Settling into Oslo - Norway - page 70

High-Speed Link from Stockholm
The first high-speed train between Stockholm and Oslo has reduced travel
time to 4 hours and 50 minutes between these Scandinavian capitals.
Depending on the day, there are two to three trains daily in each direc-
tion. This high-speed train now competes directly with air travel.

Tips

( & 22-80-49-71; www.flybussen.no), whose buses deliver passengers to the
Central Railway station and to most of the SAS hotels within Oslo. The cost is
100NOK ($14) per person. There's also a high-speed railway service between
Gardemoen and Oslo's main railway station, requiring a transit time of only 20
minutes, priced at 110NOK ($16) per person each way. If you want to take a
taxi, be prepared for a lethally high charge of around 600NOK to 700NOK
($85-$99) for up to four passengers plus your luggage. If you need a “maxi-
taxi,” a minivan that's suitable for between 5 and 15 passengers plus your lug-
gage, you'll be assessed 900NOK ($128).
BY TRAIN Trains from the Continent, Sweden, and Denmark arrive at Oslo
Sentralstasjon, Jernbanetorget 1 ( & 81-50-08-88 for train information),
located at the beginning of Karl Johans Gate, in the center of the city. The sta-
tion is open daily from 4:30am to 1am. From the Central Station, trains leave
for Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim, Bodø, and all other rail links in Norway. You
can also take trams to all major parts of Oslo. Lockers and a luggage office are
available at the station, where you can exchange money if needed.
BY CAR If you're driving from mainland Europe, the fastest way to reach
Oslo is to take the car ferry from Frederikshavn, Denmark. From Frederikshavn,
car ferries run to several towns near Oslo, and to Gothenburg, Sweden. You can
also take a car ferry from Copenhagen to several points in western Sweden, or
from Helsingør, Denmark, to Helsingborg, Sweden. Highway E6 runs the
length of Sweden's western coast from Malmö through Helsingborg and
Gothenburg, right up to Oslo. If you're driving from Stockholm to Oslo, take
E3 west to Örebro, where it connects with E18 to Oslo. Once you near the out-
skirts of Oslo from any direction, follow the signs into the Sentrum.
BY FERRY Ferries from Europe arrive at the Oslo port, a 15-minute walk (or a
short taxi ride) from the center. From Denmark, Scandinavia's link with the Con-
tinent, ferries depart for Oslo from Copenhagen, Hirtshals, and Frederikshavn.
From Strømstad, Sweden, in the summer the daily crossing to Sandefjord,
Norway, takes 2 1 ⁄ 2 hours; from Sandefjord, it's an easy drive or train ride north
to Oslo.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The Tourist Information Office at Fridtjof Nansens Plass 5, ( & 24-14-77-00;
www.visitoslo.com) is the main tourist office for Oslo. It's located directly north
of the landmark Rådhus (City Hall) on Rådhusplassen, opening onto the har-
bor. Free maps, brochures, sightseeing tickets, and guide services are available.
The office is open from June to August daily 9am to 7pm; April to May and
September Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm; and October to March Monday
to Friday 9am to 4pm.
The information office at the Oslo Sentralstasjon (Central Station), Jern-
banetorget 1, is open daily from May to September 8am to 11pm and October
to April daily 8am to 5pm. There's no phone.