Norway | Budget Guide to Exploring Oslo
When to visit
Oslo provides a range of tourist opportunities all throughout the year. However, if you are looking for outdoor activities, March to October is the best season to visit. Summer in Oslo is June to August which offers surprisingly warm temperatures, averaging 26C / 78F.
Where to stay
Each neighborhood in Oslo offers a unique atmosphere with a variety of things to do. Here a link to some of the most popular neighborhoods.
I stayed in Gamle Oslo at a great Airbnb right near the Tøyen T-bane stop allowing easy access to other areas of the city. It’s a spacious studio with a separate kitchen in a secure building, also walkable with a close grocery store and responsive host.
If you want to stay in the hub near many tours, restaurants, activities and transport, I would recommend Aker Brygge.
Airport transfer
There are a few ways to transfer to your accommodation in Oslo. If you’re on a budget, I recommend public transit as it’s incredibly simple. Private transfer is also an option.
Depending on the location of your accommodation, there are direct bus and train routes that take you to city centre. I took the Flybussen which stopped a block from my Airbnb.
The busses don’t run as often as the trains so check the timetable and route to plan accordingly. For reference, I landed around 11:45am and caught a 12:15pm bus. No checked baggage.
Flytoget express trains claim to provide the fastest journey from Oslo Airport to the city centre at 19 minutes travel time, running every 10 minutes. This is a great option if you’re staying near one of the city centre stops.
Public city transport
Getting around Oslo in very simple via the many trains and buses. All public transport is included in one ticketing system, Ruter. This includes all city and regional buses, trams, undergrounds, local trains and ferries. Tickets can be bought in Narvesen and 7-Eleven shops around town or easily on the app.
Activities
Island Hopping
Escape the city for a day and explore the beauty of the many surrounding islands. Jump on the ferry for a self guided tour or join a group tour led by professional guides providing interesting history along the way.
Here’s are a few of the nearby islands you can easily travel to by ferry, some in as quick as 8 minutes.
Floating Sauna
Akerselva River Trail
If you’re looking for a running or walking route my favorite in Oslo is the Akerselva River Trail. The trail offers one of the longer continuous off-road runs in Oslo. The 5.5 km path features nice river and wooded views alongside several beautiful waterfalls.
And more…
Here are some other nice activities, sites and areas to grab a bite to eat worth adding to your agenda.
Hiking
A trip to Oslo is not complete without a hiking trip. Here are two great suggestions.
Kolsåstoppen
The hike to Kolsåstoppen is very beautiful with some slightly challenging bits, all rewarded with amazing views over Oslo. There are a few different routes, though for the full experience I’d recommend a route that includes Norde Kolsås and Søndre Kolsås.
An easy starting point is from Stein Gård (Stein car park) which leads you on course to the blue-marked path to Nordre Kolås. From the top you can enjoy the view before going back down to the trail junction and up to Søndre Kolsås.
The AllTrails route below (due for update) is slightly different than the blue-marked path, though is a nice reference to have on hand for guiding you in the right directly. The blue marks are very visible though and helpful leading you to both viewpoints.
Once you’ve reached the top of Søndre Kolsås, follow the blue markings further down from the top on the south side. This path will lead you down the east side of the summit for some alternative scenery back to Stein Gård. Be aware this part is a bit steep, though offers assistance with some stairs and railings.
All in all the hike took me about 3.5 hours including a short stop for lunch. You can checkout a brief video of my hike below.
Frognerseteren to Sognsvann via Vettakollen
This is another beautiful hike that also includes many parts suitable for trail running. I ventured off the route below a bit further north following the blue marked trees and all routed me perfectly to the Vettakollen Viewpoint.
This is a pretty simple hike with the first half containing many rocks, while the second half to Sognsvann followed a well maintained path perfect for running. Once you reach Sognsvann Lake, there’s an optional running/walking path around the lake to end your hike before catching the train back to city centre.
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Traveling to Bergen? Checkout my guide to exploring Norway’s fjords and hiking adventures from Bergen.
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