Saving money never goes out of fashion. If you plan ahead, traveling in Fjord Norway on a small budget is no problem.
Photo: Jarle Wæhler, Statens vegvesen
TRANSPORT
Train
In Norway you do your traintravels with NSB (Norwegian Railway). Lowfare-tickets are made available 90 days of departure and are the cheapest. One-way tickets are available at 199 to 399 norwegian kroner. If you travel on an impulse, then keep in mind that you stand a better chance of getting the cheapest tickets during the weekdays. Remember to check tickets for family-discounts, and that a full price ticket for adults often includes a free pass for children up to the age of 16. Pensioners and students are given a discount of 50 and 25 percent. If you sleep and travel at the same time it saves you both time and money. NSB Sove, a compartment with two beds that you can book yourself or share with a another passenger, will cost you 850 NOK (children under the age of 4 travel for free in the compartment). Standard, singleseat tickets for foreigners traveling with an Interrail-pass, costs only 50 NOK. Remember to bring your own food and drinks. Buying such on board the train can easily damage your budget.
Your own car
If you bring your own car you are able to set your own pace and along the roads in Fjord Norway you will find numerous rest stops with a table or two and benches for you to prepare some snack. For planning your travel by car - check out the online route planner for Norway by Norwegian Public Roads Administration
Rent a car
A cheaper option than renting a new car is renting used cars
Bus
* Nor-Way Bussekspress offers routes to just about every remote little part of Norway. The price depends on the length of your travel.
* Skyss - is responsible for the public transport services governed by Hordaland county authority - among other the ticket sale for the Bergen Light Rail (Bybanen).
* Should you need help finding the right carrier wether you choose bus, train, plane or ferries - check out Ruteinfo.no, that will present you with a regional overview
Overnight stay
Hotel
* Get a bonuscard from the different hotel-networks. Do this online before your leave for Fjord Norway. If you stay the night as a member you will gather points that eventually will earn you a free overnight stay. A member or bonuscard will often mean you gather points wether or not you are book a room. For instance, as a member with the Rica Hotels you are given discounts traveling with NSB (railway) or if renting a car. The benefits of a member/bonuscard change often, so remember to check out what they have to offer. Remember that updated information on offers and so forth are often give through online newsletter. The bigger hotels also might nice offers for amusement parks or health studios wether you a booking a stay or not. If you are traveling off-season, don´t be afraid to call the hotels to try and get a better deal. Many hotels have good offers. Some of the hotels with bonuscards: Choice Hotels, Thon Hotels, Best Western, Scandics Hotels.
* If you buy yourself a Fjord Pass (120 NOK) you are given a nice discount on lots of hotels, cabins and more in Fjord Norway. Find out more about Fjord Pass.
Tourist cabins
Bring your own tent, or for more comfort, stay in one of many cabins from Den Norske Turistforening, DNT (Norwegian Trekking Association) http://www.turistforeningen.no/english/. DNT is a memberorganisation with more than 450 cabins located in the wilderness, mountains or along the coast throughout Norway. Their cabins will offer you great opportunities for trekking from place to place over several weeks if your holiday allows such time span. The size of the cabins will differ. The smallest ones are just small huts with a bed or two, while the biggest mountain cabins may have a capacity of up to 200 beds. The DNT-cabins are owned and run by the memberorganisations of DNT. If you are a member you are given a discount for overnight stays. The prices vary from cabin to cabin, and wether or not you choose to stay in a joint room or rent a single. The pricerange being between 120-285 NOK.
Bed & Breakfast
You will find Bed & Breakfast, or rooms for rent in private houses all across Norway. It´s simple, enjoyable, and reasonable when it comes to pricing. Check B&B Norway online or get in touch with the local tourist information to where you are going. Prices will vary, but you should be prepared for a pricing of 400 NOK (including breakfast and doubleroom) per night.
Youth Hostels
More than 70 hostels are found throughout Norway. You may choose staying in a simple, single room, double rooms or family rooms. Standards and price will vary, but if your are a member of Hostelling International Norway your a given a pricereduction of 15 percent. Membership costs 250 NOK a year.
Live in a campingcabin or tent
Many of the places for camping in Fjord Norway are found on great locations. You don´t need your own camping-caravan to live there. Rent a cabin or put up your tent. Use their facilities for taking a bath and/or use a toilet. An overview for where to find the different places to camp can be found on fjordway.com http://www.fjordnorway.com/no/OVERNATTING/Camping/.
Camping off-season
If your are visiting Norway off-season, then you should consider Camping Cheque, a payment-service used off-sesong. Camping Cheque also covers around 580 campingsites in 22 european countries that all have the same pricing. The camping-sites in Norway have a star-rating between 3-5and Camping Cheque may offer you a discount at 60 percent. Camping Cheque can be ordered at nafcamp@naf.no (Norwegian Car Assosiation) before you enter leave for your holidays.
ALLEMANNSRETTEN
The Allemannsretten in Norway offers everyone free access to the nature. Allemannsretten is based on respect for the nature, environment, private landowners and others.
Eat cheap
Plan ahead and pack plastic knives/forks and cups and so on. Buy your food in groceries stores. Want a bear, buy it in a shop not at the pub.