by Fiona Thompson

Created on: August 10, 2010

Oslo has exactly the public transport system you’d expect of a major Scandinavian city. The Norwegian capital’s transport network is clean, safe, efficient and easy to use. Using a mixture of buses, trams, underground and over-ground railways and ferries, the whole of the city and its suburbs are well connected. Overseen in the main by Ruter, the system is perfectly integrated which makes using the system and buying tickets hassle-free. The train lines are actually managed by the national rail provider but any journeys made within the city boundaries can be made using tickets which are valid on the whole system.

The centre of Oslo is rather compact and can be easily tackled on foot. If, however, you are traveling with small children, have difficulty walking or simply want to explore a little further out of the centre, you may need to use public transport. A network of bus routes covers the majority of the city casual visitors may find that for their purposes, trams are more useful and practical. There are six tram lines and they criss cross the city centre and head out ultimately into the suburbs. Trams stop at dedicated “stations” which have low platforms but they run on a mixture of normal roads which they share with other vehicles, and proper tramways. Travelers must remember to wait at the tram stop and not at a nearby bus stop to catch trams. There are also six T-bane or Metro lines; the central section runs underground and the lines move over-ground away from the city. There are numerous intersections with other underground lines and other forms of transport.

 A handful of ferry routes connect the centre with the peninsula of Bydgoy (this is a route that many tourists use because there are several popular museums on the peninsula and the boat crossing is much quicker and more scenic than the bus journey) and some of the islands in the Oslo Fjord. For budget travelers this is a great way to experience the fjord and see the city from an alternative perspective. Dedicated tourist sailings tend to be fairly expensive but Oslo Cards and all day public transport tickets are also valid on the Ruter ferries. Sailings are fairly regular but there are fewer at weekends so you should arrive early at the dock to guarantee travel.

Tourists who have bought an Oslo Card will be able to use all public transport (except for night bus services) free of charge. If you don’t have one you can buy single tickets, day passes or weekly or monthly

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