Norway
Expensive, extraordinary, and worth planning properly. Oslo is the gateway but the fjords are the reason. The northern lights are a bonus you cannot guarantee.
Norway is expensive - that is the first thing anyone who has been will tell you, and it is accurate. A pint in Oslo costs what a meal costs in Lisbon. The counterpoint is that the country is extraordinary: the fjords are as dramatic as any landscape in Europe, the light in summer and winter is unlike anything further south, and Oslo punches well above its size as a city. It deserves a proper stop rather than a transit night - the Viking Ship Museum, the Munch collection and the Aker Brygge waterfront are all walkable from the centre.
From Oslo, Bergen and the fjords are a train ride away on one of Europe's great rail journeys. One thing worth knowing before you book a budget fare: Oslo Torp (TRF) is Sandefjord airport, 110km south of the city and a 90-minute bus from the centre - most mainline flights use Oslo Gardermoen (OSL), which the Airport Express links to the city in 20 minutes. Pay the premium for Gardermoen unless your luggage and timing are forgiving.
The Best Time to Visit Norway
Norway splits into two completely different trips depending on the season. Summer (June-August) is fjords, midnight sun, hiking, and warm enough days that the dramatic landscape is accessible without specialist gear. The days are extraordinarily long this far north - in June, Oslo gets around 18 hours of daylight and Bergen over 19. The fjords are stunning in clear summer light.
Winter (November to March) is northern lights, ski resorts, and the opposite extreme - short days, significant cold (Oslo averages -4°C in January), and the Arctic north in perpetual darkness. The northern lights are visible from Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands on clear nights, but they are not guaranteed and the winter conditions demand proper preparation.
May and September are shoulder months in Oslo and Bergen - reasonable temperatures, no midnight sun but long evenings, and reduced prices. The fjords are at their most crowd-free in May before the summer influx. October begins the transition into full winter; the first snow in the mountains comes early.
Monthly temperature
Oslo averages below. Bergen is wetter year-round. Northern Norway is colder in winter, lighter in summer. June-August for fjords and midnight sun; November-February for northern lights.
Getting there
Select your origin to see the best routing options.
Direct to Oslo in around 2h on four carriers. Aim for Gardermoen (OSL) over the budget Torp (TRF) unless the fare gap is large.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAS | LHR/MAN/DUB - OSL | Direct | ~2h | The Scandinavian flag carrier; the most frequent and the most Gardermoen-focused. |
| Norwegian / Ryanair | LON/DUB/EDI - OSL / TRF | Direct | ~2h | Low-cost; cheapest fares, but check whether you are landing at Torp. |
| British Airways | LHR - OSL | Direct | ~2h | Daily into Gardermoen from Heathrow. |
Real nonstops into Oslo on SAS and the budget long-haul Norse Atlantic - one of the easier Scandinavian arrivals.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAS | EWR/JFK/BOS - OSL | Direct | ~8h | Nonstop from the New York and Boston areas into Gardermoen. |
| Norse Atlantic | JFK - OSL | Direct | ~8h | Budget long-haul on the 787; Premium cabin reviewed (on the Fort Lauderdale route). |
| Delta | JFK/EWR - OSL | Direct | ~8h | SAS, Delta and Norse are the three New York-Oslo nonstops. |
No nonstop from the West Coast. One stop via a European hub, or backtrack to the East Coast nonstops.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lufthansa / KLM | LAX/SFO - FRA/AMS - OSL | 1 stop | 14-16h | The cleanest one-stop via a European hub. |
| SAS | LAX/SFO - CPH - OSL | 1 stop | 14-16h | Via Copenhagen, one carrier the whole way. |
| United | SFO - EWR - OSL | 1 stop | 14-16h | Connect onto the Newark nonstop. |
The geography - long, narrow, fjord-cut - makes internal transport the interesting part. The Oslo-Bergen railway is one of Europe's great rides; ferries reach the fjords; domestic flights cover the north.
| Carrier | Route | Type | Flight time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vy (Bergen Railway) | Oslo - Bergen | Rail | ~7h | Five-plus hours across the Hardangervidda plateau, highest point 1,222m. One of Europe's great train journeys. |
| Fjord ferries / Hurtigruten | Bergen - the western fjords - Kirkenes | Ferry | Varies | The ferry network is how you actually see the fjords; Hurtigruten runs the full coastal voyage. |
| SAS / Wideroe | Oslo - Bergen / Tromso / Bodo | Direct | 1-2h | For Tromso and the north, flying is far faster than any surface route. |
Getting around Norway
Norway's geography makes internal transport an interesting problem. Oslo to Bergen by train - the Bergen Railway - is one of the great scenic rail journeys in Europe: five hours over the mountain plateau, with views that justify the trip regardless of the destination. The fjord regions and Lofoten run on ferries; domestic flights on SAS and Wideroe connect Oslo to Tromso, Bergen and Bodo quickly, which matters given the distances north. Driving the designated Scenic Routes is excellent but slow - the fjord detours are real.
Tested routes
2024Norse Atlantic Premium: Oslo to Fort Lauderdale (787-9)Good→2024SAS Business Class: Dublin to OsloGood→2024Norwegian Air economy: Malaga to Oslo TorpOkay→Planning the logistics?
The facts above are the short version. The full libraries - flights, rail and ferries - live one level down under Getting There.