Public Transportation from the Future
Norway is one of the most advanced countries in the world, mainly in regards to the quality of life and public services they have to offer. Public transportation can truly be summarized in two words: incredibly efficient. The system is completely digitalized. Before going into a subway station you can see screens with ETAs of incoming trains, which is useful if the train you need is far and you are better off taking the tram or bus on the street. It is also a good indication of whether you have to run to make it to a train or if you can relax. The system has an online app called Ruter where you have all live timetables and nearest stations on a map. I use Google Maps because I am more familiar with it, and is as precise as the Ruter app. In fact, the times are almost always 100% correct to the minute a train/bus/train is arriving. This is useful for planning routes that involve more than one mode of transportation or if you are changing stations.
Most people buy a monthly plan for the public transport, which includes unlimited access to the subway, tram, buses… AND FERRIES! These ferries leave every hour from the harbor and take you to fjord islands about thirty minutes away. These islands are nice for spending an afternoon at a beach or scenic restaurant. This plan costs around $50 per month, which is relatively cheap when compared to Boston’s monthly plan that is limited to only the subway. It is nice to be able to connect different transport modes with only one card (on your phone or a physical version). Also, buying this card and plan at a convenience store like 7-Eleven or Narvesen is much cheaper. You can recharge it any of these stores afterwards, too. Many tourists do not know about this (myself included) until it is too late. Ticket machines are at every subway station but not at a tram or bus station, making it impossible to quickly get on and paying for your ticket with coins.
Since the same card/plan works for all types of transportation, it is fairly easy to get away without walking much when going somewhere. You can usually connect a tram with a subway station if you really do not want to walk those five extra minutes (completely understandable if it is too cold outside). The system is very well connected within and allows you to have access everywhere, while remaining simple to use with the many signs and instructions available at the stations. As I have explained in previous posts, I live on the northern border of Oslo. The subway station in my building complex is actually the last station in the Sognsvann line (the most common route to going into the city). My dorm is the most far out building in the whole complex, making it about a 7 minute walk to the subway station. Since only one line makes it all the way over here, the train only comes about every 15 minutes. Therefore, I always try to check Google Maps to know when I should leave my dorm if I do not want to wait a long time in the roofless station. I am not looking forward to long waiting times in the cold weather if Norway.
