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Norway Practical information Norway

 
 
Area : 125182  sq.mi - Population 4546123 hab.
Norway

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Practical information Norway

superficie

Area

125182  sq.mi
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Flights

Approximately 3 hrs. Oslo is 718 miles from London.
decallage horaire

Jet Lag

population

Population

4546123 hab.
aeroports proche

Airports

Gardermoen airport is located 35 miles north-east of Oslo. You should allow approximately 45 minutes to get to the city centre by bus (roughly £8.50), 20 minutes by train (roughly £13) and 40 minutes by taxi (roughly £52).
securite

Security

If you are going to drive in the north, beware of reindeers and elks. Accidents are frequent and can be serious.
langue

Languages

Bokmål and Nynorsk are the two official languages. Bokmål, a variation of Danish, is the language taught first (85%). Nynorsk, a written and modernised version of the language spoken in the countryside, itself inherited from the Norwegian language spoken before the Danish conquest, is less widely spoken. Lapps speak Sami. English is spoken fluently.
formalites

Requirements

A valid passport or identity card is sufficient for European Union citizens (Schengen Agreement).
religion

Religion

86% of the population are Lutherans, Lutheranism being the State church, and 3% are Roman Catholics.
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Currency

The currency is the Norwegian Krone, which consists of 100 Ores. £1 Sterling = 9 Krones. Travellers cheques and international credit cards (American Express, Visa, Eurocard, etc.) are accepted everywhere. Bank cheques and Eurocheques are no longer accepted, but you will find plenty of ATM machines throughout the country. Banks open during the week, from 8:15am to 3:00pm, and from 8:15am to 5:00pm on Thursdays.
transports

Local transportation

The railway network links up the country's main cities and turns out to be rather fast and comfortable for long distance travelling. Beyond Bodo and Fauske, in the north, there is no train service. Some bus companies ensure a relay service to Alta and North Cape. If you want to travel from fjord to fjord, prefer the Coastal Express. The eleven ships of the company sail to 34 ports for the local population as well as for tourists. Flying is faster for long distances, but also more expensive. For independent travellers, driving remains the ideal means of transport, but you need to be aware of the fact that some roads are closed off for some time of the year, or are not really suitable for driving on, from December to May, because of the snow and blizzards. If you want to rent a car, all you need to do is present your driver's licence and be over 21 years of age.

Accommodation:
Other than hotels, you will have the choice between chalets that you can rent on a weekly basis, and rorbuers, fishing lodges on piles located along the coast, or campsites, guesthouses or local hosting.
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Health

No particular vaccine is required. The reimbursement of medical expenses is done on presentation of the E111 form.
Medicines, even the most common pills, are given out only on presentation of a medical prescription. This is why it is necessary to pack a first aid kit as well as medicines you might need for a particular treatment.
Useful numbers:
Ambulances/emergencies: 113.
Emergencies in Oslo: 22 11 80 80
electricite

Electricity

220 V. An adapter is not useful.
frequentation

Flood of tourists

taxe

Taxes and tips

Net prices, tipping is not common practice. 3,000 shopkeepers take the tax off for tourists. From 11% to 18% can be reimbursed depending on the amount of the purchases. To find out more about the exact conditions, a brochure on this topic is available at the tourist office.
telephone

Telephone

To call Norway from the UK: 00 (international) + 47 (country code for Norway) + eight digit number (there is no regional code).
To call the UK from Norway: 00 (international + 44 (country code for the UK) + phone number excluding the initial 0.