Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
every town along Norway's southern coast has an excellent
gjestehavn
(guest harbour)
where the facilities include showers, toilets, electricity and laundries as a bare minimum,
while some offer bicycle hire and wireless internet. Standard mooring fees generally range
from Nkr120 to Nkr175 per 24 hours.
Bus
Buses on Norway's extensive long-distance bus network are comfortable and make a habit
of running on time.
Nor-Way Bussekspress ( 81 54 44 44;
www.nor-way.no
)
operates the largest net-
work of express buses in Norway, with routes connecting most towns and cities. There
are also a number of independent long-distance companies that provide similar prices and
levels of service.
Considerably cheaper are buses operated by
Lavprisekspressen ( 67 98 04 80;
www.lavprisekspressen.no
, in Norwegian)
,whichsellsticketsovertheinternet.Itsbuses
run along the coast between Oslo and Stavanger (via Kristiansand and most towns in
between) and along two north-south corridors linking Oslo with Trondheim. If you're on-
lineattherightmoment,faresbetweenOsloandTrondheimcancostaslittleasNkr49,and
even its more expensive tickets are often significantly cheaper than those of its competit-
ors.
In northern Norway, there are several Togbuss (train-bus) routes, while elsewhere
there's a host of local buses, most of which are confined to a single
fylke
(county). Most
local and some long-distance bus schedules are drastically reduced everywhere in Norway
on Saturday, Sunday and in the low season (usually mid-August to mid-June).
To get a complete listing of bus timetables (and some prices) throughout the country,
pickupacopyofthefree
Rutehefte
fromanyreasonably sized busstation andsometourist
offices. All bus stations and tourist offices have smaller timetables for the relevant routes
passing through town.
Costs & Reservations
Advance reservations are rarely required in Norway and Nor-Way Bussekspress even has
a 'Seat Guarantee - No Reservation' belief in its ability to get you where you want to go
at the time of your choosing. That said, you're more likely to find cheaper fares the earlier
you book.
Buying tickets over the internet is usually the best way to get the cheapest fare, and on-
line bookings are often the only option for Lavprisekspressen buses. Tickets are also sold
