Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This stroll covers the heart of Oslo—the zone where most tourists find them-
selves walking—from the train station, up the main drag, and past City Hall
to the harborfront. It takes a brisk 30 minutes if done nonstop.
Train Station:
Start at the plaza just outside the main entrance of Oslo's
central train station (Oslo Sentralstasjon). The statue of the tiger prowling
around out front commemorates the 1,000th birthday of Oslo's founding, cel-
ebrated in the year 2000. The statue alludes to the town's nickname of Tigerst-
aden (“Tiger Town”). In the 1800s, Oslo was considered an urban tiger, leav-
ing its mark on the soul of simple country folk who ventured into the wild and
crazy New York City of Norway. (These days, the presence of so many beg-
gars, or
tigger,
has prompted the nickname “Tiggerstaden.”)
With your back to the train station, look for the glass Ruter tower that
marks the
public transit office
(and TI); from here, trams zip to City Hall
(harbor, boat to Bygdøy), and the underground subway (T-bane, or
Tunnel-
bane—
look for the
T
sign to your right) goes to Frogner Park (Vigeland
statues) and Holmenkollen. Tram #12—featured in the self-guided tram tour
described earlier—leaves from directly across the street.
