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Launchpad London: Oslo budget strategies
In hindsight, Oslo was probably the worst possible inaugural destination for a budget travel series. And in fact my first few hours in Oslo, though a great deal of fun, were a budget traveler's nightmare. An hour in and $90 down, I had to wonder if I would be able to come up with any useable Oslo budget strategies at all.
A one-way journey on the airport express train, which sets off from a vast concrete bunker-like station at the airport, costs 170 NOK ($29). Ouch. While cheaper than a taxi, $29 is a bruising amount to shell out for an airport train.
Never mind. There is lunch to eat. My first stop is Grünerløkka, a hip neighborhood and the home of Delicatessen, a tapas restaurant on my advance research list. Delicatessen is a very appealing place. Lighted candles--a standard feature in Oslo restaurants, it turns out, at least during the darker months--grace every table. Heavy wooden tables give the place an almost rustic feel. The waiters are friendly. I took my time with the menu, ordering a chorizo sandwich, a small salad, and finally a crema catalana. For a moment, I forgot about the objective of my journey. The chorizo, from La Rioja, was delicious. The bill was not. With tip, my meal plus coffee cost 350 NOK ($60).
Clearly I needed to rethink this whole restaurant thing. I had to get to a supermarket. At the discount chain Rimi, I bought a peppery salami, two rolls, some yogurt, bananas, and mineral water for 125 NOK ($22). Again, not cheap, but the haul was big enough for my dinner and breakfast the following day. For lunch on my second day, I ate a vegetarian smørrebrød at Café Tekehtopa on St. Olav Plass in central Oslo, relatively cheap at 79 NOK ($14). And then, in a stroke of unplanned luck, I was treated to dinner by Oslo resident Sam Daams of Travellerspoint, whose acquaintance I'd made via Twitter.
But if I thought I was going to close the evening without another moment of sticker shock, I was mistaken. We met several of Sam's friends, all foreign men involved with Norwegian women, at the newish Schouskjelleren Mikrobryggeri, a lively cellar microbrewery and bar in Grünerløkka, and I bought a round of beers for the crew. Four pints came to 292 NOK ($52). I gazed off in a miniature stupor, trying to figure out precisely how much I'd just spent, while Sam and his friends laughed in recognition. This was, after all, an experience they'd all had previously.
So where are Oslo's budget-friendly bargains?
Several museums are free, including the Oslo Museum's three museums (Oslo City Museum, Intercultural Museum, and Theatre Museum); the National Museum - Architecture, the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, the National Gallery, and the Museum of Contemporary Art (all of which fall under the authority of the National Museum of Art, Architecture, and Design); the National Library; and DOGA (the Norwegian Design and Architecture Centre).
On the retail front, things are grim for bargain hunters, although the Marita Stiftelsen charity shop on Markveien had some funky second-hand goods for 5 NOK ($1).
How might my costs have been lowered? I could have utilized the services of a regional train instead of the airport express train for the airport-center link. The regional train runs 110 NOK ($20) for a one-way journey, a roundtrip savings of $18 against the airport express. And while I slept in one of Oslo's very least expensive beds, booked through airbnb, a more serious budget traveler would find cheaper accommodations in a private room booked through the tourist office for as little as 300 NOK ($53) per night. A campground site (during the summer months only) would be cheaper yet, and free accommodation options like Couchsurfing are of course the cheapest of all.
Sticking exclusively to supermarkets for food and drink is the safest bet, as even the fast food kebab spots that provide budget meal relief in other parts of Europe are pricey in Oslo.
Check out the introductory post in the Launchpad London series.
Several museums are free, including the Oslo Museum's three museums (Oslo City Museum, Intercultural Museum, and Theatre Museum); the National Museum - Architecture, the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, the National Gallery, and the Museum of Contemporary Art (all of which fall under the authority of the National Museum of Art, Architecture, and Design); the National Library; and DOGA (the Norwegian Design and Architecture Centre).
On the retail front, things are grim for bargain hunters, although the Marita Stiftelsen charity shop on Markveien had some funky second-hand goods for 5 NOK ($1).
How might my costs have been lowered? I could have utilized the services of a regional train instead of the airport express train for the airport-center link. The regional train runs 110 NOK ($20) for a one-way journey, a roundtrip savings of $18 against the airport express. And while I slept in one of Oslo's very least expensive beds, booked through airbnb, a more serious budget traveler would find cheaper accommodations in a private room booked through the tourist office for as little as 300 NOK ($53) per night. A campground site (during the summer months only) would be cheaper yet, and free accommodation options like Couchsurfing are of course the cheapest of all.
Sticking exclusively to supermarkets for food and drink is the safest bet, as even the fast food kebab spots that provide budget meal relief in other parts of Europe are pricey in Oslo.
Check out the introductory post in the Launchpad London series.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Unexpected Traveller Feb 24th 2011 1:42PM
Grünerløkka - where I had dinner with the Pope one day: http://wp.me/ppqxP-bD
kaisatsu Feb 24th 2011 5:30PM
Don't forget Vigelands Park among the city's free attractions. One of the city's most famous attractions, it may be cold this time of year, but it's still quite charming in the snow.
If you want to visit the popular Bygdøy museums (the Viking Ships, Folk Museum, Kon-Tiki and Fram Museums), it's worth pricing out the OsloPass, which includes museum admission as well as all-day public transit.
For food, a take-away sandwich from one of the Deli de Luca shops costs around Kr 50 if you don't have time to hit the grocery. And for a sit-down meal, there ate lots of decent and affordable Asian restaurants around town.
And for the cheapest accommodations of all, pack a rucksack with a lightweight tent and head into Nordmarka for free backcountry camping. Just be sure to follow the general rules for hiking and camping, and you should probably spend a little on a trail map.
Anis Feb 28th 2011 1:26AM
I live in California, but I'm married to a Norwegian, and we go to Norway a couple times a year. Even though I go there already knowing it's expensive (Norway's actually at the top of The Economist's 2010 Big Mac index), I still have moments of "You want how much? For that? Really?!"
When we are there, we definitely eat out far less often than we do here in the the Bay Area. I don't know if your friends mentioned this to you, but one reason eating out is so expensive in Norway is that wages are so high. Even Swedes go to Norway to work for the higher wages.
As a side note, for free home stays and travel tips from locals, you might want to check out https://www.tripping.com. Safe travels!
Sam Hiscock Mar 14th 2011 4:07PM
I'm visiting Olso for a few days in July to see Iron Maiden, and found most of the information very useful. I visited Norway last year for the same reason and found out to my horror just how expensive the country is. I had been warned, but thought it was just overraction.
Taking the Airport Express is great if you're in a hurry or just want to get there fast, but there are busses from the airport into the city regurlarly day and night for very reasonable prices. Also, I found the Anker Hostel to be very cost effective at only £24 a night for a bed in a shared dorm. If travelling in a group of 6 or more this can be a great alternative to seperate expensive hotel rooms as you can book out a 6 or 8 bed dorm room with en-suite for £22 per person per night all year.
If you are teetotal, a light eater and exercise enthusiast then i'm sure the impact on your wallet/purse is far smaller!
Andrea Wren May 13th 2011 10:14AM
I have palpitations each time I visit Oslo due to the costs! My Norwegian friend lives in the city and I was there again recently to see her (http://www.travellingwren.com/2011/02/eating-and-drinking-in-oslo-for-a-chilled-weekend-break.html).
The fact that I only paid £20 for a Ryanair flight to Rygge helped, and we found a Mexican place (as detailed in the blog post above) that we ate well at and didn't cost the earth, but my top tip is do as the Norwegians do - drink yourself merry before going out, then just have one!
Also, stock up on alcohol at your departure airport to bring in. But if you're in a rush, Rygge (I can't remember for Gardermoen) has a duty free shop before you leave baggage collection. It's still more expensive than most duty free shops but compared to buying booze in Oslo itself, it's like Bargain Booze!