Oslo is one of the most expensive cities in the world, and for travelers it can end up being be a costly visit. If you are planning to see and experience many of the museums, sights and attractions in Oslo I’d highly recommend getting the Oslo Pass.
With this pass you’ll get access to more than thirty museums, many great discounts, AND you can ride as much public transport as you’d like. It’s a great way to make your visit a bit more convenient and affordable.
What’s included in the Oslo Pass?
Museums and Attractions
With the pass you can visit most of the museums and attractions that Oslo has to offer. It ranges from art museums such as the new Munch museum and the Astrup Fearnley museum of modern art, to historical museums such as the Norwegian WW2 Resistance museum and the Kon-Tiki museum.
Find a list of what’s included here
Transportation and Ferries
The pass gives you free transport, both on public transport, and also on the ferries going out to Bygdøy (the museum island), and over to Bjørvika where you find the Munch museum. There is also a 15% discount on these two ferry tours on the fjord:
Fjord Sightseeing – A 2 hour boat tour (all year) that goes by the Opera, Hovedøya, Nesodden and Middagsbukta, and takes you past some of the fjord’s most scenic spots with cottages and cabins.
Norwegian Evening on the Fjord– A 3-hour evening cruise (summer) on a beautiful sailing ship. Included in the price is a traditional Norwegian shrimp buffet.
You might also like: The Best Time to Visit Oslo
Guided Walking Tour
If you are interested in a guided walking tour in Oslo, the pass includes a free walk with a local guide from Oslo Guidebureau. A great way to learn more about Oslo, both the old and the new.
Activities and Special Offers
Several companies offers a discount to those with the Oslo Pass. Get for instance a -15% discount on a climbing pass at Oslo Climbing Park, -20% on the entrance to the Tusenfryd Amusement Park (just outside Oslo), and there’s also a -20% discount for tickets to seeing the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Restaurants
The following restaurants gives you a -20% discount on food
- Den Glade Gris – Specialized on pork BBQ
- Johnny rockets – Like a classic diner from the 1950s
- Kaffistova – Great place for kjøttkaker (meatballs), open faced sandwiches and Norwegian wafles
- Rorbua – Traditional Norwegian food with a focus on dishes from the north
- The Scotsman – Pub and restaurant, sometimes with live music
How does the Oslo pass work?
The Oslo Pass is available both as a physical and digital card. The physical card is activated when you write the start date and time on the back of the card. The digital Oslo pass is activated once you press activate on your phone/tablet. After it is activated, it’ll be valid for the number of hours indicated; 24, 48 or 72 hours.
On public transport make sure to have your pass activated, if not you might get a fine. You will only have to show the pass if asked to do so.
To get into an attraction you will in most cases have to scan the QR code on the pass. Note that you can only enter into an attraction once per day.
Not included in the pass
All though the Oslo Pass covers a lot, it does not cover transport to/from the airport, and also not the Hop-on Hop-off buses.
How much does the Oslo pass cost and is it worth it?
24 hours pass – NOK 445
48 hours pass – NOK 655
72 hours pass – NOK 820
Discounts on passes for seniors and children are available.
If you plan to see a very limited number of sights, and not use public transportation the Oslo pass is probably not worth it. However, for travelers who wants to see several sights, eat at restaurants and/or will take public transportation the pass can be a very good deal. Let me give you some examples:
1 day in Oslo
The Maritime museums (Fram, Kon-Tiki, Maritime) NOK 380
Ferry to the museums NOK 90
The Munch museum NOK 160
Dinner – NOK 80 (20% discount of NOK 400)
SUM NOK 710 – You save NOK 245 with 24 hours pass
2 days in Oslo
The Munch museum NOK 160
The Astrup Fearnley museum NOK 140
Evening cruise on the fjord including shrimp NOK 107 (20% discount of NOK 535)
The Maritime museums (Fram, Kon-Tiki, Maritime) NOK 380
The Nobel Peace Center NOK 120
Dinner – NOK 80 (20% discount of NOK 400)
Bus to the museums – NOK 70
SUM NOK 1057 – You save NOK 402 with 48 hours pass
I hope this article gave you a better understanding off the Oslo Pass. Just write me an email or leave a comment if you have any questions.
Pål
