Norway is a Scandinavian country known for its beautiful natural landscape, but its also one of the most expensive countries worldwide to travel in. Having spent three weeks in Norway this summer we, along with other travel bloggers, have put together some top tips for saving money on a trip to Norway.
FLY WITH A BUDGET AIRLINE
Take advantage of the low fares offered by budget airlines, such as Norwegian and Ryanair. We flew into Stavanger and out of Oslo with Norwegian Air and got super cheap flights. As always with low cost airlines beware of extra charges for luggage, food and seat selection!
GETTING AROUND NORWAY
It is relatively easy to travel independently in Norway. Alongside the advantages of flexibility and travelling to your own schedule, often much easier with kids, it can be a much cheaper way to travel.
HIRE A RENTAL CAR
Norway is the perfect place for a road trip. A great way of covering the large distances within Norway. Travelling by car gives you the freedom and flexibility to travel at your own pace, stopping whenever and wherever you wish. It is our preferred method of getting around. We hired rental cars throughout our three week summer road trip, interspersed with a couple of flights to save time on the longer distances. With a family, its often the easiest way to travel.
TRAVEL BY TRAIN – When Woman Travels
One of the best and most affordable ways to travel in Norway is the railway. Wherever possible, buy your railway tickets online. In Norway, it is always cheaper to buy tickets online than offline. This applies for buses and ferries too. To save even more, buy a several-day Norway railway pass. You have a choice between three, four, six (five if EuRail pass) or eight-day passes that you can use within a month. If you are from the European Union, use the Interrail Pass.
USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT – Would Be Traveller
There is a fantastic public transport system in Norway, which is great for sticking to a budget in Oslo and the rest of the country. The inter-city trains are clean, fast and run on time, plus they connect most of the country’s airports with the major cities and tourist destinations.
There is nothing quite like the Norwegian countryside, so why would you want to hire a car and concentrate on the road when you could look longingly out of a train window? So while public transport is more expensive in Norway than most other European countries, it’s still the cheapest way to travel.
WHERE TO STAY IN NORWAY
BOOK APARTMENTS – The Munching Traveller
When travelling in an expensive country like Norway, always find an apartment or an accommodation where there is a kitchen for you to prepare your own meals. And do make sure they have an electric kettle so that you’ll get your water supply for free too! Since eating out is expensive, purchasing groceries to cook your own food will be much cheaper as well.
STAY IN CAMPSITES – Travel Hacker Girl
COUCH-SURFING – Authentic Travels
A few years ago I traveled to the northern part of Norway (Lapland) to see the Northern Lights. I stayed in Tromso for two weeks and I used the Couchsurfing and Bewelcome platforms in order to find a local host. I wrote to many hosts one month in advance. On the trip I ended up staying in the house of four local people during my two-week stay. You don’t have to pay for accommodation, but as this is a cultural exchange, it is polite to bring small gifts from your country, somehow contribute to lunch and dinner, and share lots of stories with your hosts.
EATING IN NORWAY
Food in Norway is expensive. Eating out can be super expensive. On the rare occasions we ate out during our trip to Norway the bill for our family of five would be in the realm of 1500 – 2000 NOK, which is between £150 – £200! This was not fancy dining experiences but rather family friendly restaurants, with just a main course and a desert. Groceries in local supermarkets are also much more expensive than we are used to at home. Shopping would easily be twice as expensive as we pay in the UK.
SELF CATERING – Travel Melodies
A great way to save on food is to self cater. We strongly recommend staying at an Airbnb. It’s not only cheaper than a hotel but it also furnishes you with a functional kitchen. Airbnb is the best when traveling with a family or in a group. Cook your own food and save on both the accommodation as well as food. Kill two birds with one stone! Prepare your breakfast and dinner in the Airbnb kitchen and grab a quick lunch while on the go. Rush to the supermarkets for your daily cooking needs. You can find plenty of snacks, fresh vegetables/fruits, and other food items in supermarkets. Rema 1000, Kiwiand Menyare the well known discount supermarkets in Norway. You’ll find them everywhere.
However, we can’t deny the fact that eating out is an integral part of the whole travel experience. How can we travel to someplace new and not taste the local cuisine? There are quite a few cheap eats in Norway where you can grab a traditional Norwegian bite. Godt Brød, Kaffistova, and Mathallenare to name a few.
TAKE BASIC SUPPLIES FROM HOME! – Go Live Young
When researching our trip we came across lots of advice from previous visitors to Norway recommending to pack some food supplies from home. This is something we did on our recent trip. We packed some of the basics from home, including some cereals, energy bars, pasta, noodles, biscuits and chocolate. We were very glad we did as it certainly saved us some money.
VISIT NORWAY’S BAKERIES – Migrating Miss
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CITY PASSES – Wandering Wagars
One of the easiest ways to save money on travel in Norway is by taking advantage of the city passes. Major cities like Oslo and Bergen often offer a low-cost pass that offers free or reduced-cost admission to major attractions. In Bergen, we were able to use our Bergen Card to take the legendary funicular, explore the aquarium, and take unlimited rides on the city’s public transit system. The city passes often give heavy discounts to other attractions and experiences as well.
OSLO CITY PASS – The Round the World Guys
Oslo is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. However, you can still get great deals while traveling here. One of the best ways to travel more cheaply in Oslo is by using the official Oslo Pass, which gives you the benefit of saving money on many things around the city. Two of the most convenient Oslo Pass benefits are free admission to many popular Oslo Museums, as well as free public transportation in central Oslo. You can also get discounted rates at several popular Oslo restaurants, along with guided tours and rentals.
AND FINALLY REMEMBER… – Go Live Young
Many of the best things to do in Norway are absolutely free! Norway is an outdoor playground, with an incredible natural landscape. Home to incredible hikes, stunning fjords, mountains and glaciers, there is much to do in Norway that is completely free. Some of our favourites include the beautiful beaches of the Lofoten Islands, hiking to Pulpit Rock and Kjerag near Stavanger and the impressive glaciers near Odda.
FOR MORE ON NORWAY:
Top 10 Things To Do In Stavanger
Hiking to Pulpit Rock with Kids
Have you been to Norway? Do you have any recommendations for saving money on a trip to Norway?
