Although scarcely populated, Norway is a huge country. So huge, that most Norwegians would rather hop on a plane than travel the 8 hours it sometimes takes to go from one city to another. That being said, you have quite a few transportation options no matter where you are, and even more in Oslo and the other big cities.
Public transportation in Norway
Oslo definitely offers the most options when it comes to public transport. The Norwegian capital's network of buses, trams, and subway trains, is operated by Ruter, and most Norwegians have Rure's apps installed on their phones. Ruter Reise provides a thorough timetable of all buses and trains (even trains non-operated by Ruter) in the counties of Akershus, Buskerud, Hedmark, Oppland, Oslo, Vestfold, Telemark, and Ãstfold. Ruter Billett allows you to buy tickets and passes. Apart from the app, you can also buy tickets from most train stations and in key locations around the city, as well as in certain kiosks ' but you should avoid buying tickets on board, because this is more expensive and bus operators will usually require you to have the exact amount. A single ticket for buses and subway is valid for one hour and costs 35 NOK.
Good to know:
All public transportation usually stops around 00:30 am and starts again around 4:30 am, although there are a couple of night buses.
Oslo is also the hub from which you can explore the rest of the country. The green buses from the bus terminal of Oslo Sentralstasjon, as well as the bus terminal in the airport, will take you across the county. If you want to go even further (without hopping on a plane) the main rail station is the busiest in the country: Oslo S has 19 tracks with trains that can take you from the airport to the suburbs, and from cities around Oslo to popular destinations in the country, like Bergen or Trondheim. In fact, you can even cross the borders to Sweden with a train from Oslo Sentralstasjon. All trains (most of them operated by NSB) offer free wifi on board.
Good to know:
There's frequent maintenance taking place at the train tracks around the Oslo area, and as a result, the train schedules can often change. In that case, you will be directed to take a 'bus for tog' (bus for train) that will take you to your destination. If no bus can be arranged, in certain cases they can get you a taxi to share with other passengers.
Should you take a taxi?
Speaking of taxis: they can get quite expensive. The problem with taxis in Norway is that prices are not regulated. Depending on which city you're in and which company you're using, tariffs per kilometre can vary significantly. This was also the reason Uber withdrew its services from the Norwegian market in 2017. But if you do need a taxi, the best solution is to use an app like Mivai (scroll to the end of the article for link) where you can get quotes in real time from the nearest taxis around.
Travelling by boat
When the weather allows it, usually from late March to late October, you can also consider travelling by sea. Norwegians have a long and proud tradition of seafaring and the many fjords of this country cannot really be explored in any other way. There are several companies that operate mostly in Fjord Norway, but you can also take ferries to Denmark, Sweden, UK, and even Germany.
Useful links:
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