Organize your stay Norway
Money Norway
The Norwegian currency is the krone. The Norwegian krone (kroner, abbreviated "Kr" or NOK) is divided into 100 øre. Coins are available in denominations of 50 øre, 1, 5, 10 and 20 NOK; banknotes come in denominations of 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 NOK. There's no problem changing euros, but it's difficult to pay in cash almost everywhere now!
Conversion rate: 1 € = 11.33 NOK - 1 NOK = 0.09 € (February 2024).
Credit cards: International credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) are accepted without difficulty. All Norwegian cabs accept credit cards.
Budget & Tips Norway
The average budget for visiting Norway is very high. It is around NOK 2,000 (€200!) per day per person when staying in a hotel, and NOK 900 (€90) when staying in a camper van. The high cost of living (especially food and services) in Norway correlates with high wages. Oslo has repeatedly held the title of the most expensive capital in the world. As a tourist, such a standard of living can be a handicap: food, especially meat, can be 50% more expensive than in France. This budget varies according to the activities carried out.
Passport and visas Norway
European Union citizens can stay in Norway for three months without a visa, with only a valid identity card or passport. For stays longer than three months, you need to apply for a residence permit at the police office in your city of residence.
Tip: Before you leave, remember to photocopy/photograph and e-mail all the documents you'll be taking with you. Take one copy of each document with you and leave the other with someone in France. In the event of loss or theft, this will make it much easier to renew your passport with the consular authorities.
Driver's license Norway
Licenses issued in one of the EU/EEA countries are valid in Norway throughout their period of validity.
Mandatory vaccination Norway
No vaccinations are required for Norway, and a standard travel pharmacy will do. As Norway suffers from a shortage of doctors, the country has turned to foreign doctors, particularly the French. Some patients have even had their travel and treatment paid for by the state, in order to seek treatment in Sweden or Denmark...
Security Norway
Given the country's low crime rate, Norway probably remains one of the quietest countries where you don't need to take any special security measures to walk down the street or anywhere else. Oslo is reputed to be one of the safest cities in the world.
Time difference Norway
There is no time difference with France and Belgium.
Spoken languages Norway
Urban Norwegians almost all speak impeccable English. French is spoken on a much smaller scale. Norwegian has two different written standards: Bokmål and Nynorsk. In Lapland, the Saami people speak Saami, a Finno-Ugric language.
Communication Norway
Very good telephone and Internet coverage. Check with your operator, but you'll often be able to receive calls and make free calls to/from France, and sometimes even to a Norwegian number from Norway.
Electricity and measurements Norway
Electrical outlets are the same as in France, as is the voltage/amperage: no adapters are required. The same applies to weights and measures, as Norway uses the metric system. We weigh in grams and measure in meters. In conversation with locals, however, you may notice the use of "mil" for distance. This measure, typical of Norway, represents 10 km per mil (nothing to do with the British mile). It's particularly useful in northern Norway, where the distances between towns quickly become quite impressive (from Narvik to Tromsø, there are 60 mil, or 600 km!).
Luggage Norway
A toiletry kit: for winter, think moisturizers and lip balm. It's always practical and pleasant to travel with toiletries, but beware of legislation if you're flying: your bottles and tubes must be no more than 100 ml each to pass through the cabin.
First-aid kit: blood group card, sun cream, bandages, antiseptic and blister cream
Appropriate clothing: in winter, for your comfort, adopt the Norwegian style, i.e. warm socks (preferably with a wool base), warm shoes (ski, hiking), warm underwear, gloves, hat, scarf. Don't forget your bathing suit for summer!
Important documents: addresses and telephone numbers of local contacts, addresses and telephone numbers of relatives, travel guide. Documents to carry with you: plane tickets, wallet, passport/ID. You can obtain a European health insurance card from your local health insurance office (Ameli website), which will simplify the process in the event of a problem.
