How to travel to Norway (4th most expensive country) and save some coins? - my tips

  Hey fellow Steemians,  

I like revealing you more and more cheap travel tips and this time I'm going to speak about Norway. Norway is 4th most expensive country in the world and if you ever been to London and it was expensive for you, then sit down and breath in and out because prices in Norway are going to shock you. 

As for me, I moved from Russia to Germany and European prices were already a bit of a shock, but Norway is a new level of WOW.  

But, we, budget travellers do not get scared easily and here are a few ideas how you can make it work out for you well and spare lots of money.  

First of all, how to reach Norway? If you don't mind not taking a direct plane then check tickets in Ryanair to Poland and then Ryanair or Wizzair to Norway. Wizzair offers more different destinations in Norway, but can be a little more expensive. From Warsaw to Oslo you can fly for 9,99 Euro with Ryanair. So, Ryanair and Wizzair, right! 

Where to go in Norway? Oslo is the capital and is probably most expensive and touristy city in Norway. If you want to get more authentic or experience, travel through the beautiful nature of Norway, see fjords and islands, explore small magical towns and villages, I'd advise you to go somewhere else like Stavanger (11 islands) close to Fjords, Preikestolen and Sjerag or Bergen or something else. Just look up on the internet or use a map.  

Where to stay? Prepare spend some money for a hostel or better look for an apartment in Airbnb, which is surprisingly cheap in Norway (compare to other prices; in Stavanger in particular). So, when travelling with friends or family, Airbnb is the best choice. In some places you won't find hostels at all, only hotels, so Airbnb is a money and life saviour.  

Travelling inside the city. Here is the trick, if you don’t live in Norway you don’t know that they use phone apps for purchasing bus tickets. They buy it in the app and show to a bus driver when getting on the bus. If you don't have the app the difference in price is crazy. Without app around 50 NOK (around 5 Euro), with an app 33 or even 18 NOK (if you're a student). That example is taken from my experience in Stavanger. The bus company is called Kolumbus and is working for the area Rogaland only. In different areas rules might be different, just take some time and look on the internet. If on the official website they offer you to use their app, it's probably a good idea to do so.  

Eating in or out? If you are a budget traveller, you should definitely cook home. Buy some fish cakes (local thing) in the cheapest supermarkets like REMA1000 or Cooprix and some other food whatever you like. Eating in a restaurant is going to cost you from 20 euros a person. 

How not to get lost in the city? Use a free offline maps app called maps.me, it will automatically find your location and upload the maps. There you will find everything you need from the sightseens, supermarkets to the public toilets.  

How to travel best and see the most in Norway? Rent a car, because the trains between the cities are very expensie and local airplanes too (from 80 Euro one way). Having a car will make you very flexible and you'll be able to ride through beautiful roads, villages and tunnels of Norway. Definitely worth doing! I'd also suggest you use a couchsurfing app and check meetings, because sometimes people offer free boat and car trips. Or you can even offer yourself as potential travel buddy.

 Thanks for reading me!

 Best, 

V xx