs pl
13 19
93 92
34
Forskningsparken
Radiumhospitalet
Nationaltheatret
Tåsen
Tåsen
37
4
ILA
6
Ringen
Sagene
Stortinget
RÅDHUSET
37 54 54
21
St Hanshaugen
AKERSHUS
SLOTT
34 54
Stortorvet
Hovedøya
11 12 13
93 94
23
Nydalen
30
Nydalen T
37
20 30
30
54
GRÜNERLØKKA
Vippetangen
Torshov
17
20 21
31
Brugata
Kjelsås
11
Tøyen
Munchmuséet
OPERA
5
Grefsen
6
Sinsen
Jernbanetorget/
Oslo S
32 34 74
12
13
17
18 19
5
Carl
Berners plass
Storo
23
18
74
31
Sinsenkrysset
1 2 3 4
20
Disen
Hasle
Galgeberg
Ekeberg
camping
Aker sykehus
Økern
1
21
37
32
34 23
EKEBERGSLETTA
Holtet
Bjerke
Kværnerbyen
Tonsenhagen
Helsfyr
Ekeberg hageby
Brynseng
Simensbråten
31
Bryn
4
Ryen
23
Gardermoen
Ellingsrudåsen Lillestrøm Vestli Grorud
31
5
3 1 2
Mortensrud
Utg 2011.11 – © Truls Lange Civitas 1998–2011
Kon-Tiki, Ra II, Fram
trafikanten.no
31
Snarøya
Bygdøy
Huk
Nakholmen
93
Gressholmen Langøyene
Mortensrud Bergkrystallen
92 93 94
18 19
74 4
Ski
Ljabru

uying norwegian
When you visit the land of the fjords and forests, be sure to
bring back a piece of our culture. Why not bring back some
unique design or clothing?
book stores
Chain stores like Norli and Ark all over the city, and they have
huge selections, great line-up in English and decent prices. But
check out these independent stores as well.
AntiSweden
{ Majorstuen }
Kristian Augusts gate 13
www.antisweden.no
Sweden has dominated the Scandinavian jeans
scene for years, with brands like Acne, Cheap
Monday and Nudie. Some Norwegians got sick
and tired of Swedish dominance and established
an Norwegian alternative – AntiSweden Jeans.
Moods of Norway
{ Majorstuen }
Akersgata 18
www.moodsofnorway.com
In 2003 two brave Norwegians entered the international
fashion scene with hip clothing, influenced
by Norwegian arts and crafts, history
and mentality. Moods of Norway never set out
to make souvenirs or to be ironic or funny. It is
simply very stylish clothing.
Pur Norsk
{ St. Hanshaugen }
Theresesgate 14
www.purnorsk.no
A store specializing in Norwegian products.
Pur Norsk seeks to heighten the general awareness
regarding Norwegian quality design. You
don’t find wool sweaters here, though. Instead
you can get more or less everything else that has
good, maybe even exquisite, norwegian design.
Probat
{ Günerløkka }
Thorvald Meyers gate 54
www.probat.no
A t-shirt company with an all-Norwegian approach.
Probat makes t-shirts depicting brown
cheese, moose and catch phrases from Norwegian
pop culture. They’ve become quite
popular and are expanding into the American
market – promoting Norway to Norwegian
Americans! They also sell childrens clothing
with stylish motives.
Tronsmo
{ Downtown }
Kristian Augusts gate 19
www.tronsmo.no
This is a truly beloved alternative bookstore.
They have absolutely every possible cultural
phenomenon represented here, and the whole
basement is dedicated to comics and graphic
novels. Right next to Tinghuset downtown, this
place is worth a visit.
Cappelens forslag
{ Downtown }
Bernt Akersgate 4
Two guys started this bookstore and decorated
it like a living room. Hand picked books, both
new and second hand. Some great finds to be
made her. And worth the visit just for the atmosphere.
Check them out on Facebook.
torpedo bookshop
{ Downtown }
Trelastgata 3
www.torpedobok.no
Torpedo is an independent book store focusing
on contemporary and visual arts. Occasionally
a venue for exhibitions and concerts.
House of literature
Wergelandsveien 29
www.litteraturhuset.no
Situated close to the Royal Castle,
The House of Literature was built in
2007 and is the main gathering place
for literature events, debates and happenings.
They have their own bookstore
on the first floor, and a café/
restaurant. Norwegian poets, authors
and cultural celebrities mingle here,
and you are almost bound to stumble
upon one.
44
45

alternative shopping
There is nothing wrong with either H&M or Zara, but you find
those stores everywhere. Here’s a shopping guide to Oslo – with
sort of an alternative outlook.
record stores
Not for everyone in these piratebay-times, but wandering
around charming, independent record stores and browsing
through weird collections can still be a great way to spend time.
Angels Speed Equipment
{ Grünerløkka }
Rathkesgt 7
www.angels-speed-equipment.com
A pretty cool store. Rockabilly and 50’s style,
Nudie Jeans, Rocha, Route 66 and Vivian Hollywood.
Hunting Lodge
{ Grünerløkka }
Markveien 58
www.huntinglodge.no
Contemporary street wear, shoes and decoration.
Hunting Lodge makes men look good.
Los Lobos
{ Grünerløkka }
Thorvald Meyers gate 30
www.loslobos.no
A charming store in Grünerløkka. Los Lobos
sells rockabilly and 50’s style clothes, gadgets
and LPs with music to accompany the looks.
Scorpius Import
{ Grünerløkka }
Schleppegrellsgate 16
www.scorpius.no
On the far top of Grünerløkka in a colorful
building that will make you stare in awe for
quite some time, you’ll find Scorpius. Scorpius
is nirvana for hippies – colourful scarves,
clothes and accessories.
Shangri-La
{ Downtown }
Karl Johans gate 2
www.shangri-la.no
Hippie style clothes and accessories – more or
less the same as Scorpius.
Skaperverket
{ Grünerløkka }
Markveien 60
www.skaperverket.no
Some young designers are running this store
together. You`ll find clothing, postcards, ceramics,
photos, earrings, notebooks and much
more. Charming store with charming products.
Freudian Kicks
{ Downtown }
Prinsens gate 10 B
www.freudiankicks.com
180 square meters with selections from Acne,
American Apparel, A.P.C, Best Behavior, Casio
Databank, Henrik Vibskov, J-Brand jeans, Kokon
To Zai, Sneaky Steve, Wood Wood and some
second hand.
Big Dipper Records
{ Downtown }
Torggata 36
www.bigdipper.no
Big Dipper is a stereotypical independent music
store. They carry a huge selection of music,
especially on vinyl. Everything from Pop/Rock,
Indie, Soul, Metal/Hardrock, Jazz, Punk, Garagerock,
Hip-hop, Blues, Country, Electronica
and Reggae.
tiger
{ Downtown }
Hammersborggata 18
www.tigernet.no
An independent record store in the center of
Oslo. Their main focus is underground music,
punk and diy-culture. They also import alot
from various foreign labels.
Bare Jazz
{ Downtown }
Grensen 8
www.barejazz.no
Café, concert arena and record store all in one.
Bare Jazz (“Just Jazz”) is run by internationally
acclaimed saxophonist Bodil Niska – and have a
large and good selection, says the connoisseurs,
of jazz records.
Shadowland
{ Downtown }
Storgata 9
www.shadowland.no
If you are equally fascinated by light as by
darkness, you’ll probably find Shadowland’s
selection of goth, synth, EBM and industrial
attractive.
Used record stores
Bjørn Ringstrøm Antikvariat
{ St. Hanshaugen }
Wessels gate 2B
We like Ringstrøms. Here you find great records
at reasonable prices. Ringstrøms has a
good jazz selection, and also includes a book
store.
Neseblod Records
{ Grünerløkka }
Rathkesgate 7
www.neseblodrecords.com
Well-hidden in Grünerløkka you find Neseblod.
This is the place to look for old-school
Norwegian punk and black metal, or used punk
and metal records in general.
46
47

48
queer
Bar & cafés
There are a few bars and nightclubs for the
queer crowd in Oslo. New ones keep popping
up - but unfortunately tends to close again as
well. It might seem like the capital isn’t big
enough for more than a couple of places. But
there are some existing and established gay
bars and nightclubs, and we’ve singled out the
stayers.
Elsker
{ Downtown }
Kristian IVs gate 9
Elsker is both a bar and a café, with DJs at weekends
and several dance floors. Popular place for
heterosexuals as well. This one has been around
for several years now, and is a safe shot.
So
{ Downtown }
Arbeidergata 2
www.so-oslo.no
This little bar is for girls who like girls. SO is
open Wednesday to Saturday from 1800-0300.
Ett Glass
{ Downtown }
Karl Johans gate 33
www.ettglass.no
Ett Glass is a café close to Karl Johans gate with
a considerable gay crowd.
London Pub & Club
{ Downtown }
CJ Hambros plass 5
www.londonpub.no
Oslo’s largest gay club, it’s been around forever.
This, along with Elsker, might be the most established
places around.
Indieseksuell
A club concept happening about once a month,
normally at Revolver. The DJs play indie music,
and the people hanging out are part of the
Oslo sub-culture – both gay and heterosexuals.
Check out “indieseksuell” on Facebook.
Magazines
Blikk
www.blikk.no
Norways biggest gay magazine.
Gaysir
www.gaysir.no
Online magazine and social society
Other
Oslo Pride/Skeive Dager
www.skeivedager.no
Skeive dager (Queer Days) is a festival held each
June. This is the biggest cultural event for LG-
BTs in Norway, and people from several countries
attend the festival and its events.
Cinemateket/Queer Sundays
www.cinemateket.no
The first Sunday in every month you can watch
queer films at Cinemateket (see activities section).
Skeive Filmer
www.oglff.org
A festival of queer movies in the early fall.
Check it up on see when it’s on.
48
49

50
activities
Buckle up your backpack and
get out of your hotel room
For a city this size, Oslo is reeking of things to do – museums, festivals, theatres, markets and other
happenings. No reason to spend your days moping around the lobby of your hotel, asking the
owner timidly where he is from, and what is “up”. Read this section instead.
Happenings and events
Internet is your friend in this city. But so are we. You should definitely stop by
our office for some tips on things do to. But for a daily calendar of things and
happenings – go to www.visitoslo.com. They have a great calendar in both
English, French and Spanish, with plenty of info on what is happening. We at
the USE-IT office also run a calendar “Kult Oslo” at kultoslo.no with lots of
things to do like concerts, clubs and theatres. It is in Norwegian only, but use
Google Translate, and you will be fine.
Nature
What separates Oslo from other European capitols really is the nature. Where
else can you be in the forest or on an beautiful Island in the Fiord literally 15 min
away from the main shopping street? The Islands is perfect for hot summer days,
the forest is majestic and the pride of the city. And if you are here during winter,
skiing or ice skating or snowboarding is almost obligatory. Pay nature a visit.
Museums
Museums are one of Oslo’s strong points as well. We have some things that really
shine in the crowd, like the Fram-ship (which you can walk around on) and the
famous painting Scream. Some of the museums are for rainy days, others are for
every day. www.visitoslo.com is a good place to read more about them, as well
as in this section in Streetwise.
The Øya festival
Photo: Erik Moholdt
50
51

festivals
For many norwegians, festivals are the mere definition of
summer. Watch the shy, introvert Norwegians turn into
smiling party animals.
islands
There is nothing better than cooling off in the friendly
summer sea when Oslo is at its hottest. Be sure to visit the
Islands during your stay.
Øya
7.-11. August
www.oyafestivalen.com
Expanded across the ruins of the old part of
town, Øya is the biggest festival in Oslo. Five
days packed with superstars and underground
artists alike, and nightclubs all over town filled
with DJ-concepts. The festival is expensive,
but you can still join in the party in the city afterwards
– or find a small piece of grass nearby
and listen for free.
Norwegian wood
14.-17. June
www.norwegianwood.no
Norwegian Wood is a revered rock festival in
Oslo. Our biggest outdoor public bath is transformed
to a festival area, with some of the greatest
rock artists of our time. If you can’t afford
the festival ticket you can always relax in the
Vigeland Park and enjoy the music from there.
Musikkfest Oslo
2. June
www.musikkfest.no
This is the best day of the year! If you are in
town this day you have to go out and enjoy local
artists playing concerts free of charge. There are
stages all around Oslo. Every park or area has its
own music style.
Summer Island Electronica Festival
6.-8. July
www.sommeroya.no
This festival is on the islands Langøyene just
outside Oslo. Late summer nights with electronica
and house. Camp on the island and use
the ocean as your shower.
Inferno
Every easter
www.infernofestival.net
Norway is known for its black metal so it’s only
natural that we also have a festival in its genre.
It’s held annually around the easter holiday,
which is kinda funny in a symbolic way.
October fest
October
Hilarious atmosphere, various beer brands,
German ompa and polka music, large beer tents
and low prices. This great festival is arranged by
students, for students and everybody over 20.
Kollen
29.-30. June
kollenfest.no
Brand new festival in 2012 – this one is at famous
Holmenkollen ski resort (20 mins ride
with the T-bane up in the forest). We are anticipating
this one.
You can find a peaceful, harmonic spot for
bathing and a picnic in no time – especially if
you visit one of the beautiful Islands. They are
among the most popular places for Oslo citizens
looking to relax. Take a break from your regular
city life.
Hovedøya
The largest island in the Oslo Fjord, but also
the most crowded one. It is green and lush with
plenty of small paths. You’ll find ruins of a
cistercian abbey from the 11th Century, built
by English monks. The Island later formed
an important part of the defense of Oslo, and
you’ll find military buildings and installations,
mostly from the 17th century, at strategic spots
on the island. Perfect place for picnics. The
ferry runs more frequently to Hovedøya than
to any other island.
Langøyene
It is possible to camp at Langøyene (see the accommodation
section), and it is the only island
where overnight stay is permitted. If the weather
is nice, you don’t need a tent, just a sleeping
bag. Summer evenings in Oslo are bright and
snug, and swimming in the sea past midnight is
a pleasant experience you certainly will remember.
The south side of the island is reserved for
nudists.
Gressholmen
Until recently this island was populated by
thousands of rabbits. Unfortunately the rabbits
ate too much of the vegetation, so the authorities
reduced the livestock considerably. Not far
from the pier is Gressholmen Kro, a small restaurant
serving sandwiches, dinners and cold
beers. Gressholmen doesn’t have large sandy
beaches, but is still a lovely place to take a dip.
Dive from the rocks and count the numerous
birds. 160 different species have been observed
until now.
How to get there
Just take a quick ferry ride from
Vippetangen, near the Opera building.
They run less frequently off-season,
but both Hovedøya and Gressholmen
have good connections all year. The
ferries is a part of the public transportation
system in Oslo, so regular
tickets from Ruter are valid here.
52
53

forrest & hiking
If you feel trapped or “psychedelic” in the city, there is peace
to be found among the trees. The forest is never more than 20
minutes away.
bathing
If people were swimming more than they do, there would be less
wars. Cool down and refreshen in one of these nearby bathing
spots.
Citizens of Oslo love the surrounding forest
“Marka” and use it all the time. Skiing in the
winter, recreational trips in the summer. Marka
is huge and well signposted, and both easy and
safe to explore, even for inexperienced hikers.
When exploring Marka, Frognerseteren is a
good point to start. From here it is about 5 kilometers
to the café Ullevålseter, a former pasture
full of visitors and hot chocolate. Bring a
map if you want to be adventurous and explore
on your own. You can get free maps from the
Use-It office.
If you feel like spending the night, buy a cheap
tent and set up camp.
Trips and cabins in Marka
These places have information about where to
go hiking and skiing in Marka. They also have
a list of self-service huts, both in Marka, and all
over Norway. Sleeping in these cabins is cheaper
than paying for a hotel room downtown. Remember
to book in advance.
Den Norske Turistforening (DNT)
Storgaten 3
turistforeningen.no
Skiforeningen
Kongeveien 5
www.skiforeningen.no
Canoe and kayak
You can paddle in the Oslo Fjord, Akers river
and most lakes surrounding Oslo. To rent a vessel,
contact:
Bull Ski og Kajakk
www.bull-ski-kajakk.no
Kikutstua
www.kikutstua.no
Allemannsretten
In Norway we have freedom to roam.
This freedom is called Allemannsretten
and gives us the right to camp in
nature, use boats, canoes etc. pick
berries, mushrooms and flowers,
and things like fishing in the sea and
make bonfires in certain areas and
periods. Good for us. And you.
None of the islands are far away, and all of them
are terrific bathing areas. But if you hate ferries
for some reason, go to these places instead.
Outdoor
Huk & Paradise Bay, Bygdøy
Two excellent bathing spots located at the Bygdøy
peninsula. Easily reached by bus or other
transport. Paradisbukta is less crowded, and is
popular among families with toddlers. We recommend
both places, and if you are smart, you
can combine the afternoon with a visit to the
popular museums nearby. Take bus 30 Bygdøy
from the National Theatre or Central Station.
Stilla
North in town at Kjelsås, you’ll find beautiful
Stilla (also called Frysja) a popular dam with
still, clear water, excellent for a swim. This is
the same area as Teknisk Museum (museum
of technology), so there is a great combo to be
made here. – go swimming, and then go to the
museum. Or the other way around. Take either
bus or tram to Kjelsås.
Sognsvann
Popular bathing area, this is in the very beginning
of the Forest Marka. Good place to combine
with a trip in the woods. Beware of “midd”
in the water, which may bite and give some
people allergic reactions.
Swimming pools
Frognerbadet
Middelthunsgt 28
Next to the Vigelands Park, Frognerbadet includes
3 open-air pools for all ages, a pool for
divers (up to 10m) and a water slide. It usually
opens up in May and is a great place for a refreshener.
Tøyenbadet
Helgesensgate 90
Just a couple of metro-stops from downtown,
Tøyenbadet houses one 50 m indoor swimming
pool, a diving tower and a water slide, a swimming
pool for children and some outdoor pools
during summer.
54
55

museums
Here are some museums for rainy days - and some you should
visit no matter what the weather is like.
Go watch.
General Opening Hours
Opening hours vary not only between museums,
but also between which season you are
in. In general most museums are open at least
at 10 ar 11 am, and almost all close before 18
pm (sometimes as early as 16 or 17 pm). Just
think of museums as a midday activity, and you
should be fine.
General Prices
Prices vary – and you should check out the
next pages to see which museums are free and
what the others cost – but generally the price
range is 50 – 100 NOK for a one-time fee as an
adult. There are several discount opportunities
though, and many museums have free entry on
Sundays for example. Check out visitoslo.com
to read more.
The Oslo Pass
If you plan on some serious museumaction,
the Oslo Pass might be the
best choice for you.
It’s a ticket you buy with a one-time
fee that gives you entry to over 30 museums
and attractions – as well as free
travel with bus, metro and tram (which
is expensive in itself). You’ll also get
free parking in municipal parking
lots, and discount and special offers in
selected restaurants, shops, entertainment,
leisure venues and more.
ADULT, 24 hours: 270 NOK
ADULT, 48 hours: 395 NOK
ADULT, 72 hours: 495 NOK
Oslo Pass is a good deal if you are planning
on doing some serious visiting
– but if you are just looking to go to a
museum or two, it might not pay off.
Together with free transport, we usually
recommend it though – but do the
math just in case. Buy the Oslo Pass
at Oslo’s information centres, hotels,
hostels and camping sites.
Bygdøy
To visit some of the most interesting museums
we have – go to the Bygdøy peninsula. It is easy
to get there - take boat 91 (May-Sep only) from
the Rådhus pier no. 3 to Bygdøynes or bus nr.
30 from the Nationaltheatre.
Norsk Folkemuseum
Museumsveien 10
www.norskfolkemuseum.no
75-100,-
Norway’s largest and oldest folk museum is an
open-air collection with more than 150 houses
transferred from different parts of the country.
You can visit one of Norway’s few remaining
medieval stave-churches, and talk to the nice
guides dressed up like 18th century inhabitants.
Especially worth a visit if you don’t have
a chance to visit other parts of Norway. There
are daily activities in the open air museum all
summer.
Viking Ship Museum
Huk Aveny 35.
www.khm.uio.no
60,-
The world’s best-preserved Viking ships and
other authentic 900-year old artifacts. A popular
museum – but be prepared to fight your way
through hoards of other tourists!
Kon-Tiki Museum
Bygdøynesveien 36
www.kon-tiki.no
70,-
The Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl built
the papyrus raft Kon-Tiki to sail from America
to Polynesia in 1947. Here are Easter Island
statues, a full size 10 m. whale shark, and a film
room with continuous showings of Thor Heyerdahls
expeditions.
The Polar Ship Fram
Bygdøynesveien 36
www.fram.museum.no
80,-
The polar ship Fram was used for expeditions
by Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup and Roald
Amundsen, and went both to the North and the
South Pole. Built in 1892, the ship is exhibited
with original interior and inventory, and you
can walk on both in and outside of the ship.
Kvadraturen
Modern museums are found in the old quarter
of Oslo. Close to the main entrance of Akershus
Fortress there are several smaller art-galleries
and two museums of modern art.
Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art
Relocating to new address in September
www.afmuseet.no
Varies depending on exhibition
Temporary exhibitions of Norwegian and
foreign artists from 1945 until today. Among
the permanent exhibitions you find artist as
Damien Hirst and Jeff Coons.
National Museum of Contemporary Art
Bankplassen 4
www.nasjonalmuseet.no
50,-
Free on Sundays
Norway’s national center for modern art. There
are permanent and temporary exhibitions of
international and Norwegian artists. Perhaps
the only museum in the world where visitors
can leave behind bags and coats in a vault – the
museum is located in the monumental 95-yearold
former headquarters of the Norwegian National
Bank.
56
57

FOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
Free entry to more than 30 museums, free public transport and many other special offers
Buy your pass at the tourist information centres, www.visitoslo.com or other sales points
Meet Meet the People the People
of of Norway!
www.norskfolkemuseum.no
Downtown & surroundings
The National gallery
Universitetsgaten 13
www.nasjonalmuseet.no
50,-
Free on Sundays
The largest collection of Norwegian and international
art up to 1945. Emphasis on the major
works from the National Romantic period. The
painting “Scream” by Edvard Munch is displayed
here.
Museum of decorative art & design
St. Olavsgate 1
www.nasjonalmuseet.no
50,-
Free on Sundays
Historical collections of Norwegian and international
applied art, fashion and design from
the 7th century to the present. Collections of
silver, glass, ceramics and furniture. Take bus
37 or walk from the city center.
Museum of Cultural Heritage
Fredriksgate 2
www.khm.uio.no
50,-
Here you can walk through Norway’s ancient
history, presented in a contemporary way.
There is a large Viking-age department. If you
get tired of Norwegian culture, go upstairs.
Museum of Natural History
Sars’ gate 1
www.nhm.uio.no
50,-
Here you’ll find: Greenhouses, the Zoological
Museum and the Geological Museum (with a
full-sized T-rex) and the Botanical Gardens (see
“Parklife” for info on the Gardens). Take the
metro to Tøyen/Munch museet.
Munch Museum
Tøyengata 53
www.munch.museum.no
95,-
Paintings and graphic works, including various
versions of The Scream, from the Norwegian
expressionist Edvard Munch. Interesting exhibit
downstairs depicting Munch’s life. Transport:
any metro going east to Tøyen.
The Ibsen Museum
Arbins Gate 1
www.norskfolkemuseum.no
45,-
Ibsen’s apartment. Henrik Ibsen lived in this
apartment from 1895 until he died in 1906.
The apartment in itself isn’t very interesting,
but the guided tours are. The guides give you
an insight into his life, work, personality and
his quirky habits.
Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter
Sonja Henies vei 31
www.hok.no
80,-
Norway’s largest collection of international
modern art. Varying exhibitions, sculpture
park, extensive museum shop and an excellent
restaurant. Guided tours in several languages.
Take Bus 151 from the train station.
Emanuel Vigeland Museum
Grimelundsveien 8
www.emanuelvigeland.museum.no
40,-
Open only on Sundays
The Emanuel Vigeland Museum is actually
a mausoleum. The strangely shaped building
is decorated inside with an 800 square meter
fresco: “Vita”. Vigeland spent 20 years paint-
59

ing it. Some tourists claim this is the best sight
in Norway. Emanuel Vigeland is the brother of
Gustav Vigeland, who made the Vigeland Park.
Take the metro no 1 to Slemdal.
Museum of Science and Technology
Kjelsåsveien 143
www.tekniskmuseum.no
100,-
Cars, planes, computers and trains. And a lot
more. This is a gem of a museum, and one
where you can try out nearly everything you
see. Excellent for children. And right next to
the popular bathing area Frysja, if you want
to combine the afternoon. Take bus 54 from
Jernbanetorget or Aker Brygge, or the tram to
Kjelsås Railway Station.
Nobel Peace Center
Brynjulf Bulls plass 2
www.nobelpeacecenter.org
80,-
The Nobel Peace Center presents all the Nobelprice
winners and their work.
The Holmenkollen Skimuseum
Kongeveien 5
www.skiforeningen.no
110,-
The entrance fee includes access to the ski museum,
café, shops and a trip to the top of the
skijump. Take metro no 1 to Holmenkollen for
a great view of the city, and visit the worlds oldest
ski museum.
The Stenersen Museum
Munkedamsveien 15
www.stenersen.museum.no
60,-
The Stenersen Museum is a three stories gallery
for contemporary art. It also houses three
private art collections, all of which was donated
to the city; Rolf E. Stenersen, Amaldus Nielsen,
and Ludvig O. Ravensberg’s collections.
Oslo City Museum
Frognerveien 67
www.oslomuseum.no
The Oslo City Museum was established in
1905. It houses a historical collection about the
history and development of Oslo.
Norways Resistance Museum
Akershus festning, building 21
www.forsvarsbygg.no
Norway was occupied by Germany for five
years during the second World War, from 1940
to 1945. The museum portray the Resistance
movement’s battle against the Germans.
DogA
Hausmannsgate 16
www.doga.no
Depends on exhibition
The Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture
(DogA) offers design- and architecture
exhibitions, conferances, a restaurant
and a bar. If you ever are in town for the Pecha
Kucha nights which is held at DogA you
should definitely take the trip. Pecha Kucha is
a presentation night which is held four times a
year. Here designers, architects, musicians and
artists share ideas and presents their work in a
short time frame (6 minutes each presentation),
mostly in English. Check out pechakucha.no
for more info.
Oslo Reptilpark
St. Olavsgate 2
www.reptilpark.no
100,-
If reptiles and lizards are your thing, check out
this museum.
park life
When you wake up to a hot sunny day in Oslo and you’re wondering
where all the norwegians are, try visiting a park.
There are green “lungs” all over town, and the
citizens of Oslo love to use them. We barbeque,
have picnics, enjoy some frisbee and pick each
other up. Don’t be surprised if the park turns
into a party place at night.
How to do it
Buy a disposable barbeque (around 20,- in
every major grocery store).
Buy some meat. Chicken, pork, fish, beef,
veal. You are an adult. Decide for yourself.
Fix the entertainment. Maybe a football.
Maybe badminton. Maybe you want to
practice juggling. We don’t know you as
a person, so we can’t say.
Eat, drink, laugh, enjoy yourself.
Some great parks
Vigelandsparken
{ Frogner }
Norways most visited tourist attraction, and
completely free. Some great and famous sculptures
by Gustav Vigeland, but also highly populated
by happy Norwegians, drinking, laughing,
rollerblading, playing frisbee.
sofienbergparken
{ Grünerløkka }
Situated in the middle of Grünerløkka, and
as popular as a park can get. The young and
trendy chill out all summer, you might feel this
is some sort of a festival. If you’re asthmatic,
beware of the continuous smog from the barbeques.
You can also use the public barbeque
for 1 NOK per minute.
Akershus Fortress
{ Downtown }
The park surrounding Akershus fortress is perfect
for picnics. From here you have a great view
of the Town Hall, the fjord and Aker Brygge,
the former shipyard that was renovated in the
1980s. Akershus fortress was first erected in
1299 but was heavily rebuilt some hundred
years later.
There really are parks everywhere – just keep
your eyes open or ask around!
60
61

winter activities
If you are staying during the months of winter, be sure to check
out these activities.
cinema & theatre
Here are some places to check out on a rainy day – or if you are
just feeling sort of “cultural”.
Cross country skiing
This you HAVE to do. Cross country is what
we Norwegians do, what we are famous for.
And you will not find more beautiful forests
to roam than ours. Take the metro line 3 to
Sognsvann and you’ll se the slopes right away.
Another popular strategy is to take the metro to
Frognerseteren and ski downhill all the way to
Sognsvann. Stop by our USE-IT office to plan
your trip.
Sledding at Korketrekkeren
This is a giant downhill slope (2,6km) for sledding.
Take your sleigh (rented or brought) and
take the metro to Frognerseteren. Have the ride
of your lifetime - then simply take the T-bane
up again, and down you go once more. A sleigh
for rental is about 100,-, and you’ll find them
there. HIGHLY recommended.
Tryvann Ski resort
www.tryvann.no
For all you snowboarders and alpinist out there,
this is a ski resort up north in the forest, only
20 min ride with the T-bane to Frognerseteren.
Great if you’re looking for some ski action but
don’t want to go out of town. Check out their
webpage.
Ice Skating
The greatest female figure skater of all time,
Sonja Henie, was Norwegian. Join the young
Norwegians dancing and skating and flirting
around on the ice on late Friday afternoons.
Spikersuppa
Next to the National theatre, this is as central as
you get. Music and lots of people.
Frogner Stadion
Combine your obligational trip to the Vigeland
Park with some Ice skating at the stadium next
door
There are lots of other places to skate as well, both
indoor and outdoor. Contact us for some suggestions!
Cinemas
All screenings are in the original language with
Norwegian subtitles, except movies for children.
Prices vary from NOK 80-120. You can
buy tickets for all cinemas at the cinema of your
choice, or from the internet: www.oslokino.
no. To find the cinemas – just ask your way
around from the following spots:
Nationaltheatret Metro Station
You will find several theatres close to the metro
station Nationaltheatret: Saga, Vika and Klingenberg.
There is also one at Aker Brygge, Felix,
which is close to Nationaltheatret.
Majorstua Metro Station
Colosseum, a widely popular cinema venue. If
you are in the mood for an epic movie experience,
this is usually the cinema of our choice.
Youngstorget
Eldorado, often considered the youth Cinema.
It’s centrally located and shows a lot of movies
with Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, etc.
Grünerløkka
Ringen Kino is the newest cinema in Oslo and
was the first fully digital cinema in Scandinavia.
This cinema has excellent and comfortable
seats, and a beautiful screen.
Film club – Cinemateket
Some call it artsy, others just art. Cinemateket
is the film club for self-acclaimed geeks and
artists, and they show some real classic and
alternative contemporary movies. Centrally
located. Check out their website www.nfi.no/
cinemateket to see what’s showing.
Theatres
Here is a list of venues in Oslo with a cosmopolitan
approach. It is not a complete overview,
but merely an introduction. Check out www.
visitoslo.com or visit the office for up-to-date
information.
Black Box
Marstrandgata 8
www.blackbox.no
One of Norways most important contemporary
and innovative theatre stages. It houses different
touring companies and often stage performances
in English.
House of Dance
Møllerveien 2
www.dansenshus.com
The national scene for contemporary dance
opened in 2008 and houses performances with
different companies.
62
63

64
sleep
Sleepless in Seattle
– safe and comfortable in Oslo
Student flats
If you are staying for a month or two during
the summer, you can try renting a student flat.
Some of these rooms are posted on websites
such as:
www.hybel.no
www.finn.no
www.bofellesskap.no
www.nordnorsken.no
www.sio.no
All of these webpages are in Norwegian. Try
using Google Translate or drop by the USE-IT
office in Møllergata and we will help you.
Anker Studentboliger
Holtegata 25
22 60 03 59
www.ankerstudentbolig.no
studentbolig@anker.oslo.no
Anker is a student house and leases student
flats for shorter periods of time, from April to
August. Rent is from NOK 3.800 per month,
with one month deposit. The flats have private
bathrooms. Bring your own linen and kitchen
utensils, or rent at Anker.
Couch surfing
“A world where everyone can explore
and create meaningful connections
with the people and places they
encounter”
We love it! We love the concept and
we love meeting new, open-minded
and interesting people. Couch surfing
is a non-profit organization that has
over a million registered users from all
over the world, offering a place to sleep
through the website. You register yourself
on www.couchsurfing.org and start
looking for a host. The site has a lot of
nice guides, testimonials and FAQs and
is generally a nice read.
64
65

hotels & hostels
There are plenty of hotels in Oslo, here are some of
the cheap ones.
Anker Hostel
Storgata 55
ankerhostel.no
Anker offers single/double rooms and 4 – 8 bedded
rooms. The cheapest option is a single bed
in a 8 bedded room. Breakfast for 60 NOK per
day. Linen for 50 NOK. All rooms have private
showers. Sleeping bags are not allowed.
Comfort Xpress
Møllergata 26
comforthotelxpress.no
Comfort Xpress is a trendy designer hotel. It’s
located in central Oslo, just a short walk from
our office. Free wireless internet, free coffee,
breakfast in bed by ordering; 85 NOK and a
gaming room(!).
Cochs Pensjonat
Parkveien 25
cochspensjonat.no
Cochs Pensjonat is a 5 minute walk from downtown
Oslo. They offer 88 rooms in three different
price ranges.
Ellingsens Pensjonat
Holtegata 25
ellingsenspensjonat.no
Offers single and double rooms with or without
private bathrooms. About 10 minutes walking
distance to downtown Oslo.
Gardermoen Airport Vandrehjem
Hasselveien 1
gardermoenbb.no
Located near Gardermoen airport, a 45 minute
bus ride to Oslo. Free internet and laundry. 50
NOK for breakfast.
Gjestehuset Lovisenberg
Lovisenberggt. 15 A
lovisenberg.no
Located 10 minutes away from downtown Oslo.
A renovated building from 1868 with restored
furniture from that period. Has a small peaceful
garden. Offers single and double rooms
with or without private bathrooms. Breakfast:
50 NOK. Reception closes at 20:30.
Oslo Vandrehjem – Holtekilen
Micheletsv. 55
vandrehjem.no
Holtekilen hostel is located in a quiet area 8km
outside of Oslo. Offers 1-5 bed rooms with private
bathrooms. Breakfast included. 15 minute
train ride to Oslo.
Oslo Vandrehjem – Haraldsheim
Haraldsheimv. 4
haraldsheim.no
Haraldsheim hostel is a 10 minute tram ride
from downtown Oslo. Offers single beds in 4
bed rooms and private rooms. With and without
private bathrooms. Breakfast included.
Sleeping bags not allowed. Linen: 50 NOK.
Oslo Hostel Rønningen YMCA
Myrerskogv. 54
oslohostel.com
Located 8km from downtown Oslo. Open in
the summer season between May 23rd to August
19th. Sleeping bags not allowed. Alcohol
prohibited. Linen: 50 NOK.
Oslo Apartments
osloapartments.no
Offers private apartments for rent. Minimum 3
days. Prices are from 650 per apartment, not per
person. Visit their website to browse the vacant
apartments.
Overnatting Oslo
overnattingoslo.no
Offers private apartments for short and long
term stay in Oslo. From 3 days to 12 months.
Booking is only via their web site form.
P-Hotels
Grensen 9
p-hotels.no
Located in central Oslo. Has a low-price calendar
worth checking out. Breakfast included - a
sandwich of your choice and a juice box.
Perminalen Hotel
Øvre Slottsg. 2
perminalen.no
Located in central Oslo. Offers single bed in
4-bedded room and 2 – 6 bedded rooms. Breakfast
and linen included.
Sentrum Pensjonat
Tollbugaten 8
sentrumpensjonat.no
Located in central Oslo. Offers single bed in
shared rooms for 290 and private rooms. Has
a cafe on the 1st floor. Every room has a fridge
and the closest grocery store is 50m away.
Sta. Katarina hjemmet
Gjørstadg. 9
katarinahjemmet.katolsk.no
Sta. Katarina is both a guest house and a monastery
located at Majorstuen in Oslo, a 5 minute
subway ride from downtown Oslo. Does not offer
rooms for less than two days. Breakfast: 50
NOK. Offers single and double rooms. Shared
baths.
Private Accommodation
We have a list of people who rent
out rooms from their private homes.
Check out www.use-it.no for pictures,
info and booking. Prices vary
and start around 250 NOK a night
for a bed in a shared room. We do not
mean to be pessimistic but finding a
bed in Oslo for less than 200 NOK is
more or less impossible.
We strongly recommend you book in
advance.
66
67

camping
Camping is great! Fresh air and beautiful nature. When camping
in Oslo you have the advantage of camping anywhere you
want for free as long as it’s 150m from a private property.
Bogstad Camping
Ankerveien 117
bogstadcamping.no
8 kilometers from the city you find Bogstad
camping, a 30 minute bus ride from central
Oslo. The huge camping area is close to nature,
a popular bathing area, a golf course and the
forest Nordmarka – and it’s open all year. Take
bus 32 from Oslo Central Station, it stops right
outside the reception.
Tent: 180 NOK
Caravan: 270 NOK
Motor home: 255 NOK
Cabins: Varies, check out their web page.
Ekeberg Camping
Ekebergveien 65
ekebergcamping.no
The view from Ekeberg is great! When you get
bored of enjoying this spectacle you will find
a miniature golf course, soccer fields, walking
areas and horse riding nearby. This place is also
used for Norway Cup, a big soccer tournament
held in Norway. To get there you take bus 34 or
46 from Oslo Central Station.
Tent: 180 NOK
Caravan: 260 NOK
Motor home: 245 NOK
Langøyene (The Long Islands)
Langøyene
www.langoyene.no
Opposed to the other islands in the Oslo fjord,
you’re welcome to set up your tent on Langøyene.
Here you can bathe, fish and play volleyball.
Remember to check the ferries time tables
so you don’t miss the last departure. There are
several rules to take notice regarding camping
on the islands, these are some:
• Keep the tent area clean
• Do not throw garbage or damage the nature
• Do not privatize your tent area by enclosing it
• Tent or tent groups can cover max 18m2
• No excessive noise from 2300 to 0700
• Show respect to the other campers
• Open fire not allowed
• Keep at least a 3m distance from other tents
Cabins & trekking
Den Norske Turistforening
Storgata 3
www.turistforeningen.no
Den Norske Turistforening is Norways biggest
outdoor activity organization. For 135 years
they have promoted trekking. They can recommend
trekking routes and cabins for rent, both
in the forest of Oslo and in Norway in general.
Are you
enjoying
our guide
so far?
Want to help making it even better?
We are looking for volunteers to help out with our 2013 edition.
Contact us at post@ung.info
68
69

70
practical
Public transportation
Ruter is the company that runs the public transportation,
and with a ticket you can go by either
bus, subway or tram. Pre bought tickets can be
purchased at 7-Eleven, Deli De Luca and Narvesen.
If you buy single tickets from the driver
its NOK 50 for adults and NOK 25 for children/senior.
If caught without a valid ticket you
will be fined 900 NOK (or 750 NOK if paid
on the spot).
Single ticket adult: NOK 30*
Single ticket child: NOK 15*
7 day pass adult: NOK 220
7 day pass child/youth/senior: NOK 110
24 hour pass adult: NOK 75
24 hour pass child/senior: NOK 38
*Pre bought ticket Free transfer within one hour.
Note that while for most tickets you have to be
under 16 to pay a reduced fare, for a 7-day pass
you pay the reduced fare as long as it’s stamped
before your 20th birthday. This means that for
travelers under 20, a 7-day pass is usually the
most economic option as long as you’re staying
more than one night.
Pharmacy
There are many pharmacies in Oslo and they
usually follow regular opening hours. There are
two pharmacies that are open around the clock:
Exchange / money
You can exchange major currencies in almost
every bank and post office. You can also exchange
money at Forex. Both the banks and
Forex gives you approximately the same rates,
but banks charge a one-time fee of about NOK
50 for making the change, which makes Forex
a better option, in particular if you’re changing
small amounts. Forex have offices at Oslo Central
station and around the city.
Bank Axept cards are accepted in most shops.
The vast majority of shops and restaurants accepts
Visa and Mastercard as well. Diners Club
and American Express are accepted in upscale
establishments.
There are ATMs everywhere, and at all 7-Elevens
as well as most Narvesen and Deli De Luca.
Regular banking hours:
Mon-Wed, Fri 0815 – 1530, Thu 0815 – 1700,
Saturday closed.
These places have extended opening hours:
Oslo’s main Post Office
Dronningensgate 15
Oslo Central Station
Oslo S
Airport Express Terminal
With 24h automatic currency withdrawal.
The airport express train
Photo: Magnus Moholdt
Apotek1 next to the municipal casualty ward.
Vitus at Jernbanetorget, opposite the Central
Station is open 24 hours.
They charge a small additional fee at night.
Currency
The Norwegian currency is the Norwegian
Krone (abbreviated kr, nkr or
NOK. As of May 2012), 1 kr is the
smallest monetary amount. One euro
is about 7,5 kr
70
71

Internet
At the Use-It Office we have eight computers
with internet for use by budget travellers under
27. We also have free WiFi if you prefer to use
your own laptop.
Use-It Office
Møllergata 3
Offers free wireless internet as well as stationary
PCs with the ability to print. Everything’s free.
Deichmanske Library
Arne Garborgs plass 4
Offers free wifi and free terminals.
Arctic Internet café
Oslo Central Station
You have to pay, but it’s conveniently located in
the centre of Oslo.
There are also a lot of internet cafes in Storgata.
Some of these also have fax machines and you
can make cheap phone calls from here. These
cafes come and go, so instead of making an insufficient
list we’d rather advise to check it out
yourself. You can sign up for free internet either
at libraries or at the Use-It office.
Free Wireless Networks
Lots of pubs and cafés offer free WiFi
to their customers. Just ask around.
Most of the hotels in town still ask
you to buy a scratch card with a code
to access their WiFi, but an increasing
number of the hotels provide it
for free.
Telephones
Public telephones accept major credit cards as
well as 1, 5, 10 and 20 coins. You need a minimum
of 5 NOK make a call. Norwegian telephone
cards are called Telekort and can be purchased
at kiosks. In Brugata and at Grønland
you’ll find many small shops where you can buy
international phone cards as well. If you intend
to talk for a long time, these phone cards are
worth buying.
If staying in Norway for more than a few days,
it’s usually a good idea purchasing a pre-paid
SIM card for your cell phone. This makes it
cheaper for you to call, and also cheaper and
easier for your Norwegian contacts to call you
back. Pre-paid cards can be purchased at most
7-eleven and Narvesen as well as stores selling
mobile phones and equipment such as Clas
Ohlson, Elkjøp and Expert.
At the Use-It Office you can make domestic
phone calls for free.
Calling to Norway? The country code is 0047.
Collect calls: 115 (abroad), 117 (Norway) You
can make collect calls from all public telephones.
Directory enquiries: 1881 / 1882 (international
numbers). NB! Inquiry service is very expensive
from a public pay phone!
Tourist information
Use-It is the number one choice for budget travellers
in Oslo. The staff and contributors of the
Streetwise guide offer free information, free internet,
free phone calls and free luggage storage.
Sounds to good to be true? As an organization
funded by the municipality, we have no commercial
interests and will not try to charge you
commissions or push you in the direction of our
uncle’s restaurant. We just want to make your
stay in Oslo a pleasant one!
Use-It Office
Møllergata 3
It’s us! The youth information center that creates
Streetwise and acts as a tourist information
for young travelers. We offer eight computers
on which you can write, read and print with.
You can store your luggage here up to 12 days(!).
We give information and tips about the city that
you probably won’t get elsewhere. We have hiking
maps, maps of the city and guides to other
cities within the Use-It Europe network. The
best thing about this is that it’s all for free! We
do have an age limit though, so if you’re under
27 you’re welcome. If you are over 27 feel free to
drop by and pick up our free Streetwise guide,
but if it’s a busy day we cannot guarantee we
have time to answer questions.
Oslo Tourist Information Centre
Fridtjof Nansens Plass 5
Situated by the City Hall of Oslo you will find
one of the two tourist information centers.
They have lots of guides with information from
all of Norway. A great way to get more information
if you are considering leaving Oslo to
explore more of the country.
Tourist Information
Oslo Central Station
Situated inside the big clock tower right outside
Oslo Central Station you’ll find the smaller
Tourist Information. They give information
primarely about Oslo, but they also carry some
guides about the rest of Norway as well.
Lost and found
Police Station
Grønlandsleiret 44
22 66 98 65
Mon-fri: 08:15 - 14:30
Lost and Found trains
Oslo Central Station
23 15 40 47
Mon-fri 07:00 - 16:45
Lost and Found buses/subway/trams
Ruter As Hittegodskontoret
Nationaltheatret (Metro station)
Laundry
Billig Vask & Rens
Ullevålsveien 15
Cafe Laundromat
Underhaugsveien 2
Arguably one of the few ways to pamper yourself
while doing the laundry. Put the clothes in,
order a lunch or a drink and sit back relax with
your favourite magazine while the machine is
doing your dirty work.
Snarvask Vu Thi Minh Nguyet
Thorvald Meyers gate 18
Vask-Service
Sannergata 25
72
73

Medical assistance
Casualty clinic
Legevakten (Municipal Casualty Ward)
Storgata 40
22 93 22 93
Open 24 hours
Emergency Dental Treatment
Tannlegevakten Tøyen Senter
Kolstadgata 18
22 67 30 00
Weekdays 11:00 - 14.00 and 19:00 - 10:00
In case of emergencies
Free of charge from any public telephone. Keep
in mind that these are emergency numbers only.
Fire: 110
Police: 112
Ambulance: 113
Bike rental
Skiservice AS
Tomm Murstadbakken 2
22 13 95 00
www.skiservice.no
Oslo Bysykkel (Oslo city bike)
815 00 250
Bysykkelservice@clearchannel.no
Mon - fri 08:00 – 18:00
There are bike stands located at different places
in Oslo where you can borrow a city bike. Residents
of Oslo pay 90 NOK for an annual subscription
permitting unlimited use of the bikes,
but visitors have to rent a card from one of the
tourist information offices located at Trafikanten,
Oslo Central station or at Fritjof Nansens
plass (next to the city hall).
Follow the instructions provided at the end of
each stand. The bikes may be returned to any
stand in the city. You can keep the bike for up
to three hours, although you can rent a new one
immediately after returning it, meaning you
can effectively keep the bike all day as long as
you check-in and check-out at a bike stand every
three hours. The bikes are available between
0600 and 2400. If you get a bike before 2400
you can keep it until your three hours are up,
even if it means you’ll return it after midnight.
Google translate
Many of the norwegian websites today
are not translated. Fortunately, with
google translate it’s never been easier.
You can even translate whole websites
using google translate. Just follow
these steps:
1. Go to translate.google.com
2. Choose the language your translating
from, in this case Norwegian.
And choose your prefered translated
language.
3. In the empty textbox, just write in
the URL of the site you wish to translate,
like www.kultoslo.no (remember
to use “www.” in front so it knows it’s
a website). A new link will now appear
in the right textbox, click it and view
the entire site translated.
Leaving by air
In terms of square meters, Norway is huge.
Sometimes the most convenient way to travel
in Norway is by plane. Check out these companies:
Norwegian
www.norwegian.no
Norway’s low fare airline has a large network
of both domestic and international departures.
Service level is one notch above the dirt-cheap
carriers like Ryanair, and Norwegian usually
serves major airports instead of the ones 200
miles away from the city center. While usually
the cheapest option it’s always worth checking
alternatives.
Sas
www.sas.no
SAS is a very reliable airline, and although the
average price is usually above Norwegian, it’s
worth checking both airlines. Luggage and
credit card fees are included in the ticket price,
and they throw in a free breakfast on domestic
flights departing before 9 AM. With SAS you
can cancel a ticket bought online within 24
hours for a full refund.
leaving oslo
So it’s time to get back home, you’ve seen what needs to be seen
and hopefully you’ve got tons of memories and experiences to
dwell on while you’re getting there.
Widerøe
www.wideroe.no
Norway has a unique network of short runway
airports (“Stolports”). These airports are usually
served by Widerøe, but occasionally by other
carriers. During the summer months Widerøe
offers a 14-day fly-as-much-as-you-want ticket.
If you fancy two weeks off the beaten track in
the scarcely populated areas of rural Norway,
this can be a real bargain, starting at 2775
NOK.
Agents
For travel agents specializing in youth and
student tickets, see www.kilroytravels.no or
www.startravel.no
Before take off
Oslo has three airports; Torp, Rygge and the
main airport Gardermoen. Gardermoen is closest
to the city; 18 minutes with the Airport Express
Train. Torp is one hour east of Oslo (the
bus takes about an hour and 45 minutes) and
Rygge is about two hours west. Remember this
when booking flights late in the evening.
All major airline companies fly to Gardermoen.
Low price companies like Wizz Air and Ryan
Air fly to Torp.
74
75

Gardermoen Airport
Airport Express Train
www.flytoget.no
(19-22 mins, students 85 kr, adults 170 kr)
Regular train
www.nsb.no
(26-37 mins, all passengers 110 kr)
Airport buses
www.flybussen.no
www.flybussekspressen.no
(convenient from eastern outskirts of Oslo)
Torp Airport
Airport bus
www.torpekspressen.no
(1h 45 mins, one-way: adults 200 kr. Return:
adults 340 kr, students 300 kr)
Train
www.nsb.no
(1h 45 mins, students 176, adults 234. Discounted
adult tickets at 199 kr are usually available
if bought the day before departure or earlier)
A shuttlebus between Torp Train Station
and Torp Airport is included in the train ticket.
Rygge Airport
Airport bus
www.ryggeekspressen.no
(1 hour, one-way: adults 140 kr. Return: adults
250 kr, students 210 kr)
Train
www.nsb.no
(50 mins, students 108 kr, adults 144 kr)
A shuttlebus between Rygge Train Station and
Rygge Airport is included in the train ticket.
Leaving by train
Train tickets are cheaper if bought before
boarding the train. You can buy train tickets
at machines or ticket desks at the stations. For
long-distance trains you can also purchase tickets
over the internet, which is by far the easiest
way. When you book online, and you’ve paid
for your ticket, you are given a seat reference
on the specific train you’re taking. All you have
to do is board the train, sit in your designated
seat and you will recieve your ticket by showing
your ID.
On overnight trains sleeping compartments
are available for 850 kr per compartment. One
compartment can accommodate two people,
but you can’t pay for a single bed, so if you travel
alone you have to buy a compartment for yourself.
Alternatively, opt for a night in the seat and
NSB will provide you with a complimentary
blanket, eye-mask and earplugs. Or visit the onboard
restaurant which is open all night long
– often a good place to meet fellow travellers or
pick up stories from strangers over a beer.
Discounted tickets called “minipris” starts at
199 NOK and are available on all lines. The 199
NOK tickets are scarce, but more discounted
tickets are available at 299, 399 or 499 NOK.
There are no refunds for these tickets and the
minipris tickets can be used on the specified
departure only. Minipris is not available on the
day of departure.
A student discount is available on regular tickets,
but Minipris is usually the cheapest option.
If travelling on local trains to the suburbs of
Oslo, you will get a discount if you hold a valid
ticket for transportation within Oslo municipality.
For trains to Sweden NSB operates the line to
Gothenburg, while the Swedish state railway SJ
operates the trains to Karlstad and Stockholm.
SJ has a ticket vending machine on Oslo Central
Station and tickets can be purchased online
at www.sj.se.
Oslo Central Station
Oslo S
www.oslo-s.no
All trains depart from Oslo Central Station, but
you can also catch most trains from Nationaltheateret
Station.
NSB
www.nsb.no
NSB is Norway’s national railway company.
Leaving by bus
Bussterminalen
Oslo S
23 00 24 00
www.rutebok.no
All buses depart from Bussterminalen, located
in central Oslo. Here you can catch everything
from local buses that serves Oslo and its surrounding
areas, to buses headed for central
Europe.
Bus companies
The National railway company does not cover
the whole of Norway. Therefore Nor-Way
Bussekspress is a great supplement.
NOR-WAY Bussekspress
www.nor-way.no
815 44 444
These Swedish bus companies are affordable
and they travel far and wide:
Swebus
www.swebusexpress.se
800 58 444
GoByBus
www.gobybus.se
815 66 010
bus4you
www.bus4you.se
Eurolines
www.eurolines.no
Eurolines also has tri-weekly departures to Copenhagen.
Leaving by boat
There have been ferries bound for Denmark and
Germany for a long time. At some point they
stopped being sheer instruments of transportation
and turned into party-boats. These are safe
and efficient means of transportation, but be
prepared for more or less everything (although
your cabin will be a quiet retreat). Return tickets
are sometimes cheaper than one-way tickets.
DFDS
www.dfds.no
21 62 13 40
Oslo – Copenhagen
Stena line
www.stenaline.no
02 010
Oslo – Fredrikshavn
Color Line
www.colorline.no
810 00 811
Oslo – Hirtshals/Oslo – Kiel/Larvik – Fredrikshavn.
76
77

DOWNTOWN
78
79

grünerløkka
grønland
80
81

oslo
82
83

FIND US IN MØLLERGATA 3