Europe > Norway > Oslo (OSL)
The Car or no Car advice for Oslo can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Oslo ; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Oslo ?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Oslo?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.
Short answer: usually no — Oslo is one of Europe’s most natural no-car capitals, with a big caveat 🧭🇳🇴
✈️ Arriving in Oslo: Gardermoen Sets the Tone
Oslo Gardermoen Airport is a textbook example of Scandinavian efficiency, both in design and in how seamlessly it connects to the country.
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Clean, calm, and intuitive terminal layout
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High-speed rail link running directly into and through the city
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Trains continue beyond Oslo to a range of destinations
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The same line runs north towards Lillehammer and beyond
You land, walk a short distance, board a train, and you’re on the national rail network within minutes.
🚆 The World’s Most Rail-Connected Airport
Oslo has a unique distinction: a higher proportion of air passengers transfer directly to rail than at any other airport in the world.
That statistic isn’t an accident — it reflects:
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how fast and reliable the airport trains are
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how central rail is to Norwegian travel habits
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how unnecessary cars are for most arrivals
This alone answers should you rent a car in Oslo with a very strong no for city travel.
🏙️ Oslo as a No-Car City
If your plans focus on Oslo itself, you don’t need a car at all.
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Compact, walkable centre
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Excellent metro, tram, and bus networks
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Easy access to suburbs, forests, and waterfront by public transport
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No parking stress or traffic hassle
Oslo is built to work without private cars.
🚫 Car Restrictions in Central Oslo — and What That Means for Rentals
Oslo is also notable for its strong restrictions on private car use in the city centre, and it was the first city in the world to effectively remove most ICE (internal combustion engine) cars from its core.
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Large parts of central Oslo are car-free or car-lite
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Access for private cars is heavily restricted
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Priority is given to public transport, cycling, walking, deliveries, and residents
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The policy was designed to reduce noise, pollution, and congestion — and it largely worked
That said, this is not a blanket ban on all cars:
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Rental cars are still allowed on permitted roads
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Access is managed through road design, not constant checkpoints
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Many rental fleets in Norway are modern, low-emission, or fully electric
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Electric vehicles are naturally better suited to Oslo’s rules and incentives
In practice, this means that even if you do rent a car, you’re unlikely to want it in central Oslo anyway — and if you do, it will probably be a newer or electric vehicle that fits the city’s transport philosophy.
This reinforces the broader pattern: Oslo actively discourages driving in the centre, while making rail and public transport exceptionally easy — and saving car use for the wider landscape beyond the city. 🚋⚡
🚞 Classic Rail Journeys from Oslo
Oslo is also the starting point for some of Europe’s most famous rail journeys.
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The legendary Oslo–Bergen Railway
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The Flåm Railway, one of the world’s most scenic branch lines
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Connections across southern and central Norway
If this is your plan, renting a car makes little sense.
🚗 Where Cars Come Back Into the Picture
The moment you leave the rail corridors, Norway changes.
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Fjords, rural valleys, and remote viewpoints
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Flexible access to small villages and landscapes
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Freedom from timetables in sparsely populated areas
These trips often make more sense once you reach western Norway, particularly around Bergen, rather than starting in Oslo.
💰 The Cost Reality
Norway is expensive — across the board.
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Train tickets are not cheap
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Car rental is costly
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Fuel, tolls, and parking add up
However, for groups of three or four, cost-sharing can tilt the balance in favour of a car for fjord travel.
🔑 Bottom Line
So, should you rent a car in Oslo?
❌ No, if:
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you’re visiting Oslo itself
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you’re travelling by rail to Bergen or Lillehammer
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you value simplicity and efficiency
✅ Yes (later), if:
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you’re planning fjord road trips
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you’re travelling as a group
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you pick up a car outside Oslo
💡 Rule of thumb:
Oslo is one of the world’s great rail-first destinations — save the car for Norway’s landscapes, not its capital. 🚆🏔️
