Car Rental in Oslo

Why rent a car in Oslo?

Oslo is a great place to visit. It offers a blend of well-preserved royal buildings and beautiful contemporary architecture, its museums are among the best in Europe, and the city is also a hub of food, culture, and performance arts. Oslo’s old wooden architecture can still be found within the city’s borders if you scratch beneath the touristic surface. With a rental car, you can not only see the city itself, but also visit Norway’s many beautiful mountains and fjords or pop over the border to Sweden.

Top ways to enter Oslo

• Oslo Airport: Also known as Oslo-Gardermoen, it is the main airport serving the Oslo area. Oslo Airport handled 28 million travelers in 2018, making it by far the busiest in the country and also among the 20 busiest in Europe. The airport is a large hub for Norwegian Air, Scandinavian Airlines, Widerøe, and also has flights by around 20 other airlines. Located some 50 km (31 miles) from the city center, Gardermoen Airport can be reached in about 40 minutes.
• Sandefjord Airport: Also known as Torp Airport, it handles about two million travelers every year. Popular with low-cost carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air, it is one of the cheapest international airports to fly to in Norway. The airport is sometimes branded as Oslo-Sandefjord for marketing reasons, but is actually located 119 km (74 miles) southwest of Oslo and takes about 90 minutes to reach.

City facts

• Oslo has a humid continental climate with oceanic influences. The city has warm summers, cold winters, and noticeable temperature differences between seasons. The average high temperature is 22 °C  (72°F) in July, the warmest month, and -1°C  (31°F) in January, the coldest. Oslo hasan average of 15 rainy days per month; 

• Oslo has frequently been included in lists as one of the best places to live in the world. Factors like high income, accessible public spaces, and low crime levels are among the reasons for the city’s high ranking. Oslo is also frequently ranked as one of the most expensive cities in the world, more pricey than its Scandinavian counterparts Stockholm and Copenhagen and cities like London and Paris.

• Oslo has a population of 672,000 people, making it by far the most populous city in the country. About 1.1million people live in the larger metropolitan area, meaning that nearly every third resident of Norway lives in or near the capital city. Oslo is made up of fifteen boroughs, known as bydeler in Norwegian.

Top sights and activities

• Akershus Castle. A fortress dating back to the late 13th century, Akershus is one of the most impressive buildings in Oslo. Travelers can marvel at the immense structure from outside as well as explore it from within. Built by King Haakon V, nowadays the museum houses the Armed Forces Museum and the World War Two Resistance Museum.
• Viking Ship Museum. The museum houses many original Viking ships and boats along with a lot of interesting artifacts. Visitors can learn about the Viking voyages of the seas, shipbuilding techniques, and the importance of ships in Viking mythology. The Ship Museum is part of the excellent Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. Similar places of interest in Oslo include the Norwegian Maritime Museum as well as the Kon-Tiki Museum dedicated to Thor Heyerdahl, a 20th-century explorer who crossed the Pacific Ocean in a self-built raft.
• Munch Museum. Norway has been (and continues to be) the home of many well-known writers, musicians, and artists, but the most influential of them all is probably Edvard Munch. This museum, located in the Tøyen district, celebrates the body of work of the 20th-century expressionist with both early works and masterpieces on display. While the Munch Museum is very much worth a visit, keep in mind that his most famous work, The Scream, is displayed in the National Gallery of Oslo.
• Olso Opera House. Perhaps the most notable of the modern landmarks of Oslo, the Operahuset is not to be missed if you’re taking a walk in the city center — its futuristic design has landed it several prestigious architectural awards. Celebrating its 15th birthday in 2023, the building also deserves to be seen from the inside, so it’s a good idea to try to catch a show while you’re in the city.
• Royal Palace. One of the residences of the royal Norwegian family and the meeting place of the State Council, the Royal Palace is, quite literally, the most important building in all of Norway. Built in the 19th century, parts of it are open for visitors, though only during the summer months — visit the palace’s official tourism website to learn more.
• National Museum of Norway. Perhaps the most famous – or at least the most instantly recognizable – cultural institution of Norway, the National Museum can (since 2022) be found in a brand new, purpose-built location in the western part of the center of Oslo. The museum includes a vast number of exhibitions on antique, modern, contemporary, industrial, and decorative art.
• Oslo Cathedral. The Lutheran faith continues to play an important role in Norwegian life and culture, so it is little wonder that the cathedral is one of the capital’s best-known landmarks. Dating back to the late 17th century, the centrally located Domkirke is also a fine example of Baroque architecture. 

Traffic and parking

• Norway drives on the right-hand side of the road.
• The speed limit is 90 - 110 km/h (54 - 68 mph) on some motorways, 80 km/h (50 mph) on all other intercity roads, and 50 km/h (31 mph) within populated and urban areas.
• The legal alcohol limit is 0.02% for both experienced drivers and novice drivers. Exceeding these limits can lead to hefty fines and even imprisonment. 
• Headlights must be turned on at all times.
• Drivers are only permitted to use a mobile phone via a hands-free system.
• Although Norway has many scenic roads, a large number of mountain passes are closed during the winter months due to high amounts of snow. If you plan to drive in the mountains in the wintertime, do your research in advance to find out if the roads you plan to use will be open. 
• Outside of the big cities and especially in northern Norway, the population density can be very low. It is possible to drive for long distances without encountering a gas station or even a populated settlement. Getting stuck in an unpopulated area in the wintertime can be life-threatening, so plan your route in advance and make sure you always have extra gas to reach the next service station.
• Although Norway generally has very good roads, driving in the mountains can still be quite a challenge, especially after dark during snow or rain. Extra caution is advised, especially for drivers with no prior experience in mountainous areas.
• Wildlife crossings in Norway is a serious road hazard with moose (or elk) responsible for a large number of accidents every year. It’s especially important to drive carefully at dusk and dawn, after dark, and in sparsely populated areas surrounded by nature. 
• The car’s registration and insurance documents must be in it at all times.
• When driving, you need to have your passport or ID card with you at all times.
• The fire brigade phone number is 110, the police number is 112, the ambulance number is 113, and the accident and emergency numbers are 116 and 117.

Toll roads

There are a number of toll roads in Norway. The toll depends on the road and on the type of vehicle (cars that are more environmentally friendly have to pay less). All toll payments in Norway are cashless. There are no toll booths on the roads - instead, the vehicle’s license plate number is automatically photographed and registered. The only exception is the Atlantic Ocean Tunnel where you need to stop at a toll booth upon entering the tunnel and make the payment in advance. The tunnel is about 570 km (354 miles) northwest of Oslo. 

Most foreign drivers use the Epass24 for paying the tolls. AutoPass offers two payment options - using the electronic OnBoard Unit transponder or paying via the AutoPass Visitors Payment.

Most rental cars are pre-equipped with an OnBoard Unit transponder. In this case, your rental car provider will receive the payment request about each time you have used a toll road; the payment will be later charged to your card or taken from your deposit. Some rental car providers might charge an additional fee for providing the transponder or for administering your toll road fee. Do ask your rental car provider in advance about toll roads and fees in Norway.

If you are coming to Norway in a rental car from a neighboring country like Sweden or Finland, you (or your rental car provider) need to register your vehicle in advance. Since your rental car won’t have the Norwegian OnBoard Unit transponder, you can use the Epass24 app. In this case, you’ll need to connect your credit card with your rental car license plate number. You will then need to make a prepayment of 300 NOK or about 30 EUR; the toll will be automatically subtracted from this amount each time you will use a toll road. Ask your rental car provider in advance if they permit you to cross the border with Norway and what would be the best method for paying the Norwegian tolls.

Ideas for day trips

• Drammen. A small, but lively town near Oslo, Drammen is a great destination for a day-trip. Its attractions include the Aass Brewery, the oldest in Norway (if you’re driving and can’t taste the beer, checking out the impressive building and going on a tour is still very much worth it), the Drammen Museum of Art and Cultural History, and the Spiralen Tunnel which offers a magical hilltop view on the far side of it. Located just 43 km (27 miles) southwest of Oslo, Drammen takes about one hour to reach.
• Kongsberg. With its wooden architecture, nearby Numedal valley, and surrounding hills, Kongsberg might be the prettiest mining town in the world. Although the precious metal is no longer obtained here, tourists can learn about it by taking a train tour through the former silver mines as well as by visiting the Mining Museum. Other landmarks include Kongsberg Church and the Municipal Museum where you can learn about pre-industrial life in the area. If you’re visiting in wintertime, you can also have a great time and one of the nearby ski resorts. Located 84 km (52 miles) southwest of Oslo, Kongsberg can be reached in 1 hour and 50 minutes.
• Tønsberg. Located on the coast near the place where Oslofjord empties into the North Sea, Tønsberg is known as the oldest town in Norway. Historic sites include the fairy-tale-like castle rock with the ruins of an old castle and a tower that still stands as well as the Royal Mound, the final resting place of a Viking queen. The Vestfold County Museum is also a great place to visit, both for its Viking artifacts and its skeleton of a blue whale. A number of nice beaches are just a short drive from the town. Located 103 km (64 miles) south of Oslo, Tønsberg takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach.
• Nordre Øyeren. An internationally recognized wetland area, Nordre Øyeren is called the largest inland delta in Northern Europe. Formed by three rivers, the area is a nature reserve, so parts of it are closed to visitors, but there is one walking trail, and several areas can also be accessed by boat. The Visitor Center Wetland, the best place to start your explorations, is about a 40-minute drive from Central Oslo. 

Most popular cars

The most popular rental cars in Oslo are the Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Polo, and Ford Fiesta. The most popular rental car types are compact, economy, and mini.

Further destinations

• Gudbrandsdalen. If you want to go somewhere that feels less civilized than the Greater Oslo area but is near enough to the capital, Gudbrandsdalen might be the best choice. The little town itself is cute and likable, but it’s number one draw is the impressive nature that surrounds it. There’s plenty of mountains for climbing, rivers for rafting, and national parks for exploring. Located 170 km (105 miles) north of Oslo, Gudbrandsdalen takes just under three hours to reach.
• Jotunheimen National Park. In the same general direction as Gudbrandsdalen, but even further into the wilderness, ‘The Home of the Giants’ is a great place to visit. Home to Scandinavia’s highest mountains, the national park is also made up of stunning highland lakes, ancient hiking paths, and cozy wooden huts where one can spend the night. Many species of wildlife like reindeer, lynx, and wolverines also live in the park. Located 345 km (214 miles) northwest of Oslo, Jotunheimen takes 5 hours and 20 minutes to reach.
• Kristiansand. Located on the coast of the North Sea, Norway’s fifth-largest city is surrounded by arguably the most impressive fjords in the southern part of the country. Majestic to look at, they can also be explored via various rent water sports. If nature is not enough to convince you to, the city also has Christiansholm Fortress, the Kristiansand Cannon Museum, and a famous fish market to offer. Located 320 km (198 miles) southwest of Oslo, Kristiansand can be reached in about four hours, with much of the way taking you right along the coast.

Car rental prices in Oslo

• Small cars - from $37 per day
• Medium cars - from $37 per day
• SUVs - from $42 per day
• Premium cars - from $56 per day
• Station wagons - from $50 per day
• Vans - from $226 per day
• Large cars - from $53 per day

Money-saving and other tips

Get a great rental car in Oslo by following these tips:

• Compare the rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit during the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Oslo is the cheapest in October when renting a car is about 61% cheaper than the yearly average and a whole 81% cheaper than renting a car in April.