Oslo

Introduction

Oslo

© krissy

Oslo is the capital of Norway and situated at the head of the Oslo Fjord. About 1/3 of the total population of Norway lives around the Oslo fjord, with roughly 625,000 living in Oslo. The total urban area has over 900,000 inhabitants, while the metropolitan region has almost 1.5 million people living within its limits. Oslo has been ranking high on two lists: it is both one of the most liveable cities in Europe, as well as being one of the most expensive cities in the world. But travellers need not to worry, as there are budget options (even camping) and it's a fantastic place to spend a couple of days.

History

Oslo, the capital of Norway, was founded around the year 1000 and, contrary to popular belief, was actually originally named Oslo. During the Middle Ages it was situated at the foot of Ekeberg Hill, in the suburb now known as Gamlebyen (literal translation:"Old city"). In 1624, after a disastrous fire destroyed most of the city, King Christian IV decided to rebuild the town within the walls of Akerhus Castle. The king named the town after himself: Christiania, a name that some Norwegians consider the original name of the city.

In 1814, after the Denmark-Norway union was dissolved, Christiania became the official capital of Norway. King Karl Johan started building the Royal Palace in 1825, but financial difficulties delayed the project, and the palace was not completed until 1848 at which time Oscar I was the king of Norway and Sweden. The main street leading up to the Royal Palace from Oslo Central Station is named after the king who started work on the palace, Karl Johans 'gate' (street). This street is the most famous street in Norway. It runs from the Central Railway Station past the Storting (the Norwegian parliament), the National Theatre, the University of Oslo and ends at the Royal Palace. Large parts of it were redone in 2005 and 2006 to make it more friendly for pedestrians.

Starting in 1877, the city name was written as Kristiania, but in 1925 the city retook its original name: Oslo.

Neighbourhoods

Oslo has a number of parks, islands, museums, churches and interesting suburbs to explore. Exploring is easy with excellent public transport and relatively short distances. Within a few hours you can walk through many of the inner city suburbs, sampling the different vibes and flavours each offer.

City Centre (Karl Johan Street)

In the very centre of Oslo there is an abundance of discotheques, nightclubs, bars, jazz clubs and cafés, as well as the usual city centre shops. It is popular with tourists as most hotels are centred around this area and Aker Brygge, Oslo's equivalent to San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, is located nearby. Recent years have seen a strong increase in the number of drug users, prostitutes and beggars on Karl Johan, especially at the lower end of the street in front of Central Station. Although generally harmless to their surroundings, it can be surprising to a lot of travellers to experience this as one of the first things in Norway, one of the richest countries in the world. The tourism industry in Norway has called for more action with regards to the situation. Outside of this very limited area in the center of Oslo however, the issue is virtually non-existent.

Majorstua

Majorstua is located towards the west of the city centre. It is one of the more established dining, entertainment and night-life areas in the city and is especially popular with more sophisticated clientele, as well as young people who have been raised in the area. Traditionally in Oslo the more affluent crowd lived on the west side of Akerselva, the small river that roughly divides Oslo, and the working class lived on it's east side and to this day people refer to the west and people from that area as 'Vestkanten' (West side).

Grünerløkka

Grünerløkka is one of the most trendy suburbs of Oslo and is located just east of Akerselva. Home to a variety of small cafés, restaurants, bars and outdoor establishments as well as several parks, it is popular with students and young couples and families and it is not uncommon to spot 10 strollers outside a restaurant in the middle of the day. There are few nightclubs here, but several bars stay open late, including Cafe 33 on Thorvald Meyers gt. Edvards Kaffebar at Schousplass 1 is a good place for a coffee and used to be the residence of Norway's most famous artist, Edvard Munch who is most famous for Scream.

Rodeløkka

Adjacent to Grünerløkka, Rodeløkka consists of three parallel streets and is one of the few parts of Oslo where you will still find the original wooden houses that were the foundation of much of Oslo. In the period after the fire that destroyed most of the city, new regulation stipulated that every building inside the city walls were to be made of stone or brick, which was considerably more expensive than wood. This led to a plethora of settlements by Oslo's working class right outside the city walls, where they could afford to live. As the city expanded the walls, boundaries had to be moved and rules had to be relaxed and Rodeløkka's wooden houses were incorporated within the city limits. In the 1970's, when the city tried to demolish the houses in the area, citizens protested and eventually won, leaving a little oasis of around 100 houses in their original style, surrounded by flats, in the middle of the city.

Torshov

Although not your typical traveller hang out, Torshov is a relatively short (20 minutes) walk up Akerselva from Grünerløkka and the walk is a nice one along the river. The Torshov suburb is known for 'Torshovgård' (Torshov buildings), large residential buildings built in a rectangular shape with huge common gardens in the center. These buildings attract young families, typically with one or two young children, based on their proximity to the city and social opportunities for children due to the common areas and large parks. This suburb also houses Soria Moria, a theater/cinema, and a cozy little gourmet restaurant, Victors.

Grønland

Grønland is one of the most diverse suburbs in Oslo and is located just south-east of Grünerløkka within a few hundred meters from Oslo Central Station. Quickly gaining in popularity, new bars and cafés are constantly cropping up and you will meet a wide variety of people from around the world here.

Sights and Activities

Vigeland Sculpture park

© krissy

• Vigeland Sculpture Park - Filled with 212 bronze and granite sculptures created by Gustav Vigeland, this park is a highlight of any trip to Oslo. The Monolith, the most popular sculpture in the park, stands 14 metres tall, comprising 121 human figures rising towards heaven. It took the sculptors 14 years to complete this piece. The park is located in Kirkeveien, in the western part of Oslo. Catch tram 12 to reach the park. Address: Kirkeveien, Price: Free
• Emanuel Vigeland museum - At least equally impressive as his brother Gustav's sculptures is the mausoleum of Emanuel Vigeland. It's not very well known, in part because it is hidden away in the middle of a residential area, but mostly because it is only open for 4 or 5 hours a week on Sunday afternoons, depending on the season. The museum's main attraction is a dark, barrel-vaulted room, completely covered with fresco paintings, depicting human life from conception till death, in dramatic and often explicitly erotic scenes. The museum is located at Grimelundsveien 8 in Oslo. Take the T-bane (metro) no. 1 towards Frognerseteren to Slemdal station. It's a 7-minute walk from there. Or bus no. 46 to Grimelundsveien, 5 minutes walk. There is street parking outside the museum. Tel: +47 22 14 57 88. Email: [email protected]. Address: Grimelundsveien 8 0775 Oslo, Phone: 22 14 57 88, Price: NOK 40 per adult (children under 12 are free)
• Opera House - Opened in 2008, Oslo's new Opera House is a located right next to Central Station. The roof angles upward from the water of the Oslo fjord, allowing visitors to walk over the roof and take in panoramic views of the city. Covered in white marble and granite, if you are visiting on a sunny day, sunglasses are a must. Address: Kirsten Flagstads Plass 1 Oslo, Phone: 21 42 21 00
• Oslo City Hall - The Oslo City Hall is beautifully decorated and centrally located next to Aker Brygge. This is where the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony has been held since 1990. Open daily between 9:00am and 4:00pm. Address: Rådhuset 0037 Oslo, Price: Free
• Royal Palace - Address: Henrik Ibsens gate 1 Oslo
• Karl Johan's gata/street - Address: Karl Johan's gate Oslo
• Oslo Cathedral - Address: Karl Johan's gate 11 Oslo, Phone: 23 62 90 10
• FRAM museum - Located on Bygdøy this museum tells the story of Norwegian polar expeditions by Fridtjof Nansen, Roald Amundsen, Otto Sverdrup and others. The museum is literally built around Nansen's famous polar ship Fram. Address: Bygdøynesveien 36, 0286 Oslo, Phone: 23 28 29 50
• Kontiki museum - Located directly across from the FRAM museum on Bygdøy, the Kontiki museum is a tribute to the explorations of Thor Heyerdahl, a famous Norwegian scientist, adventurer and champion of the environment. It also houses some of the vessels Heyerdahl sailed in. Address: Bygdøynesveien 36, 0286 Oslo, Phone: 23 08 67 67
• Aker brygge - The wharf where the ferry goes to, amongst others, the museums out on Bygdøy.
• Viking Ship museum - Museum housing several different viking ships on Bygdøy. Bus 30 stops nearby. Address: Huk Aveny 35 0287 Oslo
• Folk museum - Large, mostly open air, museum showcasing Norwegian cultural history.
• Munch museum - Houses one of the versions of Scream, amongst many other great works by Edward Munch. Address: Tøyengata 53 0578 Oslo, Phone: 23 49 35 00, Price: Adults: NOK 95. Under 16: Free. Students and Seniors: NOK 50
• National museum - Address: Kristian Augusts gate 23 0164 Oslo
• Holmenkollen ski jump - The world's first ski jump. The current version was built in 2010 for the 2011 World Ski Championships. You don't have to pay anything to visit the Holmenkollen ski jump arena from the outside, however if you want to go inside the museum or try the ski jump simulator, you'll have to pay. Address: Kongeveien 5 0787 Oslo

Events and Festivals

• Norway's Constitution Day (17 May 2013) - This national holiday commemorates the day that Norway's constitution was signed in 1814 and declared Norway to be an independent nation. To honor this event, parades are held throughout the city, where children participate in an adorable procession that passes by the Royal Palace.
• Bislett Games - Originally started in 1924, the Bislett Games continues to attract some of the top athletes in track and field.
• Norwegian Wood Festival - An annual music festival held in the woods of Oslo. The festival attracts some very large names, including the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Sting. Address: Frognerbadet
• Øya Festival - Øya Festival is one of Oslo's most popular music events, drawing an audience of over 80,000 concert-goers each year. The 2012 concert will feature today's relevant artists like: Bjork, Florence + the Machine, Feist, and many more!
• Oslo Jazz Festival - Oslo Jazz Festival is a major annual event for jazz music lovers. Occurring every year in mid-August, this event features talented jazz, soul, and blues artists.
• Fortellerhuset - Every year in May, Fortellerhuset, a group of self-proclaimed 'professional cross-cultural story-tellers', put on a festival for children and adults. This Norwegian Story-telling Festival invites talented international story-tellers to perform in venues across Oslo.
• Granittrock - This family-friendly music festival takes place every September in the forest of Lillomarka in Groruddalen. Community funds and volunteers are relied upon to host the event that can draw up to 200,000 visitors a day! This music event is free, and it provides entertainment from both local and internationally known bands.

Geography and Weather

Oslo lies on the same latitude as Saint Petersburg, Anchorage in Alaska and Kap Farvel in Greenland. Despite it's location, the climate is better than one might presume, due to the Gulf Stream bringing warmth up the coast of Norway. Oslo, as much of the rest of Norway, comes alive in the summer and Aker Brygge (the main wharf down town) and the many public parks are packed when good weather arrives. Ferries also offer quick access to a dozen or so small islands in the Oslo Fjord.

Nevertheless the winters in Oslo get cold enough to offer very good skiing conditions for about 3 to 5 months, in the hills right around the city. 'Tryvann', one of the more established downhill slopes can be reached relatively easily by tram from down town Oslo. The same hills offer countless opportunities for cross country skiing and events are regularly held around the base of the world-famous Holmenkollen Ski Jump.

Temperatures throughout the year ^[1]

Getting There

By Plane

1. Oslo's Gardermoen Airport (OSL) is Norway's largest airport and is 45 kilometres northeast of Oslo. Gardermoen is served directly from most European capitals, but most flights from outside of Europe will require a stopover before heading to Oslo, although there are direct connections with New York, Islamabad, Lahore, Doha and Bangkok. All the main European capitals and many other cities (Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Szczecin, Gdansk, Krakow, Barcelona, Malaga) have direct flights as well. Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), Norwegian and Widerøe also serve the domestic market and the network of domestic flight opportunities from Oslo is good.

To/from the airport

• Train: The easiest and fastest way to get to the city centre from the airport is by high speed train (the Flytoget), which takes 22 minutes and runs every 10 to 20 minutes. It stops at Lillestrøm, Central station and the National Theater, although some departures are direct to and from Central station only. You can purchase a ticket at the airport from a machine, through one of the booths or simply swipe your credit card and walk through. It's 170 NOK for a single trip. There are also a few slower local trains run by NSB that leave roughly every half hour and cost around 110 NOK. Use the front page of the Norwegian railway system to search for times close to your arrival.
• Bus: If you are not staying in the centre, the Flybussen bus can be a better option as it stops at more locations. This takes roughly 45 minutes and costs 120 NOK.
• Car: Taxis should be ordered at the booth inside the arrival terminal. You will get a fixed price, starting anywhere around 450 NOK for a one way trip to the city centre. It is usually more expensive to flag one outside from the queue. Rental cars are also available at the airport.

2. Moss Airport, Rygge, also just called Oslo Rygge Airport, is about 60 kilometres from Oslo and has quite a few flights as well, especially as it functions as the budget airport for Ryanair, which flies to/from Aarhus, Alicante, Barcelona, Paris, Beziers, Berlin, Brussels, Dublin, Eindhoven, Faro, Gdansk, Girona, Ibiza, Kaunas, Krakow, La Rochelle, Liverpool, London Gatwick Airport, London Stansted Airport, Madrid, Malaga, Memmingen, Newcastle, Palermo, Palma de Mallorca, Riga, Rome, Tallinn, Tampere, Treviso, Thessaloniki, Valencia, Airport Weeze, Wroclaw, Zadar, and seasonal to/from Châlons-en-Champagne and Kos. Norwegian Air Shuttle and a few charter airlines mainly serve some southern European destinations like Rhodes, Crete, Tenerife and Gran Canaria.

To/from the airport

• Train: The airport is located 4 kilometres from Rygge Station and is served by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB), who operate an hourly regional train service between Oslo and Halden, with an extra departure in the rush hour. Five of the daily services continue onwards south to Gothenburg, Sweden. Travel time to Oslo is 50 minutes, to Halden is 55 minutes, and to Gothenburg is about 3 hours. NSB has shuttles to that train station, taking less than 10 minutes.
• Bus: Unibuss operates buses to Oslo, taking about one hour. The service runs in correspondence with all of Norwegian's and Ryanair's flights, leaving about 2.5 hours before departure. Norway Bussekspress operates the service Flybussekspressen, which runs from Fredrikstad & Sarpsborg via Moss Airport, Moss and Follo to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. Travel time to Fredrikstad is 30 minutes, Sarpsborg 20, and travel time to Gardermoen is 1 hour and 40 minutes.
• Car: it's about 45 minutes by car/rental car/taxi to Oslo, via the E6 motorway.

3. Torp airport (TRF) near Sandefjord, which is served by Ryanair and WizzAir amongst others, is another option. Ryanair flies to/from Alghero, Alicante, Bergamo, Bremen, Edinburgh, Girona, Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, Liverpool and London Stansted Airport and seasonal to/from Malaga, Pescara, Pisa and Trapani. WizzAir flies to/from Gdansk, Katowice, Poznan, Prague, Riga, Warsaw and Wroclaw. WizzAir Ukraine flies to Kiev, and other destinations with a few airlines include Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stavanger and Trondheim.

To/from the airport

• Train: Sandefjord Airport Station is located on the Vestfold Line, about 3 kilometres from the airport. It is served by regional trains that operate between Lillehammer, Oslo Airport, Oslo Central Station, and Skien. There are hourly trains in each direction, supplemented by rush-hour trains. Travel time to Oslo is 1 hour 48 minutes, and to Oslo Airport it is 2 hours 23 minutes.
• Bus: Torpekspressen (also by Unibuss) will take you to the centre of Oslo for NOK 140 each way for adults and NOK 80 for children aged 3-15. Children under three years of age travel free.^[2] The trip takes about 90 minutes as Torp airport is located 115 kilometres south of Oslo. Local buses go to the nearby cities of Sandefjord and Tønsberg, connecting with trains to Oslo.

By train

Oslo central station is located near Karl Johan's street and is served by the Norwegian railway (NSB) from throughout Norway, including regular arrivals from Bergen, Kristiansand, Stavanger and Trondheim. The region immediately around Oslo is also served comprehensively, including the airport and travelling by NSB train is notably cheaper than the popular airport express train, but of course much slower and less regular.

International trains arrive in Oslo from the south east, through Sweden. Central station tends to be the main stop, but a lot of trains also continue on to the National theater stop (Nationaltheatret) which is slightly more central.

The NSB website offers Minipris fares to all Norwegian destinations and some larger Swedish destinations they serve, for a discounted rate of 199 NOK. There is also a Comfort version of this popular low cost ticket which includes coffee and some other amenities including a power outlet for an extra 75 NOK. For some of the Swedish lines, the Swedish railway website might be a better alternative with discounted rates down to 150 SEK.

By car

With the E6 and E18 international European highways meeting in Oslo access by car from the rest of Europe is a straightforward affair. You can arrive in Oslo from Copenhagen and Stockholm in under 7 hours and from Berlin the trip takes about 12 hours, including a ferry ride.

The E6 runs north to south and if you are driving to Oslo from Trondheim or Alta, you will most likely be arriving on this highway. Most other towns and cities are served off this highway. The E16 runs west to Bergen and the E18 run south-west to Drammen and Kristiansand.

By bus

Eurolines has buses between Oslo and a number of European cities as well as a few other Norwegian cities. Säfflebusen and Swebus Express both have connections from Gothenburg and Stockholm to Oslo.

By boat

Direct Ferries and Colorline both travel to and from Oslo from a number of cities in Sweden, Denmark and Germany. Stena Line has ferries between Frederikshavn and Oslo. DFDS Seaways also provide a daily ferry to Olso from Copenhagen that sails overnight, departing Copenhagen early evening. Check the website of Oslo Harbour for more details about schedules and prices.

Getting Around

Kon-Tiki Raft

© Sam I Am

By Car

For a capital city, Oslo has a minimal amount of congestion and you rarely find yourself stuck in traffic in the city (although the access ways at certain times of the day get congested). The inner city can be somewhat tricky to navigate by car due to one way streets, but no more so than any other large city.

By Public Transport

Public transport in Oslo is very good and allows access to the outer suburbs of Oslo from downtown. In the inner city, trams and buses are generally no more than 5 minutes apart. Tickets can be purchased on board, but a better and cheaper alternative is to buy a 'Flexikort' (flexible ticket) which you stamp every time you take a trip. There are no zones, so you can travel as far as you'd like on one stamp, as long as it is not longer than an hour. Likewise, if you make a few short hops you do not need to re-validate your card as long as you validated the ticket less than one hour ago. Ferries departing from Aker Brygge or to the islands in the fjord use the same system so be mindful that you do not always have to re-validate when getting on board.

If you are planning to use the public transportation heavily within a short period, there are day and weekend passes available.

By Foot

Distances are relatively short in Oslo so seeing the city by foot is easy regardless of fitness level. From Central Station to the Castle and down to Aker Brygge is no more than 800 metres for example. The more active walkers could certainly see most of the city center and one of the suburbs like Grünerløkka or Majorstua within one day. Within the inner city there is relatively little elevation making walking even more comfortable.

By Bike

Especially in the summer one will see a lot of bicycles used to get around Oslo. In part this is thanks to a rent-a-bike system that is very popular and allows you to pick up a bike at one of dozens of stands across the city and return it to a similar stand elsewhere. There are some very good mountain bike tracks around Songsvann and for those that do not care to cycle all the way up a tram provides access.

Eat

• Akersberget restaurant - Akersberget restaurant is a small a-la-carte restaurant located near Cubapark at Akerselva river, between Grünerløkka and St. Hanshaugen, at the site of a small silver mine which according to tradition was guarded by a dragon. Prices for mains are around 250-275 norwegian kroner. Email: [email protected] Address: Maridalsveien 22, 0175, Phone: 2220 9495
• Mucho Mas - Mexican food Address: Thorvald Meyers gate 36B in Grünerløkka, Phone: 22 37 16 09
• Kitty's Sushi - Japanese food Address: Helgesens gate 14 in Grünerløkka, Phone: 22 38 36 93
• Ryes - Newish restaurant in 50's inspired style Address: Thorvald Meyers gate 59 in Grünerløkka
• QBA - One of the first cafés that offered free wifi in Oslo. Always busy with lots of people working on laptops and serves a simple menu with wraps and sandwiches. Address: Olaf Ryes plass 4 in Grünerløkka, Phone: 22 35 24 60
• Bistro Brocante - Small restaurant with french menu Address: Thorvald Meyers gate 40B in Grünerløkka, Phone: 22 35 68 71
• Delicatessen - One of the best tapas restaurants in Oslo, so be prepared to wait for a table anytime after 4:00pm. Address: At Søndre gate 8 in Grünerløkka, Phone: 22 71 45 46
• Südøst - The building with a 6-metre-high ceiling served as a bank until the 70's and was redone as a restaurant in 2007. Steak, pork or fish menu, with open kitchen, large fireplaces used for roasting the pork, and a large terrace outside facing the river. Address: At Trondheimsveien 5 on the outskirts of Grünerløkka, Phone: 23 35 30 70
• Memphis - Burgers and beer. Also contains a back yard terrace which is open in the summer months. Address: Thorvald Meyers gate 63 in Grünerløkka, Phone: 22 04 12 75.
• Fru Hagen - Next to Bistro Brocante, serves burgers, salads and sandwiches in a relaxed, lounge type atmosphere. Address: Thorvald Meyersgate 40 in Grünerløkka, Phone: 45 49 19 04
• Trancher Entrecote - Small, cozy restaurant that only serves slow roasted entrecote in two sizes. Extensive wine menu. E-mail: [email protected] Address: Thorvald Meyers gate 78 at the lower end of Grünerløkka, Phone: 22 36 47 60
• Bugges eftf - Laid back restaurant with couches and armchairs, that during the day typically has lots of kids strollers in front of the door. Menu of burgers, salads, sandwiches and soup at good prices. Email: [email protected] Address: Corner of Leirfallsgate and Markveien in Grünerløkka., Phone: 98 26 62 17
• Ryes - 50's inspired, semi-diner style decor on Olaf Ryes in the centre of Grünerløkka (around the corner from Memphis). Very popular on the weekends, probably partly based on the fact that they have a happy hour (3 beers for 100 NOK, which is cheap for Norway) each afternoon. On the menu are burgers, pancakes and breakfasts till late. The milkshakes are also quite good.
• Perla Mediterranea - Spanish tapas Address: Bjerregaards gate 1 in St Hanshaugen, Phone: 22 60 18 18

Drink

• The Icebar - The only permanent bar in Norway made entirely of ice and is kept at minus 5 degrees at all time. Everything inside is made out of crystal clear ice. Address: Kristian IV’s gate 12, Price: 160 kr for adults, or 135 if ordered online.

Areas popular for drinks are Grünerløkka (tram 11-12-13 to stops Nybrua, Schous plass, Olaf Ryes plass or Birkelunden), Aker Brygge (tram 12 to Aker Brygge or bus 21-32-33-54 to Vika Atrium or Bryggetorget), Solli/Frogner (tram 12-13 or bus 30-31 to Solli), Grønland (T-bane to Grønland or bus 37 to Norbygata) and the city centre.

Beer in the supermarkets costs between 10 NOK - 16 NOK for a 0.33l bottle or 20-30 NOK for a half litre can. Supermarkets stop selling beer after 8:00pm on weekdays and at 6:00pm on Saturdays (earlier on holiday weekends). It is not possible to buy beer on Sunday except in restaurants and pubs. Prices of beer in bars and restaurants vary from around 45 NOK to 65 NOK (classier places, especially in the main tourist areas downtown and at Aker Brygge) for a half litre, the most common size. Wine is typically in the same price range and stronger alcohol a little more expensive.

It is illegal to drink in public areas and this law is enforced, particularly in the streets. It is generally not enforced at all in parks however, and especially in the summer it is common to see parks filled with groups having drinks and barbecuing. Sofienbergparken, Birkelunden and Kuba at Grünerløkka are good places for a drink in the summer as is St. Hanshaugen park or Frognerparken in Majorstua.

Sleep

Upscale

• First Hotel Grims Grenka opened its doors in 2009 and bills itself as Oslo's first boutique design hotel. It is located in Kongens gate 5, 0153 Oslo. Telephone: +47 23 10 72 00‎
• Grand Hotel opened in 1874 and is located on Karl Johans street, a stone's throw from the Palace. As one would expect from any capital's Grand Hotel, it's been the hotel of choice for many a celebrity and head of state throughout its history. Address: Karl Johans gate 31, 0159 Oslo. Telephone: +47 23 21 20 00

Work

It's extremely hard to find reasonable work in Oslo if you don't speak Norwegian, even with the right visa in hand. Although there are lots of skilled jobs available, most travellers, especially other Scandinavians, tend to end up working in the hospitality industry. There are also plenty of jobs available that do not require you to speak Norwegian, typically jobs that Norwegians will not take.

These organizations and agencies are useful when trying to find work in Oslo.

• NAV - the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Organisation (formerly AETAT).
• EURES.
• Finn.
• Manpower Oslo, Tordenskioldsgate 2, Postboks 2506 Solli, 0202 Oslo, Phone: +47 22 01 80 00.
• Stepstone.

Learn

• The University of Oslo (English) is the biggest university in Norway and campuses are spread throughout the city. Around 30,000 students.
• BI (English pages) is a private business school with the school campus lying alongside Akers Elva. Around 18,000 students.
• Oslo University College (English pages) is located in the centre of Oslo and offers professional higher education programmes. About 11,000 students.

Keep Connected

Internet

A lot of small cafe's and coffee shops in Oslo offer free wireless internet with the purchase of a cup of coffee. One of the first and still most popular is QBA in Grünerløkka, but since it started many more have followed suit. Freewlan.org Oslo (in Norwegian) lists different areas of Oslo and which restaurants and cafe's give you free wireless internet access with a basic user rating system. There are also a few internet cafe's with paid internet access for those travelling without a laptop and most hotels and hostels also offer a few computers for guests to use (at a fee).

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Pay phones are located throughout the city although the increase in mobile phone usage has meant their numbers are not increasing. Unlike some countries, local calls are billed by the minute making it even more attractive for travellers staying for longer periods to consider a pre-paid mobile phone. Pre-paid mobiles can be purchased at most convenience stores and these are plentiful in Oslo.

The international calling code for Norway is 47. Emergency numbers include Police at 112, Fire at 110 and Emergency Medical Services at 113.
If you are unsure which number to call, 112 is the central for all rescue services and will put you in contact with the correct department. For non-emergencies, the police is to be called on 02800.

Post

Red mailboxes are found easily and post offices are plentiful, with opening hours on most being 9:00am to 5:00pm, with usually shorter hours on Saturday. Stamps can usually only be found at post offices although some popular tourist venues might carry them. Norway's postal system, "Posten", has a good website with a lot of English information including up to date prices and also details about the opening hours of the nearest post office. The most commonly sent format for travellers are letters and cards up to 20 grams, check their website for current prices. If you want to send packages, you might also use international courier companies lik DHL, UPS or TNT.

External Links

• Official Governmental Website
• Official Travellers and Visitors Website