Need help planning Norway land portion after cruise

[Pearl64]

I have been reading and reading and am getting very confused. We will be on a Baltic cruise ending in Stockholm in very early September. We want to spend about 6 days touring Norway afterwards. We will fly back to the US from Oslo. Flying out of Bergen meant too many legs to get home. I am asking advice about planning this trip. We want to spend 1 day in Oslo. I think by then big cities will be just that big cities and will want some of the smaller towns instead. Going to another art museum or large historical ones with the exception of the Nobel Peace Prize one would probably be overload after doing the rest of the Baltic. Scenic drives would be perfect. I am thinking of going from Stockholm immediately to Bergen on the day the cruise ends--say 4 or 5 in the afternoon. That would give us about 1.5 days in Stockholm.

 

Dilemma #1: Should we fly to Bergen or take the train? Is the train ride scenic enough to do this? We could stay one night in Stockholm if the train is scenic.

 

Dilemma #2: Can we use Bergen as our base or are there other options? We want to see some stave churches plus fjords. I have no idea which fjords are the must see ones. I keep reading and get very confused with all of the options. We also prefer to do this "on our own" and don't want to be part of a narrated tour. We don't mind having the transportation organized but what it flexible as to what we do when. I have read posts on this board but most have to do with those on a cruise. I have read some about the Norway in a Nutshell but that too has me very confused.

 

Dilemma #3: Can all of this be done via plane/train/public transportation or do we need to rent a car for part of this? Each of us will have 1 check through bag(wheeled) plus one carryon. I had even thought about taking a flight through Oslo to Bergen and putting some of our luggage in a locker if those are available. We could reduce our luggage by half.

 

Dilemma #4: Would it be better to fly into Bergen or Oslo from Stockholm? I checked Kayak. Can get a late afternoon flight from Stockholm to Oslo for $78 on SAS or to Bergen from Stockholm on SAS for $172 or Norwegian for $98. Have no clue about Norwegian airlines. The times are right. I don't know about the cost compared to the train. Air is going to be quicker.

 

Dilemma #5: What about this Fjord card that you pay a fee and you can get hotels cheaper? Is it worth it? Is early September still high tourist season? or should prices be a little cheaper (I know cheap and Norway do not mix)?

 

Possible itinerary:

th: get off cruise ship in am-spend some time in Stockholm-take train or flight to Bergen

 

f-s-su-m: seeing Bergen and fjords

 

t: return to Oslo in afternoon via train.

 

w: Oslo

 

th: fly home to USA

 

Sorry for so many questions but I really need to get started on this portion of our trip. Thank you all in advance for all of your help.

 

Pearl

[kaisatsu]

Dilemma #1: Should we fly to Bergen or take the train? Is the train ride scenic enough to do this? We could stay one night in Stockholm if the train is scenic.

The train from Stockholm is pretty much an overnight trip, so not much in the way of scenery. However, the train from Oslo to Bergen is often considered one of the most scenic in the world. You may want to consider flying to Oslo and catching the train from there to Bergen. Or you could take the train back to Oslo from Bergen (or do the Norway in a Nutshell tour, which includes the most scenic parts of the rail journey along with Flåm and the ferry through Nærøyfjord).

 

Dilemma #2: Can we use Bergen as our base or are there other options? We want to see some stave churches plus fjords. I have no idea which fjords are the must see ones. I keep reading and get very confused with all of the options. We also prefer to do this "on our own" and don't want to be part of a narrated tour. We don't mind having the transportation organized but what it flexible as to what we do when. I have read posts on this board but most have to do with those on a cruise. I have read some about the Norway in a Nutshell but that too has me very confused.

You can definitely visit fjords and stave churches from Bergen. I'm not sure how to get to some of the stave churches in that area, but I believe there are some nearby. FYI - There's also a rebuilt stave church in the outdoor Nowegian Folk Museum in Oslo if you can't find a way to fit it into your trip elsewhere.

 

You can use public transportation (ferries, trains, etc) to visit Sognefjord (location of Flåm, where the famous tourist train is). The two UNESCO-listed fjords are Nærøyfjord and Geirangerfjord. Nærøyfjord is a branch of of Sognefjord near Flåm (the part of the fjord that leads to Gudvangen, if you look at a map). Nærøyfjord is notable for being very narrow with very steep walls. I believe they may be the steepest fjord walls in the world, though I'm not 100% sure about that. Geirangerfjord is probably the most famous fjord, and many people's must-see, because of the scenery. It's a mountainous area, and there are some large waterfalls along the fjord. The town of Geiranger also has a lot of scenic overlooks that are the source of some of the most famous fjord views.

 

I would say Geiranger is probably better, but if you're only spending a few days and don't want to make the trip, Nærøyfjord is also very iconic fjord scenery. Since you mention scenic drives, if you have the time, you might consider looking into driving up to Geiranger. The Trollstigen, or "Troll's Road" is in that area (Nat'l Road 63 near Rauma) and is the most famous scenic drive in Norway. I can't verify that though, since we've not yet been.

 

The Norway in a Nutshell Tour isn't really a tour so much as a ticket-purchasing service for the most popular tourist routes. The entire trip is on public transportation (trains, ferry, bus) but the package includes all your tickets purchased in advance in one go, and there are some signs pointing everyone in the right direction along the way. It's completely possible to follow the same route on your own, but the Nutshell package is simply convenient for people coming from overseas. On the Oslo-Bergen or Bergen-Oslo route, you can save about 25% if you book it on your own and get the discounted advance rail tickets, but I'm not sure how the price compares on the Bergen roundtrip option. If you're interested, I wrote a detailed account of our Oslo-Bergen trip along the Nutshell route.

 

Dilemma #3: Can all of this be done via plane/train/public transportation or do we need to rent a car for part of this? Each of us will have 1 check through bag(wheeled) plus one carryon. I had even thought about taking a flight through Oslo to Bergen and putting some of our luggage in a locker if those are available. We could reduce our luggage by half.

I'm not sure if the stave churches around Bergen are accessible by public transportation or not. You can see most of Bergen in 2 days (even using public transportation to get to places like Grieg's estate out of town), so if you want to spend more time there and see more of the scenery, you would probably want a car.

 

As for the lugage, traveling the Nutshell route, people definitely carry luggage, so it would depend on how easy it is for you to manage. If the carryon is also a wheeled bag, you might find it difficult to maneuver them both, but it's really up to you. If you spent a night in Oslo at either end, you might be able to store your extra bags at the hotel while you're in Bergen.

 

Dilemma #4: Would it be better to fly into Bergen or Oslo from Stockholm? I checked Kayak. Can get a late afternoon flight from Stockholm to Oslo for $78 on SAS or to Bergen from Stockholm on SAS for $172 or Norwegian for $98. Have no clue about Norwegian airlines. The times are right. I don't know about the cost compared to the train. Air is going to be quicker.

Norwegian is actually a pretty good airline. The service is comparable to SAS on those routes (pay for food/drinks on both carriers). Norwegian does charge a luggage fee, but it's not too much (55 NOK/bag). FYI - SAS does not give out frequent flier miles on domestic flights within Norway, and for low-fare tickets, the number of miles is reduced, so last time I flew Stockholm-Oslo I earned a whopping 60 miles).

 

Dilemma #5: What about this Fjord card that you pay a fee and you can get hotels cheaper? Is it worth it? Is early September still high tourist season? or should prices be a little cheaper (I know cheap and Norway do not mix)?

Early September is after tourist season, and some tourist areas (like the ferry in Flåm) will be operating on a reduced off-season schedule. I don't know about the Fjord card, though.

 

Hope this helps!

-Meg

[TLCOhio]

Meg, as always, offered some excellent suggestions and options. Flying from Stockholm to Bergen might be a good potential to consider to improve your time-efficency.

 

We are doing a July 1-16 cruise along the whole Norway Coast up to the North Cap, etc. From a base in Bergen, you can see some things around there. But it is not as easy, with the limited rail and bus and car travel along that coast, to see as much of these coastal areas that well, that quickly. We have not yet visited Bergen and the fjords, yet, but it appears, that you will have to settle for a smaller sampler there, combined with your time in Oslo. Norway is big and diverse country. It's hard to do it all or even half of it in just six days. Below are visual previews for what you can enjoy in Oslo.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

The main, historic fortress where many cruise ships dock in Oslo:

 

 

 

At the National Museum in Oslo, there is Munch art, including his famed Scream:

 

 

 

Vigeland Park has a wide variety of wonderful outdoor sculptures in a wonderful setting:

 

 

 

Oslo’s City Hall exterior and interior. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded here annually:

 

 

 

 

 

Nice Oslo park, water feature in the heart of the shopping area:

 

[Pearl64]

Thank you, kaisatsu! I was hoping you would respond. I have been reading a lot of your posts and they are very informative. I need to get a more detailed map of Norway so I know where I am going. I have sent for one from the toursit bureau but who knows how long that will take.

 

I am glad to know of the train part from Oslo to Bergen. We will make certain that part is in the daylight. Maybe we could just rent a car for a couple of days from Bergen. Thank you for helping to clarify some of the fjord info.

 

I am glad to hear that Norwegian airlines is not a bad one. That may be our best option and the price isn't too bad.

 

I am sure I will have more questions. I have saved all the Norway info into one file so I can find it when I need to.

 

Again, thanks.

Pearl

[Pearl64]

Thank you, TLCOhio, my western neighbor! Your reply came up when I was responding to Meg. I always appreciate your pictures. Yes, I know we could spend a lot of time in Norway but after a two week cruise a week is about all we can spend. I will peruse all the info thus far and thanks again. Have fun on your Norwegian cruise.

 

Pearl

[TLCOhio]

Thank you, TLCOhio, my western neighbor! Your reply came up when I was responding to Meg. I always appreciate your pictures. Yes, I know we could spend a lot of time in Norway but after a two week cruise a week is about all we can spend. I will peruse all the info thus far and thanks again. Have fun on your Norwegian cruise. Pearl

 

THANKS, Pearl, for the nice comments from our eastern neighbor! Keep reading and researching. Plus, asking questions. It really helps make it "ALL" come together when you are there. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[kaisatsu]

I need to get a more detailed map of Norway so I know where I am going. I have sent for one from the toursit bureau but who knows how long that will take.

In the meantime, Google Maps has pretty good detailed coverage of Norway. And www.visitnorway.com has a map with some of the tourist highlights marked, including some of the scenic roads.

 

You can also check out the websites for some of the specific areas, such as:

Bergen (www.visitbergen.com) and Sognefjord (www.sognefjord.no).

[Lair Bear]

Pearl, you are planning the same trip that we had in mind two years ago. The Regatta dropped us off for a two night stay in Stockholm and I thought it would be interesting to then take a flight to Oslo, the train to Voss and then by boat through the fjords from Gudvangen to Bergen. After a couple days there we would fly back home from Bergen.

However, we decided the logistics and extra cost was too much and so Norway will be done some other time.

 

Could you do me a favor? When you have your plans together or better yet, after your trip, would you drop me a note to let us know how it went?

[Pearl64]

I will definitely send you our itinerary and what we did and how it worked out. This is a must see for my husband. The compromise was to do a Baltic cruise and then a week in Norway. All in all the trip will be about 3.5 weeks with getting there and back. Budget Budget Budget! I usually can make it work but the hours I spend trying to pull everything together are many. I think we are taking the same cruise you did. I have London, Brugge, Amsterdam, Warnemunde, and SPB figured out. I figured the other ports could wait until I got the Norway portion figured out.

 

Right now I am trying to decide whether to fly to Bergen or Oslo from Stockholm. Kaisatsu has given us a wealth of information that I am trying to figure out. I most definitely will communicate with you about our plans. I have your webpage bookmarked so I should be able to do this without a problem.

 

I do want to thank you for all your help as well as Ine's figuring out Amsterdam with the Sail Amsterdam. We (group of 8) decided to hire the taxi for 8 hours and see AF, the Zaanse Schans, and possiby a canal ride. The manager of the taxi company said we would also get a tour of Amsterdam and even possibly depending on time and traffic the other town along the "river" you mentioned. I can't thank you enough.

 

I hope everything works out. Time will tell, and if it doesn't, it will be an adventure. As a teacher, I always had to have Plans B, C, D, etc. Again, thank you for all of your help.

 

Pearl

[ljwobker]

Pearl- my wife and I spent a week land touring in Norway last summer. it's a truly amazing place and you will have a fantastic time. Some thoughts:

 

1) Norway is expensive, there is no way around this. You can mitigate to some extent but be prepared for significant sticker-shock on everything you buy. We had excellent luck with smaller hotels and hostels .. try http://www.hihostels.com for a list of options. Athough expensive, one of the greatest parts about scandinavia is that virtually everywhere you go is guaranteed to be clean, friendly, and safe. Also realize that "youth hostels" are not in any way exclusive to youth -- they basically operate as regular hotels.

 

2) transport: public transport is well developed in norway, but in and around the fjords you will have far more access to things with your own car. The wife and I rented a very small car (that got excellent mileage, at $10/gallon this really adds up) and basically just drove around looking at things. The train from Oslo to Bergen is incredibly scenic, but takes time. I think you're fine either way (flying into BGO vs the train from Oslo) but there are tradeoffs...

 

3) Norwegian airlines is a perfectly safe/normal/modern operation, you can treat them as you would any other major airline.

 

Realize that "seeing the fjords" is sort of like "seeing the american southwest" -- it's way way way too much stuff to do in one trip, even if that trip were a month long! Just get a good guide book (we used and liked the Rough Guide for Norway) and you can pick a few things that you like...

 

but again, pretty much anywhere in that part of the world that you visit is going to be beautiful. It's really really hard to go wrong in that part of the world, and you're going to get 3 amazing days no matter what, so just go for it.

[Pearl64]

Thank you for your info, ljwobker! I am glad that this is doable. Could you be more specific as to your itinerary? I am leaning towards flying into Bergen on an evening flight from Stockholm. Then the following day pick up the rental car and heading to the fjords. I need to know if you followed any of the Norway in a Nutshell. Specifically, where was your base and where did you leave the rental car as you went on the train, bus, boats along the fjords. That is the part that is most confusing to me. I thought about 4 days in the fjords and then head back to Bergen and then take the train the following morning to Oslo. spend a day there, and then fly home the next day.

 

I would like some specific places you stayed and how you worked the car rental and from whom. I don't think you are permitted to say on thie thread--rules-- but if you could email me at cbmppm@comast.net I would appreciate it.

 

Thanks.

Pearl

[smalltowner]

Hello Pearl:

We are going to be boarding the ship you disembark from on Sept. 2, and are planning 9 days in Norway before the cruise. Like you, I've spent many hours on my computer tryng to figure out the best (and least expensive) plan. In case it will help you, this is what we are doing.

 

We will fly into Oslo (and then on to Sweden later), and take the train from the airport into the city. We booked a place called the Frogner Apartments, which will allow us to self-cater, saving money on restaurant meals. We'll stay there for 2 nights, one for jet-lag recovery (we're arriving from Canada) and one to give us a day to explore Oslo. Then, we're renting a car for 7 days. It's more expensive to rent a car there than in North America, but compared to the price of accommodation, the car wasn't that bad. We can pick it up at a downtown hotel location. I did look at the Norway in a Nutshell tour, but it seemed too regimented for us, and I didn't want to haul luggage.

 

Our plan is to drive right to Laerdal, on the Sognefjord, the first day, a 5 hour drive, not including stops for sightseeing (the Borgund Stave Church, for example). We'll stay there for 2 nights, and spend the next day driving the "snow road" to Aurland as a day trip, and doing some hiking, as well as looking at whatever attractions appeal to us (weather could also influence plans of course). I discovered that campgrounds usually have tourist cabins for rent, and that's what I'm looking into for accommodation for us. The cost is less than hotels, sometimes even less than hostels, and you have privacy and self-catering facilities. For most of them, the price will be reduced when you are there, because it's the shoulder season. At first I was planning a 1 night here, 1 night there, travel every day itinerary, but then I changed because for the cabins there is a fee for bed linens and towels (hostels charge for this also) and also for cleaning when you leave. If you only stay one night in each place you have to pay again and again for those services. I might take my own old sheets and some threadbare towels, and just leave them behind at the end, but maybe I'm not that cheap!

 

After that we'll head to Gerainger, (4 hours driving) and spend 3 nights in a cabin right on the fjord. Here we can hike, rent a boat or kayak, fish, or whatever. When we leave Gerainger, we'll take the car ferry to Hellesylt, which gives us a "fjord cruise", then drive to Alesund for lunch and a look-around before driving route 63, the Trollstigen, to get to Andalsnes (altogether about a 3.5 hour drive, plus ferry time). I have a cabin booked for that night that's located along the Trollvegen just south of Andalsnes.

 

The next day we'll drive to the Gardermoen Airport area, stay in a nice hotel, and go out to dinner. In the morning we'll return the car to the airport location, and fly to Stockholm. You'll notice that we aren't going to Bergen. At first it was on the itinerary, but there just isn't enough time for everything, and since the cruise will be all city ports, we thought we'd concentrate on the fjords and mountains while in Norway. If you want any specific info not allowed on this forum, please feel free to email me at pendaub@yahoo.ca. Hope this long description might be helpful to you. Enjoy your trip!

[Pearl64]

Thank you, smalltowner. I will probably contact you via your email address you gave. I need to look at a map and see where your itinerary takes you.

 

The flight to Bergen is more covenient and cheaper than Oslo from Stockholm, but I will check out your options as well.

 

Also, ljwobker, I goofed with my email address. My brain got ahead of my fingers. Here is the correct one: cbmppm@comcast.net

 

Much work to do on this portion of our trip.

 

Pearl

[Pearl64]

I have done a lot of reading and gotten suggestions for our one week tour of Norway after our cruise. I am trying not to backtrack and also be efficient with time. Briefly to reiterate our timing: We depart our cruise in Stockholm on September 2 and are planning on flying via SAS to Oslo later that day so to maximize our two days in Stockholm. Stay overnight in Oslo and spend the next day and night in Oslo. Then take the train to Mrydal and the Flamsbana to Flan. If time, take the cruise down the Naeroyfjord. Stay that night in the Flan area. The next day take the boat to Balestrand and then rent a car there. I think this is a Sunday and don't know if that would cause problems either with the boat or the car rental pickup. We would spend two nights in the Balestrand area to see the upper portion of the Sognefjord. Then head up to the Geiranger Fjord for two nights before heading towards Oslo (possibly Hamar) to spend the night before our late morning flight to the US.

 

Problems with this itinerary? Also, does anyone know about the Fjord Pass and is it worth the money?

 

Another question is where in Oslo does the train to Myrdal depart? We would want to be fairly near that departure point when choosing a hotel.

 

Another question: Is there someplace at the airport where we can store extra luggage for a week while we tour Norway? It would make life a lot easier.

 

For our day in Oslo, is it possible to see Vigeland Park (I know there is another name for this but can't find it right now), the Viking Museum, the Resistance Museum, the outdoor folk museum, the Nobel Peace museum, and possible the Munch museum? We could delete the Munch museum if time was short. Also would the Oslo Pass or similar pass be worth it for us. We could time the 24 hours to start the morning after our arrival as I don't think any pass covers going to and from the airport. That way we could get to the train station to get us to Mrydal.

 

Thanks to all you Norway experts out there, especially smalltower(have not totally ruled our your itinerary), ijwobker, and kaisatsu!

 

Pearl

[Destin Mom]

Hi Pearl64. Love your questions as we have the exact same ones. Doing a baltics cruise with 10 days of land travel in Norway on the back end. My eyes were glazing over during our planning- I think it has something to do with the foreign (to us) letters and words. There are so many great options. We leave July 5th- returning at the end of the month. I will try to take some good notes and post for you when we get back.

 

We went back and forth on Bergen, the car, public transport, etc. Ended up doing a car from Oslo and will be flying out of Bergen which added an extra connection in Amsterdam. We were okay with this as we opted for a 6 hour layover in Amsterdam to give us time to go into the city and see a few sights of interest. We may regret this later but sounded like fun at the time.

 

Best of luck with your trip plans!

[kaisatsu]

I have done a lot of reading and gotten suggestions for our one week tour of Norway after our cruise. I am trying not to backtrack and also be efficient with time. Briefly to reiterate our timing: We depart our cruise in Stockholm on September 2 and are planning on flying via SAS to Oslo later that day so to maximize our two days in Stockholm. Stay overnight in Oslo and spend the next day and night in Oslo. Then take the train to Mrydal and the Flamsbana to Flan. If time, take the cruise down the Naeroyfjord. Stay that night in the Flan area. The next day take the boat to Balestrand and then rent a car there. I think this is a Sunday and don't know if that would cause problems either with the boat or the car rental pickup.

The ferry schedule is often different on Sundays, so that's something you might want to look into. Also, there might be issues with the car rental pickup. I would contact the agency you're planning to use and ask if they'll be open. I've found that Norwegian offices are extremely good at responding to email inquiries.

 

We would spend two nights in the Balestrand area to see the upper portion of the Sognefjord. Then head up to the Geiranger Fjord for two nights before heading towards Oslo (possibly Hamar) to spend the night before our late morning flight to the US.

 

Problems with this itinerary? Also, does anyone know about the Fjord Pass and is it worth the money?

I'm not extremely familiar with the area, since we've only visited a few times, but I don't see any huge issues. And I'm not sure about the Fjord Pass. Our trips have been pretty short, and it didn't really make sense for us. I would look into what hotels, etc. are covered to see if it aligns with the style of your plans.

 

Also, you might try posting on the Lonely Planet forums. There are a lot of people who do extended independent land trips around western Norway, so they might have more expertise and experience to share! And since Norway is rather expensive, there's usually a good mix of demographics represented on the Norway threads (rather than just the low-budget backpacker types).

 

Another question is where in Oslo does the train to Myrdal depart? We would want to be fairly near that departure point when choosing a hotel.

The train leaves from the central train station Oslo S. It's right downtown, so most of the downtown hotels would be reasonably close. It's toward the east side of town, so hotels to the far west (in Frogner, etc) would require a tram or bus trip. And the area to the east of the station is considered the immigrant neighborhood and not the nicest part of town to stay in (lively but a bit dirty). I would recommend trying to stay somewhere close to Karl Johans gate as you'd be centrally located and the station is at the eastern end.

 

If you want to stay extremely close to the station, the Scandic Byporten hotel is actually attached to the station itself. It's the only hotel we've stayed at in town (the night we moved here, since we arrived around midnight). The room was adequate but quite small, and they had a very good breakfast buffet.

 

Also within a block of the station are: the Thon Hotel Opera, the Radisson SAS Plaza, the Clarion Royal Christiania, and the Thon Hotel Terminus among many others.

 

Another question: Is there someplace at the airport where we can store extra luggage for a week while we tour Norway? It would make life a lot easier.

As mentioned, there is a left luggage at the end of the arrivals hall opposite the train connections. Turn left when you exit customs and it's at the far end, shared with Lost & Found.

 

For our day in Oslo, is it possible to see Vigeland Park (I know there is another name for this but can't find it right now), the Viking Museum, the Resistance Museum, the outdoor folk museum, the Nobel Peace museum, and possible the Munch museum? We could delete the Munch museum if time was short. Also would the Oslo Pass or similar pass be worth it for us. We could time the 24 hours to start the morning after our arrival as I don't think any pass covers going to and from the airport. That way we could get to the train station to get us to Mrydal.

The other name for Vigelands Park is Frogner Park. Vigelands Park is the area within Frogner Park that houses Vigeland's works and is really the primary draw of the park for visitors. The rest of the park is grassy areas, ponds, and walking paths frequented by the locals in good - no, make that "all" - weather!

 

I think you could probably fit them all in, but it depends on how much time you want to spend at each.

 

The Viking Ships (I assume that's what you mean?) and the Folk Museum are right next door to each other. The Viking Ships doesn't take too long as the exhibit is limited to the ships and related archaeological remains from the same sites. The Folk Museum is a pleasant place to walk around in good weather, and there are some interesting cultural exhibits inside a few of the buildings. In September, the living history displays may be limited as it's after peak season.

 

The Nobel Peace Center isn't especially big, and the time spent really depends on your interest in the two temporary exhibits and the laureates themselves. There is extensive information about each laureate in their digital exhibits, but most visitors are more interested in the interesting high-tech exhibits themselves! (Don't miss the "magic book" that explains the life and history of Alfred Nobel!)

 

It's a short walk from the Nobel Peace Center to the Resistance Museum in nearby Akershus Fortress. The museum has extensive text displays, so it can take a while to read through them all if you plan to.

 

Personally, I don't recommend the Munch Museum unless you're extremely interested in Munch and his work. The museum is a bit out of the way, and there is a good Munch collection at the National Gallery downtown that includes the famous The Scream. It also houses a nice variety of 15 or so of Munch's other works as well as a lot of other Norwegian artists and a few pieces by Europe's big names.

 

Since you have all day, I would save Vigelands Park for the end of the day, since it doesn't close like the museums do. In September, it will still be light until around 8pm, so you should have plenty of time to explore the park. (And of course, if you're a morning person, you can get up with the sun around 6am and visit before the museums open!)

 

24-hour transit pass ... 70 NOK

Viking Ships ... 60 NOK

Folk Museum ... 100 NOK

Nobel Peace Center ... 80 NOK

Resistance Museum ... 30 NOK

Munch Museum ... 75 NOK

Vigelands Park ... free

The Oslo Pass is 230 NOK, so if you do plan to visit most of those sites, it will work out cheaper. If you stay near the train station, you can buy it at the Trafikanten (transit) and tourist office right in front of the station.

[Pearl64]

Thank you so much. I did try to see if there were seats available on the Oslo to Myrdal train, but I was unable to do so. All dates from July 12 on were not highlighted so I could not go any further. It could be that the tickets are not onsale yet. I did send an email to the train but have yet to hear a response.

 

I will need to check out the Lonely Planet site. I did buy their book but it is still daunting to sort out all of the info. I have used three books to compile my hotels: Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, and Rough Guides.

 

Thanks also to the heads up about going through passport control as far as food is concerned. Are there restrooms after passport control? I like the idea of getting wine for our land trip.

 

Thanks for taking the time after your trip to answer my questions. I am sure I will have more as it gets closer to our August trip.

Pearl

[kaisatsu]

The train tickets only go on sale a few months before the trip. Three maybe? I would recommend trying to book them as soon as they go on sale, because there are a certain number of "Minipris" tickets for each train that are sold at a flat rate, which can be a significant discount on longer trips. On a route like Oslo-Myrdal that usually costs over 600 NOK, the 199 or 299 NOK discount tickets can save you quite a bit if you can get them!

 

At the airport, there are definitely bathrooms on the far side of passport control. However, sometimes the gate itself is set up so that they swipe your boarding pass and process your documents before you sit down. In that case, you have to ask the gate staff to let you go back out of the seating area to use the bathroom. So if there's a restricted seating area and someone scanning boarding passes before you sit down, you should probably use the bathroom first. (This process could have changed, because it's been over a year since we've taken that flight. I got tired of connecting in Newark, since re-booking can be a nightmare when there are weather delays in the NY area.)

[Master Tom]

They alway put out their tickets for sale 3 months ahead and sometimes -2/3 days :)

Recomend that you start looking for the tickets when you got 3 months left to you're trip :)