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Do you want to find out how to save money when travelling to Oslo, Norway? Yes? If so, keep on reading. I will tell you the cheapest way to arrive at Oslo station from the airport and show you affordable alternatives to staying at hotels. I will also suggest ways you can reduce your food spending and whether the Oslo Pass is a tourist trap or not.
So.
When arriving at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, there are two trains which will take you into the city centre. The Flytoget Airport Express train and the NSB train. The Flytoget Express train takes 20 minutes to get to Oslo station and costs 190NOK per person (£18.27 approx.). The cheaper option is for you to take the NSB train which takes 23 minutes to get to Oslo station, setting you back 101NOK per person (£9.71 approx.).
Alternatives to hotels:
Couchsurfing – A homeowner hosts travellers for free. You create a profile and communicate with them to confirm your stay.
Hostel – Hostels are a budget alternative to a hotel. You have the option to share a room with others or have a private room. I recommend Hostels Club and Hostelworld on the basis that I have used these hostels when travelling and had a good stay at the large selection of affordable accommodations they offer. You could also consider having the breakfast option included in the price.
Airbnb – A homeowner rents out their apartment or spare rooms to guests. If travelling with anyone, you can split the cost amongst yourselves to make it affordable.
Use my referral code to get £25 off a home booking of £55 or more.
Wherever you choose to stay, always consider your safety. If you feel dubious staying with a homeowner, it is never too late to cancel. Most cancellation policies offer a free refund up to 24 hours before your first night and an Airbnb refund is determined by your host’s cancellation policy, click here for more information. Also, make sure there are security lockers for your passport and other valuables in your accommodation and that your hostel has security cameras and security guards.
If you book your accommodation via Ryanair website, you get 5% back in flight credit which is only valid after your stay. You can redeem it against future flight purchases where applicable. which means you can potentially buy a one-way ticket for less than £5! 😲
Saving money on food:
I was staying at Anker Hostel and my room had a small kitchen area with a cooking stove. To save money you could go to a cheap supermarket such as Rema 1000 or Kiwi and buy ingredients to make something to eat in your own room. This would spare you £25 per person, per night.
But you probably do not want to do this, right? 😂
So, another option would be to have breakfast in your accommodation – if included in the price. If not, buy snacks which will get you through the day from the cheap supermarkets named above and eat them on the go and for dinner, treat yourself by eating at a restaurant.
I treated myself by having dinner at Illegal Burger, it was delicious! It was a compact, contemporary gourmet burger bar with reasonable prices. The service was quick, and the burger was juicy and tasty. It was worth the visit and you should visit them. The address is Møllergata 23, 0179. Oslo, Norway. You can thank me later 😉.
I had dinner at an Indian vegetarian restaurant called Krishna Cuisine. Despite eating all the food on my plate, the food did not amaze me. However, if you buy the meal of the day, you get a free refill. 😋
The Oslo Pass
The Oslo Pass gets you free entrance to most museums, free travel on all public transports and discounts on some restaurants and shops.
Is it a tourist trap? Yes! I do not think the Oslo Pass is worth getting. This is because you rush around from one location to the next to get your money's worth, which is difficult considering some museums close as early as 5 pm. The Oslo Pass does offer a 20% discount if you show a valid student ID card, but it does not make a difference as it is still costly.
Before buying an Oslo Pass, consider transport costs and choose museums which you think are worthwhile and compare the total admission fees to a 24-hour Oslo Pass and see what you are better off getting.
However, if your Oslo Pass is still valid on your last day, take the NSB train to the Airport but buy train tickets from Kløfta to Oslo Airport which will set you back 57NOK per person (£5.25 approx.).
If you read my post on “6 Things You Must Do in Oslo, Norway”, you will notice that the activities which I enjoyed the most were free and I only used the Oslo Pass for two museums.
Oslo Pass – adult prices
Duration Pound (£)
24 hours £38 (approx.)
48 hours £57 (approx.)
72 hours £72 (approx.)
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Take care.
Ricardo