Cheap flights to Oslo from £27

City overview

Oslo may be one of the more expensive cities in Europe, but there are ways to enjoy Norway’s sophisticated capital without melting the plastic. The first thing is to find cheap flights to Oslo and take the bus to the centre of the city. Another tip is to buy an Oslo Pass, which provides free public transport, free admission to museums and sights and even discounted ice-skate hire.

Cross the harbour by boat to the Bygdoy peninsula, where you’ll find several fascinating museums including the Viking Ship Museum, Norwegian Folk Museum, Kon-Tiki Museum, which tells the story of Thor Heyerdahl who in 1947 sailed 4,000 miles across the Pacific in a raft, and Fram Museum, which tells the stories of the polar explorers.

Gustav Vigeland’s sculptures populate the Vigeland sculpture park. Oslo’s most popular attraction is Vigeland Park, an enormous green space of lawns, trees and duck ponds. The park is named after famous Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland. More than 200 of Vigeland’s life-size statues are scattered through the park, showcasing 40 years of his work portraying the human form in a range of poses and emotions. The park’s most impressive piece, the Monolith, is an enormous mass of twisting, writhing bodies carved from a single column of stone. The piece is located in the park’s centre and is believed to be the largest granite sculpture in the world. Many more sculptures can be found in the Vigeland Museum, which is close to the park and also showcases the artist’s development through sketches and plaster originals.

Oslo climate

Oslo is the perfect year-round destination so your visit will depend on whether you’d like to explore the city during the long days in some summer sun or would rather be gliding down the numerous ski slopes. 

Getting around Oslo

To get to Oslo from other major European cities, you can get a train or bus. Oslo’s port also has daily ferry arrivals from Kiel, Germany and Denmark’s Frederikshavn and Copenhagen. Getting around in Oslo is easy. Buses, trams and the underground metro (T-bane) comprise an efficient and affordable public transport system.

Getting from the airport

Oslo Airport (OSL) is situated 29 miles (47km) northeast of Oslo. Once your flight lands an airport bus will take you from the arrivals gate to the Oslo Bus Terminal in the city centre. You can also catch the Airport Express train or hail a cab.

What is good to know if travelling to Oslo?

• The open-air Norwegian Museum of Cultural History features 155 authentic buildings from different national regions. In 2004, Bygdo Royal Farm merged with the museum and the farmyard, fields and grazing lands are now part of the museum grounds. Indoor exhibits feature Norwegian folk art and dress, Norway’s First Parliament Hall and … antique toys. The Christmas Fair is Oslo’s largest pre-Christmas event. Houses are traditionally decorated and there are more than a hundred stalls selling arts and crafts, foods and seasonal treats.
• Karl Johans gate is the main pedestrian street, which connects the railway station with the Royal Palace. It’s a buzzy street with shops, cafes and lively performance artists.
• The Oslo Domkirke, the city cathedral, dates from 1697 and boasts elaborate stained-glass windows. Concerts and exhibitions are held there and the square is a nice place to rest.
• Aker Brygge was originally a dockyard and an industrial site – operated by Aker Mekaniske Verksted AS. It was rebuilt in the 1980s and now the area boasts offices, shops and restaurants, apartments and marina. Aker Brygge attracts millions of visitors each year.
• Museums, museums, museums. Oslo seems to have one to suit every interest. These include the Football Museum, Ibsen Museum, Munch Museum, Norwegian Scout Museum, Oslo Fire Museum and Norway’s Resistance Museum.
• The Nobel Peace Centre, opened in Rådhusplassen in 2005, is where you can learn – through exhibits, films lectures, and interactive installations – about the various Peace Prize Laureates and their activities as well as the history of Alfred Nobel.

Oslo Airport handles more than 18 million passengers each year and is the second-largest airport in Scandinavia. Situated in Gardermoen, just 47km (29 miles) north of Oslo, the airport is well connected to many cities across Norway. It takes less than 20 minutes to get from Oslo Airport to Oslo Central Station on the fast and efficient Airport Express Train.

A single terminal with two piers branching from it, Oslo Airport is easy to navigate. Passengers using the airport will find that it’s well stocked with shopping opportunities and duty-free options in the departures and arrivals sections of the airport. The restaurants and bars at the airport are also great, but they can be a little pricey if you’re travelling on a budget.

There are more than 20 domestic flights to Oslo Airport and close to 100 international flights to Oslo Airport. The airport is a hub for Scandinavian Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle and Wideroe. It is used by several other international airlines and charter companies as well.

Oslo Airport’s terminal is well designed, in terms of architecture and passenger flow. There’s also a fun selection of public art on display at the airport – making for a more interesting airport experience. Oslo Airport is a great introduction to the region.