Practical Information for Traveling in Norway

The useful climate divide is east, west and Arctic.

Oslo is relatively dry and continental. Bergen is milder and much wetter. Lofoten has exposed coastal weather that can change quickly. Tromsø is Arctic, but the coast keeps winter temperatures milder than many travelers expect.

This matters more than many Americans expect.

Around the summer and winter solstices:

In Tromsø, the formal polar-night period runs roughly from late November to mid-January. This does not mean 24-hour blackness — there is twilight around midday.

Northern Lights viewing is generally possible from late August into early April when skies are dark and clear.

For ordinary sightseeing from late spring through early fall, a waterproof shell, one warm layer and comfortable walking shoes cover most needs.

Lofoten and mountain travel require better wind and rain protection.

Tromsø in winter requires real winter clothing; many organized excursions provide outer thermal gear, so check before packing duplicates.

Grocery stores

The supermarket names you will see most often include KIWI, REMA 1000 and Coop Extra.

Meny is generally a larger full-service supermarket; Joker, Spar and other smaller stores are common in neighborhoods and smaller towns.

The important difference from the United States is Sunday.

Most full-size shops and supermarkets are closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Norwegian law allows several exceptions, including grocery and kiosk outlets with a sales area of no more than 100 m² and gas-station shops up to 150 m².

That is why a neighborhood may have one small Sunday-open food store while the ordinary supermarket beside it is closed.

Easter deserves special attention.

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are public holidays, and ordinary shopping and transport patterns can be significantly reduced.

Christmas and other public holidays can have similar effects.

This is simple once you know the dividing line.

Vinmonopolet has the exclusive retail right to sell wine, spirits and beer stronger than 4.7% to consumers.

Grocery alcohol sale hours are set locally within national limits, and no grocery-store alcohol may be sold on Sundays or public holidays, 1 May or 17 May.

The only rule worth remembering:

If you want wine or spirits on Sunday, buy them earlier.

A pharmacy is an apotek.

Most medicines are sold through pharmacies; some common nonprescription medicines are also available through approved supermarkets and other outlets.

For American visitors, the important point is that a U.S. prescription cannot simply be taken to a Norwegian pharmacy and filled.

Travelers should bring enough required medication for the trip, preferably in original packaging.

For urgent medical help that cannot wait but is not life-threatening, call 116 117 for the local legevakt.

For a medical emergency, call 113.

Norwegian tap water is safe to drink, so bottled water is usually unnecessary.

Most cans and plastic drink bottles carry a refundable deposit called pant. Return them to the machine at a supermarket and use or redeem the receipt.

Norway uses the Norwegian krone (NOK).

Cards are the normal way to pay.

Visa and Mastercard have the broadest acceptance; American Express is less consistently accepted.

Foreign currency is rarely accepted, so there is little reason to bring U.S. dollars or euros for everyday purchases.

A small amount of cash can be useful as backup, but many visitors will barely use it.

If a payment terminal offers to charge you in U.S. dollars instead of kroner, choose NOK unless you have a specific reason not to.

That avoids the merchant performing the currency conversion; your card issuer handles it instead.

Norway does not use American tipping norms.

Tipping is uncommon outside bars and restaurants and entirely optional.

When locals do tip for especially good food or service, it is commonly within roughly 5–15%, not an automatic 20% added to every meal.

A card terminal asking for a tip is not the same thing as a social expectation to leave one.

Norway’s transport system makes much more sense once you know which name does what.