Air
Norway enjoys efficient and modern air services on non-smoking flights. SAS serves all major cities. The main domestic airline, Braathens SAFE, covers the country from Kristiansand to Tromsø with modern Boeing 737 jets. Widerøe and Coast Air land at smaller airports in the north and south. In July and August many routes have reduced rates. If you purchase your ticket in Scandinavia, SAS often advertises mid-summer special fares for domestic and international flights.
Car
Driving in Norway is not difficult and traffic is light. Your current driver’s licence is acceptable in Norway; an international driver’s licence is not required. Four-lane motorways are found only near major cities. Roads are well posted with information and directional signs. Hairpin turns are common, especially in western Norway. Norwegian law requires that you drive with dipped headlights, yield to the car on the right, use seatbelts in both the front and rear seats and never cross the unbroken line in the middle of the road. Laws against speeding, as well as driving and drinking, are rigorously enforced.
Bus
Buses provide frequent and efficient service throughout Norway. Where the train and coastal steamer end, the bus begins. Few settlements are too tiny or remote for a bus service. Nor-Way Bussekspress, which travels long distance routes, will carry you into northern Norway. You need no seat reservations and you pay the driver when you board. It is helpful to carry with you a copy of the Nor-Way Bussekspress timetable which covers the whole country. This does not cover the numerous local bus routes which connect with the trains and Nor-Way Bussekspress. You can obtain these times at local train and bus stations. Buses are less expensive than trains. Holders of an Interrail pass are entitled to a 50% reduction on Nor-Way Bussekspress, but not on local routes.
Taxi
Even the smallest towns offer a taxi (drosje) service. You may want to use one to reach walking areas after arriving by bus or train. Taxi stands are often found just outside the rail station. Taxis can be expensive, especially if they arrive from a neighbouring town.
Coastal Steamer
Since 1893 the renowned Coastal Express, Hurtigruten, has been carrying passengers, freight, cars and mail up and down Norway’s coastline. Flying the flag of the Norwegian Postal Service, the ships leave Bergen every day of the year on a 6-day voyage up to Kirkenes on the North Cape, near the Russian border. The round-trip takes 11 days and includes calls at 35 harbours. For many of these ports, the twice-a-day visits from the steamer (one heading north, one south) are their only link to the outside world. Locals and tourists alike take advantage of this unique service. This trip is outstandingly beautiful, but notoriously expensive, especially if you want a cabin. Deck passengers pay less, and may sometimes board without reservations. Taking the coastal steamer is a fine way to join some of the walks in this book, especially in northern Norway, such as those departing from near Finnmark, Narvik and Tromsø.
Coastal Boat Services
Car ferries and local boat services are an important part of the Norwegian transport system. Among the western fjords, ferries, hydrofoils and catamarans, carrying commuter traffic and cars, serve the western cities.
HELPFUL HINTS WHILE IN TOWN
Accommodation
All levels of accommodation, from world-class hotels to hostels, can be found throughout Norway. International hotels serve business travellers in the main cities of Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim. In the summertime, generally from 15 June to 15 August, most hotels halve their usual rates. Usually the higher priced the hotel in winter, the greater the discount in summer. Except at hostels the room rate includes a large buffet breakfast and the 22% VAT. All hotels in Norway are held to a high standard. If you are on a strict budget, camping is ideal. Campsites, with cabins and tent sites, are located throughout the country. The Norwegian Camping Guide is available from the Norwegian Tourist Board.
Hostels (vandrerhjem), meant for youths and families alike, offer a high standard of accommodation with reduced rates for members. Often a sheet sleeping bag is required; some may provide meals and others may be self-catering.
Business Hours
Business hours are generally 0900 to 1600 on weekdays with extended hours on Thursdays. On Saturdays, most stores close early between 1300 and 1500 and are closed on Sundays. DNT and associated touring offices are closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Mail/Post
Norwegian postal services are helpful and efficient. You can pickup mail, addressed c/o Poste Restante, at any post office in Norway. Bright red mailboxes, embossed with the trumpet symbol of the Norwegian Postal Service, are often attached on building walls at chest level.
Laundry
Coin laundries are expensive and can be hard to find, although tourist offices can help you locate them.
Electricity
The electrical current of 220 volts accepts two round-ended prongs.
Weights and Measures
Norway uses the metric system. Weight is given in grams and kilograms, and distance in kilometres. Prices for fruits and vegetables are often listed per 100 grams (pr/hg). Fruits such as grapefruit and kiwi are sometimes sold by the piece (stk).
Telephone
Using Norwegian pay phones, which take 1,5 and 10 kroner coins, can be awkward. Domestic calls cost a minimum of 2 kroner. Phone cards sell for about 35 kroner, but the special green telephones they require may be difficult to locate. For overseas calls, it is easiest to use an international calling card, since hotels often add a huge surcharge. From Norway, dial 095 and then the code for the country you are calling (44 for the United Kingdom, 1 for the United States and Canada) followed by the city code and number you wish to reach. Some full-service huts have pay phones. If calling to Norway from home, the country code is 47.
Shopping
At a store marked Tax Free for Tourists you are entitled to a refund of the value added tax (VAT) when purchasing goods over 300 kroner. To receive your refund, you must ask the store for your tax-free cheque and present it along with your purchases at your departure point from Norway. Refunds are given in Norwegian currency.
Food and Drink
Food is expensive in Norway, but there are several ways to cut costs when in town. A substantial breakfast, included in the cost of hotel rooms, can be enough to carry you through until the late afternoon. Bakeries sell low-cost pastries and bread. Cafeterias and other self-service restaurants are informal and less costly than moderately priced restaurants. Many restaurants have a daily special which is reasonably priced. For a large meal it is less expensive to eat at noon. Water in cities and in the mountains is safe to drink. Beer, spirits and wine are extremely expensive due to high taxes. Beer and soft drinks are sold at many full-service huts.
CHAPTER 3:
Life in the Mountains
II n’est plus beau ni moins beau que les Alpes, il est autre
Louis Neltner
DEN NORSKE TURISTFORENING
Den Norske Turistforening (Norwegian Mountain Touring Association or DNT), along with its associated local organizations, manages over 320 mountain lodges in Norway. Established in 1868, DNT maintains trails and waymarking in both summer and winter, sponsors climbing courses, publishes a quarterly magazine and a yearbook, and maintains a list of the opening and closing dates for the huts throughout Norway. Mountain huts are unevenly distributed throughout Norway, with the