Your Oslo travel resources

Oslo guide

Welcome to Oslo! As an Ethical Norway traveler, you are stepping into a city that perfectly bridges urban innovation with a deep-rooted respect for nature and community. Oslo is consistently ranked among the world’s greenest cities, making it the perfect destination for the conscious traveler. Use our expert guide below to navigate Oslo like a local.

Getting around

Airport to city centre

It is easy to get from Oslo airport to the City Center. The 45 km distance takes a maximum of 50 minutes, and you can choose the express train, local train, bus, or taxi.

When you come through customs, take the right in the arrival hall. Walk towards the end of this hall, and you will reach the train station, which is inside the airport. Toward the left, you will find both the VY Local train (cheaper option: be sure your train stops in Oslo!) and the Flytoget Airport Express Train. Tickets can be purchased from the ticket machines.

Public transport | Essential apps

Ruter — The official app for public transport in Oslo. You can use it to plan routes, view real-time departures, and buy all local tickets.

Vy — The national railway app. You can use it to buy local tickets, but it is primarily necessary if you are taking regional trains out of Oslo or renting Vy's fleet of shared electric cars.

Entur — A nationwide transit planner. It is great if you are planning to travel to other cities or regions across Norway.

You can also purchase physical tickets at the Oslo Visitor Centre (Central Station), Ruter service points, or local convenience kiosks such as Narvesen, 7-Eleven, Deli de Luca, and Mix.

Oslo by car | Parking, P+R

Driving a car into central Oslo is not recommended due to aggressive traffic-calming designs, widespread pedestrianization, high toll road fees, and costly parking rates. 

• Street Parking — Managed primarily by the municipality and tiered by vehicle emission types. Standard gasoline/diesel vehicles cost 71 NOK per hour (up to 345 NOK for 24 hours), whereas electric vehicles (EVs) get a discount of 36 NOK per hour.
• Private Parking Garages — Operators like Onepark, Aimo Park, and APCOA offer secure multi-story options in the center. However, maximum daily rates in prime areas like Oslo Central Station can range from 300 NOK to roughly 700 NOK per day. 

The best way to avoid city center driving is to park at a suburban transit hub and take the train or metro (Park & Ride). 

• Suburban Metro (T-bane) Stations — Lots like Grorud and Rommen in the northeast offer large park-and-ride areas that are generally free for up to 48 hours for commuters.
• Train Station Commuter Parking — Managed by Bane NOR. Major hubs outside the center (like Asker, Sandvika, or Lillestrøm) offer exceptionally cheap parking if you hold a valid public transport ticket—typically requiring the Bane NOR Parkering app to register your vehicle and ticket. 

Electric Scooters (Step)

You will see electric scooters and bicycles spread around the city. The Main Operators are Voi (red) and Bolt (green). 

How to Rent — While you can use the individual operator apps, Ruter has integrated e-scooter mapping and unlocking directly into its own app via your Ruter Profile. This allows you to locate the nearest scooter regardless of the brand.

Local Regulations — Due to city ordinances, e-scooters are speed-capped in heavy pedestrian areas and cannot be rented late at night on weekends to prevent accidents. You must park them inside the designated virtual parking zones shown on the app maps. 

Restaurants in Oslo

Cafés in Oslo

Museums in and around Oslo

City centre

• National Museum — Combines the former National Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art, and Museum of Decorative Arts and Design. Includes Munch's iconic The Scream, French Impressionists, Norwegian Romantics, and contemporary works. Overlooks the Oslofjord.
• Nobel Peace Center — Dedicated to the Nobel Peace Prize, its laureates, and their work. Right by the waterfront, central location.
• Norway's Resistance Museum — Covers Norway's occupation during World War II. Located at Akershus Fortress, just a short walk from the city centre.
• Armed Forces Museum — Norwegian military history from the Viking age to today. Also at Akershus Fortress.
• Ibsen Museum — The preserved apartment where playwright Henrik Ibsen spent his final years. City centre, near the Royal Palace.
• Historical Museum (Historisk museum) — Offers a deep dive into Norwegian heritage, including Viking artefacts and medieval objects. University of Oslo campus.

Bygdøy peninsula (15–20 min from centre by bus or ferry)

• Norwegian Museum of Cultural History (Norsk Folkemuseum) — Open-air museum with a vast collection of authentic historical buildings from across Norway, painstakingly restored and moved to the site.
• Viking Ship Museum — Currently under renovation and expanding into a new Museum of the Viking Age. Houses real Viking ships and burial finds.
• Fram Museum — Home to the polar exploration ship Fram. Exhibits cover legendary explorers Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen, with a Polar Simulator and the actual Gjøa ship used for the Northwest Passage.
• Kon-Tiki Museum — Dedicated to Thor Heyerdahl's legendary raft expeditions across the Pacific and Atlantic.
• Norwegian Maritime Museum — Covers the seafaring history of Norway, with Viking Age boat builders, maritime paintings, ship models, and an underwater cave with real and mythical sea creatures.
• HL Center (Holocaust and Religious Minorities) — Located in Villa Grande on the Bygdøy peninsula.

Waterfront / Bjørvika (walkable from the centre)

• Munch Museum — Towers over the Oslofjord with a staggering permanent collection of Edvard Munch's paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photos, and film.

Frogner / West Oslo

• Vigeland Museum — In Frogner Park, free entry, adds context to the famous Vigeland sculptures outside.
• Oslo City Museum & Theatre Museum — Both located at Frogner Manor in Frogner Park, covering city history and theatre history.

Aker Brygge / Tjuvholmen

• Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art — Private collection of contemporary international art, striking Renzo Piano building right on the waterfront.

Further out (30–45 min from centre)

• Holmenkollen Ski Museum — World's oldest ski museum, inside the iconic Holmenkollen ski jump. Panoramic views over Oslo.
• Natural History Museum — Botanic garden and natural history collections, University of Oslo campus at Tøyen.
• Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology — Interactive science museum, great for families. Kjelsås area.
• Labour Museum — In Sagene, covering Oslo's industrial and working-class history along the Akerselva river.

Photo spots

• Ekebergparken — Hillside sculpture park with sweeping views over the Oslofjord and the city skyline. Best at golden hour or in the snow.
• Operahouse roof — Walk up the sloping marble roof of the Oslo Opera House for unobstructed fjord and city views. Free and accessible at all times.
• Akershus Fortress — Medieval fortress walls with views over the harbour and Aker Brygge waterfront. Beautiful in low evening light.
• Grünerløkka — The most photogenic neighbourhood in Oslo. Colourful street art, canal-side Akerselva river walks, independent shops, and café terraces.
• Vigeland Park — Gustav Vigeland's monumental sculpture installation in Frogner Park. Striking in all seasons, especially misty autumn mornings.
• Holmenkollen ski jump — Iconic against the skyline from the city, or dramatic from the top looking down over Oslo and the fjord.
• Tjuvholmen / Aker Brygge — The modern waterfront district. Clean architectural lines, the Astrup Fearnley Museum, and a boat-filled marina.
• Mathallen area / Vulkan — Industrial-meets-hip riverfront along the Akerselva in Grünerløkka. Good street photography territory.
• Bygdøy peninsula — Wooded coastline, beaches, and historic ships. The approach road in autumn is particularly beautiful.