Car Travel in Oslo

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Car Travel

The E18 connects Oslo with Göteborg, Sweden (by ferry between Sandefjord and Strömstad, Sweden); Copenhagen, Denmark (by ferry between Kristiansand and Hirtshals, Denmark); and Stockholm directly overland. The land route from Oslo to Göteborg is the E6. All streets and roads leading into Oslo have tollbooths a certain distance from the city center, forming an "electronic ring." The toll is NKr 20 and was implemented to finance road development in and around Oslo. If you have the correct amount in change, drive through one of the lanes marked "Mynt." If you don't, or if you need a receipt, use the "Manuell" lane. Car rentals can be made directly at Oslo Airport or downtown.

If you plan to do any amount of driving in Oslo, buy a copy of the Stor Oslo map, available at bookstores and gasoline stations. It may be a small city, but one-way streets and few exit ramps on the expressway make it very easy to get lost.

Emergency Services

Contacts

Falken (02468). NAF Car Rescue (Norwegian Automobile Association. 810/00-505).

Parking

Oslo Card holders can park for free in city-run street spots or at reduced rates in lots run by the city (P-lots), but pay careful attention to time limits and be sure to ask at the information office exactly where the card is valid. Parking is very difficult in the city -- many spaces have one-hour limits and can cost more than NKr 25 per hour. Instead of individual parking meters in P-lots, a machine dispenses validated parking tickets to display in your car windshield. Travelers with disabilities who have valid parking permits from their home country are allowed to park free and with no time limit in specially reserved spaces.