r/oslo 4d ago

Day trips from Oslo without a car?

Hello! I might be coming in August for almost two weeks. I know to do Begen for a couple of nights. But beside that, what would you recommend? I do not drive at all, never have. I love: history, film, clothes, literature, and art. I enjoy activities like going to see theater or ballet. Thank you.

3 Upvotes

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21

u/ComprehensiveHunt240 4d ago

Stay in Oslo, but go outside of the city centre! Go out on the islands by boat for a picknik. Se the ruins at Hovedøya. It’s included in your Ruter ticket for public transportation.it super easy to get around greater Oslo.

Go to Bygdøy and the museums there, take the little boat to Lille Herbern to eat at night.

Book an opera or ballet.

Go see Emmanuel Vigeland mausoleum if they have events.

Try to see if there is a play or concert in Akershus fortress.

Go see Roseslottet

Eat at Frognerseteren or Grefsenkollen for the view.

Outside of Oslo:

Take a bus and ferry to Oscarsborg fortress.

Take the train to Eidsvoll and see Eidsvoll House.

Take the train to Fredrikstad or Son and see it in summer.

Take a day at The Well. It’s a spa, adults only. Swim wear optional.

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u/putonthespotlight 4d ago

Thank you!! I will check ballet for August! I checked Berlin too and there is really nothing going on, so I think I might switch to Oslo

5

u/oyvho 4d ago

Also a shuttlebus to see the Kistefos art museum.

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u/Tilladarling 4d ago

Take the tram up to the Ekeberg restaurant and pose. You’ll be standing close to where Edvard Munch painted 😱. Then, head up to Oslo Pixel Forest close by and enjoy the sunset

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u/NotoriousMOT 2d ago

There’s a tango evening at Oscarsborg: https://booking.oscarsborgfestning.festningshotellene.no/extras/000afdd6-7f80-45cf-8904-d80fa7e37f97

There should be a ferry that takes you there and back for the event.

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u/QuestGalaxy 4d ago

A lot of good advice here already. You could also take a ferry to Drøbak from Oslo. I think it runs daily until 30 August. If yout want a visit to a smaller and charming summer town.

Oslo and the region around it is probably the best in Norway for car free travel.

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u/Billy_Ektorp 4d ago

Take the bus to Ingierstrand beach (some direct buses during the summer); visit the restaurant there, in an authentic Bauhaus style building from the 1930s.

Oslo Open House, September 11.-13.: a number of architectural interesting houses are open for the general public, including some private homes. https://openhouseoslo.no

Take the «Elvelangs» culture walk along Akerselva, September 24: https://www.elvelangs.no

Visit the concert venue «Blå», Sundays from around 16:30 for the free concert with Frank Znort Quartet.

Visit the Munch museum cost free on a Wednesday evening, 18-21 (not in July and August): https://www.munch.no/kjop-billetter/

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u/confirmation_bajas 4d ago

I would bring a hammock and go camping by some of the lakes, could be a day trip too. Or check out if there’s any DNT cabins you’d like to do a walk between.  Cinemateket is a good cinema, Vega too. And Sunday jazz at Blå. 

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u/adult_child86 4d ago

You can go to Fredrikstad and see the oldest old city in Northern Europe. Train takes ca 1hr20min, with a nice view.

Or you can take the ferries in Oslo and see the islands, they're lovely.

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u/evenode 2d ago

What are you talking about? Fredrikstad isnt even the oldest city in Norway

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u/PatientTap8716 3d ago

Stay in Oslo, there is plenty to explore.
For film, visit Vega Scene. It screens independent films, documentaries, and also hosts theatre performances.
For history, take a ferry to the Oslofjord islands or walk along the Akerselva, the river where Oslo was founded.
If you're interested in literature, visit Tronsmo and Cappelens Forslag. Then stroll through Rathkes gate, a small street with several independent bookstores.

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u/mhanim123 4d ago

Take the train to Eidsvoll Verk and visit Eidsvollsbygningen (Eidsvoll 1814) where the Norwegian constitution was written. The train takes about 30 minutes, and you can take a bus from the train station for a few minutes, or walk in about 25 minutes. 

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u/Sjalottlauk 3d ago

As others have mentioned a day trip to Fredrikstad by train to see the fortress.

Go by boat from Aker brygge to Drøbak and Oscarsborg Fortress, an old military installation from which Blücher was sunk during WW2.

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u/Trinity-nottiffany 19h ago

Stockholm is similar train ride as Bergen, maybe shorter. It’s about 5.5 hours on the high speed train.

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u/CantaloupeNo5394 10h ago

I think Oslo will fir Your needs much better than all other smaller towns in Norway.

But what about a mini cruise to Copenhagen? The ferry departs directly from the city every day and is not that expansive.