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Brian Condron · 18-05-2007, 10:49

In Norway, a pint (sorry 500ml) of local costs 64 kroner, which is around €8. A pint of Guinness will set you back about 69 kroner (€8.50). A bar of chocolate costs about 15 kroner, almost €2. So every time I come home after a visit I think Dublin is quite cheap. General groceries are pretty similar prices to Ireland though, and while income taxes are quite high, so are wages so the quality of life is excellant.

Granted, the public transport in Oslo is very good. The oil money was put to good use by providing one of the most extensive urban railway networks for a city of it's size (slightly smaller than Dublin populationwise, about half the size areawise). There is one underground tunnel for the T-ban (metro) through the city centre, we'll call it the interconnector for the purposes of this post, which provides a central spine, and all the 6 lines use all or part of this spine. From 2006 the interconnector has been extended to become a circle line. Oslo never ripped up it's tram lines in the 20th century like a lot of countries, because the governments at the time spent so long debating it that they could see what a mistake it became in other cities. So there still is quite an extensive tram network around the city, known as the Trikk. What isn't served by tram or t-ban is served by bus. There are also ferries on the fjord which use the same ticketing system.

One 20 kroner ticket will get you travel for the next 90 minutes on the underground, trams, buses or ferries throughout all of Oslo. If your journey enters the next county the fare rises to 32 kroner. Integrated ticketing at the moment is provided by a piece of paper that you stamp when you begin your journey and works a treat. However they have been testing a new Smart card system similar to the Luas but more sophisticated. Although I have been going to Oslo for two years, and they have been testing it all that time with no sign of them starting the system anytime soon. The underground is currently an open system, but they appear to be changing it to a closed system, there are Irish Rail style gates being installed at all the stations, probably just so you remember to tag off though.

So that's my impression of Oslo, hope that answers your question. They all seem to like their Royal family though, saves them the hassle of having an election every 7/14 years and gives the tabloids something to write about I suppose. Still find it weird though.

18-05-2007, 10:49	#5
Brian Condron Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 268	In Norway, a pint (sorry 500ml) of local costs 64 kroner, which is around €8. A pint of Guinness will set you back about 69 kroner (€8.50). A bar of chocolate costs about 15 kroner, almost €2. So every time I come home after a visit I think Dublin is quite cheap. General groceries are pretty similar prices to Ireland though, and while income taxes are quite high, so are wages so the quality of life is excellant. Granted, the public transport in Oslo is very good. The oil money was put to good use by providing one of the most extensive urban railway networks for a city of it's size (slightly smaller than Dublin populationwise, about half the size areawise). There is one underground tunnel for the T-ban (metro) through the city centre, we'll call it the interconnector for the purposes of this post, which provides a central spine, and all the 6 lines use all or part of this spine. From 2006 the interconnector has been extended to become a circle line. Oslo never ripped up it's tram lines in the 20th century like a lot of countries, because the governments at the time spent so long debating it that they could see what a mistake it became in other cities. So there still is quite an extensive tram network around the city, known as the Trikk. What isn't served by tram or t-ban is served by bus. There are also ferries on the fjord which use the same ticketing system. One 20 kroner ticket will get you travel for the next 90 minutes on the underground, trams, buses or ferries throughout all of Oslo. If your journey enters the next county the fare rises to 32 kroner. Integrated ticketing at the moment is provided by a piece of paper that you stamp when you begin your journey and works a treat. However they have been testing a new Smart card system similar to the Luas but more sophisticated. Although I have been going to Oslo for two years, and they have been testing it all that time with no sign of them starting the system anytime soon. The underground is currently an open system, but they appear to be changing it to a closed system, there are Irish Rail style gates being installed at all the stations, probably just so you remember to tag off though. So that's my impression of Oslo, hope that answers your question. They all seem to like their Royal family though, saves them the hassle of having an election every 7/14 years and gives the tabloids something to write about I suppose. Still find it weird though.