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Nordic Explorer

Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 3.0

Norway

The Oslo–Bergen railway and the fjords, Tromsø in winter, the northern lights, what Norway costs and working there, with tonight’s aurora forecast.

Northern lights in Norway

Tonight across the North

Bright green northern lights swirl across a starry sky above snow-dusted hills and a calm fjord at Lauklines on Kvaløya, near Tromsø, with the moon reflected in the water.

Northern lights in Norway: when and where to go

Plan your trip for the northern lights in Norway. Learn the viewing seasons, the best hours, cloud patterns, and how to check live auroral forecasts. Northern lights

Alta: Worth going out after 19:36 if the cloud breaks — a 27% chance of aurora overhead. The cloud thins to 37% around 20:00. A waxing gibbous (93% lit) is up, so faint arcs will be washed out. the evidence , read just now
Tromsø: Worth going out after 19:52 — a 26% chance of aurora overhead. A waxing gibbous (93% lit) is up, so faint arcs will be washed out. the evidence , read just now
Lofoten: Clouded out — 85% cloud at best between 20:06 and 05:30. the evidence , read just now

Plan a trip to Norway

Summer view down the Geirangerfjord from a forested hillside, with green slopes, snow-flecked peaks, boats on the still water and the village of Geiranger in the foreground.

Best time to visit Norway

Norway has two distinct travel seasons: long daylight for fjords and mountain passes, and mid-September to early April for snow, the polar night and the northern lights. Norway

A supermarket fish counter in Bergen with salmon steaks, fillets, ready-made sushi and seafood salads on ice, each labelled with kroner price tags and a red discount sign.

Is Norway expensive? Real prices and rules

Norway is dearer than Sweden and Finland but cheaper than Iceland and Denmark. Learn the actual costs, alcohol sale hours, passes and VAT rules. Norway

The green carriages of the Flåm Railway curve down the lush Flåm valley near Berekvam, past pink fireweed and a red farmhouse, with a waterfall streaming down the mountainside.

Norway in a Nutshell and the Flåm Railway

How Norway in a Nutshell works, what the package covers, and how to book the Flåm Railway, Nærøyfjord cruise, and connecting buses and trains yourself. Norway

A red Vy Bergen Line train hauled by a silver El 18 locomotive crosses the snowy Hardangervidda plateau between Haugastøl and Finse, beside a half-frozen lake under a clear blue sky.

Oslo to Bergen train: fares, seats and stops

Travel from Oslo to Bergen across Europe's largest high mountain plateau. Compare day and night trains, ticket types, stops at Finse and Myrdal, and winter travel. Norway

The long arched Tromsø Bridge spans the sound towards the white, triangular Arctic Cathedral and snow-covered Tromsdalen, with snowy mountains and a cold blue winter sky behind.

Tromsø in winter

Plan a winter trip to Tromsø. Learn about the polar night, temperatures, whale watching, dog sledding, northern lights, and getting around in snow. Tromsø

Living in Norway

Modern apartment blocks with glass balconies line a canal-side waterfront in Bjørvika, Oslo, their windows and ground-floor cafés lit up at blue hour and reflected in the water.

Cost of living in Norway and Oslo

See actual living costs in Norway, including average rents in Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim, electricity prices, SIFO living budgets, kindergarten fees, and salaries. Living in Norway

The Barcode row of glass and patterned office towers in Bjørvika, Oslo, seen across the harbour on a sunny day, with construction cranes and the forested hills behind the city.

Norway work permit: skilled worker rules and pay

How to get a residence permit for work in Norway as a skilled worker. Explains the current salary floors, the four-word employer code, waiting times, and police rules. Living in Norway

Daylight in Norway

Oslo · Bergen · Tromsø