Oslo is an expensive city. Oslo Pass is a convenient tourist pass which allows free admission to many museums and attractions and also free public transportation in Oslo. In my opinion, if you plan to do many sightseeing in Oslo, it is definitely worth buying.
Where to buy Oslo Pass?
I bought it at Oslo Visitor Centre at Oslo Central Station.
There are 3 types of Oslo Pass: 24 hours (NOK 445), 48 hours (NOK 655) and 72 hours (NOK 820). The one I chose to buy is 24 hours pass. For more infor, visit the website: https://www.visitoslo.com/en/activities-and-attractions/oslo-pass/
Oslo Pass includes free public transportation in Zone 1 (Oslo), Zone 2V, 2S and 2Ø (refer picture above from Ruter). Take note that the pass doesn't include transport to and from the airport as the airport is located outside Zone 2.
List of attractions and museums included in the pass: https://www.visitoslo.com/en/activities-and-attractions/oslo-pass/whats-included/free-with-the-oslo-pass/
Oslo Pass is valid from first time use. Most museums and attractions only opens as early as 9am. So plan wisely to make the most of your pass.
My 1 day itinery using 24h Oslo Pass is as below:
Norsk Folkemuseum -> Viking Ship Museum -> Kon-Tiki Museum -> Akershus Fortress & Castle (exterior only) -> Oslo City Hall -> Munch Museet -> Vigeland Sculpture Park & Vigeland Museum
1) Norsk Folkemuseum
Norsk Folkemuseum has an open air museum with around 160 historic buildings. The centerpiece of the museum is Gol Stave Church, a restored stave church which was built around 1200 in Gol and was moved to Bygdøy in 1885.
Official website: https://norskfolkemuseum.no/en
Opening hours:
Oct 1 - April 30: 11am - 4pm
May 1 - Sept 30: 10am - 5pm
2) Viking Ship Museum
The Viking Ship Museum houses four Viking ship burials from the Oslo Fjord area.
Viking Ship Museum is open daily. 1 Oct - 30 April: 10am - 4pm, 1 May to 30 Sept: 9am - 6pm.
* Note that you can use your ticket from the Viking Ship Museum to get free entry to Historical Museum within 48 hours.
3) Kon-Tiki Museum
Kon-Tiki Museum houses the Kon-Tiki, a balsawood raft, which was used by Norwegian adventurer, Thor Heyerdahl, to cross the Pacific Ocean. The award winning original Kon-Tiki documentary in English (67 min) is screened everyday at 12 noon in the cinema on the lower level.
Opening hours:
Nov - Feb: 10am - 4pm
Mar - May: 10am - 5pm
Jun - Aug: 9.30am - 6pm
Sep - Oct: 10am - 5pm
4) Akershus Fortress and Castle (exterior only) which is nearby the city hall.
The medieval castle and fortress was built to protect and provide a royal residence for Oslo. It has successfully survived all sieges, primarily by Swedish forces.
Entrance is free and it is open from 6am to 9pm. Guided tours of the fortress are available to the public in summer.
I did not have time to visit Akershus Castle (admission ticket NOK 100 for adult). In summer (May - Aug), the castle is open from 10am - 4pm (Mon - Sat) and 12pm - 4pm (Sun). The castle is only open during weekends (Sat & Sun) 12pm - 5pm during non-peak period.
5) Oslo City Hall
The Oslo City Hall is built of red bricks and has two towers.
Oslo City Hall hosts the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony on 10 December each year.
Entrance is free but unfortunately it wasn't open during my visit.
6) Munch Museet
Since National Gallery was closed during my visit, I thought I could at least try my luck and catch a glimpse of another version of 'The Scream' at Munch Museet.
But no such luck. There's only one exhibition hall which exhibit the artist's work.
No bags allowed inside the museum. You need to leave your bags at one of the free lockers in the basement.
The museum is open from 10am - 4pm daily.
Getting there: Bus 20 to Munchmuseet or metro to Toyen station.
7) Vigeland Sculpture Park and Vigeland Museum
Vigeland Sculpture Park is open all year round, 24/7 and it is free.
Vigeland Museum is closed on Mondays and only opens from 12pm to 4pm (Tuesday - Sunday).
Let's do a simple calculation and see if it was worth it for me to buy the pass:
Norsk Folkemuseum - NOK 160
Viking Ship Museum - NOK 100
Kon-Tiki Museum - NOK 120
Oslo City Hall - Free
Munch Museet - NOK 120
Vigeland Museum - NOK 80
Ruter 24h ticket (2 zones) - NOK 177 * since I stay at my friend's house in Zone 2Ø.
In total I would have spent NOK 757 without the pass and I have a saving of NOK 312 with the pass! Overall, Oslo Pass is worth to buy if you plan it right.
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