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Can I go to Norway? Travel restrictions from the UK explained

By Sarah James

As of Friday 18 March 2022, all Covid travel rules have been dropped in the UK. This means that any travellers returning to the UK from Norway don't need to take any tests or quarantine on arrival in the UK and no longer need to fill out a passenger locator form . But what are the rules for entering Norway, and which tests are needed? Here’s what you need to know.

What are the entry requirements for Norway?

It's now much easier to travel to and from Norway. There are currently no travel restrictions upon entering Norway – the same rules as prior to the pandemic now apply. As of Tuesday 1 March, travellers arriving into Svalbard no longer have to show evidence of a negative Covid test. 

Wherever you're travelling, it's always best to check the government guidelines for your destination before booking and well ahead of your trip. It's also always wise to get travel insurance with Covid cover . 

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By Rick Jordan

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Travel to Norway

Terje Rakke/Nordic Life - Visitnorway.com

How to travel to Norway

You will find a wide selection of travel options to Norway. Norway shares land borders with Sweden, Finland and Russia.

Crossing borders are usually hassle-free, but all travellers - other than citizens from Sweden, Denmark , Iceland and Finland - require a passport to enter Norway.

Flights to Norway

Norway is well served by domestic airlines with about 50 airports and airfields.

The biggest airport is Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, 45km (28 miles) northeast of Oslo. Here most of the international traffic arrives and is served by several international airlines and regional carriers like SAS, British Airways, Norwegian Air, Finnair and Widerøe. The airport has flights from around 140 destinations abroad. Often you have to change planes to reach your final destination in Norway.

Other international airports in Norway are located close to  Bergen , Kristiansand, Moss, Sandefjord, Stavanger, Tromsø, and Trondheim.

From Oslo Airport, it is easy to reach Oslo city centre in 20 minutes by Flytoget Airport Express Train. Express buses and local trains are also available.

International flights to Norway

There are direct flights to Norway from the East and West of the continental USA and several European destinations. If you travel from Australia or New Zealand, you'll need to connect via an airport in Asia, the Middle East, or Europe.

See more: Airports in Norway 

Travel by train

Numerous rail services have connections to other places in the Nordic countries and the rest of Europe. There are frequent connections to Oslo from Copenhagen, Stockholm and Götenborg . It is also possible to get to northern Norway from Stockholm , with Trondheim and Narvik as the main destinations.

NSB, the Norwegian Railways, serve the national trains.

Most rail journeys from Europe are overnight, and all have sleeping compartments. A variety of discount passes is available for train travel in Europe and Norway.

Travel by boat

It is possible to take a ferry between Norway and Denmark, Sweden, Germany and the UK. Most ferry operators offer package deals that include both cars and passengers.

Cruises to Norway

There are several cruise lines in Norway and many popular cruise destinations. Many are sailing to the Norwegian Fjords and the seaside city of Bergen, but cities such as Tromsø, Hammerfest, Trondheim, and Ålesund are on many itineraries.

Travel by car

Most visitors arrive in Norway by car from Sweden, but it is also possible from Finland and Russia.

The major road going to Norway is European route E6. It runs from Sweden, and you are crossing the border at Svinesund in southeast Norway.

From Finland, you take E8, which runs through Turku , Vaasa and Oulu before you cross the border at Kilpisjärvi.

Passport control checks are at the Norwegian-Russian land border crossing between Borisoglebsky and Storskog.

How to get to Norway

Airports in Norway

Trains to Norway

Ferries to Norway from Denmark

Buses to Norway

Weather in Norway

Visa to Norway

Getting Around in Norway

What to Pack

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The Man in Seat 61

How to travel by train or ferry

London to oslo & norway.

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Train travel UK & Ireland...

Train travel in europe..., train travel in asia..., train travel in africa..., train travel in america..., train travel in australasia, uk to norway without flying.

The last ferry between the UK & Norway (DFDS from Newcastle to Bergen) was sadly withdrawn in 2008, but there's no need to fly.  It's easy to travel from London to Norway by train, travelling from London to Hamburg by train on day 1, stopping overnight, then Hamburg to Oslo on day 2.  Or take a train from London to Kiel in northern Germany and sail on the luxurious Color Line ferry to Oslo, sailing up Oslo Fjord over breakfast.

Train times, fares & tickets

On this page you'll find a step-by-step guide to planning, booking & making a journey from the UK to Norway by train, with train times, approximate fares, and the best way to buy tickets.

Interactive map :   London to Scandinavia by train & ferry

Cick on a route for times, fares & how to buy tickets.

Useful country information

Option 1, london to oslo by train.

You can travel from London to Oslo by train all the way, with an overnight stop in Hamburg, leaving London on day 1 and arriving Oslo late at night on day 2.  Or take an evening Eurostar and travel to Oslo with overnight stops in Brussels & Copenhagen, with time to travel up to London from other locations across the UK and it breaks up the journey.

London ► Oslo with overnight stop in Hamburg

Leave London St Pancras at 09:01, change Brussels Midi & Cologne Hbf , arriving Hamburg Hbf 19:14.

Leave London St Pancras at 11:04, change Brussels Midi & Cologne Hbf , arriving Hamburg Hbf 21:14.

Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Gothenburg by EuroCity train & Öresund train :

Leave Hamburg Hbf 08:50, arriving Copenhagen 13:34.  Leave Copenhagen at 14:30, arriving Göteborg Central at 18:20.

The EuroCity train from Hamburg to Copenhagen has power sockets at all seats & a refreshment trolley.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey .  The Öresund train from Copenhagen to Gothenburg has power sockets & free WiFi, but bring your own food & drink.  It crosses from Denmark to Sweden on the Öresund fixed link , an interesting experience as the train appears to 'fly' across the water just feet above it.

Have an early dinner in Gothenburg.

Day 2, travel from Gothenburg to Oslo, leaving Göteborg Central at 20:10, arriving Oslo Sentral 23:47.

London ► Oslo with overnight stops in Brussels & Copenhagen

Day 3, travel from Copenhagen to Oslo by train.

You can leave Copenhagen at 07:30 by Öresund train arriving Gothenburg Central 11:20. 

The Öresund train crosses from Denmark to Sweden on the Öresund fixed link , an interesting experience as the train appears to 'fly' across the water just feet above it.

Oslo ► London with overnight stop in Hamburg

Day 1, travel from Oslo to Gothenburg, leaving Oslo Sentral at 06:11 Monday-Friday only, arriving Gothenburg Central 09:45.

Day 1, travel from Gothenburg to Hamburg by Öresund train & EuroCity train :

Leave Gothenburg Central at 10:40 arriving Copenhagen 14:29.  Leave Copenhagen at 15:26, arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:04.

You travel from Gothenburg to Copenhagen by Öresund train with power sockets & free WiFi, but bring your own food & drink.  It crosses from Sweden to Denmark on the Öresund fixed link , an interesting experience.  You then travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats and refreshment trolley.  More about the Copenhagen-Hamburg journey .

Leave Hamburg Hbf at 06:45, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi , arriving London St Pancras at 15:57.

Leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:45, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi , arriving London St Pancras at 17:47.

Leave Hamburg Hbf at 10:45, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi , arriving London St Pancras at 19:47.

Oslo ► London with overnight stops in Copenhagen & Brussels

Day 1, travel from Oslo to Copenhagen by train.

Leave Oslo Sentral at 14:14 every day by Norwegian train, arriving Gothenburg Central at 17:40.

Then leave Gothenburg Central at 18:40 by Öresund train arriving Copenhagen at 22:29.

Or take the earlier 10:14 or (Mon-Fri) 12:14 departure from Oslo for more time in Copenhagen, see the Oslo-Copenhagen timetable .

Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Brussels by train.

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with free WiFi when in Denmark, power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, then Hamburg to Cologne by superb German ICE4 and Cologne to Brussels by ICE3 , with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

A later 09:26 departure is possible from Copenhagen to Brussels but with no wiggle room for delay, I'd stick with the 07:26.

How much does it cost?

London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £140 return standard premier (1st class).

How to buy tickets

How to buy tickets - advanced.

Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels at www.eurostar.com .

If you're returning, book this as a round trip, because Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone. 

Step 2, book from Brussels to Gothenburg as one journey at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  If you're returning, book one-way at a time, it's easier and makes no difference to the price.

You'll be able to select seats on the ICE trains from a seat map, another advantage of booking this way.

To get the overnight stop in Hamburg (or Copenhagen), click Stopovers and enter Hamburg ( or Copenhagen) with a length of stay of (say) 11 hours.  Gothenburg is listed as Göteborg Central .

Adjust departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of the overnight stop.  Some trial & error may be needed!  If you're booking an 'overnight in Hamburg' journey, you'll obviously need to book the departure from Brussels to Hamburg that connects out of the Eurostar you've booked, it's not rocket science, the timetable here may help .

You should see affordable through fares, at least in 2nd class.  If you don't, you'll have to split the booking into stages.

Step 3, book from Gothenburg ( = Goteborg Central ) to Oslo at the Vy website www.vy.no .

Obviously, make sure you book the departure that connects out of the Hamburg/Copenhagen-Gothenburg train you've booked, not rocket science, see the Copenhagen-Oslo timetable .

You can choose to load your ticket into the Vy app, or download it in PDF format which you can either print out or show on your phone.

Have your trip arranged as a package

Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a UK-Norway trip for you as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers.  You'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays on their website which can be varied or customised to your requirements.  As you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.

Byway ( Byway.travel ) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating .  If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, book a one-way or return UK-Norway train trip through Byway as a package, including hotels and starting from any British station you like.  Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption and re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.  They can build a trip to your requirements if you email them or use this contact form .  When you book, please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

How to buy tickets by phone

What's the journey like .

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More about Eurostar & check-in procedure .  St Pancras station guide .   Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels .

2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3

Germany's superb ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava.  As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station.  More about ICE3 trains .  Brussels Midi station guide .  Cologne Hbf station guide .

4. Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train

As from June 2023, Hamburg-Copenhagen trains are operated by former German Railways intercity cars like this, now shown in the timetable as EC for EuroCity .  This is only temporary, as brand-new trains being built for DSB will be delivered in 2024.  These ex-DB intercity cars have power sockets at all seats (although no WiFi).  There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey .

On 17 June 2023, the first Copenhagen to Hamburg train to use the 'new' German intercity cars is boarding at Copenhagen.  Photo courtesy of Peter Kincey .

2nd class seats in are almost all open-plan like this.  There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches.

The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo .  Larger photo .

5. Copenhagen to Oslo by train

Back to top

Option 2, London to Oslo via DFDS ferry

In this option, you travel by train from London to Denmark, then use the luxurious DFDS overnight cruise ferry between Copenhagen & Oslo.  It's faster than the previous option using train all the way, and the cruise into Oslo Fjord is a bonus.

London ► Oslo

You can leave London St Pancras at 09:01 by Eurostar to Brussels Midi , ICE3 train to Cologne , & ICE to Hamburg Hbf arriving 19:14.

Or leave London St Pancras at 11:04 by Eurostar to Brussels Midi , ICE3 train to Cologne , & ICE to Hamburg Hbf arriving 21:14.

For more about the London to Hamburg journey, see the London-Hamburg timetable on the London to Germany page .  A later departure at 13:01 is theoretically possible, but with no wiggle room in case of delay. 

All passengers travel in comfortable private cabins with en suite toilet & shower and satellite TV.  To travel in luxury, treat yourself to DFDS's famous Commodore Class, some suites with private balconies with sea view..  The ship has bars & restaurants for breakfast on board, you can pre-book breakfast with your ticket.  There's also a sauna.  The ships on this route are the Crown Seaways or Pearl Seaways .

Make sure you're on deck in the morning when the ferry sails up the scenic Oslo Fjord, a stunning way to arrive in Norway.  You'll see coast on either side of the ship from about 06:30 and she enters the narrow part of the fjord by about 07:00.

Oslo ► London

All passengers travel in comfortable private cabins with en suite toilet & shower.  To travel in luxury, treat yourself to one of DFDS's famous Commodore Class cabins, some with private balconies with sea view.  The ship has bars & restaurants for dinner & breakfast on board, you can pre-book dinner & breakfast with your ticket. 

For example, the first departure leaves Hamburg Hbf at 06:45, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi to arrive London St Pancras at 16:57.

Step 1, buy train tickets from London to Hamburg (& back, if returning), then Hamburg to Copenhagen (& back, if returning) at www.raileurope.com , see the tips below.

Tips for booking London-Hamburg-Denmark at www.raileurope.com :

Using www.raileurope.com means you can book all your train tickets together in one place, in plain English, international credit cards accepted, in €, £ or $.  There's a small booking fee.

First book your ticket from London to Hamburg.  Book this as a round trip if you're returning, because Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways.  Add this to your basket.

Then book your train from Hamburg to Copenhagen one-way for the following day, add to basket, then (if returning) book from Copenhagen to Hamburg one-way, add this to your basket and check out.

Fares are dynamic like air fares, so book early for the cheapest prices.  You print your own tickets, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app, and show the DB ticket on your laptop or phone.

When does booking open?

Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes up to 11 months.  Onward trains from Brussels to Germany & Denmark open up to 6 months ahead, but significantly less than this when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  I recommend waiting until all your trains are open for booking before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.  More about when booking opens .

Is it a through ticket?

No, but www.raileurope.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward German Railways ticket from Brussels to Hamburg, then it'll sell you a ticket from Hamburg to Copenhagen for the following day.

Seat reservations

About those tight 20-minute connections at Brussels Midi

The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an onward ICE , sometimes less than this, is usually a recognised connection which lots of people make.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms .

Even though the system sells you separate tickets either side of Brussels, you are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT so if there's a delay and you miss the connection you will be allowed to travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

Just make sure that if you did miss that 20 minute connection in Brussels, there are later trains that would still get you to Hamburg by close of play that day.

Connecting tickets from other UK towns & cities:   See the advice on special add-on tickets here .

Another way to buy tickets

This is more work as it involves three websites, but it can be slightly cheaper for two reasons:  First, you don't pay any booking fee.  Second, you can use the Stopovers feature at int.bahn.de to book a Brussels to Copenhagen through ticket with an overnight stop in Hamburg programmed in.  This is cheaper than buying separate Brussels to Hamburg & Hamburg to Copenhagen tickets from Raileurope.  Another advantage of booking direct with int.bahn.de is that you can select your seat from a seat map on ICE trains between Brussels, Cologne & Hamburg.

Obviously, do a dry run on each site first to check availability & prices.  I'd also check that your outward Eurostar and ICE are indeed a recognised connection by checking that they appear together when you run a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de - read the paragraph in the previous section about the 20-minute connection in Brussels.

Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (& back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com.

Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, make sure you book this as a round trip.   You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app on your phone.  After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar .

Step 2, book from Brussels to Copenhagen at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers , enter Hamburg Hbf and a length of stay of (say) 11-13 hours.  You'll need to fiddle with the departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg, it takes a bit of trial & error.

This will get you a through ticket from Brussels to Copenhagen with an overnight stop in Hamburg included.  If you have problems, by all means just book Brussels-Hamburg and Hamburg-Copenhagen separately.

If you're returning, now book Copenhagen to Brussels with an overnight stop in Hamburg using the same stopover method.

You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

To buy tickets by phone, click here for a list of agencies who sell European train tickets.

What's the journey like?

4. Hamburg to Copenhagen by train

From June 2023, Hamburg-Copenhagen trains are operated by former German Railways intercity cars like this, now shown in the timetable as EC for EuroCity .  This is only temporary, as brand-new trains being built for DSB will be delivered in 2024.  These ex-DB intercity cars have power sockets at all seats (although no WiFi).  There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey .

Crossing the Little Belt ( Lillebælt in Danish) from Jutland (mainland Denmark) to Funen, the island on which Odense is located.

5. Copenhagen to Oslo overnight by DFDS cruise ferry

Option 3, London to Oslo via Kiel

OK, so this takes a bit longer, but with comfortable daytime trains, a night in a hotel in Kiel or Hamburg then a mini-cruise on a luxurious Color line cruise ferry.  In many ways the most luxurious way to Norway!

See the London to Hamburg timetable on the Germany page .  Regional trains run from Hamburg Hbf to Kiel Hbf every hour in just 1h16.  In Kiel, the Color Line ferry terminal is just a 5-6 minute walk from Kiel Hbf.

Oslo ► London

Step 1, buy train tickets from London to Hamburg & Hamburg to Copenhagen at www.raileurope.com , see the tips below .

Tips for booking London-Hamburg-Copenhagen at www.raileurope.com :

Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com , it allows you to book all your train tickets together in one place, in plain English, international credit cards accepted and fares shown in multiple currencies. There's a small booking fee.

Fares are dynamic like air fares, so book early for the cheapest prices and avoid busy days such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.

It can help to specify Brussels as a via station if you want to see journeys with an easy same-station change in Brussels, rather than also seeing journeys via Paris.  At www.raileurope.com , click More options and enter Brussels (any station).

You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app, and show the DB ticket on your laptop or phone.

Booking for Eurostar and onward trains to Kiel opens up to 6 months ahead, but significantly less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  Journeys involving a Brussels-Cologne Eurostar (formerly Thalys) only open 4 months ahead.  More about when booking opens .

No, as there are no through tickets between the UK & Germany any more, DB's Sparpreis London fares were discontinued in March 2020 .  But www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus onward tickets from Brussels to Kiel.

One-way or round trip?

With Eurostar , a return ticket costs significantly less than two one-ways.  With ICE & Eurostar (formerly Thalys) , a return is normally two one-ways.  So for a round trip you should book London to Kiel & back as a return journey, or for more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey to benefit from the round trip discount, add to basket, then book Brussels to Kiel one way, add to basket, then Kiel to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

About the 20-minute connections (sometimes less) between Eurostar & ICEs at Brussels Midi

The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an onward ICE, sometimes less than this, is usually a recognised connection which lots of people make.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms .

The system is programmed to know which connections are recognised/acceptable and which are too tight - if you intend booking your Eurostar and ICE tickets separately (which I often do to check prices for Eurostar and onwards trains separately, and to retain more control over the booking) it's wise to run a London-Cologne enquiry first just to check that the system does indeed recognise that specific Eurostar as connecting with that specific onward ICE, on that specific date.

This is more work, but there's no booking fee.  Obviously, do a dry run on each site first to check availability & prices.  Also check that your outward Eurostar and ICE are indeed a recognised connection by checking that they appear together when you run a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de , as explained in the paragraph about the 20-minute connections in Brussels in the previous section.

Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com and print your own ticket, or load it into the Eurostar app to show on your phone.  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, make sure you book this as a round trip.  After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar .

Step 2, book from Brussels to Kiel at the German Railways site int.bahn.de .  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.  An advantage of booking direct with int.bahn.de is that you can select an exact seat on ICE & IC trains from a seating plan.  A round trip is ticketed as two one-ways, so feel free to book one way at a time if it's easier.

Option 4, London to Norway via Hirtshals

You can of course travel by train to Oslo, then take a train from Oslo to Bergen (a very scenic route), or from Oslo to Kristiansand & Stavanger.  Click here for advice on booking onward trains within Norway .

But as you can see on the route map above , the most direct route is to head up to Hirtshals in northern Denmark and take a Color Line or Fjord Line ferry direct to Kristiansand, Stavanger or Bergen, by-passing Copenhagen, Sweden & Oslo.

London ► Kristiansand, Stavanger & Bergen

For example, leave London St Pancras 11:04 by Eurostar to Brussels Midi , ICE3 train to Cologne , EuroCity to Hamburg Hbf arriving 21:14.

Bergen, Stavanger & Kristiansand ► London

Fares & how to buy tickets, train travel in norway, oslo to bergen, stavanger, trondheim, bodo.

Norway's train services have been outsourced route by route to three private operators:

www.vy.no (rebranded from NSB Norwegian State Railways in 2019), routes include Oslo-Bergen, Oslo-Gothenburg.

www.sj.no (a Norwegian subsidiary of Swedish Railways), routes include Oslo-Trondheim-Bodo.

How to buy Norwegian train tickets

Option 1, buy at entur.no, option 2, at www.vy.no, the scenic flåm railway, sleeper trains from oslo to bergen, stavanger, trondheim.

You can't beat a daytime journey on the scenic Oslo to Bergen line, but on the way back you can save time by travelling on the sleeper.  Unlike most other European sleeper trains where you can book individual berths in shared compartments, in Norway you pay a fixed supplement and get a whole 2-berth compartment to yourself, whether there are two of you or only one.  When you board, you must first check in at the cafe car to have your ticket checked and receive the plastic card-key to your sleeper compartment.

Hurtigruten coastal ferries

Bergen to the arctic circle:  www.hurtigruten.com & www.havilavoyages.com.

Bergen - Trondheim - Bodo - Tromso - Kirkenes

Every day, an express coastal steamer service sails from Bergen on an all-points trip north to Kirkenes in the Arctic Circle close to the Russian border, a 6-night one-way voyage or a 11 or 12-night round trip.  It's an essential transport service for the communities along the route which also offers cruises for visitors wanting an unrivalled boat ride along the beautiful Norwegian Fjords up to the land of the Midnight Sun. 

Until 2021, all sailings were operated by Hurtigruten ( www.hurtigruten.com - the word hurtigruten simply means express route .  However, the Norwegian government has split the route into 3 contracts, two won by Hurtigruten and one by Havila Kystruten ( www.havilavoyages.com ).  From December 2021, 2 out of 3 sailings will be operated by Hurtigruten  and one by Havila Kystruten.

To check sailing times & buy tickets see www.hurtigruten.com and www.havilavoyages.com .  You'll need to check both, as each website only shows that company's sailings.  For more about their service and history, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurtigruten .

Norway in a Nutshell tour

Oslo - bergen - flam - oslo over 5 days.

The popular 'Norway in a Nutshell' circular tour takes you from Oslo to Bergen to Flam and back to Oslo over 5 days.  Train-based tour specialist Railbookers can sort this for you with train reservations & hotels.

European Rail Timetable & map

Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted.  See an extract from the map .  Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).

G uidebooks

Click the images to buy at amazon.co.uk, hotels in oslo, bergen & norway, backpacker hostels: www.hostelworld.com.

www.hostelworld.com :  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here .  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  There's no need to buy a physical SIM card!  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  Why you need a VPN

When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I also get some commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone.  You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or Buy from Amazon.com .

Touring cities?  Use hill walking shoes!

One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa.  They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities.  My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!

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Taking the ferry from the UK to Norway

We’re all trying to cut our carbon footprint and travel in a more environmentally friendly way. And going by ferry or train is certainly one of the greenest options if you want to get from the UK to the European mainland.

Historically it was a good way to travel from England to Scandinavia too. In the past, ferry routes have connected Newcastle to Kristiansand, Stavanger, Bergen, Haugesund and Oslo in Norway , as well as to Gothenburg in Sweden.

Today, sadly, there’s no direct car ferry from the UK to Norway. However, plans to reinstate the Newcastle to Bergen ferry route in 2026 are being greeted with enthusiasm by environmentalists and fans of ferry travel alike.

The Bergen Cruise Line ferry

Newcastle and Bergen in Norway were linked by a ferry route for more than 140 years, until 2008 when cheap air travel led to its demise. 

In 2026, the Bergen Cruise Line plans to resurrect this popular route with 3 services a week in high season (2 weekly in low season) running between Newcastle, Stavanger and Bergen.

The route will be served by a brand new low-emission ferry which runs on liquified natural gas and fuel cells. 

Huge electricity storage batteries will power the boat when it is “harbour mode”, so that it can sail into the Norwegian fjords emission-free. 

The ferry will be 210 x 31 metres and will carry up to 2380 passengers with a large car deck and cargo space. 

It’s expected to cost in the region of 200 million USD to build, with restaurants, bars, a casino, theatre, night club, gym, shops and conference centre on-board.

The ferry is currently in the planning and design stage, with construction expected to start later in 2023. And it’s hoped to be up and running in 2026 – a welcome new green travel route from the UK to Norway.

Alternatives to the direct UK–Norway ferry

Until the new passenger ferry to Norway from the UK is in service, there are a few ways you can get to Norway overland and sea via other European countries. 

None of the routes is quick or straightforward, so you’ll need to make the journey part of your holiday.

Via Amsterdam

• First take the DFDS overnight car ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam, which leaves Newcastle daily at 5pm and arrives in Amsterdam at 9.45am the following morning. The journey takes just under 17 hours, and there’s a choice of accommodation available from inside bunk-bed cabins to smart en-suite double cabins with a sea view. 
• From Ijmuiden (the port for Amsterdam), it’s a drive of three and a half hours along the A9 and the A7 to Emden in Germany.
• From Emden, the M/S Romantika ferry leaves at 5pm, arriving in Kristiansand in southern Norway at 10.45am the following morning. There are four ferries a week in high season, two to three in low season and none in January.
• From Kristiansand, it’s about an eight hour drive north to Bergen. You can either take the coastal route via Stavanger, which involves two further short ferry trips, or the inland route via Voss. A third alternative is to drive from Kristiansand to Stavanger (three and a half hours), then take a ferry from there to Bergen . The ferry leaves Stavanger daily at 1.30pm, arriving in Bergen at 7pm.

Via Keil in Germany

• Get the Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry (see above) from where it’s a six-hour drive to Keil in Germany. Or, from London, it’s a twelve-and-a-half-hour drive to Kiel in Germany via the Channel Tunnel, across France, Belgium and Holland.
• From Keil, there’s a daily Colour Line ferry to Oslo, which takes 20 hours. The best way to get from Oslo to Bergen is by train: read our guide for details .

Via Hirtshals in Denmark

• Getting to Hirtshals in Denmark from the UK is not straightforward. You can either get the DFDS overnight car ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam (see above), from where it’s an eleven-hour drive through Holland and via Hambourg in Germany. Or if you’re coming from London, it’s a 17-hour drive through the Channel Tunnel via France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
• From Hirtshals, there are several routes to Norway on Fjordline and Colour Line ferries. The quickest is on the year-round fast cat to Kristiansand, which runs up to four times day in high season and takes two and a half hours.
• To Bergen and Stavanger, ferries leave Hirtshals at 8pm, arriving in Stavanger at 6.30am and Bergen at 12.30pm the following day. To Larvik, ferries leave Hirtshals twice daily and take 3 hours 45 minutes.

Ferries from other parts of Scandinavia to Norway 

Of course, getting to Norway is easier from other Scandinavian countries than it is from the UK. And there are several useful routes that you can use as part of a wider trip round Scandinavia.

What about ferries to other Scandinavian countries from the UK?

Since the demise of DFDS’ Harwich to Esbjerg ferry in 2014, there are no ferries routes from the UK to anywhere in Scandinavia. 

Taking a private tour

Of course if money is no object, there are ways of getting to Norway by sea.

This  luxury yacht trip cruises from Mallaig on the west coast of Scotland to Bergen in Norway via the Orkneys and the Shetland Islands. It takes two weeks so you’ll need plenty of time and deep pockets!

Getting there by plane

As you can see getting to Norway by ferry is not a quick option, so you may be tempted to fly. And there’s no shortage of airlines and routes if you do decide to take the plane.

Ryanair flies from Stansted to Oslo, Norwegian flies from Gatwick to Oslo, while British Airways and SAS fly from Heathrow to Oslo. Norwegian also flies from Gatwick to Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim.

SAS and Norwegian fly from Manchester to Oslo, while Ryanair flies from Manchester to Oslo Torp. 

Norwegian also flies from Edinburgh to Oslo, while Loganair flies from Aberdeen to Oslo and Newcastle to Stavanger.

The pros and cons of flying vs taking the ferry

Clearly flying is quicker, with a journey time of around two hours from London to Oslo compared to several days driving and taking the ferry.

And flying is almost always cheaper too, with return fares from London to Oslo starting from around £50 if you book ahead.

Flying from a regional airport and booking last-minute will usually bump up the cost, but it’s still likely to be cheaper than the ferry, especially when you’ve added on the cost of a car and cabin.

However, travelling by ferry and car is definitely the greener option, and a more interesting way to get to your destination. And once the new Bergen Line ferry is running, it will be greener still.

So, if you’re short of time we recommend flying. But if you’re in hurry and want to see some other countries on the way and make the journey part of your adventure, we suggest taking the ferry.

See also : Hurtigruten cruises in Norway: all you need to know Eco-friendly places to stay in Norway Norway’s best national parks

Fun things to do in Flåm, Norway

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Unfortunately the ferry from Emsden to Kristiansand went bust last year. We used it last year and it certainly cut out a huge amount of time and driving. We’d booked again for this year just before it declared bankruptcy.

Thank you for this really useful post 🙂

I was so happy to find the Emden-Kristiansand alternative. I’m so terribly sorry to discover that the company just got bankrupt! As I plan a travel in the footsteps of Steinlen (#anneecentenaireSteinlen), who traveled by boat from Tilbury (UK) to Kristiansand (NOR) in 1901, this would have been perfect! Now we might miss the UK-part of the journey and it’s a pity! 😬😢

Greetings, Karianne

#surlespasdeSteinlen

Hi Karianne! Thanks so much for the comment. Yeah that’s super sad isn’t it… we hope you still enjoy your travels even without the UK-Norway section!

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Norway Tours from The UK

From city breaks in culture-rich Oslo to scenic journeys through the fjords, the Norwegian travel experts at Nordic Visitor can make your trip to Norway from the UK unforgettable and stress-free. In just a 2-hour flight from London you can be exploring Norway’s attractions by train, cruise or car on a bespoke holiday.

Travel to Norway from the UK

Looking for the perfect package holiday to Norway from the UK? Enjoy an authentic and stress-free trip to Norway from the UK with a bespoke tour arranged by the Norwegian travel experts at Nordic Visitor . As one of the leading travel agencies in Scandinavia, we take care of your hotels, your driving route and rental car (if you’re doing a road trip), your tickets for any travel by train or cruise, and any itinerary customisations you desire.

Getting to Norway from the UK

Most trips from the UK to Norway begin in the capital city, Oslo, which is home to many of Norway’s top cultural attractions as well as Norway’s main international airport. Luckily for British travellers, there are a number of short, inexpensive non-stop flights to Oslo Airport  from the UK:

• London to Oslo: 2h 5m (Norwegian, British Airways, SAS, Ryanair)
• Edinburgh to Oslo: 1h 45m (Norwegian)
• Manchester to Oslo: 1h 55m (SAS, Ryanair)

See the Northern Lights in Arctic Norway

From Oslo it’s just 55 minutes via domestic flight to popular winter destinations like Tromsø, Kirkenes or the Lofoten Islands in Norway’s far north. With a short winter break in northern Norway between December and March, you can experience landscapes covered in snow and the incredible northern lights (aurora borealis) as well as winter sports like snowmobiling, dog sledding and more -- all in under a week. You could even spend a night in a snow hotel!

Visit the Norwegian Fjords by train or car

Another major highlight for travellers booking a Norwegian holiday from the UK are the fjords. From Oslo it’s easy to travel to the Bergen area and nearby fjords of western Norway by rental car or train in 7 - 14 days.

By car: Exploring Norway by car from the UK is the way to go if you plan to do some hiking in summer or if you just want to explore at your own pace. Nordic Visitor offers a range of customisable self-drive tours in Norway , available from May to September, that come with marked road maps, information about driving in Norway, our own travel guide showcasing the highlights of each region, and more.

By train: By far the most popular Norwegian train holiday is the Norway in a Nutshell classic tour , which includes a short fjord cruise on the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord and a scenic ride in vintage rail cars on the mountainous Flåm Railway. This tour has year-round departures and can be customised by Nordic Visitor to include additional nights in Bergen as well as side trips to other cities such as Stavanger.

Don’t want to travel on your own? Join a Guided Small Group Tour of Norway to see the fjords and more with an experienced local tour leader at the helm.

Take a Hurtigruten Coastal cruise

You could also experience Norway’s fjord-indented west coast by travelling on a Havila or Hurtigruten cruise. With 34 ports of call between Bergen at the southern end and Kirkenes in the Arctic North, this voyage is a hit with travellers visiting Norway from the UK and makes a great addition to travelling by train from Oslo. Nordic Visitor are certified Hurtigruten and Havila agents. Plus, we offer cruise packages in Norway year-round, so you can even sail under the northern lights in wintertime.

Stree-free Travel from the UK with Norway experts

No matter what type of your holiday in Norway you choose, Nordic Visitor’s itineraries are designed to be well-structured yet flexible to be tailored to your needs and interests. Nordic Visitor can even arrange flexible self-drive tours in Norway and bespoke holiday packages in Scandinavia that combine stays in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and other Nordic destinations.

What’s more, you’ll have your own dedicated travel consultant to advise you about possible add-ons to your tour and handle all the details for you. You’ll also have access to Nordic Visitor’s 24/7 helpline while travelling in Norway, so in case of any any unexpected delays our friendly staff can quickly get your trip back on track.

Contact us to get started on your dream holiday in Norway from the UK!

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Experience Norway in a nutshell on a scenic railway journey between Oslo and Bergen, with route modifications available.

Norway in a Nutshell® - Classic

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You do the driving, we handle the travel arrangements. Drive around Norway’s top attractions at your own pace, with a flexible itinerary.

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Why not visit Norway and Scandinavia in one tailor-made trip Check out our most popular multi-country tour packages below.

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As a travel agency founded in the Nordic region, Nordic Visitor knows how to make the most of your time in Norway. We offer a variety of tours – both independent and guided – that include must-see attractions as well as lesser-known highlights that are hand-picked by our own Norway travel experts. To ensure a stress-free trip, we handle all the local details for you – accommodation, activities, rental car, train tickets, cruise reservations and other specialist services.

Oh, and we can customise your itinerary! If you decide you want to add extra nights at a certain location, for example, your personal Nordic Visitor travel consultant will be happy to make suggestions and modify your itinerary.

Different ways you can experience Norway

We have tours for all varieties of travel styles and interests. See our options for exploring Norway below.

Self-drive tours

Independent train travel, guided small group, partially guided, northern lights, what do our customers say.

The reviews speak for themselves. See what Nordic Visitor travellers said about their experience with us.

Christin, United States

Best of northern norway classic - 71° north cape, december 2023.

The tour was perfect and went smoothly the entire time. Communication from Nordic Visitor was timely and detailed. Would book with this tour company again.

Ian, United Kingdom

Norway road trip - complete, july 2023, memories we'll cherish forever.

We found Norway to be a fabulous country and enjoyed every minute of our trip. The scenery was fantastic, the places visited were brilliant and the people were incredibly friendly and helpful. The information pack provided by Nordic Visitor was invaluable, the route chosen for us was superb and the places we stayed in were great. Likewise, the excursions offered, especially the Rib Safari were fantastic and gave us memories we'll cherish forever. Lastly, but by no means least, Irja, our travel consultant, couldn't have been more helpful and I would like to extend a huge thank you to her for all that she did.

Anne-Mari, Finland

Best of northern norway classic - 71° north cape, february 2023, unforgettable in so many ways.

It was unforgettable in so many ways, highlights after highlights. We knew to expect a lot after our trip to Iceland a couple of years ago, also organised by Nordic Visitor. Our expectations were exceeded and more. We saw northern lights three times, the food everywhere was excellent, experienced dog sledding in the moonlight and sleeping in the SnowHotel, and we saw a white reindeer! How lucky we are to have experienced all that. We have now returned home, happy and full of awe.

James, Australia

Northern lights by train and cruise, october 2023, a great experience.

Very well-organised tour and a great experience. Nordic Visitor were very professional and their experience was evident in choosing the well-located and comfortable accommodation they selected for us. Best of all we got to see the northern lights!

Jonathan, United States

Norway fjord route by car - classic, june 2023, incredibly happy.

Our travel agent, Małgorzata, was amazing to work with! She was able to add a few extra days in Oslo and arranged transportation via train to Bergen. Overall, I thought booking this vacation online and making payments was seamless. All the hotels we stayed in were nice, clean and safe! We loved the breakfast buffets, they were top notch! Also, collecting our rental car and navigating in a foreign country was seamless. We are incredibly happy that our tour package that we received at our first hotel included a physical map that had our tour highlighted.

Costel, Romania

Northern lights norway classic, february 2023, i'll be recommending nordic visitor to my friends.

The trip was really amazing. We had an absolutely superb time in Tromsø; hotel and excursions were spot on. The guide and whole the staff was really professional. Professional photos taken by the guide were really fantastic. They gave us excellent care, more than what we have experienced on any trip. Our favourite experience was the snowmobile, but catamaran trip was great too. Certainly I will be recommending it to my friends. I was very pleased that those who delivered the services showed a lot of professionalism.

Violetta, United States

Best of the norwegian fjords – express, august 2023, very satisfied customer.

This was my second experience using Nordic Visitor. I am a very satisfied customer. A few years ago we did a self-drive tour of Iceland that was just amazing. This time we did a train/cruise combo tour of Norway. Once again, I can only say you will have a fantastic experience and you will appreciate the labuor of organising and planning being handled by experts who know what they are doing. The cruises through the fjords were beautiful as were the train trips. We loved the combination of train and boat travel as each offered distinct beauty from a different perspective. The country is truly lovely and we look forward to booking future travel with Nordic Visitor!

Dian, United States

Classic norway, may 2023, extraordinary.

Extraordinary! Everything went off as planned without a hitch. Our travel guide, Juliana, was exceptional, very responsive in answering our questions and providing updates.

Oi, Singapore

Norway in a nutshell® - classic, september 2022, very satisfied with nordic visitor.

We were very satisfied with the tour and overall experience with Nordic Visitor. The hotels were strategically chosen and the quality of hotels was satisfactory. The optional tours were also highly recommended. Timings of the schedules throughout the tour were ideal and not rushed.

Julie, United States

Wonders of the norwegian fjords, august 2023, best vacation we ever had.

Our family of 5 (3 adult children) loved our Norway fjord tour. We saw the most beautiful scenery and loved each hotel. The food was delicious. Something for everyone. Our guide Al and driver Chris kept things running smoothly. We will have memories to last a lifetime. Thank you Nordic Visitor. Best vacation we ever had!

Alan, United Kingdom

Norway in a nutshell® express - winter, march 2023, an excellent decision to book with nordic visitor.

Following research, we decided to book with Nordic Visitor. This was an excellent decision. The booking process was easy and informative and Hanna was always available for guidance. The accommodation provided was top class and, importantly, convenient to the train stations from which we travelled. Our tour was amazing throughout with stunning scenery and sights.

Gailmarie, United States

Highlights of norway, july 2022, the tour gives you a fabulous overview of norway.

The tour gives you a fabulous overview of Norway. We did a lot of travel in between sights but this enabled us to have a real breadth of experience, from fjords to mountain passes, railway adventures and small boats. Our tour guide was excellent and the sights and experiences outlined for us were top-notch. The materials provided about our tour were excellent and well thought out.

Travel Guide

Be prepared for just about anything on your Norway adventure.

The first sight that greets most visitors to Norway is Oslo, Norway’s capital city and home to...

Pulpit Rock

Rising an impressive 604 metres (1982 ft) above the Lysefjord, Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock, is...

Geirangerfjord

Considered among the most beautiful fjord in the world, the Geirangerfjord will take your...

What to bring

Layers, layers, layers! Come prepared for all type..

What’s the weather like in Norway? You just might ..

Norwegian Language

You will get by fine with English, but here are a ..

Time & Daylight

When to expect sunrises, sunsets, northern lights ..

Our Services

Whether you travel by train, cruise ship or car in your Nordic Visitor package, all customers receive personalised service with a designated travel consultant , tailor-made quality travel documents, and our self-drive clients receive a hand-marked map that outlines their route, overnight stays and highlights along the way. Furthermore, Nordic Visitor has long-standing professional relationships with local tour operators , which are carefully selected by our staff and are recognized for consistent, quality service.

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• Get peace of mind with a 24/7 helpline during your stay.
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Do you have a question about our Norway tours? Or maybe you want to customise a travel package. Whatever you need, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Our Scandinavian phone number is +46 8 666 23 30

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There is a good range of inexpensive flights to Norway from London, though from the UK’s regional airports the choice is poorer. Oslo Gardermoen airport is the main point of arrival. Flights are almost invariably much less expensive than the long and arduous journey from the UK to Norway by train or car. There are currently no ferry services direct from the UK to Norway, but this situation may change and it’s worth checking out if you’re considering taking your car.

Flights from the UK

Flights from ireland, flights from the us and canada, flights from australia and new zealand, flights from south africa, by train from the uk, driving from the uk, by ferry from the uk, by train, bus and ferry from the rest of scandinavia and russia, tours and organized holidays, tour and holiday operators.

From Ireland , there is much less choice, but there are regular flights to Oslo Gardermoen airport. For travellers arriving from North America , the main decision is whether to fly direct to Oslo – though the options are limited – or via another European city, probably London. Australians , New Zealanders and South Africans have to fly via another country – there are no nonstop, direct flights. Finally, getting to Norway from the rest of Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden and Finland) is quick, easy and relatively inexpensive, whether you travel by plane, bus or train.

From the UK, there’s a good choice of direct, nonstop flights from London to Oslo as well as a scattering of flights there from the UK’s regional airports . Norway’s main international airport is Oslo Gardermoen, 45km north of the city, but several budget airlines use the deceptively named Oslo (Torp) airport, which is actually just outside Sandefjord, 110km from Oslo, and Oslo (Rygge) airport, 60km south of the city near the little town of Moss. There are also a handful of nonstop, direct flights from the UK to other Norwegian cities, including Stavanger, Ålesund, Bergen and Trondheim, but for the likes of Tromsø you’ll have to change planes. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and its subsidiary Widerøe has the largest number of routes.

Prices vary enormously, but Norwegian Airlines often offers the least expensive tickets with a return from London Gatwick or Manchester to Oslo costing from as little as £140. Flying times are insignificant: Aberdeen to Stavanger takes just one hour, London to Oslo a little over two.

Flying from Ireland to Norway, there’s not much choice, but Ryanair ( w ryanair.com) has flights from Dublin to Oslo (Rygge) and Norwegian Airlines ( w norwegian.com) flies between Dublin and Oslo Gardermoen. As sample fares, Norwegian charges anywhere between €70 and €160 for the flight from Dublin to Oslo with a flying time of just over two hours.

From the US , you can fly direct/nonstop to Oslo Gardermoen from New York City with United Airlines ( w united.com) but otherwise you’ll have to change at a hub airport with London being an obvious choice. Return fares from major cities in the US to London start at around US$800, but otherwise reckon on spending around US$1500–2000 return for a nonstop New York–Oslo return flight with Continental. There are no direct flights to Norway from the west coast, but plenty of carriers will get you to Oslo with one stop, for as little as US$1500 return.

From Canada , the best deals are usually offered by Air Canada ( w aircanada.com), which flies nonstop to London Heathrow, with onward connections to Norway. From Toronto to Oslo, expect to pay around Can$2000 in high season and Can$1500 in low season, while typical fares from Vancouver are around Can$2200 in high season and, likewise, Can$1500 in low season.

The flying time on a direct, nonstop flight from the east coast of North America to Norway is just over seven hours.

There are no direct/nonstop flights from Australia or New Zealand to Norway. Most itineraries will involve two changes, one in the Far East – Singapore, Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur – and then another in the gateway city of the airline you’re flying with – most commonly Copenhagen, Amsterdam or London. You can get tickets to Oslo from Sydney, Melbourne or Perth for Aus$1500–2500, NZ$2000–3000 from Auckland.

There are no direct/nonstop flights from South Africa to Norway, but several airlines will get you to Oslo with one stop via a European hub city. For example, KLM ( w klm.com) fly from Cape Town to Amsterdam with onward connections to Oslo for a return fare of between ZAR9500 and ZAR12,500.

Eurostar ( w eurostar.com) services running through the Channel Tunnel to Brussels put Norway within reasonable striking distance of the UK by train , but the whole journey from London to Oslo, which is usually routed via Brussels and Copenhagen, still takes about 22 hours and costs about £300 one-way (£350 return), though special deals and concessionary rates can reduce these fares considerably.

Rail passes

If you’re visiting Norway as part of a longer European trip, it may be worth considering a pan-European rail pass . There are lots to choose from and Rail Europe ( w raileurope.com and w raileurope.co.uk ), the umbrella company for all national and international passes, operates a comprehensive website detailing all the options with prices. Note in particular that some passes have to be bought before leaving home, others can only be bought in specific countries. Note also that Inter-Rail Pass ( w interrailnet.com ) and Eurail Pass ( w eurail.com) holders get discounts on some internal ferry and bus journeys within Norway.

To reach Norway by car or motorbike from the UK, the best bet is to use Eurotunnel ’s ( w eurotunnel.com ) shuttle train through the Channel Tunnel. Note that Eurotunnel only carries cars (including occupants) and motorbikes, not cyclists and foot passengers. From the Eurotunnel exit in Calais, it’s a somewhat epic journey of around 1400km or so to Oslo.

There are currently no car ferries from the UK to Norway; the nearest you’ll get is Esbjerg in Denmark, about 900km (around 10hr) by road from Oslo, with DFDS Seaways ( w dfdsseaways.co.uk ) from Harwich . Tariffs vary enormously, depending on when you leave, how long you stay, what size your vehicle is and how many passengers are in it; on overnight sailings, there is also the cost of a cabin to consider. As a sample fare, a seven-day, peak season return fare for two adults in an ordinary car costs around £250. Reservations are strongly recommended. There are three or four Harwich-to-Esbjerg sailings every week and the journey time is about eighteen hours.

By train you can reach Oslo from both Stockholm (2–3 daily; 6hr) and Copenhagen (2 daily; 8hr). There are also regular services from Stockholm to Narvik (1–2 daily; 21hr), operated by the Swedish company SJ ( t 00 46 771 75 75 75, w sj.se ). For online tickets, go to w raileurope.com.

Several bus companies provide services into Norway from other parts of Scandinavia. These include Eurolines ( w eurolines.co.uk ) buses from London to Oslo, which pass through several Danish and Swedish towns, notably Copenhagen, Malmö and Gothenburg; the Swedish company GoByBus ( w gobybus.se), which has services to Oslo from Stockholm, Copenhagen, Malmö and Gothenburg among others; and Swebuss ( w swebus.se ), which operates an express bus from Stockholm to Oslo. In the far north, Eskelisen Lapin Linjat ( w eskelisen-lapinlinjat.com ) runs a number of bus services from Finland to Norwegian destinations, including Tromsø, Kirkenes and Nordkapp.

A number of car ferries shuttle across the Skagerrak from Denmark to Norway.

As for border crossings , there is (usually) little formality at either the Norway–Sweden or Norway–Finland borders, but the northern border with Russia is a different story. Border patrols (on either side) won’t be overjoyed at the prospect of you nosing around. If you have a genuine wish to visit Russia from Norway, it’s best to sort out the paperwork – visas and so forth – before you leave home. Kirkenes is the main starting point for tours into Russia from Norway.

Tourism in Norway is a multi-million-dollar industry that has spawned a small army of tour operators. Some provide generic bus tours of parts of the country, but there are many more specialist companies too, featuring everything from skiing and walking through to whale-watching and cycling. Most of the better companies offer a choice of escorted and independent tours. Additional, domestic tour operators are detailed throughout the Guide.

Anglers’ World Holidays

UK t 01246 221 717, w anglers-world.co.uk . Sea- and river-fishing holidays in Norway.

Brekke Tours & Travel

US t 1 800 437 5302, w brekketours.com . A well-established company offering a host of sightseeing and cultural tours of Scandinavia in general and Norway in particular.

Discover the World

UK t 01737 214 251, w discover-the-world.co.uk . Specialist adventure tours including whale-watching in Norway, wildlife in Spitsbergen and dog-sledging in Lapland. Independent, tailor-made tours too.

UK t 0845 508 4197, w exodus.co.uk. Large, activity-holiday specialist offering cross-country skiing and all sorts of other winter sports plus whale-watching, hiking and Spitsbergen excursions.

UK t 0845 564 7148, w headwater.com . Limited but well-chosen selection of winter fun holidays in Geilo and Venabu, where punters choose anything from skiing to reindeer safaris.

High & Wild

UK t 0845 004 7801, w highandwild.co.uk . Adventure holiday specialist through whose services you can join a Sámi reindeer migration.

Hurtigruten Norway

t 00 47 81 00 30 30, w hurtigruten.com . The Hurtigruten coastal voyage is Norway’s most celebrated sea cruise (see Hurtigruten sailing schedule).

UK t 01653 617 001, w inntravel.co.uk. Outdoor holidays in Norway including skiing, walking, dog-sledging, fjord cruises, and whale- and reindeer-watching.

North South Travel

UK t 01245 608 291, w northsouthtravel.co.uk . Friendly, competitive travel agency, offering discounted fares worldwide. Profits are used to support projects in the developing world, especially the promotion of sustainable tourism.

Saddle Skedaddle

UK t 0191 265 1110, skedaddle.co.uk . Highly recommended company organizing a couple of cycling tours of Norway each year, usually one to the Lofoten islands and another round the western fjords.

Scandinavian America World Tours

US t 1 800 545 2204, w scandinaviantravel.com . Scandinavian specialist offering an extensive programme of group and individual tours and cruises within Norway.

Scand-America

US t 1 727 415 5088, w scandamerica.com . A wide variety of packages – everything from dog-sledging to garden tours – throughout Scandinavia. Florida based.

US t 1 800 223 7226 w scantours.com . Huge range of packages and tailor-made holidays to every Scandinavian nook and cranny.

The Rough Guides to Norway and related travel guides

In-depth, easy-to-use travel guides filled with expert advice.

Travel advice for Norway

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• Eating and drinking in Norway
• Sports and Outdoor activities in Norway
• Shopping tips for Norway
• Getting around Norway: Transportation Tips
• Travel Tips Norway for planning and on the go
• Best time to visit Norway

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written by Rough Guides Editors

updated 26.04.2021

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UK tourists in Norway warned over 'annoying mistake' and 'don't underestimate it'

U K tourists in Norway have been warned over an "annoying mistake" they are all making. A Norwegian resident has shared the major problem with tourists visiting Norway in a now-viral Reddit thread which has received dozens of responses.

A local said: “ Our problem is primarily hyping of destinations in Norway on social media and the internet overall. The tourists they often attract are very unprepared despite many warnings and signs put up in the parking where you normally ascend.

“They underestimate how far it is even though they’re told it’s many tens of kilometres and this many hours normally one way. They underestimate the terrain, the weather, how fast it might change, their skills and how much time they use.

READ MORE Thousands of renters who work told to expect £3,800 extra in bank account

“They start wandering in shorts, flip flops, rain poncho and selfie sticks in the late afternoon and have to be rescued before they’re halfway up.” Another said: "I’m a American tourist now in Norway. Where I live we’re surrounded by mountains over 4000 meters (Colorado).

"But something about the mountains rising from the sea here seems more dramatic. While it may seem very touristy, I loved the open air museum of old houses in Oslo. We are here for two months. So far nothing is disappointing. I’ll edit if we find something."

Another agreed and typed: "Maybe a bit of unshared opinion but: I feel like the atlantic scenic road thing was the biggest rip off. It was really expensive and tbh. there is sooo many similar bridges and spots in Norway that are on a similar level so I don't really get the hype."

"Just moved to Norway from Finland recently and honestly they're pretty similar with each other, including culture and behaviour of citizens. Both like the privacy. Only thing that can be difficult is the language, especially If you're not good with Swedish. I personally only had it for 3 years from grades 7-9 and performed awfully," another reasoned.

"Year before the move I practiced a lot and I'd say I survive 85% of conversations just fine currently."