Making the most of Oslo
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Once through the beautiful Oslofjord the cruise ships dock right in the center of Oslo. Most ships will dock at Revierkaia, facing the Opera House and some will dock at Filipstadkaia, (slightly further away, but still within walking distance from the center of town.
From the port you can see the City Hall, the Opera and the Nobel Peace Center.
Oslo Airport Gardermoen, 50km (19 minutes by an Airport Express Train)
Printable map to take along
Port Location on Google Maps Revierkaia
Port Location on Google Maps Filipstadkaia
Oslo offers more than 50 different museums along with an abundance of galleries - an impressive number for a city of Oslo's size.
Doing Oslo on your own is very easy. The city is small and compact and most everything worth seeing is within short distance. For the Kontiki and other outlying museums take either the Hop on/off bus or the ferry service. ()
At the cruise port you will find a tourist information desk as soon as you leave the ship. Here you will be able to obtain free tourist brochures and maps.
A recommended tour is taking the Båtservice ferry boat to the peninsula Bygdøy where some of Oslo's most famous museums are located, such as the Norsk Folkemuseum - Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, the Vikingship museum (closed till 2026 for renovation), the Kon-Tiki museum, the Polar Vessel FRAM and the Norwegian Maritime Museum.
The Vigeland Park is the world's largest sculpture park made by a single artist, and is one of Norway's most popular tourist attractions. The park is open to visitors all year round. Tram 12 (500m from the terminal) will get you there. The unique sculpture park is Gustav Vigeland's lifework with more than 200 sculptures in bronze, granite and wrought iron. Vigeland was also in charge of the design and architectural layout of the park. The Vigeland Park was mainly completed between 1939 and 1949.
Do not miss the changing of guards happening every day at 1:30 PM. at The Royal Palace in the center of town.
Another must see in Oslo is the Holmenkollen Ski Jump which is Norway's most visited tourist attraction. The ski jump is situated in on top of the city, surrounded by beautiful nature and from there you'll have a fantastic view of Oslo and the Oslofjord. Take Metro Line 1 from city hall, buy your ticket at the nearby 7-11 store.
Do also visit the Nobel Peace Center at the harbor next to the City Hall.
Getting around
Oslo is very walkable.
The public transportation in Oslo is good. Information about trains, trams, buses, ferries and the underground you will find on this website ( or at the tourist information on pier. Bus 30
Hop On/off to see the major sights in a short time. All cruise docks have a dedicated hop-on point, never more than a few meters away.
Food and shopping
Oslo is great for shopping. You will find shopping centers, interesting boutiques, specialty stores, or charming antique stores in the city center.
Best of all is that you will get the Norwegian Value Added Tax (MOMS) refunded when leaving the country. For further information,
Across the port, at Aker Brygge, an old shipyard, you will find more than 60 shops and 35 restaurants. A great place to purchase your fine gifts and souvenirs.
Remember that your a probably in the most expensive capital of the world. Oslo is not cheap.
Money
The Norwegian currency is the Norwegian crown (norske krone), abbreviated kr. A 1/100th krone is called øre. 1.00 EUR = about 8 NOK
ATMs in Norway are called Minibank.
Nearly all stores and tours accept major credit cards such as Mastercard and Visa as well as euros.
Staying connected
English widely spoken.
Free WiFi as well as an internet terminal is available at the tourist office right behind city hall.
Many fast food restaurants also offer free WiFi.
Opening Hours and
Opening hours in Norway are better than they used to be, but many smaller stores still close early on Saturday (1 PM or 3 PM is typical) and nearly everything is closed on Sundays. You'll often see opening hours written as "9-21 (9-18)" on doors, meaning 9 AM to 9 PM weekdays, 9 AM to 6 PM Saturday.