Holiday to Norway Help

snips86x · 19 Feb 2019 at 07:18

So, for a couple of months I've been trying to work out how I'm going to get to Norway. My initial plan was to drive but looking what what's its going to cost me to do so, I'm now considering flying out instead.

Flying wasn't my preference as I wanted the freedom to travel while I was there and explore areas on route as well as those you might not see from flying or public transport.

I've never been to Norway but would like to know what their transport links are like and how easy it is to get around. I'll be staring in/around Oslo and the only other item I have planned is the train from Oslo to Bergen.

I'd love to drive but the reality is, it'll cost me more than I expected.

iamdjdz · 19 Feb 2019 at 07:24

Why not take trains on the longer routes and do a short term car hire from the bigger cities for a couple of days. So plan a bigger route with trains but then plan shorter periods where you can explore in a car? Best of both!

snips86x · 19 Feb 2019 at 08:07

iamdjdz said:
Why not take trains on the longer routes and do a short term car hire from the bigger cities for a couple of days. So plan a bigger route with trains but then plan shorter periods where you can explore in a car? Best of both!

That's actually not a bad idea, I do have 18 days off and that would make the most of it I think. What would you suggest?

jsmoke · 19 Feb 2019 at 08:21

Why not rent a car when you get there?

snips86x · 19 Feb 2019 at 09:17

jsmoke said:
Why not rent a car when you get there?

I haven't rules that out

iamdjdz · 19 Feb 2019 at 09:19

snips86x said:
That's actually not a bad idea, I do have 18 days off and that would make the most of it I think. What would you suggest?

Plenty of time to do that then! Don't know though as have never been, it's on my to-do list!

Efour · 19 Feb 2019 at 09:37

18 days in Norway?
Expensive.

snips86x · 19 Feb 2019 at 10:21

Efour said:
18 days in Norway?
Expensive.

No, I have 18 days off and the plan was to drive but I won't use all 18 there now as I'm flying. Prob less to be honest but not in a hurry either.

Funky-Melon · 19 Feb 2019 at 10:24

Fly out and rent a car when you get there, that's what I did and prepare for some sketchy driving in the snow.

Absolutely everything there is extortionate, I paid around £30 for parking for the day in one of the 'cheaper' places to park in Tromso, £30+ for a pizza and if you fancy a beer/any alcohol then you may as well remortgage your house

It's a stunning place though!

snips86x · 19 Feb 2019 at 11:29

Funky-Melon said:
Fly out and rent a car when you get there, that's what I did and prepare for some sketchy driving in the snow.

Absolutely everything there is extortionate, I paid around £30 for parking for the day in one of the 'cheaper' places to park in Tromso, £30+ for a pizza and if you fancy a beer/any alcohol then you may as well remortgage your house

It's a stunning place though!

Yeah, I have heard about that lol

Mason- · 19 Feb 2019 at 11:32

Funky-Melon said:
Fly out and rent a car when you get there, that's what I did and prepare for some sketchy driving in the snow.

Absolutely everything there is extortionate, I paid around £30 for parking for the day in one of the 'cheaper' places to park in Tromso, £30+ for a pizza and if you fancy a beer/any alcohol then you may as well remortgage your house

It's a stunning place though!

Bloody hell I knew it was expensive but didn't realise it was that expensive. I'm guessing car hire and fuel was really expensive too?

Raymond Lin · 19 Feb 2019 at 11:34

Funky-Melon said:
Fly out and rent a car when you get there, that's what I did and prepare for some sketchy driving in the snow.

Absolutely everything there is extortionate, I paid around £30 for parking for the day in one of the 'cheaper' places to park in Tromso, £30+ for a pizza and if you fancy a beer/any alcohol then you may as well remortgage your house

It's a stunning place though!

Norway's average monthly salary is like £4000 gross so it kinda scales up.

I am going there soon, the good thing is I picked a hotel that includes breakfast so I might have to stuff a few croissants in my pocket as snack lol

cheesyboy · 19 Feb 2019 at 11:36

I've been to Norway twice, both times skiing, so not sure on general holidaying. I'm not sure some of the quoted prices are quite right. Pretty sure I got airport pizza for £20-£25 or so, so in the wild I'd imagine it would be cheaper.

Beer is pricey - on resort it was about £10 a drink. But we could get burger and chips for £6 or so (buying kids' meals

)

jsmoke · 19 Feb 2019 at 11:46

Funky-Melon said:
Fly out and rent a car when you get there, that's what I did and prepare for some sketchy driving in the snow.

Absolutely everything there is extortionate, I paid around £30 for parking for the day in one of the 'cheaper' places to park in Tromso, £30+ for a pizza and if you fancy a beer/any alcohol then you may as well remortgage your house

It's a stunning place though!

Smuggle your own beer in and buy a water.

Bassmansam · 19 Feb 2019 at 11:50

Been to Tromso once, didn’t rent a car as i wouldnt fancy driving in the middle of nowhere on icy roads which we encountered on a fee trips. Amazing scenery to be seen there though.

As others have said it is indeed very expensive. £8 a pint on average i think it was.

jsmoke · 19 Feb 2019 at 11:53

Looks like £10 for a big Mac, personally I would take a tent and stock up on food before you left.

Efour · 19 Feb 2019 at 12:38

When I moved to Sweden I got a price shock.
Normal branded white loaf was about £2.50
Compared to a quid.
Then I went to Narvik and a similar loaf was £5.
I don't eat bread anymore.

Dis86 · 19 Feb 2019 at 12:45

Transport over there is generally pretty good. Expensive though, just like everything else.

GTAMADDOG · 19 Feb 2019 at 18:32

When I was in Bergen at the end of February/beginning of March last year the buses arriving and leaving various stops and the station itself seemed pretty regular, can't comment on the costs because we never used a bus to get around. The airport bus was every ten minutes at the time, that included when we had to leave for the airport at 5AM to come back. We were going to rent a car for a day trip, but never did in the end because we found enough to do for the four and a bit days we were there. Food is expensive, but for a few days we just put up with it. Our trick for drinks was to go to one in a not so prominent location and that saved a couple of quid compared to prices on bars along the front, still a really nice bar and friendly people.

I'm off to Trondheim on the 28th February. Not expecting anything different in terms of costs (although we have a hotel with light evening meal as well as breakfast included this time), but we'll be hiring a car for a day or two this time because we want to have a look at Austrått Fort which is about two hours away. Every car I looked at when walking around Bergen last year had winter tyres if not studded tyres, so we'll take it steady and apply common sense when driving, although they don't appear to have had much snow since January which is a bit disappointing.