Can help with Q for Oslo if someone needs it;)

[Norwaylady]

On 6/16/2022 at 11:22 PM, hal2008 said:

Thank you all for excellent help/summary.

 

Single journey ticket (39 NOK) - are they still available for sale from 7-11 stores or everything has shifted to Ruter app? (it is annoying to install app for one day visit and just to find that it is having technical glitches just for that day while struggling with roaming data)

 

 

If you are using transfer(s),  one has to get off the bus before time expires or it is ok as far as ticket was valid when got on board?

 

 

Thanks

sorry for late reply. You can still by single tickets or 24h card at Narvesen or Router office at Jernebane Torget or Nationaltheatret station. 

[hal2008]

Oslo to Stockholm trains.

 

Understand that these are run by Swedish railway and not by Vy.

 

Also understand that summer repair work can disrupt schedule.

 

But why is schedule on this service is so random?

 

sometines 1 intercuty nonstop.

Somedays 2.

 

Then for several days none.  

 

Everything seem to be random lately.

[Norwaylady]

7 hours ago, hal2008 said:

Oslo to Stockholm trains.

 

Understand that these are run by Swedish railway and not by Vy.

 

Also understand that summer repair work can disrupt schedule.

 

But why is schedule on this service is so random?

 

sometines 1 intercuty nonstop.

Somedays 2.

 

Then for several days none.  

 

Everything seem to be random lately.

are you looking for tickets in near future?
 

There is a strike at SAS, SK airlines. 
the majority of us that commute to Stockholm-Oslo fly. 
the strike has been on for 10 days now.

Pluss the security lines at Arlanda Airport is totally out of control. It has been for weeks and it’s not getting better tomorrow…
So many travelers search for other options. So that’s why it’s impossible to find a direct train ticket in near time. 
 

So as of now the train nonstop are sold out. First available ticket I could find is 18.of August. 
 

and also, the summer maintenance  service on the railroad is affecting traffic on the trains. 
 

You can also use the bus service directly to Oslo. It’s okay. Nothing fancy, but it works well. 

[Norwaylady]

7 hours ago, hal2008 said:

Oslo to Stockholm trains.

Also understand that summer repair work can disrupt schedule.

 

But why is schedule on this service is so random?

 

sometines 1 intercuty nonstop.

Somedays 2.

 

Then for several days none.  

 

Everything seem to be random lately.

Kristinehamn - Karlstad

Linje: Stockholm–Karlstad–Oslo
Period: 12 juni – 9 augusti.
Påverkan: Tågen ställs in del av sträckan och ersätts eventuellt med buss, alternativt går en annan våg.

 

this is from SJ in Swedish. 
it says that trains between Oslo-Stockholm is affected of maintenance on the railroad from 12.June to 9.August. 
It will be train+bus on your travel or they will do a different route by train compared to the usual train ride. 
This is different from day to day. 
 

For best updates on train travel between Stockholm-Oslo, use sj.se 

You will find more options and better explanation  on the service for this trip. 
 

Sj.no is the correct place to look for tickets from Oslo-Trondheim/Røros-Bodø. 

[hal2008]

On 7/16/2022 at 11:06 PM, Norwaylady said:

are you looking for tickets in near future?
 

There is a strike at SAS, SK airlines. 
the majority of us that commute to Stockholm-Oslo fly. 
the strike has been on for 10 days now.

Pluss the security lines at Arlanda Airport is totally out of control. It has been for weeks and it’s not getting better tomorrow…
So many travelers search for other options. So that’s why it’s impossible to find a direct train ticket in near time. 
 

So as of now the train nonstop are sold out. First available ticket I could find is 18.of August. 
 

and also, the summer maintenance  service on the railroad is affecting traffic on the trains. 
 

You can also use the bus service directly to Oslo. It’s okay. Nothing fancy, but it works well. 

 

Yes, have been following strike situation since mid June.

Usually, when train is sold out, it does say sold out.

[hal2008]

On 7/16/2022 at 11:21 PM, Norwaylady said:

Kristinehamn - Karlstad

Linje: Stockholm–Karlstad–Oslo
Period: 12 juni – 9 augusti.
Påverkan: Tågen ställs in del av sträckan och ersätts eventuellt med buss, alternativt går en annan våg.

 

this is from SJ in Swedish. 
it says that trains between Oslo-Stockholm is affected of maintenance on the railroad from 12.June to 9.August. 
It will be train+bus on your travel or they will do a different route by train compared to the usual train ride. 
This is different from day to day. 
 

For best updates on train travel between Stockholm-Oslo, use sj.se 

You will find more options and better explanation  on the service for this trip. 
 

Sj.no is the correct place to look for tickets from Oslo-Trondheim/Røros-Bodø. 

 

This make sense as trains were showing up regularly on seach in early June and now shows up for late August.

 

For all the oil wealth  and strong anti-carbon sentiments, surprised at lvel of rail travel in that part of the world. (CPH -STK seem to be in much better shape)

[Norwaylady]

4 hours ago, hal2008 said:

 

This make sense as trains were showing up regularly on seach in early June and now shows up for late August.

 

For all the oil wealth  and strong anti-carbon sentiments, surprised at lvel of rail travel in that part of the world. (CPH -STK seem to be in much better shape)

😅 well, I can just tell you straight away…. The railroad between Oslo-Stockholm is old. From Oslo central station to the Swedish boarder, the railway is totally worn down… So that’s one of the reasons they desperately try to agree on a new railroad. 
SJ don’t bother to drive the newer trains. They use the oldest they have, since it’s not possible to drive on fast speed on the Norwegian side. 
And summer maintenance is a never ending storytelling in greater Oslo🤪🤪🤪 They do lots of work and it’s getting slowly better. 
But until they make a new railroad between Oslo-Sweden, it will not be better… 

[Marianna49]

Hi Norway,

My family will be sailing into Oslo in early August. Would love some information.

How close is the pier to the city? We will be sailing on Jewel of the Seas (leaving Amsterdam on July 26).

How is the weather in mid-summer in Norway? We will be cruising the Arctic Circle and don't know what clothing to pack.

Should we plan on wearing our face masks due to Covid while in your country?

Thank you for any help.

 

Edited July 19, 2022 by Marianna49
misspelling

[kaisatsu]

8 hours ago, Marianna49 said:

Hi Norway,

My family will be sailing into Oslo in early August. Would love some information.

How close is the pier to the city? We will be sailing on Jewel of the Seas (leaving Amsterdam on July 26).

How is the weather in mid-summer in Norway? We will be cruising the Arctic Circle and don't know what clothing to pack.

Should we plan on wearing our face masks due to Covid while in your country?

Thank you for any help.

 

According to the cruise ship schedule, the Jewel of the Seas call on 5 Aug will be at Filipstadkaia (MSC is using the main pier at Akershuskaia, and Azamara has the other central pier at Revierkaia). Filipstad is the port that serves the Kiel ferry, but it is a bit farther from the center of town. It’s a 20-minute along a wide flat pedestrian path to reach the area round Aker Brygge and city hall. In the morning, there is a bus 81 from the nearby Filipstadveien stop, but it doesn’t run the reverse direction during much of the afternoon. The 33 runs there every half hour starting shortly after 15:00, but it’s probably simpler to walk back if that’s an option. Single and 1-day transit tickets can be purchased from the Ruter app, unless you’re planning to buy an OsloPass, which covers public transit (the OsloPass will only save you money if you plan to visit several museums).

 

Summer weather in Oslo is variable, so expect something between 15°C and 35°C. Generally speaking, I would expect temperatures in the low 20°s. It will feel much warmer in the sun than in the shade, so if it’s partly cloudy, expect sudden drops in temperature as clouds pass over. Yr.no is the best source we have for weather forecasts, but the climate causes a lot of microclimates, and it’s common for it to be raining in one part of the city and sunny in another.

 

Since you are sailing all the way north, you should be prepared for a huge range of weather. The west coast typically gets more rain, so definitely pack your rain jacket and consider weather resistant footwear if you have it. Hopefully you’ll luck into sunny summer weather, but you never know. Layers are key, so have at least one warm layer that you can put on when temperatures drop or winds pick up. This should be layered under a windproof, waterproof outer layer. Up above the Arctic Circle, be prepared for temperatures under 10°C combined with a strong breeze (especially since you’ll be on a ship).

 

Mask use is not very common, since the vast majority of the population is fully vaccinated. If you are not, the local population would benefit from the use of a mask as an extra precaution.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

just noticed this thread 
We are on the Voyager of the Seas doing an overnight on August 29/30 , at Filipstad terminal 

The post above it appears the ports is a bit outside of the downtown area , 

Are most places open on Monday ? 
unsure if we should get the Oslo pass or just a Transat , Maybe get the Oslo pass on one day and Transit pass the second day 

My wife likes to knit , so she would like to a wool crawl 😁and check out different wool shops 

By end of August is it around 20°c ? 
After Oslo we head to Kristiansand , is it an interesting place ? You 
the week after this we head off to Iceland , Greenland and finally Boston , as long it is above 5° I will be happy 
Thanks 

 

 

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by Ex-Airbalancer

[Norwaylady]

8 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

just noticed this thread 
We are on the Voyager of the Seas doing an overnight on August 29/30 , at Filipstad terminal 

The post above it appears the ports is a bit outside of the downtown area , 

Are most places open on Monday ? 
unsure if we should get the Oslo pass or just a Transat , Maybe get the Oslo pass on one day and Transit pass the second day 

My wife likes to knit , so she would like to a wool crawl 😁and check out different wool shops 

By end of August is it around 20°c ? 
After Oslo we head to Kristiansand , is it an interesting place ? You 
the week after this we head off to Iceland , Greenland and finally Boston , as long it is above 5° I will be happy 
Thanks 

 

 

 

Hello

Welcome to Oslo🇳🇴 
 

Fillipstad is not miles away, but compared to the 2 other ports, it’s further out. But is a flat walk into Aker Brygge/Tjuvholmen. There you walk into the new National museum. 
Deepening on your plans, you can do a public transport card 24h or you can use a Oslo Pass, do the math for your plans 🙃 

Monday is a regular day in Norway and school is starting, so everything is “back to normal” 

 

Temperatures are hard to predict, but this summer we have had 15-20c sun, showers in the afternoon a lot. Some days has been excellent 25/27c but be prepared for lower temperature and a shower in the afternoon😌

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

My wife like to go to open markets , With being there on Monday/Tuesday there less chances of them being open , is there any markets 

i did find this place , she interested in heading there https://mathallenoslo.no/en/

[kaisatsu]

3 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

My wife like to go to open markets , With being there on Monday/Tuesday there less chances of them being open , is there any markets 

i did find this place , she interested in heading there https://mathallenoslo.no/en/

Mathallen is more of a food hall than a market, but several vendors do sell both prepared food and foodstuffs. It is closed on Mondays but open on Tuesday.

Oslo doesn’t really have much in the way of year-round open markets. There is a very small (2-3 stalls) plant market at Stortorvet (in front of the domkirke), and there are frequently a few pop-up vendors selling random things in Youngstorget.

 

Most markets are single-day events or operate only on weekends: https://www.visitoslo.com/en/whats-on/events/market-fair/

https://bondensmarked.no/markedsdager/oslo-omegn-2

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Here a map of some Yarn shops in Oslo 
I thinking maybe taking a bus to the shop farthest away , than walking back to to ship , stoping at Mathallens on the way 

Do you see that as doable? 
we wouldn’t do the one shop by itself 
https://www.visitoslo.com/en/articles/knitting-oslo/

Edited July 28, 2022 by Ex-Airbalancer

[Stuart Suss]

Oslo Guided tours in English mostly take place at either 13:00 (1:00 pm) or 14:00 (2:00 pm). I have two days (Friday and Saturday) during which I may choose tours.

 

Which of these tours would you recommend in order of quality?

 

Opera house tour (only available on Friday)

https://operaen.no/en/your-visit-at-oslo-operahouse/guided-tours/ 

 

Guided tour at Akershus Fortress (listed as a drop-in tour)

https://kultur.forsvaret.no/forsvarets-festninger/akershus-festning/besokssenteret-akershus-festning

 

Walking tour offered by Oslo Guidebureau (only available on Saturday)

https://gotobooking.io/en/adventure/122-in-the-heart-of-oslo-green-walking-tour

 

Guided tour of the Royal Palace (more flexible scheduling)

https://www.royalcourt.no/artikkel.html?tid=29623&sek=179512

[kaisatsu]

On 7/28/2022 at 11:56 AM, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Here a map of some Yarn shops in Oslo 
I thinking maybe taking a bus to the shop farthest away , than walking back to to ship , stoping at Mathallens on the way 

Do you see that as doable? 
we wouldn’t do the one shop by itself 
https://www.visitoslo.com/en/articles/knitting-oslo/

That shop is across the street from the Majorstuen metro (T-bane) station. If you are visiting Vigelands Park during your visit, you can walk over and then catch the t-bane back downtown.

 

For the ones in Grünerløkka, the trams 11, 12, and 18 will take you up there, and it’s a pleasant area to stroll back south.

[hal2008]

On 7/28/2022 at 2:40 AM, Norwaylady said:

Hello

Welcome to Oslo🇳🇴 
 

Fillipstad is not miles away, but compared to the 2 other ports, it’s further out. But is a flat walk into Aker Brygge/Tjuvholmen. There you walk into the new National museum. 
Deepening on your plans, you can do a public transport card 24h or you can use a Oslo Pass, do the math for your plans 🙃 

Monday is a regular day in Norway and school is starting, so everything is “back to normal” 

 

Temperatures are hard to predict, but this summer we have had 15-20c sun, showers in the afternoon a lot. Some days has been excellent 25/27c but be prepared for lower temperature and a shower in the afternoon😌

 

 

One marked in blue all the way to the left is the berth.

Tram stop is half way between what is labelled as "Aker Brygge Shopping" and "Nobel Peace center" right in front  of the "Nu" national museum.

 

From there Tram 12 goes to Sculpture Garden in the west direction or to station area in the west direction (you can switch to 13 along the way to get dropped close to Opera and Much museum)

 

If weather cooperates, from cruise berth, it is a nice walk to national theater (or even palace royal - bit uphill for the palace). From there you can make a left on to the main pedestrian blvd (Karl Johnas Gate) and wonder your way all the way to station area and onto Opera/Munch museum

 

Area north of station (northwest of bus terminal) around Gronland street (there is a metro station for it too) is an abnormality for this pale white country. It is quite cosmopolitan with authentic cuisines from all over the world available at quite reasonable price (by Oslo standards).

 

 

 

[Norwaylady]

On 7/29/2022 at 6:29 PM, Stuart Suss said:

Oslo Guided tours in English mostly take place at either 13:00 (1:00 pm) or 14:00 (2:00 pm). I have two days (Friday and Saturday) during which I may choose tours.

 

Which of these tours would you recommend in order of quality?

 

Opera house tour (only available on Friday)

https://operaen.no/en/your-visit-at-oslo-operahouse/guided-tours/ 

 

Guided tour at Akershus Fortress (listed as a drop-in tour)

https://kultur.forsvaret.no/forsvarets-festninger/akershus-festning/besokssenteret-akershus-festning

 

Walking tour offered by Oslo Guidebureau (only available on Saturday)

https://gotobooking.io/en/adventure/122-in-the-heart-of-oslo-green-walking-tour

 

Guided tour of the Royal Palace (more flexible scheduling)

https://www.royalcourt.no/artikkel.html?tid=29623&sek=179512

Hello

 

The royal palace is a lovely tour. I always bring my international friends and family here if they haven’t visited the palace before. It shows rooms and decor inside. 
 

The guided tours of the opera house is nice. But it’s not a must.
You can visit the foyer, have coffee and walk on the building by yourself. It’s a good diy activity, you book a performance, if you have a overnight stay. That’s a great way to see it all. 

[purpleally]

I know there is a train from the airport to city center; any hotel recommendations near the station?
Also, is that the same station where we would get the Oslo to Bergen train?

[Norwaylady]

4 hours ago, purpleally said:

I know there is a train from the airport to city center; any hotel recommendations near the station?
Also, is that the same station where we would get the Oslo to Bergen train?

hello

 

The airport express train goes to Oslo S/Oslo central station. It’s the main station for train in Oslo. 
But 50% of the trains continue onward to National Theateret and Skøyen station. So it’s not a problem to choose a hotel in that area. (Final destination is either Drammen or Stabekk) 

 

Oslo-Bergen train starts at Oslo S, but it stops at National Theatret and Skøyen station, so you can start your journey here if you would like. Same on return from Bergen. You can get off at those stations. 
 

What time of the year are you planning on coming? 
There are multiple options for hotels. Price is depending on chain and location.

Your budget is also important.  

On Oslo S you have 3 hotels in the building. Thon Hotel Opera, Scandic Byporten and Choice Østbanehallen. 
 

If you walk 5-10.mins you have 20+.more hotels to choose from. So look at the map on hotelsdotcom to fit it to your budget is my best tip. 
 

I stay a lot in Scandic for work. Not super fancy, but clean and ok value for money. Breakfast is good. They are located all over Scandinavia. 
I use Scandic Skøyen a lot for work stay. Easy location to train to airport and good breakfast and relaxing room.

In Bergen I always stay at Scandic Bryggen or Scandic Hotel Norge. 
 

if you have a wide budget for hotels, Hotel Continental, The Thief, Grand Hotel Oslo and Bristol is not wrong. 

[kaisatsu]

Slight Correction: The Flytoget trains that continue to Drammen (and all of the Vy trains from the airport) stop at Nationaltheatret and Skøyen, but the train to Bergen does NOT. It passes through the stations but does not stop to embark more passengers until Sandvika.

 

So staying closer to Oslo S would be more convenient. The Thon Opera is a popular choice. I have friends who’ve stayed at the Comfort Grand Central and liked it’s modern vibe. If you’re looking high-end, Amerikalinjen is conveniently across the street from the station.

Edited July 31, 2022 by kaisatsu

[Norwaylady]

16 minutes ago, kaisatsu said:

Slight Correction: The Flytoget trains that continue to Drammen (and all of the Vy trains from the airport) stop at Nationaltheatret and Skøyen, but the train to Bergen does NOT. It passes through the stations but does not stop to embark more passengers until Sandvika.

🤪🤪 it shows how often I take the train to Bergen this days. (I took the train regularly Oslo-Voss for many years) nowadays I’m immune for the train… I always  fly to Bergen. 
Good that you follow up @kaisatsu 👍🏻

[hal2008]

20 hours ago, purpleally said:

I know there is a train from the airport to city center; any hotel recommendations near the station?
Also, is that the same station where we would get the Oslo to Bergen train?

 

Both @kaisatsu and @Noreaylady are local experts and their feedback obviously should carry more weight.

 

my 2 cents:

 

Scandic Byporten has neither AC nor Air Cooling.  It is a non issue for Oslo on most days in a year but it was hot and sticky earlier this year.  If you have long day ahead on BergenRail, you indeed need a comfortable sleep the night before. Otherwise it is a nice hotel connected  to station via underground shopping area.

 

Thon Opera is closer to the train tracks and has air cooling and better breakfast option (IMHO) and great views of Opera and harbor if you get high floor room facing in that direction.

 

Also, the commuter train from the airport takes only  couple of minutes longer at significant cost saving compared to the expensive airport trains (Google for more info and even YouTube videos)

 

Confirming that our train to Bergen did not stop at the National Theater station.

 

if you have time (and inclination), Gronland street (just north of the station) offers amazing variety of authentic international cuisine at very reasonable prices.  If you prefer American fast food, Berger King. McD, Subway - all are located within or close to train station and open early for take away for the long train ride.

 

Most mainstream luggage sold in US dept stores and warehouse clubs have wheels meant for smooth surface of airports.  I envy Europeans chugging their Saturday wheeled luggage through rough pavement and side walks 

 

For most Scandinavians a hotel located "10 minutes" away is not a big deal.  Most Americans never have to drag luggage through street in USA for half a mile or more, ever.   Many find comfortable hotel connected to train station lot more convenient. 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2022 by hal2008

[Norwaylady]

7 hours ago, hal2008 said:

my 2 cents:

 

Scandic Byporten has neither AC nor Air Cooling.  It is a non issue for Oslo on most days in a year but it was hot and sticky earlier this year. 

 

Thon Opera is closer to the train tracks and has air cooling and better breakfast option (IMHO) and great views of Opera and harbor if you get high floor room facing in that direction.

 

Most mainstream luggage sold in US dept stores and warehouse clubs have wheels meant for smooth surface of airports.  I envy Europeans chugging their Saturday wheeled luggage through rough pavement and side walks 

 

For most Scandinavians a hotel located "10 minutes" away is not a big deal.  Most Americans never have to drag luggage through street in USA for half a mile or more, ever.   Many find comfortable hotel connected to train station lot more convenient. 

 

 

thanks @hal2008

I agree on the Scandic Byporten, when it comes to ac/breakfast. 
 

I will explain a bit more about Scandic. Scandic is a typically 3* hotel group. But they also have some hotels that are 4*+/5* like Hotel Norge in Bergen and Grand Hotel Oslo. 
In Norway they went shopping and they took over Rica Hotels several years ago. Rica had better quality and higher standards in my opinion. So my experience is that old Rica hotels offer better amenities if there are one old Scandic and one old Rica hotel in the same city. 
Due to work I must stay at Scandic. So I stay by them 40-60 nights every year in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

In Helsinki it’s heaven or hell in difference of the Scandic hotels in the city centre🙃 
 

So I have a list of hotels I use and those I don’t use. Scandic Byporten is on my no list. It’s due to rooms and breakfast service. 

As hal2008 said, not all hotels in Norway offer ac. Due to climate, we don’t have them as in Florida. If it’s very hot for a period, the hotels often offer you a table fan in the reception for free use during your stay. 
 

Luggage and distance

We travel only by samsonite, it’s due to the wheels and that we need to drag our suitcases over uneven surfaces and that we are used to walk. 
It very normal, compared to US that we walk and bring luggage. 
And often in Europe, city centre is blocked for cars. So it’s often 5.mins walk and 15.min detour by car. 
 

Safe travels👍🏻😎

[hal2008]

Scandic Hotel questions:

 

Bergen 

 

Any opinion on Ornen located next to train station? 

 

 

Oslo:

 

Byporten - we discussed 

 

How does Scandic Oslo City compare?

 

Copenhagen 

Which Scandic you prefer? 

Webers or Front or something else?