Norway for $1100 - A Retrospective
Back in September 2016, my friend Mitch and I went to Norway on a shoestring budget, spending just $1100 each for an eight-day trip (including airfare!). Although several years have passed, I wanted to share how we traveled around one of the most expensive countries in Europe to visit without going broke.
Airfare
Mitch gets full credit for the fabulous airfare find! He kept an eye on the Norwegian Airlines website and jumped on a $330 round-trip fare from Boston to Oslo, asking me to join. The flight was about a week after the end of the summer season in Norway, so we enjoyed great weather and off-season prices.
Norwegian Air has been voted the best budget long-haul airline several times, and we both felt it was a comfortable and convenient way to travel. The airline's low-fare calendar is a great place to find bargains, particularly in the off season, and I recommend you bookmark it.
Do be aware that the price to check a bag is steep and varies based on your destination. We paid $40 at the time and shared a single checked bag, and prices have increased since that time. Definitely travel light, and be sure to buy a checked bag (if you need to) before you get to the airport to save more.
Accommodations
On our sojourn around Southern Norway, we didn't stay in any hotels, opting instead for Airbnb, camping, and hostels. When we stayed in an Airbnb (which we did 6 out of 8 nights), we opted for shared apartments to take advantage of lower prices. We also got to meet locals and other travelers this way, chatting over breakfast in the shared kitchens. Our nightly room cost was between $35 in smaller cities to $65 in Oslo.
Our second night in Norway was spent in Vossevangen, a ski town set on a beautiful lake. We stayed at Voss Camping, a campground that offers tent space rentals ($10 at the time) and cabins ($80 at the time). We opted for a cabin as the temperatures were just above freezing and one of us (not me) had forgotten our sleeping pad at home. It was well worth it; our cabin had a kitchenette and WiFi service! The shared bathhouse/wash house was very clean and I felt safe walking there even to use the facilities in the middle of the night.
For our last night in the western city of Bergen, we stayed in a YMCA hostel. This was a budget option that had us breaking out our best Spanish and Italian to communicate with the other travelers. Our night in the 32-bed(!!!!) dorm in a gymnasium at the YMCA was just $11 each, including a towel rental. The only cheaper way to travel is surely couch-surfing!
Getting Around
There is no need to rent a car to see even rural parts of Norway. This Scandinavian nation is well-connected by many forms of public transport. We took the Vy train, which is the national railway. Tickets can be bought on the app or at the station, though the former is recommended. Fares are, of course, much cheaper in advance. One of our Norwegian acquaintances told us that she often traveled between Oslo and Bergen for the equivalent of $100 round-trip, though we paid more like $275 as we bought our tickets the day before.
We also took the bus between cities, from Voss to Bergen and from Bergen to Stavanger. The bus to Voss was a rail replacement and the inter-city bus to Stavanger was a comfortable ride that crisscrossed fjords on zippy ferries, all for $30.
While we were in cities and towns, we did not pay much for transportation. We did take a funicular in Bergen to see the seven hills that ring the city, and we rode the tram in Oslo. Otherwise, we walked and got free exercise. I personally love walking and biking everywhere on vacation, it allows one to really take in the sights and sounds of a place. Plus, the exercise keeps me from worrying about indulging in a local specialty food!
Food and Drink
Mitch and I brought our own snacks on the plane and we continued to eat them as breakfast foods throughout the trip when there was no free Airbnb breakfast available. I picked up some belVita biscuits and some peanut butter packets before leaving for the trip. We also shared the peanut butter with our fellow travelers and our hosts, which was a conversation starter.
We ate few meals at sit-down restaurants, preferring to visit kebab shops and local haunts that we recommended to us by our hosts and fellow travelers. We particularly enjoyed Sostrene Hagelin in Bergen, which is a small carry-out restaurant that serves local cuisine. Their fish soup and smoked salmon and trout wraps were divine!
Tips for Success
Airfare
Mitch gets full credit for the fabulous airfare find! He kept an eye on the Norwegian Airlines website and jumped on a $330 round-trip fare from Boston to Oslo, asking me to join. The flight was about a week after the end of the summer season in Norway, so we enjoyed great weather and off-season prices.
Norwegian Air has been voted the best budget long-haul airline several times, and we both felt it was a comfortable and convenient way to travel. The airline's low-fare calendar is a great place to find bargains, particularly in the off season, and I recommend you bookmark it.
Do be aware that the price to check a bag is steep and varies based on your destination. We paid $40 at the time and shared a single checked bag, and prices have increased since that time. Definitely travel light, and be sure to buy a checked bag (if you need to) before you get to the airport to save more.
Accommodations
On our sojourn around Southern Norway, we didn't stay in any hotels, opting instead for Airbnb, camping, and hostels. When we stayed in an Airbnb (which we did 6 out of 8 nights), we opted for shared apartments to take advantage of lower prices. We also got to meet locals and other travelers this way, chatting over breakfast in the shared kitchens. Our nightly room cost was between $35 in smaller cities to $65 in Oslo.
Our second night in Norway was spent in Vossevangen, a ski town set on a beautiful lake. We stayed at Voss Camping, a campground that offers tent space rentals ($10 at the time) and cabins ($80 at the time). We opted for a cabin as the temperatures were just above freezing and one of us (not me) had forgotten our sleeping pad at home. It was well worth it; our cabin had a kitchenette and WiFi service! The shared bathhouse/wash house was very clean and I felt safe walking there even to use the facilities in the middle of the night.
Our cozy cabin kitchen in Voss.
For our last night in the western city of Bergen, we stayed in a YMCA hostel. This was a budget option that had us breaking out our best Spanish and Italian to communicate with the other travelers. Our night in the 32-bed(!!!!) dorm in a gymnasium at the YMCA was just $11 each, including a towel rental. The only cheaper way to travel is surely couch-surfing!
Getting Around
There is no need to rent a car to see even rural parts of Norway. This Scandinavian nation is well-connected by many forms of public transport. We took the Vy train, which is the national railway. Tickets can be bought on the app or at the station, though the former is recommended. Fares are, of course, much cheaper in advance. One of our Norwegian acquaintances told us that she often traveled between Oslo and Bergen for the equivalent of $100 round-trip, though we paid more like $275 as we bought our tickets the day before.
We also took the bus between cities, from Voss to Bergen and from Bergen to Stavanger. The bus to Voss was a rail replacement and the inter-city bus to Stavanger was a comfortable ride that crisscrossed fjords on zippy ferries, all for $30.
While we were in cities and towns, we did not pay much for transportation. We did take a funicular in Bergen to see the seven hills that ring the city, and we rode the tram in Oslo. Otherwise, we walked and got free exercise. I personally love walking and biking everywhere on vacation, it allows one to really take in the sights and sounds of a place. Plus, the exercise keeps me from worrying about indulging in a local specialty food!
View from the funicular in Bergen.
Food and Drink
Mitch and I brought our own snacks on the plane and we continued to eat them as breakfast foods throughout the trip when there was no free Airbnb breakfast available. I picked up some belVita biscuits and some peanut butter packets before leaving for the trip. We also shared the peanut butter with our fellow travelers and our hosts, which was a conversation starter.
We ate few meals at sit-down restaurants, preferring to visit kebab shops and local haunts that we recommended to us by our hosts and fellow travelers. We particularly enjoyed Sostrene Hagelin in Bergen, which is a small carry-out restaurant that serves local cuisine. Their fish soup and smoked salmon and trout wraps were divine!
Tips for Success
- Save money on accommodations by steering clear of major hotel chains.
- If you have hotel points to spend, feel free to make an exception. When we went to Norway, there were no Marriott hotels in the country so I could not use any of my travel points.
- Don't rent a car unless absolutely necessary - petrol/gasoline is very costly in Norway and there is excellent public transportation available.
- Book your train or bus tickets in advance! We could have saved even more this way.
- Enjoy the beautiful natural scenery. After all, that is why you visited Norway!
View from Priekestolen (Pulpit Rock)
Photo Credit: Mitch Collins
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