6 Hrs in Oslo

[NoMeJodas]

My wife and I are taking a cruise that docks in Oslo for about 6 hours. There's a great 5 hr tour (Viking Heritage), but my wife being of Norwegian descent and never having been there before, we'd like to do a little bit of shopping. Does anyone know if we switch to a 3 hr excursion instead should we be able to get somewhere in the city or even near the port where we can look around and shop a little bit? What is transportation like from the port, and where should we be looking to go?

[Globaliser]

Does anyone know if we switch to a 3 hr excursion instead should we be able to get somewhere in the city or even near the port where we can look around and shop a little bit? What is transportation like from the port, and where should we be looking to go?

Why do you even need to do any excursion at all? They're no compulsory, and you could have just as good a time seeing Oslo on your own. For example, if your ship docks at the main dock below the Akershus castle, it's an easy walk into the city centre (you're pretty much right there, in fact), including the ferry docks from which you easily can go to some of the museums.

[kaisatsu]

If there are certain things you want to see that are covered by the tours, it's generally pretty easy to get there on your own. (I think the only exception I know of is the glass factory, which is pretty far out of town.) Which places were you interested in going, and we can probably help you figure out how to get there!

 

For starters, here's a map of the port area and most of the major sights in Oslo.

 

As for shopping, what kinds of things were you looking for? Keep in mind that everything in Norway is ridiculously expensive, so it's not much of a shopping spot. There are a few souvenir shops around the Rådhus (city hall), which is very near the main cruise pier. For general shopping, the department stores Steen & Strøm and Glassmagasinet both carry a lot of Norwegian and Scandinavian brands.

[eh2zed]

The HOHO bus comes down to the pier so you do a quck 1 1/2 hour city tour and get off at any particular stop. The Radhus and Nobel Peace Centre is near the pier and quite walkable. There is a souvenir type shopping complex with individual vendors at the pier but other shops by the Radhus, the award winning City Hall.

[agabbymama]

Why do you even need to do any excursion at all? They're no compulsory, and you could have just as good a time seeing Oslo on your own. For example, if your ship docks at the main dock below the Akershus castle, it's an easy walk into the city centre (you're pretty much right there, in fact), including the ferry docks from which you easily can go to some of the museums.

 

Looking at the map, it appears the ferry stop is quite a distance from the Kon Tiki, Vikings, Open Air museums. For someone with mobility issues, that might not be doable. How would you get from the ferry to the different museums and back again to the ferry?

 

I was contemplating an Oslo Pass to include all the museums and the ferry, but the walking is really an issue for us.

 

The Ho Ho bus looks like it goes out to the various museums too, and if it picks up right at the cruise pier, I'm seriously considering using it, but I hate to pay $26 for the Ho Ho, then another amount for the Oslo card, but then would have to pay for entrance to all the museums anyway. But I'm thinking this will still be cheaper than any of the ship's excursions (which aren't what I want to do anyway).

[bigwally]

Looking at the map, it appears the ferry stop is quite a distance from the Kon Tiki, Vikings, Open Air museums. For someone with mobility issues, that might not be doable. How would you get from the ferry to the different museums and back again to the ferry?

 

I was contemplating an Oslo Pass to include all the museums and the ferry, but the walking is really an issue for us.

 

The Ho Ho bus looks like it goes out to the various museums too, and if it picks up right at the cruise pier, I'm seriously considering using it, but I hate to pay $26 for the Ho Ho, then another amount for the Oslo card, but then would have to pay for entrance to all the museums anyway. But I'm thinking this will still be cheaper than any of the ship's excursions (which aren't what I want to do anyway).

 

City bus number 30 goes to the Folk Museum, the Viking Ship Museum, and (during a good part of the day) also to Bygdøynes, where the Kon-Tiki and Fram are. You would catch that from the Nationaltheatret stop.

[Globaliser]

Looking at the map, it appears the ferry stop is quite a distance from the Kon Tiki, Vikings, Open Air museums.

There's a ferry dock right next to the Kon Tiki and Maritime museums - see this Google Maps photo. But it's true that some of the other museums are a bit further away from ferries and may require alternative transport for those with mobility issues.

[kaisatsu]

There's a ferry dock right next to the Kon Tiki and Maritime museums - see this Google Maps photo. But it's true that some of the other museums are a bit further away from ferries and may require alternative transport for those with mobility issues.

You can take this ferry over to the Kon-Tiki, Fram, and/or Maritime museums (the second stop when leaving from the city center), and then take the bus 30 from there up to the Viking Ship and Folk Museums. The bus ride north takes a bit, since the route runs south to Huk Beach first, but it has stops directly outside the museums. It's a shorter, direct trip back to the Kon-Tiki, etc. where you can catch the ferry back to town.

 

(Note also also that the Folk Museum is an open air museum with fairly large grounds, so visiting it may have its own mobility challenges.)

[agabbymama]

You can take this ferry over to the Kon-Tiki, Fram, and/or Maritime museums (the second stop when leaving from the city center), and then take the bus 30 from there up to the Viking Ship and Folk Museums. The bus ride north takes a bit, since the route runs south to Huk Beach first, but it has stops directly outside the museums. It's a shorter, direct trip back to the Kon-Tiki, etc. where you can catch the ferry back to town.

 

(Note also also that the Folk Museum is an open air museum with fairly large grounds, so visiting it may have its own mobility challenges.)

 

Thank you for the info kaisatsu. And yes, I knew the Folk Museum will be a lot of walking. I know we won't necessarily get to see or do everything, but if we get the Oslo Pass, and not have to pay for entrance to everything individually, just to at least see the things, will have to be enough for us.

 

That's what we had to settle for in the Med. We reached the Acropolis in Athens, but couldn't make the walk up the hill to actually get to it. We rode the boat on the Seine, and saw the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre & Notre Dame, but couldn't actually get up to them either. And we used the Ho Ho bus to ride around Rome. We were happy to just be able to see them.

 

We know at our age, in our physical condition, not all things are possible.

[unberwoob]

We also are in Oslo for 6 hours, from 2-8. We want to at least visit the sculpture park, Viking museum and the folk museum.

There is no one bus that connects them all except the HOHO bus. However, it only runs till 5 according to their website.

The Oslo Pass is not cost effective for transportation and two museum visits.

I don't like ship excursions, but it at least hits everything, at sort of a reasonable cost. And I don't have to figure out public transportation timetables.

Does anyone have a better plan?

[agabbymama]

We also are in Oslo for 6 hours, from 2-8. We want to at least visit the sculpture park, Viking museum and the folk museum.

There is no one bus that connects them all except the HOHO bus. However, it only runs till 5 according to their website.

The Oslo Pass is not cost effective for transportation and two museum visits.

I don't like ship excursions, but it at least hits everything, at sort of a reasonable cost. And I don't have to figure out public transportation timetables.

Does anyone have a better plan?

 

Be sure your ship's excursion is exactly what you want. Princess is only offering one museum plus the ski jump plus the Sculpture Park. I would have to decide between Kon Tiki, Viking, Fram or Folk Museum. They don't have an excursion that includes all of them. Thus I was looking at the Ho Ho bus. I really wanted to do the Kon Tiki, Viking & Folk Museum, Akershus & The Resistance Museum.

 

I think the Kon Tiki is 60K, Viking 50K, Folk 75K, Akershus 20K and the Resistance Museum is 30K for a total of 235K or $36.65 vs $33.67 pp for the Oslo Pass and have the free ferry ride over to Bygody. Either way it's going to cost about the same thing. But the Ho Ho bus is only $26.00 pp but then you'd have the individual museum costs. Such a dilemma, but I have lots of time to figure it out. We don't go until August 2010.

 

Have a great time whatever you decide to do, be sure to come back and post how it went for you.

[bigwally]

Is anyone over 67? Seniors can purchase and use the half-price children's pass. Plus you get a 20% cruise passenger discount off all cards when you show your cruise pass.

[agabbymama]

Is anyone over 67? Seniors can purchase and use the half-price children's pass. Plus you get a 20% cruise passenger discount off all cards when you show your cruise pass.

 

Yeah, I saw that, but I'll only be 63, darn it. I qualify for most Senior discounts in the US, but not for Norway. Oh well, just have to bite the bullet and pay for the Ho Ho bus.

[cruzisme]

Big Wally or someone else,

with buying the Oslo Pass, I know certain museums are included

What about the ferry that goes from Oslo centre to where the Folk Museum island (peninsula?) is? Is that ferry included in the Pass?

and I can buy the Oslo Pass at the TI by City Hall and show your cruise card and get 20% off? Is that correct?

Am definitely overloaded/confused with all the info that I have collected!;)

[kaisatsu]

Big Wally or someone else,

with buying the Oslo Pass, I know certain museums are included

What about the ferry that goes from Oslo centre to where the Folk Museum island (peninsula?) is? Is that ferry included in the Pass?

and I can buy the Oslo Pass at the TI by City Hall and show your cruise card and get 20% off? Is that correct?

Am definitely overloaded/confused with all the info that I have collected!;)

 

Most cruise passengers buy the Oslo Pass at the cruise terminal (assuming they dock nearby), but you can also buy it at the TI by the City Hall or by the central train station. According to the Oslo tourism bureau, as long as you show your cruise card, you should be elligible for the 20% discount. The pass includes all public transportation within Oslo, including the ferry.

[bigwally]

and I can buy the Oslo Pass at the TI by City Hall

 

You are in Oslo on August 1st? You are lucky in two ways....Rotterdam is the only ship in port that day and you'll be docked at Akershuskaia, right beside the cruise terminal tourist office!

[cruzisme]

Mike, (Big Wally) you are a fountain of knowledge.

yes, I am glad to see our ship is the only one in Oslo that day (Sat)

and knowing our ship is by the cruise terminal and we can buy the Oslo pass there is good news

our plan now is: buy Oslo Pass, catch tram #12 up to Vigeland, then bus down to B. Peninsula to visit some of the museums (yes, time will be rushed)

then ferry (perhaps) back to city center and if any time left, see a bit of downtown before boarding

are you taking kroners with you or just using the ATM in the different ports?

[bigwally]

Mike, (Big Wally) you are a fountain of knowledge.

yes, I am glad to see our ship is the only one in Oslo that day (Sat)

and knowing our ship is by the cruise terminal and we can buy the Oslo pass there is good news

our plan now is: buy Oslo Pass, catch tram #12 up to Vigeland

 

Watch your timing on that tram. Between 7am and 10am it runs only every 30 minutes. Alternatives from Nationaltheatret include:

 

bus #30 (direction of Bydgoy)

bus #31 (direction of Snarøya)

 

both to Olav Kyrres Plass

 

or

 

tram #13 (direction of Lilleaker) to Thune

 

then bus #20 (direction of Galgeberg) from Olav Kyrres Plass (either bus) or Thune (tram) to Vigelandsparken, or you could also walk.

 

We are just going to use the ATM to get the quantities of foreign currency we need.

[cruzisme]

hi again Mike

I am not familiar with all those street names etc or where they go ie N E W S etc

is there a map link I could go to, in order to show me so I feel more comfortable with the bus directions etc.?

 

for the Oslo Pass, will they accept payment via credit card?

[bigwally]

http://kart.finn.no/ for the map.

 

I'm pretty sure you can pay for the Oslo card with a credit card, at least that's what I'm counting on.

[cruzisme]

if you visit this website: www.visitoslo.com

there is a great map showing the different transportation routes ie ferries, tram, bus, train

 

I printed this out and it makes sense now.

 

thanks again, Mike, you led me to explore a bit more on my own;)

[debsjc]

You are in Oslo on August 1st? You are lucky in two ways....Rotterdam is the only ship in port that day and you'll be docked at Akershuskaia, right beside the cruise terminal tourist office!

 

How do you find that information out please? I would love to know where the Vision of the Seas will be on 27 May, and if there are other ships in.

[bigwally]

Vision always docks at Filipstad. You are in with Jewel of the Seas on that day, but she doesn't arrive until 2pm so it'll be relatively quiet in town until then.

 

http://www.oslohavn.no/english/home/cruise-list

[kaisatsu]

Mike, (Big Wally) you are a fountain of knowledge.

yes, I am glad to see our ship is the only one in Oslo that day (Sat)

and knowing our ship is by the cruise terminal and we can buy the Oslo pass there is good news

our plan now is: buy Oslo Pass, catch tram #12 up to Vigeland, then bus down to B. Peninsula to visit some of the museums (yes, time will be rushed)

then ferry (perhaps) back to city center and if any time left, see a bit of downtown before boarding

are you taking kroners with you or just using the ATM in the different ports?

The Aker Brygge stop for the tram #12 is just across the big open plaza in front of the city hall (right in front of the Nobel Peace Center), and it has a digital display that shows the time until the next tram (even if it's running late). If Vigelands Park is your first stop, and the tram has a long wait, I would recommend walking to Nationaltheatret (about 5 minutes) and taking the subway to Majorstuen. The trains run frequently, even in the morning, and the walk to the park from Majorstuen is less than 10 minutes.

[bigwally]

I would recommend walking to Nationaltheatret (about 5 minutes) and taking the subway to Majorstuen. The trains run frequently, even in the morning, and the walk to the park from Majorstuen is less than 10 minutes.

 

And all 6 T-bane lines stop at Majorstuen, so there are no worries about catching the correct one. :)