Has anybody taken the overnight cruise that sails from Copenhagen to Oslo, or vice versa? I have heard that it can be rather tacky on Fridays and Saturdays with drunk Norwegians partying to the music of Russian cover bands. I am thinking about visiting Oslo and perhaps Bergen while in Copenhagen. Does anyone have any experience with this cruise? Thanks!

Hi, Paul.<BR>I've taken the Oslo-Copehagen ferry several times. It is a convenient way to travel, but during peak seasons the ships might get some crowded. Cabins come in many versions, and the upper deck/outside cabins are quite comfortable.<BR>On weekend roundtrips, especially out-of-season, you might experience the "vulgar" partying. To my opinion, the ships are so big, and the partying areas are located in a way that relatively easy will shield you from it.<BR>The Mini-cruise roundtrip is an option that gives you only 7 or 8 hours in the foreign harbour. You'll have to return with the same ship. If you ask me, thats to rush it too much.<BR>The morning sailing up the Oslo Fjord is quite nice.<BR>During autumn/winter the Kattegat (between Jutland and Sweden) may be rough due to the low depth and hence much turbulence.<BR>Depending of how many days you can spend, Bergen might be included. A train roundtrip from Oslo might be considered. That will make 2 days by train. Leave at least one whole day for Bergen. In order to save time, the night train one or both directions might be an option.<BR>Also consider a flight. SAS might give good deals on CPH-OSL roundtrips. And what about an "open jaw" flight. CPH-Bergen and return by OSL-CPH. Make the Bergen-Oslo by daytrain. Maybe with the "Norway in a nutshell" detour from Voss to Myrdal along the Sognefjord and up the Flam Rail included. The one way nutshell Bergen-Oslo will be about NOK 850, quite good compared to the direct Bergen-Oslo price.<BR>Anyway, have a nice trip either to Oslo or Bergen, by ferry, train, plane or both.<BR>Bjorn, Oslo

Bjorn, thank you for the wealth of information. Ideally, the open jaw flight sounds terrific! I'll look into it. I'm a bit wary of the cost at the onset. If I can do it for around $200-250 return then I will. What's the best and/or easist way to book this flight? Should I do it when I arrive at the Copenhagen airport in 10 days?

I believe CPH is the right place, since that will be your outbound airport. Regarding timetables etc, try http://www.scandinavian.net or let some travel agent help you.<BR>Beware that Christmas traffic can be heavy and that flights might be sold out. The ferry as well. Reminds me that I slightly recall having heard stories about drunken Christmas-celebrations on the OSL-CPH ferry.<BR>If the open-jaw price- and time-wise makes sense, bear in mind that days are very short. In Oslo sun will rise around 9:15 and set something around 15:00. Bergen 20 minutes later. If considering nutshell, the only possible route is by a train reaching Voss before 10. The 10-bus from Voss will put ypou on the Sognefjord ferry at 1130, and Flam arrival is two hours later. Then an hour by the Flam rail up to Myrdal, where you'll have to wait a while (till 17:50 I think) for the Oslo Express. Arrival Oslo around 22.40.<BR>Christmas holydays of course normally will have special schedules. The NSB (Norwegian Rail) offices will know.<BR>Good luck.<BR>If anything, also feel free to mail me<BR>Bjorn, Oslo

Hi again.<BR>I looked up the SAS website. Couldn't find the open-jaw. Reckon that's too difficult for the computer and that you'll have to ask directly. <BR>However, and maybe a little disappointing, a weekend roundtrip CPH-Bergen was quoted about NOK2900, ie some USD320.<BR>Better contact a SAS agent to get their current offers.<BR>Again, good luck<BR>Bjorn

Bjorn, et al., <BR>Is this itinerary too ambitious? I will be traveling solo so I only have to worry about myself. Besides a rather brisk schedule, I do not look forward to lugging around my luggage. Should I consider the rail company’s tour for the “Norway in a nutshell” trip from Oslo to Bergen? When I am on the ferry to see the Sognefjord, will I have to carry my luggage along with me? If so, that will not be fun. I better try to keep my luggage to one big suitcase on wheels and a backpack, huh? Are there a sufficient number of inexpensive 2-star hotels in Bergen on a Saturday night to sleep? Should I book a hotel in Stockholm or Helsinki (and, Bergen, for that matter) before I depart on Dec. 11 or should I wait until I get there to find something? Again, cheap is good. When I say cheap, I mean in the $75-125 price range? Below, is my preliminary itinerary:<BR> <BR>Tuesday – Arrive in Copenhagen at 8:00 a.m.<BR>Wednesday – All day in Copenhagen (lots of free admissions at museums<BR>and late hours on this day)<BR>Thursday - Copenhagen and maybe side-trip to Arhaus (or somewhere in Denmark)<BR>Friday – Copenhagen and perhaps a side-trip into Sweden (i.e., Gothenburg)<BR>Saturday – Fly out of Copenhagen to Oslo early in the morning. Arrive Oslo<BR>in the morning and catch train to Bergen with a stopover at the Sognefjord (“Norway in a nutshell” trip). Stay in Bergen overnight.<BR>Sunday – Fly midday to Helsinki or Stockholm. Arrive in Stockholm or Helsinki in late<BR>afternoon. Tour Stockholm or Helsinki.<BR>Monday – Tour Stockholm or Helsinki and Tallinn, Estonia.<BR>Tuesday – Return on morning flight to Copenhagen. Then catch afternoon<BR>flight back to the States.<BR><BR>Any advice you can offer will be welcomed. This will really be a glimpse of Scandinavia more than anything. I realize that and expect to not see a lot of museums. But, of course, there are trade-offs when one only has 7 seven days to travel.<BR><BR>One possible alternative is to fly out of Copenhagen on Saturday in the early afternoon (can sleep in a little!) and explore Oslo Saturday night. Then Sunday, do the trip to Bergen. Stay in Bergen on Sunday and Monday nights. Then fly back to Copenhagen on Tuesday morning for my flight back to the U.S. This would be less taxing and perhaps more enjoyable. Any thoughts? <BR><BR>Tak!<BR>Paul<BR><BR>PS. Bjorn, your suggestion to fly “open jaw” was excellent. The fares are quite reasonable at $75 per segment. Thanks! I think that I’m going to post this on the LP board too for more feedback.<BR>

At first glance your schedule seems overwhelming. Meaning not overcomable.<BR>But Now I'll print it out and give it another try.<BR>"Somewhere in Denmark or Sweden" will not make sense - at all. Even if small distances airwise, my advice is "impossible". When you leave CPH, you can not return mor than once. Otherwise too, too exhaustive. (I used to be a long distance runner, and your plan will take most of the breath)<BR>But, if you carefully plan according to a "stright" line or circle, marvellous things can be accomplished.<BR>The westbound nutshell is "impossible", meaning that in December the only ferry is at 15:00, ie close to sunset. Two hours boat ride in darkness might be less interesting than the daylight trip, which is eastwards at 11:30.<BR>Paul, as I said, I now will make a printout, study it and afterwards come back with a suggestion. Please feel free contacting me, but do not expect my answer until tomrrow morning at 7 (GMT + 1)<BR>Bjorn, Oslo

Good morning, Paul Part 1<BR><BR>Your preliminary itinerary is not managable. With some adjustments, maybe.<BR>To me it seems that you plan for multiple flights, not two legs only, which I anticipated when talking about the "open jaw". If that is economical possible, of course you can save time and achieve a lot.<BR>What is NOT possible, though, due to darkness and timetables, is to make the nutshell in western direction. That means that your Oslo-Bergen plan will not work.<BR>Hence, if you would do the nutshell, you have two options:<BR>Either Bergen-Voss-Sognefjord-Flam-Myrdal-Oslo, that is combining the Bergen-Oslo train with the nutshell tour.<BR>Or make the nutshell a circle starting from and returning to Bergen.<BR>If you plan a flight from Bergen to OSL/STCK/HELS the latter nutshell option might be convenient.<BR><BR>Your planned "side-trips", Aarhus and Goethenburg, I think is not doable, unless you drop the big Scandinavian circle. <BR>Gothenburg is almost half-way between CPH and Oslo. Aarhus is on another Danish island, and not very far from Fredrikshavn where you can have a 3-hour ferry to Gothenburg. Hence, a Danish/South-Swedish roundtrip might be doable, and maybe also an interesting one. But, considering time of the year, I personally would not make that circle, maybe never at all. Denmark and especially Jutland is for summer vacations. Southern Sweden (gothenburg and south) is dull. (sorry, my Swedish friends, but that's how it is).<BR><BR>If you plan for excursions from CPH, use the express train and consider Sj&aelig;lland (CPH's island) only. Roskilde with its cathredal or Helsing&oslash;r with Kronborg Castle are worth seeing. But again, I do not think time will allow you more than one excursion, if any at all. And why bother with that? You have all wonderful Copenhagen around you.<BR><BR>Another comment on your preliminary plan: It is too "zig-zagging", (CPH-OSL, then west to BG, then east again..)<BR><BR>Geographically you want to visit and experience as much as possible along the 60 degree altitude line. Traveling-wise you then should connect to this line in some end and move your way in one direction. And you should move from west to east. First decision then is where to start. If Helsinki is a must, I do not think you will have time for Bergen and Oslo. But why should Helsinki be a must? Firstly it is not a real part of Scandinavia. Secondly, getting there might be too timeconsuming (Silja Line from Stockholm) Thirdly, SAS is not operating so frequently in Finland as N/S/D. I suggest you drop Finland, and also Estland. Or include these places and drop the rest. If so, St Petersburg should be considered as well, but then I think you are on another trip.<BR><BR>To be continued-----<BR><BR>

---continuation<BR><BR>Ok, where were we?<BR>Any big town deserves one whole day's visit, at least. Distances between Bergen and Oslo and Oslo and Stockholm are equal, and youll need around 7-8 hours by train for each leg. Night train will save considerable time. You have to pay around NOK500 in addition to the ticket price (some USD60?) for a berth in a private cabin. Then breakfast normally is included. Or you can share the cabin with another, then paying half the price, or a third if sharing with two others. Night trains depart around 11 from any of the towns.<BR><BR>Your itinerary then consists of travelling days and staying days. Bergen, Oslo and Stockholm make 3 staying days and 2 travelling days. Puhh. Seems you have to drop one, or make a night travel.<BR><BR>For a start, what about this one:<BR><BR>Tuesday<BR>Arr CPH. Check in at your hotel. Have a rest. Then a nice CPH night.<BR>Have you got a hotel? Stay central! Hotel Denmark is nice, and moderately priced. Some Christian Hotels closer to the railstation also acceptable and I think less expesive (Hotel Ansgar or Absalon).<BR><BR>Wednesday and Thursday<BR>CPH<BR><BR>Friday<BR>Early flight to Bergen. I think that is 10:25, arriving BGO 11:50. Bergen airport is easy, and the busride is app 25-30 minutes. Get to the hotel. Bus driver will tell what stop is most convenient. What about Skansen Pensjonat www.skansen-pensjonat.no/ Good value for money. Perfect location. Take the Mt Floien fenicular and enjoy the city view. Then walk thru Marken to the Railstation and arrange with all your traintickets. Another city walk back to your hotel. Now I think time will be around 4-4.30-5. Enjoy a good meal an some nightlife in the Bryggen area.<BR><BR>Saturday<BR>Train to Oslo. Arrival Oslo about 2 or 6 or 10.30, depending on your choice and wether the nutshell is included. When arranging with your tickets, also check the luggage handling options. There for sure are options, and you can choose wether to pick it up in Oslo or get it brought directly to your Oslo hotel/pension. Hotels? Perminalen is low-range and deacent(around 500, I think). Cecil is very nice and with great breakfast. Expect paying around 750. Check out www.virtualoslo.com <BR><BR>Sunday<BR>Oslo. If nice weather get to the Holmenkollen Ski Jump. Nice views. Or short ferry to Bygdoy and visit the Viking ships and Polar ships. Or both. Or Vigeland Sculpture park. <BR>Prepare for a night train to Stockholm<BR><BR>Monday <BR>Get to your hotel. You probably can't check in that early, but leave your luggage. City stroll. Vasa museum. Old city (Gamla Stan) Enjoy!!<BR><BR>Tuesday<BR>Early ride to Arlanda to get your Copenhagen flight. Hope all has worked out well. Have a safe and comfortable flight back home!<BR><BR><BR>Well, Paul, what do you think? The itinerary still should be studied in detail, in order to get most out of it. Maybe another day in Stockholm on behalf of a Copenhagen day? Or get back to CPH monday night and stay at an airport hotel, just for safety reasons to guarantee that you will catch your homeward flight with luggage included. Maybe.... maybe....<BR><BR>I stop now 2 and a half hour later than I promised yesterday night.<BR><BR>Bjorn, Oslo<BR>

Bjorn, you have been unbelievably gracious to have meticulously reviewed and revised my itinerary. Thank you so much! After reading your reply and upon further reflection, I thinking I will forego Stockholm (or Helisinki/Tallinn) and concentrate on Denmark and Norway. For me, the "Norway in a Nutshell" excursion, or something similar, is a must! Though I am booked (and have paid a nonrefundable price) at my Copenhagen hotel in Copenhagen through Saturday night, I am willing to forfeit my Saturday night stay to give me more time and to make my visit in Norway less hectic. I called SAS about flying "open jaw" to Oslo and back to Copenhagen from Bergen (or vice versa) and each segment is a very reasonable $75. I also like your recommendations regarding my side-trips while in Denmark. This is my first visit to Scandinavia, therefore my knowledge regarding travel times and points of interest is limited (to say the least!). I am confident that there will be plenty to see and enjoy while in Copenhagen, though Roskilde and Helsing&oslash;r seem within reach per your recommendation. <BR><BR>As I said, the "Norway in a Nutshell" excursion is important to me. If I exclude all other parts of Scandinavia from my itinerary (except Norway, of course) and with 3 days available to travel (departing Saturday morning from Copenhagen and returning Tuesday morning to Copenhagen), how can I best see the fjords? Besides the "Norway in a Nutshell" excursion, is there another trip from Bergen to see the fjords? I am guessing that if I am to see the fjords during the day, it will be best from Bergen (daylight from 800 to 1530?). <BR><BR>Perhaps I can fly into Oslo on Saturday morning and enjoy Oslo for the day. Then, depart early Sunday morning for the train trip to Bergen, stopping for the "Norway in a Nutshell" excursion. Hopefully, it will still be daylight while there. Afterwards, head on to Bergen and stay Sunday and Monday nights. I realize that this itinerary leaves little time for Oslo which is unfortunate, but I will still get a glimpse of Oslo sufficient to wet my appetite for a return trip in the future. This itinerary, or some variation of it (with both Oslo and Bergen in the mix), seems more appropriate given my limited timeframe.<BR><BR>Any suggestions that you have will be welcomed. Again, thank you for your efforts on my behalf! By the way, are you employed in the travel industry? Also, once I get my itinerary nailed down, I need to begin to think about sleeping accommodations. I’ll review your suggestions, in that regard.<BR><BR>Thanks!<BR>Paul <BR>

If you go from Oslo and stop for the Nutshell, the stop(overnight) should be done at Voss. The fjord ferry runs only once each direction per day during winter. The 1130 from Gudvangen to Flam is the only one in daylight. The 1500 from Flam to Gudvangen will be more or less in darkness.<BR>I'm glad you fall down on a more managable itinerary. It's a pity that Stockholm is a little bit to far east to be included in a winterly roundtrip.<BR>If deciding on Norway only, then in fact Oslo will be a good starting point, because then you will have daylight train over the mountains (if you take the one around 8:11) The other direction, with nutshell included nessecarlily would leave you to darkness on your eastbound moutain passing.<BR>But you will double the Myrdal-Voss lag. It does not matter on the price, and it is very pretty and it is a relatively short ride.<BR>Voss is a very nice ski resort, but you must expect rain these days. Both hotels and pensions should be available these days. <BR>To me it seems like you will get a good schedule. At least two whole days in Oslo, perhaps. One and a half in Bergen. Only failure is time of the year. And bad weather risk. But it certainly can be exciting.<BR>I've got to run now, but for sure I'll be happy to help you further. Like checking out hotels, get you the nutshell reservation etc. Making short phone calls within Norway is very quick and easy from here.<BR>No, I do not work in travel. But I like traveling, and I lov travel planning. I've been in computers as a systems engineer literary for decades. But maybe travel assistance, writing etc may be my next career?<BR>See you<BR>Bjorn <BR>

I have thoroughly enjoyed all the comments/suggestions. I am in the throes of planning a trip for May/June. We are incorporating it with a cruise from Copenhagen, leaving June 9. Our flight arrives Oslo on May 29, wanted to stay that night in Oslo, do the Norway in a Nutshell (perhaps all the way to Bergen on 30th, overnight in Bergen, take express boat along fjord and spend night in the country and catch up with Nutshell again, returning to Oslo for one night and next day and then leaving on DFDS to Copenhagen. Do you have hotel (reasonable) suggestions in Oslo, Bergen or Voss (as you had suggested as a stop-over place). As we are SR citizens we were going to get 3 day pass - <BR><BR>Hope you don't mind me getting into this discussion.

Carolyn.<BR>Why do suggest that you are intervening?<BR>Your participation is great. And, whith no negatives on Paul, you certainly will be travelling in a much more stable and enjoyable time of the year. If late May, the apple blossom time in Hardanger is just georgious.<BR>Your options will be several compared to the somewhat limited possibilities these dark weeks. We will get back to that later. In Oslo I do believe that Cecil is a great hotel, midrange priced and good value for money. I never stayed there myself, why should I, being an Oslo citizen. But I've suggested it for a lot of Fodorites, and they all have appreciated a lot.<BR>Carolyn: Nice to have you on board, but it is time to rename this thread from DFDS to something else.<BR>Bjorn <BR>

Thanks for being so nice. Still trying to work out details for trip - you suggested staying in Voss - have read about Stalheim Hotel in area - is it worth the price? Basically, we arrive on Wednesday and leave on Sunday night via DFDS ferry to Copenhagen. Would appreciate any detailed suggestions.

The trip over from Copenhagen to Oslo is convenient and it's not overcrowded that time of year. You can see the schedule here http://www.oslobaaden.dk or at DFDS website.