Norway's capital and the gateway to fjord country: the Opera House you can walk across the roof of, Vigeland Sculpture Park, Munch's The Scream, the Fram and Kon-Tiki museums on Bygdøy and the Holmenkollen ski jump. From here, the 'Norway in a Nutshell' route takes you along the Flåm Railway and the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord to Bergen (Bryggen). Light summer nights; May–September is best, with skiing in winter and Northern Lights in Tromsø in the north. One of the world's most expensive countries. No direct flights from UB — MIAT to Frankfurt, then Lufthansa ~2 h. Mongolian citizens need a Schengen visa; Norwegian visas are lodged at VFS Global in Ulaanbaatar and decided by the Norwegian Embassy in Beijing.
🛂 Visa: Visa required · 90 days✈ Flight: 15h☀ Best months: May, June, July, August
#fjords#museums#nature#scenic trains#midnight sun#Schengen visa
Orange — daytime average, blue — night, grey bars — rainfall, green — sea temperature. Best months: May, June, July, August, September.
Things to see (12)
🧸 for kids
Oslo Opera House — walk on the roof
CultureRoof and foyer free; performances and guided tours extraRoof open almost all the time (parts close when icy or snowy); foyer daily
A white marble building rising out of the fjord like an iceberg: walk straight up its sloping roof for views of Oslo, the fjord and the Munch museum. Children love running across the roof. Next to it is the floating glass sculpture 'She Lies' and the Sørenga sea pool. Best at sunset.
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goNorway has no embassy in Mongolia; you lodge your visa at VFS Global in UB and the Norwegian Embassy in Beijing decides it. Because passports are couriered to Beijing it takes longer than other Schengen countries — apply early. Norway is very expensive, and summer hotels and 'Norway in a Nutshell' sell out early.+
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Schengen visa: VFS Global UB → Beijing
Register in UDI's Application Portal and pay the €90 fee (ages 6–11 €45, under 6 free) by card. Then book an appointment at the VFS Global Norway visa centre in UB and go in person to give fingerprints; the service fee is €70 / 294,700₮. The passport takes 5–7 working days each way to Beijing and back, and a decision can take up to 45 days — apply at least 45 days before travel.
Tip: Apply for Norway if it is your longest stay; if you will spend more days in Germany, apply at the German Embassy instead.
Medical insurance valid in all Schengen states with cover of at least €30,000 is mandatory (machine-printed policy). Attach the return ticket, hotel bookings, itinerary, bank statements and an employment letter, showing roughly NOK 500 or more per day in Norway. Don't pay for non-refundable bookings before the visa is issued.
At your first Schengen border (usually Frankfurt) the EES system records your fingerprints and face (fully live since 10 April 2026); ETIAS does not apply to Mongolians with a visa. There is normally no further passport check entering Norway, but always carry your passport.
🛬Landing and getting to the cityGardermoen Airport is ~47 km north of the city; the train is fastest.+
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Flytoget Airport Express Train
19 minutes to Oslo Central Station (Oslo S), every 10 minutes. Adult single 276 kr, children, students and seniors 138 kr; under-16s travel free with an adult. Tap your contactless card at the gate or buy in the app.
Tip: If your hotel is near Nationaltheatret, Flytoget runs there too.
Vy regional trains run on the same line, a little slower but cheaper, and Ruter zone tickets are valid. Buy in the Ruter or Vy app; Flytoget tickets are not valid on Vy, and vice versa.
If your phone supports eSIM, install a Europe travel eSIM (Airalo, Holafly) before you leave — it works as soon as you land in Frankfurt and in Norway at no extra charge (Norway is in the EEA, so 'roam like at home' applies).
Tip: Signal can be weak in fjords and mountain valleys — download Google Maps areas for offline use.
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Norwegian prepaid SIM
Telenor, Telia and Ice prepaid SIMs are sold at Narvesen, 7-Eleven and supermarkets. In Norway prepaid SIMs must be registered with a passport, so bring yours. Telenor is generally considered to have the widest rural coverage.
🚇Getting around town and to the fjordsCentral Oslo is small and walkable. Metro, trams, buses and island boats all use one Ruter ticket.+
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Ruter tickets
A zone 1 (Oslo) single ticket is 46 kr, valid 60 minutes with transfers; ages 6–17 19 kr, under 6 free. If you ride more than 3 times a day, the 24-hour ticket pays off. Buy in the Ruter app — buying from the bus driver costs more.
From April to October a boat leaves Rådhusbrygge 3 for the Bygdøy museums every 20 minutes; Ruter tickets are not valid on it — buy a separate ticket. At other times take bus 30.
The Oslo–Bergen Railway is one of Norway's most scenic lines; change at Myrdal for the Flåm Railway down to the fjord. With a 'Norway in a Nutshell' package, all connections are handled in one booking. Book Vy tickets early for cheap 'minipris' fares.
The currency is the Norwegian krone (NOK). Norway is almost cashless — shops, cafés, buses and even toilets take cards and contactless, and some places refuse cash. Tipping is not customary; service is included.
Tip: If the card reader offers to charge you in tögrög, say no — choose NOK.
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An expensive country — ways to save
Restaurants are very expensive, so buying food at Rema 1000, Kiwi or Coop Extra and cooking in your accommodation saves a lot. Tap water is clean. Under-18s get into the National Museum and MUNCH free. If you plan many museums, do the sums on an Oslo Pass.
Non-residents who spend above a minimum amount can reclaim part of the VAT with a Tax Free form. Norway is not in the EU, so you claim it when leaving Norway (at Gardermoen) — not in Frankfurt.
🍜FoodNorwegian food is built on fish, lamb and dairy.+
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What to eat
Fresh salmon, fish soup (fiskesuppe), prawns straight off the boats in summer, lamb and cabbage (fårikål), brown cheese (brunost), heart-shaped waffles and cardamom buns (skolebrød). Try many dishes at Bergen's fish market and Oslo's Mathallen food hall.
Tip: A hot dog (pølse) from Narvesen or 7-Eleven is the cheapest meal around.
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Supermarkets and alcohol
Rema 1000, Kiwi and Extra are cheapest; most supermarkets close on Sundays. Beer is sold in shops only during limited hours; wine and spirits only in the state-run Vinmonopolet shops, age 20+.
Police 112, ambulance 113, fire 110 — all free, 24 hours, answered in English. For non-urgent illness, 116 117 connects you to the nearest out-of-hours clinic (legevakt); Oslo legevakt is open 24 hours.
Cliff hikes such as Preikestolen and Trolltunga have no railings and the weather changes suddenly: wear proper boots and warm, waterproof clothes, carry food and water, start early, check yr.no and keep away from the edge. Trolltunga is a long, hard full-day route — skip it if unprepared or with children, and go only with a guide outside the season.
Oslo is very safe, but watch for pickpockets around the Central Station, Grønland and Karl Johans gate. Pavements ice over in winter — get shoe spikes. Fjord water is cold even in summer; never leave children alone in the water.
🙏Manners+
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Quiet and punctual
Norwegians are modest and quiet and value personal space — don't talk loudly on public transport, and be on time. Respect queues. Take your shoes off when entering a home.
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Respect nature
'Allemannsretten' gives everyone the right to roam freely in nature and, under certain conditions, to camp; but leave no litter, keep out of fields and private gardens, and lighting fires in woodland is usually banned in summer.
Ruter — all Oslo transport, island boat tickets and routes. Vy — trains (Bergen, Flåm, the airport). Flytoget — the airport express. Entur — journey planner for all of Norway.
Yr — the Norwegian Meteorological Institute's forecast, essential for mountain hikes. Offline Google Maps and Google Translate cover the rest. For the Northern Lights, check aurora activity in apps such as 'Norway Lights'.
Flytoget takes 19 minutes from Oslo Central Station, every 10 minutes. Validate Tax Free forms at Gardermoen before check-in. If you leave from Bergen, take the Bybanen light rail or Flybussen to Flesland airport.
Leave the Schengen area no later than the date on your visa — EES records your exit day automatically. If you connect to MIAT in Frankfurt on separate tickets, allow plenty of time in case of delays.
AI answer: double-check anything beyond our researched facts with an official source.
Free
24 hours, all year
The world's largest sculpture park by a single artist, with more than 200 bronze and granite works by Gustav Vigeland: the 14 m Monolith of 121 human figures, the 'Angry Boy' (Sinnataggen) and the bridge depicting the cycle of life. Wide lawns, a playground and ponds make it ideal for a family outing. Tram 12 to Vigelandsparken.
A 13-storey leaning tower-museum next to the Opera House holding Edvard Munch's works, including The Scream. Versions of The Scream are shown in rotation for a few minutes at a time. The upper-floor terrace has great views of the fjord and city. Buy timed tickets online in advance; large bags are not allowed in the galleries.
CultureAdults 220 kr, under 25 100 kr, under 18 freeTue–Wed 10:00–20:00, Thu–Sun 10:00–17:00; closed Mon (open Mon in summer)
The largest art museum in the Nordics (opened 2022): Munch's original 1893 Scream, Norwegian Romantic landscapes, design and architecture under one roof. The glowing 'Light Hall' on the roof looks over City Hall and Akershus Fortress. There are activities for children.
Kids180 kr each, children 70 kr, family 400 kr; both 325 kr (children 125 kr)Fram: 1 Oct–30 Apr 10:00–17:00, 1 May–30 Sep 9:30–18:00; Kon-Tiki: Sep–Apr 10:00–17:00, Jun–Aug 9:30–18:00
Take the Bygdøy ferry from City Hall pier (Rådhusbrygge 3, April–October) or bus 30. Fram: board Nansen's and Amundsen's polar ship and go below deck, plus a polar simulator — a big hit with children. Kon-Tiki: Thor Heyerdahl's original ocean-crossing raft and the Ra II reed boat; a new exhibition opened in summer 2026. The Viking Ship Museum is closed — the new Museum of the Viking Age opens in 2027.
CultureFortress grounds free; castle and museums extraGrounds daily about 6:00–21:00
A medieval fortress-castle guarding the harbour since around 1300: from the ramparts you see the fjord, Aker Brygge and the Opera House. It holds the Norwegian Resistance Museum and the royal mausoleum. There are guard changes and outdoor concerts in summer. A 10-minute walk from the centre.
KidsAdults 195 kr, ages 6–18 95 kr, family (2+2) 485 kr — lift to the tower includedJan–Apr 10:00–16:00, May–Sep 10:00–17:00, Oct–Dec 10:00–16:00
The world's oldest ski museum (1923); take the lift to the top of the 64 m jump tower and look over Oslo and the fjord from 427 m. In summer ride the zipline down from the jump; in winter try the ski simulator. Metro line 1 to Holmenkollen takes ~25 minutes, then a 10-minute walk uphill. In winter, ski at nearby Tryvann.
CityFree (Astrup Fearnley Museum extra)24 hours; shops and restaurants mostly 10:00–22:00
A former shipyard turned waterfront district of restaurants, cafés, shops and boat piers. At its tip, Tjuvholmen has Renzo Piano's Astrup Fearnley Museum of modern art, a small beach and a sculpture park. This is where Oslo strolls along the water on summer evenings; restaurants are pricey.
CityPalace park free; the interior only on guided tours in summer (separate ticket)Park 24 hours; changing of the guard daily at 13:30; palace tours usually late June to mid-August
The city's main pedestrian street runs from the Royal Palace to Oslo Central Station, past Parliament (Storting), the National Theatre, the old university buildings and shops. Watch the changing of the guard in front of the palace. Nearby, you can enter City Hall (Rådhuset) for free and see the hall where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded.
NatureA regular Ruter ticket (zone 1, 46 kr) is valid on the boatsBoats year-round, more often in summer; guided fjord cruises mostly April–October
Ten minutes by boat from the centre: Hovedøya has the ruins of a 12th-century monastery, green meadows and small beaches — a summer picnic and swimming spot for families. Ruter tickets let you hop between the islands from Aker Brygge, a cheap 'fjord cruise'. For a longer trip, book a guided fjord cruise from Rådhusbrygge (Båtservice and others).
'Norway in a Nutshell': Flåm Railway and Nærøyfjord
NatureFull route from Oslo from 2,698 kr; Flåm Railway only from 399 kr one way, ages 6–17 50%Daily all year; Oslo to Bergen is a full day (~12 hours), or stay overnight on the way
Norway's most famous day trip: from Oslo, the Bergen Railway crosses the mountain plateau to Myrdal, then the 20 km Flåm Railway descends 867 m (stopping at Kjosfossen waterfall) to the village of Flåm; a boat sails the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen, a bus takes you to Voss and a train to Bergen. One booking covers all connections; book early for summer.
CultureBryggen free; Fløibanen fares vary by seasonBryggen 24 hours; Fløibanen daily from morning until late evening (closed a few days a year for maintenance)
Bryggen (UNESCO), the harbour of colourful Hanseatic wooden warehouses — wander its narrow wooden alleys and browse the fish market. The Fløibanen funicular takes 6 minutes up Mount Fløyen for views over the city and fjord; at the top are a playground, a 'troll forest' and goats. Bergen is one of Europe's rainiest cities — bring an umbrella and a waterproof jacket.
Phone:Telenor, Telia and Ice prepaid SIMs are sold at Narvesen, 7-Eleven and Rema 1000; in Norway prepaid SIMs must be registered with a passport. Norway is in the EEA, so under 'roam like at home' rules EU SIMs and eSIMs work at no extra charge — a Europe eSIM (Airalo, Holafly) is easiest. You can pay by (contactless) card almost everywhere, and you barely need cash.
