Oslo/Stockholm Sept 25-Oct 5: Any reservations I need to make in advance?
Jul 18th, 2018, 06:46 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 799
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oslo/Stockholm Sept 25-Oct 5: Any reservations I need to make in advance?
Last summer I helped a friend plan a Europe trip. One of the things I helped her with was specific reservations for was the Eiffel Tower, and the London Eye. Since this was a July trip it saved them tons of time having reservations since there were multi hour long lines at both.
As I approach my time in Oslo and Stockholm I'm wondering if there are any things we should reserve in advance. I'm thinking with our time there being the last week in Sept in Oslo and Stockholm the first week in October, that the crowds won't be as bad. We'll be seeing the typical touristy stuff since this is our first visit to either city. Are there any things we should reserve in advance or are the crowds thin enough then that we can just show up?
At some point I'll try and determine the cost of the things we'll see in our 2.5 days in each city to determine if their Museum Cards (or whatever they're called) are worth it. Any advice on that?
Thanks
As I approach my time in Oslo and Stockholm I'm wondering if there are any things we should reserve in advance. I'm thinking with our time there being the last week in Sept in Oslo and Stockholm the first week in October, that the crowds won't be as bad. We'll be seeing the typical touristy stuff since this is our first visit to either city. Are there any things we should reserve in advance or are the crowds thin enough then that we can just show up?
At some point I'll try and determine the cost of the things we'll see in our 2.5 days in each city to determine if their Museum Cards (or whatever they're called) are worth it. Any advice on that?
Thanks
Jul 18th, 2018, 11:38 PM
#2
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,080
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We bought an Oslo Pass when we were in Oslo because it covered public transport and the main museums, and also gave a dicount at some places to eat. We got our moneys worth out of it I think. There is nothing in Oslo that I can think you would need to reserve in advance.
Oslo Pass - your ticket to experiencing Oslo
Oslo Pass - your ticket to experiencing Oslo
Jul 19th, 2018, 01:00 AM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,249
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree with hetismij2, you might find it more economical to buy an Oslo Card. We didn't need to reserve anything in advance in Oslo. Are you doing Norway in a Nutshell from Oslo? You might want to book this in advance.
My husband and I were in Oslo last month and bought two-day Oslo Passes for each of us. We like visiting museums so it really paid off. If you plan on visiting museums, you might want to figure out if an Oslo Pass will be practical for you. To give you an idea, a one-day Oslo Pass (adult/non-senior) costs NOK395. If you spend one day exploring the museums of Bygdoy Island, you'll pay NOK100 for the Viking Ship Museum, NOK120 for the Fram (Polar Ship) Museum, NOK120 for the Kontiki Museum, NOK130 for the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History/Folkemuseum (155 traditional buildings from all parts of Norway and a stave church), and it'll be NOK69 for the round trip ferry from Oslo's City Hall Pier 3. (There's also a bus to Bygdoy Island, if you prefer.) The Oslo Pass covered admission to all these museums, the ferry and the tram from our hotel to the ferry. We caught trams a lot.
In Oslo city itself, we visited the Munch Museum, the National Gallery, the Astrup Fearnley Museum (contemporary art), and Museum of Cultural History (to see runestones). The Oslo Pass covered these museums as well. Admission to Vigeland Sculpture Park is free, but we needed to catch the tram to it, and you probably will, too. Admission to Oslo's City Hall is also free.
My husband and I were in Oslo last month and bought two-day Oslo Passes for each of us. We like visiting museums so it really paid off. If you plan on visiting museums, you might want to figure out if an Oslo Pass will be practical for you. To give you an idea, a one-day Oslo Pass (adult/non-senior) costs NOK395. If you spend one day exploring the museums of Bygdoy Island, you'll pay NOK100 for the Viking Ship Museum, NOK120 for the Fram (Polar Ship) Museum, NOK120 for the Kontiki Museum, NOK130 for the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History/Folkemuseum (155 traditional buildings from all parts of Norway and a stave church), and it'll be NOK69 for the round trip ferry from Oslo's City Hall Pier 3. (There's also a bus to Bygdoy Island, if you prefer.) The Oslo Pass covered admission to all these museums, the ferry and the tram from our hotel to the ferry. We caught trams a lot.
In Oslo city itself, we visited the Munch Museum, the National Gallery, the Astrup Fearnley Museum (contemporary art), and Museum of Cultural History (to see runestones). The Oslo Pass covered these museums as well. Admission to Vigeland Sculpture Park is free, but we needed to catch the tram to it, and you probably will, too. Admission to Oslo's City Hall is also free.
Jul 19th, 2018, 03:34 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 799
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Great...thanks for the feedback. It sounds like the things you saw are many of the same things on our list. We'll likely get the Oslo pass then.
Any thoughts on Stockholm...pass and if any reservations are needed?
Thanks
Any thoughts on Stockholm...pass and if any reservations are needed?
Thanks
Jul 19th, 2018, 04:34 AM
#5
We disn’t make any reservations in advance in aoslo or Stockhol. However, heck to see if Stockholm’s VASA Museum has pre purchase options on their website as it is very popular. If they offer tickets in advance you might consider buying them. The large cruise ahips are the problem.
Jul 21st, 2018, 02:07 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,249
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
HappyTrvlr makes a good point about the popular attractions on cruise ship days. You might want to check this cruise ship schedule:
Stockholm, Sweden Cruise Ship Schedule 2018 | Crew Center
Do you know which attractions you'll be visiting in Stockholm? I'd tally up the admissions fees for the attractions you think you'll get around to visiting while there to see if the Stockholm Pass will pay off. We were in Stockholm for three days last year and didn't feel it would be worth buying a Stockholm Pass as we weren't visiting many attractions. Over three days, we went to Skansen Open Air Museum (SEK195), toured City Hall (SEK110), visited Fotografiska (which then had a special Irving Penn Exhibition, SEK145), and the Moderna Museet (Modern Art Museum, free general admission, but admission fees for special exhibitions). We also took a short trip onto the archipelago on the Waxholmbolget ferry from the dock in front of the Grand Hotel to Vaxholm. We showed up a few minutes beforehand and bought tickets on the boat. The Stockholm Pass includes a trip from Stockholm to Vaxholm on the Strömma Kanalbolaget. We would have visited Stockholm's National Museum, however it was closed for renovation (reopening Oct. 13, 2018).
We did buy a one-day Travelcard for one of the days were there, but barely used it. The weather was lovely and Stockholm is a beautiful city, so we ended up walking around a lot, especially through Gamla Stan (the Old Town), which was close to our hotel.
Attractions were far more spread out than I expected. FYI: Skansen, Vasa and the Abba Museums are all on Djurgården Island, so if interested in these attractions, you might want to visit them on the same day.
We only made reservations for popular restaurants (we were there during Midsummer when fewer were open). We didn't go to the Vasa Museum (my husband had been there before and didn't want to return) but if we had wanted to go there, we would have booked in advance.
Stockholm, Sweden Cruise Ship Schedule 2018 | Crew Center
Do you know which attractions you'll be visiting in Stockholm? I'd tally up the admissions fees for the attractions you think you'll get around to visiting while there to see if the Stockholm Pass will pay off. We were in Stockholm for three days last year and didn't feel it would be worth buying a Stockholm Pass as we weren't visiting many attractions. Over three days, we went to Skansen Open Air Museum (SEK195), toured City Hall (SEK110), visited Fotografiska (which then had a special Irving Penn Exhibition, SEK145), and the Moderna Museet (Modern Art Museum, free general admission, but admission fees for special exhibitions). We also took a short trip onto the archipelago on the Waxholmbolget ferry from the dock in front of the Grand Hotel to Vaxholm. We showed up a few minutes beforehand and bought tickets on the boat. The Stockholm Pass includes a trip from Stockholm to Vaxholm on the Strömma Kanalbolaget. We would have visited Stockholm's National Museum, however it was closed for renovation (reopening Oct. 13, 2018).
We did buy a one-day Travelcard for one of the days were there, but barely used it. The weather was lovely and Stockholm is a beautiful city, so we ended up walking around a lot, especially through Gamla Stan (the Old Town), which was close to our hotel.
Attractions were far more spread out than I expected. FYI: Skansen, Vasa and the Abba Museums are all on Djurgården Island, so if interested in these attractions, you might want to visit them on the same day.
We only made reservations for popular restaurants (we were there during Midsummer when fewer were open). We didn't go to the Vasa Museum (my husband had been there before and didn't want to return) but if we had wanted to go there, we would have booked in advance.
Last edited by Diamantina; Jul 21st, 2018 at 02:15 AM.
Jul 21st, 2018, 06:34 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If taking trains between the two and there is an overnight train some nights I believe that should be booked in advance to get discounted fares - check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com for all about doing that and trins in general. Trains are good for day trips fromthose cities to and of course the fabulous Nowayin a Nutshell jaunt.
Jul 22nd, 2018, 02:00 PM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 799
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you all for the great advice. We're spending a few days in the fjords between Oslo and Stockholm, so the night train won't work...although it sounds fun.
We're planning on seeing the typical touristy stuff at both cities, since it will be our first visits there. I guess I need to fine tune that a bit tho to help determine the value of both city passes. In Oslo we're staying at Saga Hotel Oslo Central, and in Stockholm at Downtown Camper by Scandic, so both hotels are close to many of the things we'll want to see. I guess I need to factor that into the need for the transportation aspect of each pass.
We're planning on seeing the typical touristy stuff at both cities, since it will be our first visits there. I guess I need to fine tune that a bit tho to help determine the value of both city passes. In Oslo we're staying at Saga Hotel Oslo Central, and in Stockholm at Downtown Camper by Scandic, so both hotels are close to many of the things we'll want to see. I guess I need to factor that into the need for the transportation aspect of each pass.
