Oslo Tourist Traps

Unless it's a emergency, it can be quite expensive to use the toilets there. They charge 10 NK and sometimes you have to pay in a machine that doesn't change. So if you can wait...

Using the toilets at MC Donalds (Majorstua) is free. but they're are not happy for people
using their WC without buying something.
If you're in Majorstua you can also go to the library and use their WC for free.

if there's no sign.

Dame/kvinne (Woman)

Mann/herre (man)

It’s way too expensive. For a normal check you'll have to pay up to 1000 NK, it’s even more expensive if you have to do something more. Don't take any advice from them; some will add it to your bill.

The dentist school in Oslo often treats people for half the price. They are supervised by their teachers. But they only take more "interesting" and bad cases. So if you have 60 teeth and/or teeth like a vampire, they may be willing to treat you.

If you have to pull out a tooth and your dentist think it's too complicated he/she will refer you to the dentist section at the hospital and you only pay normal consultation fee.
if you need a dentist, you should try out this person. He's cheaper than average Norwegian dentists

Knut Ostad
Framnesveien 12

22445064

http://informa.no/Bedrift/832836/Knut+Th+Osvik+Tannlege

3 more images

Once in a while these people working for the buss/train and pram service will be controlling the passengers’ tickets. If you don’t have a valid ticket you’re fined 750 or 900NK

every time I see these people I start to panic, even if I have a valid ticket. Maybe it has been expired? And there's no way to run I’m stuck

Unique Suggestions: Don't try to run away. They’ll get you anyway. Don’t try to hit them or yell at them, they'll get the police to come and get you.

The funny thing is that they're not always dressed in uniforms. So the person sitting beside you could suddenly demand to see your ticket. So you never know who the mule is. It makes it so much funnier.

Recently we also had some problems with some fake controllers. People are creative. If it's not possible to pay with Card, there's something wrong.

16th of Mai, I'm so annoyed right know. I forgot to buy a new week card, and I was caught, 750 NK, why can’t this money go to charity?

Fun Alternatives: : look for another way out. In Majorstua station there are different opportunities. There are two ways out and they’re always located in the midway. Try not to look nervous, they will come demanding to see your valid ticket.

If you're on the metro tell them that you're a foreigner and that you thought that you were supposed to pay on the metro or you just didn't understand the system Or that you were waiting for a conductor to come. If you're lucky they'll let you go with a warning. Or you can try to speak a strange language that they definitely don’t understand and just hope they'll call an interpreter.

If it still doesn't help and you have to pay. Explain the situation at the Trafikanten at Oslo city. The people working there are usually very nice.

It can be quite amusing listening to the excuses people have for not having valid tickets you’ll also see some great actor performances. This could be a good motivation for learning Norwegian.

A lot of VTers are confused about the 3 airports around Oslo, and how you can get to and from them, or between them.

And for the record, so nobody gets angry with me, Torp and Rygge is not in Oslo, Torp is actually in Sandefjord and Rygge is in Moss, but they are not that far from Oslo.

The 3 airports are:
Oslo International Airport Gardermoen (OSL) located about 20 minuttes north of Oslo. This one is the major one, so if you are looking connecting to domestic flight this is the airport you want to go to, unless you have several hours before your connecting flight.
Airport website: http://www.osl.no/index.asp?languagecode=9
You can get to and from Oslo using bus or train, there are 2 bus companies that operates this route, Flybussekpressen and Flybussen. Busses are generally a bit cheaper than train, but from Gardermoen I would reccomend the Airport express train, it is a lot faster, and a lot more comfortable, specially if you are going into Oslo City Centre. Airport express train website
Flybussen website
Flybussekspressen website
Gardermoen also have huge selections of trains and busses to other places in Norway, post a question on the Norway forum if you have any problems figuring it out :)

Sandefjord Airport Torp (TRF) located in Sandefjord about 2 hours southwest of Oslo. This airport also have international flights, specially RyanAir and Wizz Air have a lot of flights here.
Airport website: http://www.torp.no/Default.aspx?Language=EN&pkMenu=131

You can get to and from Oslo using bus or train, there are 1 bus company that operates this route, the Torp Ekspressen. There are also a number of companies that stops close to Torp (Fokserod), but that means you have to find a connecting buss to Fokserod (which is doable, but unneccesary if you are going to Oslo. If you are going down the south coast of Norway, i.e Kristiansand, however this is a good option)
Website of Torp Ekspressen
There is not a trainstation within walkingdistance from Torp, but there is a free shuttle bus between Torp Airport and Torp Trainstation. If you are going from Trop to Oslo Airport Gardermoen (OSL) the train is a good idea, because it goes past Oslo to Lillehammer, Gardermoen is one of its stops after Oslo. Website: http://www.nsb.no/?lang=en_US

Moss Airport Rygge (RYG) located in Moss about 1 hour southeast of Oslo. This new airport is mainly operated by Norwegian at the moment.
Airport website: http://www.en.ryg.no/

You can get to and from Oslo using bus or train, there are 2 bus companies that operates this route, Rygge Ekspressen and TIMEkspressen, the last one also takes you to Sarpsborg, Halden and even Stromstad in Sweden, so be carefull about which direction you embark on the airport.
Website of Rygge Ekspressen
TIMEksressen timetable (PDF)
There is not a trainstation within walkingdistance from Rygge, but there is a free shuttle bus between Rygge Airport and Rygge Trainstation. Website: http://www.nsb.no/?lang=en_US

For more information about Oslo, please visit my Oslo page

There is a general shortage of hotel rooms on Oslo, so if you call a travelers agent and they tell you that everything is full, then they are probably right. So the only thing you can do about it is: BOOK EARLY! Even other cities around Oslo tends to get booked out due to this problem, I have heard of people who had to go all the way to Lillehammer (just so you know Lillehammer is 2 and a half hour away by car or train) to get a room, and that was when they tried to book one week ahead.

I found tourist traps in Oslo to be pretty obvious. They were loudly signed with international brands like Burger King & TGI Friday's. Egon is a bit better but is still focused on mainstream food.

Unique Suggestions: Choose Egon over TGIF. They are both near the Grand Hotel.

One should think that a norwegian girl wouldn't be surpriced by the norwegian prices Think again!

a week ago I went to Egon to have a meal together with a friend. We left the place because of the hilarious prices

For instance: a baked potato with bread: 103NK
a hamburger 135-174 NK

a look at the menu :
http://egon.no/index.asp?L=ENG&TAB=0&ID=3162&U=&Name=This%20is%20Egon&P=0
there are other places to eat if you don't want to be totally ruined, try Peppes instead

On stalls along the Karl Johan main street in Oslo you will find sweaters and jackets apparently of Norwegian design. However, the design is inaccurate, the wool quality inferior and it it is all made in south and East Asia. The latter is not such a problem, but given the inferior quality of the seaters, do not buy if you want a proper souvenir from Norway. However, they're ok for wear if you just face it being fake.

Unique Suggestions: Make sure the knitting is good enough and the design more than just approximate.

Fun Alternatives: Buy the real thing at Hus Flid shops; genuinely hand made items.