Oslo

[bayjoens]

We are on the Star Princess in Oslo on a Monday from 7am-2p and we would like to see Vigelands Park, the Viking Ship Museum and The Scream. We would go to the Nat'l Gallery but it is closed on Mondays. Can we do this on public transportation?

 

We are a fairly large group, moving around, about 16-18 people, so taxis are difficult.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[TheGenie]

We are on the Star Princess in Oslo on a Monday from 7am-2p and we would like to see Vigelands Park, the Viking Ship Museum and The Scream. We would go to the Nat'l Gallery but it is closed on Mondays. Can we do this on public transportation?

 

We are a fairly large group, moving around, about 16-18 people, so taxis are difficult.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Here are notes compiled from others who have posted on these CC Boards which may help. Not having been there myself I can only rely on the original authors accuracy:

 

Vigeland’s Sculpture (Frogner) Park – Do this First (open 24-hours)

 

You can take the Tramway no. #12 near the end of the cruise pier area (the Rådhusplassen stop - but there isn't a ticket machine there) towards Majorstuen. The Aker Brygge stop (just across the plaza) is a tiny bit farther, but it has both a ticket machine (cash only) and a convenient digital display showing the timings for the next tram. If you have the OsloPass, the Rådhusplassen stop in front of the city hall will be the closest (otherwise you would probably want to buy your transit pass from a convenience store or the ticket machine at Aker Brygge). On board the tram, validate your OsloPass or transit pass by stamping it using the yellow or orange box (you only need to do this the first time you use it). Hit the button to signal a stop when the Vigelandsparken stop is announced (there's also an electronic display on the tram showing the next stop). The tram stops right outside the gate to the park.

If you don't plan to buy an 24-hour OsloPass and need to buy transit tickets/passes, you might be better off to buy 2 passes, and validate on one (to the park) then validate the return one on the way back. Passes cost less from the ticket machine than from the Tram driver. Cost about 26 NOK per ticket and must pay in local currency. Or, you can buy tickets or 24-hour passes from the machines or at convenience stores (7-11, Narvesen, etc) using cash or credit card. (I've also heard that you can buy some tickets at the tourist info in the cruise terminal.) You can also buy single tickets from tram drivers, but they cost significantly more (40 NOK instead of 26).

 

After visiting Vigelands Park, head back out the main gate and catch the Bus #20 towards Skøyen. Take it three stops (about 3 minutes) to Olav Kyrres Plass. Again, you need to hit the button to signal the stop when it's announced, and there is a digital display showing the next stop. At Olav Kyrres plass, catch the Bus #30 towards Bygdøy. Take this four stops (about 5 minutes) to the Folkmuseet stop, which is right outside the Folk Museum. I would suggest taking the bus from Vigelands Park to the Viking Ships. It does involve a transfer in the middle, but not only is it faster, but the two buses involved run more often than the tram and the ferry. If (worst case scenario) you have to wait 10 minutes for a tram back to Aker Brygge, and then you end up waiting 20 minutes for a ferry, you're losing a big chunk of time. The bus route is reasonably straightforward: In summary, take the bus #20 from right outside Vigelands Park (towards Skøyen) 3 stops to Olav Kyrres Plass, and then switch to the bus #30 towards Bygdøy, which stops at the Viking Ship museum.

 

Bygdoy (do this 2nd)

Bygdoy is a peninsula that is located on the western side of Oslo. Many of the popular museums are located here including the Viking Ship Museum and the Norwegian Folk Museum.

After visiting the Folk Museum, walk 2 blocks to the Viking Ship museum. You could also take the Bus #30 one stop to get there, but the walk is only about 5 minutes, and the bus comes only once every 10 minutes.

 

After visiting the Viking Ships, walk 4 blocks (about 7 minutes) to the Dronningen ferry pier. The ferry #91 runs roughly every 20 minutes (but every 40 min before noon and after 16:30) and is covered by the OsloPass or transit pass. The ferry will stop at the Bygdøynes pier (near the Fram and Kon-Tiki museums) before continuing to the downtown Rådhusbrygge pier in front of City Hall.

[barrios]

We are on the Star Princess in Oslo on a Monday from 7am-2p and we would like to see Vigelands Park, the Viking Ship Museum and The Scream. We would go to the Nat'l Gallery but it is closed on Mondays. Can we do this on public transportation?

 

We are a fairly large group, moving around, about 16-18 people, so taxis are difficult.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Can I suggest that you look at previous years reviews. there is alot of information there, or for uptodate details about Oslo and all the other Ports that you will be visiting get the DVD by John Lawrence. It covers all the transport, sightseeing, and answers just about every question. We have found it invaluable in planning our trip in July.

[Tamara2cruise]

You can easily walk to Vigeland Sculpture from the ship at a brisk pace - I'd guess it to be about 1 mile and 1/2 from the ship. We took a taxi, which was hard to find at 7:00 AM - we had to get a hotel to call one for us, and which I regretted as soon as we arrived and I realized we could have walked instead in the time it took us to locate the taxi. However, if walking is not the group's cup of tea, absolutely follow the other advice on transportation in this thread.

 

Go early! Everyone is correct on this point. It is so much nicer to see this park without the masses of people that begin arriving around 8:00 AM.

[TLCOhio]

You can easily walk to Vigeland Sculpture from the ship at a brisk pace - I'd guess it to be about 1 mile and 1/2 from the ship. We took a taxi, which was hard to find at 7:00 AM - we had to get a hotel to call one for us, and which I regretted as soon as we arrived and I realized we could have walked instead in the time it took us to locate the taxi. However, if walking is not the group's cup of tea, absolutely follow the other advice on transportation in this thread. Go early! Everyone is correct on this point. It is so much nicer to see this park without the masses of people that begin arriving around 8:00 AM.

 

If you are docking right near the main fortress (which is a great place to be), it would be about two and a half miles to walk, one way, from there to the sculpture park. I just checked on Google map. I would not call that an "easy" walk given your super tight time schedule and a large family group of 16-18 people.

 

Also, with 2600 passengers on the Star Princess, it is not like everybody gets off of the ship exactly at 7:01 am. The ship will depart at 2 pm, meaning you must be back on the ship earlier than that time. Your logistics and realistic time-frame would much narrower than you are assuming and hoping. Both the National Gallery and the separate Munch Museum have Scream pictures. Sadly, both are closed on that Monday. Ship tours aren't always great, but have you checked those options to consider to help on your challenging logistics? Below are a few visual samples/previews for what you will be able to see, enjoy (and not) with the Scream.

 

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 outdoor sculptures in a wonderful setting:

 

 

 

[Lair Bear]

In my opinion, to walk to the park is too far. It is more than 2.5 miles one way and would take too long with elderly persons, etc. The best way for small groups is to take tram #12 or a couple cabs.

The map below shows four places where cruise ships dock in Oslo and a few spots worth visiting. I think you can appreciate that the Vigalandsparken is quite a distance through various city streets.

 

[lmg1230]

We used the HOHO bus to get to Vigeland Sculpture Park and then back to the downtown area to the Nobel Peace Centre. It went to the Viking Museum as well but we opted for the Peace Centre as we didn't have time to do both with the short port day. Can't wait to go back to Oslo to see what we missed!

 

Lisa

[kaisatsu]

According to the port authority schedule, you'll either docking at Akershuskaia, which is the most convenient location.

 

That's a lot of people! You might look into booking a "Maxi Taxi" to take you around. We do this when we have a large group at work. I'm not sure how much it costs, but split between such a large group it might be feasible. You can find contact information for some of the =230000119"]taxi companies on the VisitOslo website. I would try emailing a few of them to ask, as I've generally found Norwegian companies to be quite good at responding to email queries.

 

If you do take public transportation, to visit the suggested sights, you would need at least three trips: Pier to Vigelands Park, Vigelands Park to Viking Ships, Viking Ships to Pier. That would make the day pass the best option as it would work out slightly cheaper and you wouldn't need to worry about everyone validating a new ticket for each trip (just be sure to stamp them all the first time you use them). The day pass is 70 NOK, compared to 3 x 26 NOK = 78 NOK for three one-trip tickets purchased in advance. (Purchased on board, the one-way tickets are a whopping 40 NOK each, so it's much better to buy them in advance!) To buy so many passes, I would suggest heading to a convenience store at Aker Brygge or behind the city hall, where you can buy the passes with a credit card, rather than dealing with the ticket machine at the tram stop.

 

Traveling to Vigelands Park is relatively straightforward as you can just take the Tram 12 from Aker Brygge towards Majorstuen and get off at the Vigelandsparken stop right outside the Vigelands Park gates.

 

Getting from Vigelands to the Viking Ships is a bit trickier, as it requires a transfer. Take the Bus 20 (towards Skøyen) from in front of the park 3 stops to Olav Kyrres plass and then switch to the Bus 30 (towards Bygdøy). The Bus 30 stops at Vikingskipene, right in front of the Viking Ship museum.

 

Heading back to the pier, walk straight up Huk Aveny to the end and catch the ferry back to Rådhusbrygga in front of the city hall.

 

Good luck!

-Meg

[Lair Bear]

The Hoho bus will take you to a lot of places and is often very handy. But in Oslo I don't think it is a great way to go compared to using the trams, buses and ferry. You can buy the Transit Pass which is good for the trams and ferry and only costs about $6 for seniors versus about $28 for the HOHO bus.

 

It is my understanding that the Day Pass provides the entrance fees to museums, etc. But it also costs a lot more than the Transit Pass. And if you plan to only do one museum and the Akerhus Slot, for example, the Day Pass is not worth the extra cost. Both can be purchased at the visitor's center right at the dock at Akerhus Slott.

 

I showed a map of Oslo before and indicated the tram to the park and the ferry to the Viking Museum. Not shown is the stop of the ferry just south-east of the Viking museum where you will find the Kon Tiki museum. I just feel that the variety of using the tram and also ride the ferry through the port is more interesting.

To walk from the ferry terminal to the main street Karl Johann Gata is only a few blocks.

[kaisatsu]

You can buy the Transit Pass which is good for the trams and ferry and only costs about $6 for seniors versus about $28 for the HOHO bus.

 

It is my understanding that the Day Pass provides the entrance fees to museums, etc. But it also costs a lot more than the Transit Pass. And if you plan to only do one museum and the Akerhus Slot, for example, the Day Pass is not worth the extra cost. Both can be purchased at the visitor's center right at the dock at Akerhus Slott.

To avoid confusion... In my post above, I used "day pass" to mean the 24-hour transit pass. Officially it's called the 24-timersbillett.

 

The pass that also includes the museums entrance fees as is the Oslo Pass (which is available in a 24-hour, 48-hour, or 72-hour option).

[bayjoens]

Thanks, everyone, for the very useful information. I had no idea that the Munch museum was closed as well. We're very disappointed because my son has a day in his history class this week devoted to Munch and we were looking forward to seeing the real thing.

 

Your suggestions are great! I think we can handle the public transportation and that buses and ferries will be easier for us than trying to coordinate that many people in cabs, but I am hanging on to that link for the cab companies, just in case. Thanks, Kaisatsu.

 

Since we aren't going to a museum, with just the Viking Ship Museum and Vigelands Park, will we have time to walk around and shop anywhere? Is there an "old town" or downtown we should and can see in the time allotted?

[Lair Bear]

To avoid confusion... In my post above, I used "day pass" to mean the 24-hour transit pass. Officially it's called the 24-timersbillett.

 

The pass that also includes the museums entrance fees as is the Oslo Pass (which is available in a 24-hour, 48-hour, or 72-hour option).

 

Thank you for this and you are right, of course. I got the information from the following web site

http://www.visitoslo.com/en/ticket-prices-for-public-transportation-in-oslo.57899.182075rda2.tlp.html

 

The Oslo Pass for 24 hours costs 230 NOK or about 39 USD.

[kaisatsu]

Since we aren't going to a museum, with just the Viking Ship Museum and Vigelands Park, will we have time to walk around and shop anywhere? Is there an "old town" or downtown we should and can see in the time allotted?

The central street in Oslo is Karl Johans gate, which is only a few blocks from the city hall. It leads from the Royal Palace in the west to the central train station in the east and passes the National Theater, Oslo University, Storting (parliament), and the Oslo Cathedral. A lot of the street is pedestrianized, making it a nice place to walk. There are a lot of shops along the eastern end. Also for shopping, you might check out Glass Magasinet, a large department store near the front of the cathedral. They have a nice gift collection and carry a number of Norwegian and Scandinavian brands.

 

The oldest part of town is actually just north of the Akershus fortress grounds, and there's a sculpture at the intersection of Rådhusgata and Øvre Slottsgate marking the alleged spot where Christian IV ordered the city rebuilt after the fire in 1624 (previously the medieval city was based on the east side of the fjord). The area isn't particularly interesting, but the grounds of the Akershus Fortress are pleasant to explore in nice weather and offer some nice views of the fjord (plus they're right alongside the ship, so there's no worry about getting back in time).

[bayjoens]

Barrios, where do I find the previous cruise reviews on the Baltic? I have looked around and can't see to figure out where they are.

 

Meg, sorry for my confusion. Is Aker Brygge near our dock Akershuskaia and the fortress? Am I right in assuming that all the "Aker" stuff is together? :) Thanks again.

[barrios]

Barrios, where do I find the previous cruise reviews on the Baltic? I have looked around and can't see to figure out where they are.

 

Meg, sorry for my confusion. Is Aker Brygge near our dock Akershuskaia and the fortress? Am I right in assuming that all the "Aker" stuff is together? :) Thanks again.

For the reviews go to the reviews logo at the top of this board and then member reviews, then scroll down for the Emerald Princess for last year and Crown Princess for the year before, you will find lots of reviews and info.

The Aker Brygge is about 10 mins walk from the dock.

[kaisatsu]

Meg, sorry for my confusion. Is Aker Brygge near our dock Akershuskaia and the fortress? Am I right in assuming that all the "Aker" stuff is together? :) Thanks again.

Aker Brygge is directly across the water from the pier. The city hall (Rådhus) sits on the waterfront with the ferry piers in front of it. The city hall, the Akershus Fortress and Akershuskaia cruise pier are on the east side of the little inlet, and Aker Brygge is on the west side. As mentioned, it's a little under 1 km to walk from one side to the other.

You can find both marked on this map of the city, along with a myriad of other sights, transit stops, etc.

 

As for the naming, "Aker" is actually just an old Norsk word for field, so while the field in Aker Brygge and Akershus probably refer to the same field historically, it's mostly just a coincidence.

 

...In a further etymology/language lesson, "brygge" means pier, and the name of Aker Brygge comes from the area's previous life as a shipyard. It also explains the name of the ferry stop: "Rådhusbrygga," which literally means "city hall pier."

 

Akershuskaia means "Akershus quay," accurately describing it as the quay alongside the Akershus Fortress.

[bayjoens]

Okay, here is the itinerary that I gleaned from our info above, BUT I just discovered that the Munch Museum is OPEN on Mondays during the summer. Hooray! Because we are only in Oslo from 7am until 2pm, I hope we can do Vigelands Park, Viking Ships and the Munch Museum. My question is how and where do I fit it in. Thanks.

 

From Ship (Star Princess):

#12 Tram from near Rådhus, near the end of the cruise pier area (the Rådhusplassen stop), toward Majorstuen or the subway from Nationaltheatret. The tram stops right outside the gate to the park.

 

From Vigelands Park

#20 Bus outside main gate toward Skøyen, 3 stops to Olav Kyrres plass.

#30 Bus at Olav Kyrres plass toward Bygdøy and get off at the Vikingskiphuset. The Viking Ships open at 9am in the summer.

 

From Viking ships

#30 Bus toward Bygdøy to the Kon-Tiki Museum (the stop is "Bygdøynes") or walk to Folk Museum. To head back to the ship, walk straight up Huk Aveny to the end, the Bygdøynes stop, and catch the Dronningen ferry #91 back to Rådhusbrygga in front of the city hall. Ferry runs every 20 minutes but every 40 min before noon and after 16:30.

[kaisatsu]

You'll need to take the subway (T-bane) to get to the Munch Museum. If you decide to do this after the Viking Ships, you may have an easier time just catching he bus 30 back towards town. If you head the other direction (not towards Bygdøynes), you can ride to Nationaltheatret and switch to the subway there. If you still want to ride the ferry, but aren't planning to visit the Kon-Tiki or Fram museums, I would suggest just walking to the ferry from the Viking Ships rather than catching the bus down to the next ferry stop (near Kon-Tiki).

 

To get to the Munch Museum from any of the subway stops (probably Majorstuen or Nationaltheatret depending on where you put it in hour itinerary) take any of the lines eastbound to Tøyen, and I believe there are some signs pointing the way to the museum from the station.

[bayjoens]

Thanks, Kaisatsu!

 

If we are only in Oslo from 7-2, do you think we have time for more than Vigelands, Viking Ships and Munch? If so, Kon-Tiki? We probably won't get off the ship until at least 8 or 8:30.

[kaisatsu]

Unless you really rush, I don't think there's much extra time. According to the transit website, the trip from Bygdøynes to the Munch Museum will take around 35 minutes from when you catch the ferry. The trip back to the city hall only takes about 15 minutes (plus you'll need to add around 10 minutes to walk to the ship).

 

If you do try to fit in another museum, you'll be on a pretty tight schedule, and I doubt you'll have time for lunch, etc.

 

If you feel like you have plenty of time left after the Viking Ships, you might try to squeeze in one more of the Bygdøy museums. Which one really depends on your tastes. We really like the Kon-Tiki, but the explorations interested us, and I spent a long time reading all the displays. As a walk-through museum, most people feel there's not much to look at quickly. The Fram is usually more popular for quick visits, since you can actually explore inside the ship. There's still plenty of information on the multi-level displays around the outer walls, but there's also something to see without needing to invest a lot of time/reading.

[bayjoens]

You'll need to take the subway (T-bane) to get to the Munch Museum. If you decide to do this after the Viking Ships, you may have an easier time just catching he bus 30 back towards town. If you head the other direction (not towards Bygdøynes), you can ride to Nationaltheatret and switch to the subway there. If you still want to ride the ferry, but aren't planning to visit the Kon-Tiki or Fram museums, I would suggest just walking to the ferry from the Viking Ships rather than catching the bus down to the next ferry stop (near Kon-Tiki).

 

To get to the Munch Museum from any of the subway stops (probably Majorstuen or Nationaltheatret depending on where you put it in hour itinerary) take any of the lines eastbound to Tøyen, and I believe there are some signs pointing the way to the museum from the station.

 

Thanks, Kaisatsu. I think we will do: Vigelands, Viking Ships, Munch and then head back to the ship, being that this will be our last port and will have done the Vasa and other ship museums by then.

 

I am not sure I am clear on your directions however. What do you think is the quickest and easiest way to the Munch Museum from the Viking Ships Museum? How do we get back to the ship from there?

[kaisatsu]

I am not sure I am clear on your directions however. What do you think is the quickest and easiest way to the Munch Museum from the Viking Ships Museum? How do we get back to the ship from there?

The fastest route would be to take the Bus #30 towards Nydalen from outside the Viking Ships. Get off at the Nationaltheatret stop and switch the the T-bane (subway). Take any eastbound train to Tøyen, and then follow the signs to the museum.

 

(If the weather is nice and you want to add in the ferry across the fjord, walk down Huk Aveny from the Viking Ships to the Droningen ferry pier. Ride the ferry two stops back to the city hall pier (Rådhusbryga), then walk north to Nationaltheatret to catch the subway to Tøyen.)

 

To get back to the ship, take the T-bane back to Nationaltheatret, and walk south (down Olav V's gate) past the city hall to the cruise piers.

 

Hopefully that makes sense!

[bayjoens]

Kaisatsu, it makes sense. :) Thank you. Adding it to my notes right now.

[bayjoens]

Kaisatsu, I just looked at your map links and they are very helpful. I may try to print them to take with us. Thank you! Question: How long do you think it will take us to walk from the Nationaltheatret back to the ship? It is hard to tell from the map and looks like a long way.

[kaisatsu]

I would say roughly 15-20 minutes. It's only about 5 minutes from Nationaltheatret to the city hall. If you're docking at Vippetangen, it's a little farther than Akershuskaia, but not much.