Practical Travel Tips and Information about Norway
As your partner tour operator, we are glad to support your travel agency with some detailed information on key aspects of traveling to Norway. This includes up-to-date details on visa requirements, weather conditions, currency and so on. Our resources are designed to help you ensure your clients are well-prepared, particularly for Norway's cold winter climate.
Norway enjoys a generally temperate climate due to the Gulf Stream, but the weather varies by season and region. Coastal areas, especially in the southwest, have mild temperatures and the most rainfall year-round. In contrast, the interior mountains and far northern regions experience more extreme temperatures and heavy snowfall in winter.
Weather can change quickly in Norway, so regardless of the season, bring water-resistant outerwear (insulated for winter) and extra thermal layers, especially for outdoor activities like boat tours, cruises, or hikes.
Enjoy winter's northern lights and the summer's midnight sun. Norway's unique position above the Arctic Circle means it experiences extreme variations in daylight throughout the year.
In winter months, travelers can experience many dark hours, especially during January and December, in locations like Tromsø, Lofoten, and Svalbard, when the sun never rises, making it a perfect scenario for aurora hunting tours.
Norway’s Sunrise and Sunset Times
Month | Oslo | Tromsø |
|---|---|---|
January | 09:18 | 15:22 | Sun does not rise |
February | 08:31 | 16:30 | 09:26 | 14:29 |
March | 07:14 | 17:45 | 07:08 | 16:46 |
April | 06:41 | 20:01 | 05:46 | 19:51 |
May | 05:14 | 21:15 | 03:18 | 22:08 |
June | 04:06 | 22:24 | Sun does not set |
July | 04:00 | 22:40 | Sun does not set |
August | 04:59 | 21:45 | 02:24 | 23:09 |
September | 06:13 | 20:19 | 05:02 | 20:22 |
October | 07:23 | 18:48 | 07:00 | 18:04 |
November | 07:39 | 16:20 | 08:12 | 14:41 |
December | 08:51 | 15:20 | Sun does not rise |
Our tours do not include flights, but we can offer valuable insights for your clients' trip to Norway. We can assist with information on transportation options, seasonal advice, main airports, and more to ensure a smooth and efficient journey, making their Norway experience truly memorable.
Oslo Gardermoen Airport - Norway’s main airport, offering international and domestic flights.
Bergen Airport - Serves Norway’s second-largest city, with international and regional connections.
Stavanger Airport - Located in southwestern Norway, offering both domestic and European flights.
Tromsø Airport - Gateway to northern Norway, in particular to Lofoten Islands destination.
Kirkenes Airport - Located in northeastern Norway, connecting travelers to the Arctic region.
Stavanger Airport - Major airport in Stavanger, providing domestic and international travel options.
Svolvær Airport - Serves the Lofoten Islands, offering regional flights.
Examples of major airlines flying to Norway
SAS - Scandinavia’s leading airline, offering extensive routes to Norway and beyond. Fly from Hong Kong to Norway via Copenhagen and from Singapore to Norway via Copenhagen.
Singapore Airlines - Provides long-haul flights from Singapore to Norway, with excellent service. Fly from Singapore to Norway with layovers in major European hubs.
Norwegian - Budget airline offering domestic and European flights to and from Norway.
Lufthansa - German airline with frequent flights to major Norwegian cities and regions.
Emirates - Offers luxurious flights to Norway, connecting through Dubai from various destinations.
Finnair - Finnish airline offering flights to Norway, particularly from Helsinki and beyond.
US Airways - Now part of American Airlines, with connections from the US to Norway. Fly from US main citites to Norway with direct flights.
Air China & Cathay Pacific - Fly from Hong Kong to Norway via Copenhagen.
Widerøe - Norway’s largest regional airline, providing extensive domestic coverage to smaller cities and remote areas.
SAS - The flagship carrier of Norway, offering frequent domestic flights connecting major cities and regions.
Norwegian - Budget airline offering cost-effective domestic flights across Norway with a focus on efficiency and service.
The Norwegian Krone (NOK) is the official currency in Norway with 1 Euro approximately equaling 10 Norwegian Krone (NOK). For travelers converting from other currencies, 1 Norway Krone to SGD is about 0.13 SGD, and 1 Norway Krone to US Dollar is roughly 0.09 USD. Nevertheless, electronic payments are mostly preferred in Norway, making cash less essential for everyday transactions.
Norwegian is the official language of Norway, but English is widely spoken. It has two separate written standards: Nynorsk ("New Norwegian", contemporary or modern) and Bokmål (literally "Book Language"), both of which are official.
Visa requirements differ from Norway to Svalbard, Svalbard being such a faraway land, it operates under a unique set of regulations.
For entry into mainland Norway, visa requirements depend on your nationality:
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EU/EEA Citizens: Citizens of EU/EEA countries do not need a visa to enter Norway.
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Schengen Area: As part of the Schengen Area, Norway allows citizens of Schengen countries to travel without a visa.
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Non-Schengen Countries: Citizens from outside the Schengen Area may require a visa to enter Norway. This includes a Schengen visa, which permits travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Requirements typically include a valid passport, proof of sufficient funds, travel insurance, and documentation of the visit's purpose (e.g., hotel reservation, invitation letter).
Svalbard has unique visa regulations. If you need a visa to enter mainland Norway or the Schengen Area, you must have a Schengen visa to travel to Svalbard via mainland Norway. This should be a double-entry visa to allow re-entry into the Schengen Area after visiting Svalbard.
For more detailed information, you can visit the Governor of Svalbard’s website.