How to get from Oslo Airport to the City by Train – The Cheap Way!

When you need to travel from Oslo Gardermoen Airport to the city centre, you can choose between two train services: the local train or the Flytoget Airport Express.

Many tourists visiting Oslo automatically choose the Flytoget Airport Express, which is more expensive than the local train but only slightly faster.

Below, I’ll show you what the journey by local train is like from Oslo Gardermoen Airport to Oslo’s main railway station in the city centre.

Local trains from Oslo Airport

Oslo Gardermoen Airport is Norway’s largest airport, located roughly 22 miles (35 kilometres) north-east of the city.

The cheapest way to get from Oslo Airport to the city’s central railway station (Oslo sentralstasjon, abbreviated as Oslo S on station signs and timetables) is by taking one of the many local trains that run this route.

Once you’ve left the baggage claim area and find yourself in the main arrivals hall of Oslo Airport, simply follow the signs for “express train, trains”, which will lead you to the airport train station inside the terminal.

It’s only a one-minute walk, so even with heavy luggage this should be straightforward.

Buying your ticket and taking the train

Train lines R10, R11, and L12 connect Oslo Gardermoen Airport with Oslo S, the city’s central railway station.

A local train departs from the airport station approximately every 10 to 20 minutes, so you won’t have to wait long.

The local trains in the direction of Oslo generally depart from platform 4 at Oslo Airport station.

You can easily buy your ticket from one of the many ticket machines in the airport terminal, one floor above the platforms.

It’s also possible to buy your ticket online on the website of Vy, the Norwegian Railways.

An adult ticket for the local train from Oslo Gardermoen Airport to Oslo S costs 129 NOK (£9.30 or €11), which isn’t exactly cheap, but considering this is Norway, where everything costs a small fortune, it’s still the cheapest way to get to the city centre.

Once you’ve bought your ticket, simply take the escalator or lift down to the platform and catch the next local train to Oslo S.

Your ticket is not train-specific and can be used on any local service within 2 hours and 30 minutes of the departure time for which you initially bought your ticket.

On board the local train

The estimated travel time on a local train between the airport and central Oslo is 23 minutes.

These local trains are smart, modern commuter trains with level boarding, making it easy to take any luggage on board.

Although there is no dedicated luggage space on these commuter trains, you will find ample room around the seats or on overhead racks to store your bag or suitcase.

As these local trains are commuter trains, they can fill up at intermediate stations, especially around rush hour.

If you’re curious about what the journey is like on a local train between Oslo Airport and the central railway station of the Norwegian capital, watch my YouTube video below.

Flytoget Airport Express

Of course, you can also take the Flytoget Airport Express if you prefer to travel from Oslo Gardermoen Airport to the central railway station.

This train service is certainly more premium and offers higher comfort than the local trains.

However, at 252 NOK (£18.20 or €21.60), the Flytoget Airport Express costs double the price of the local train service from Oslo’s central railway station to the airport, while being only 4 minutes faster.

Personally, I really don’t think it’s worth the money, and I would highly advise just taking a local train!

Delayed train? Your flight is insured!

One great feature of both the local Vy trains and the Flytoget Airport Express, which I think is worth highlighting, is that they both offer delay insurance in case you miss your flight due to a delay of your train.

If you don’t reach your flight departure on time due to a delay of more than 30 minutes on the Flytoget service, the company will reimburse you with a new plane ticket, regardless of the cause of the delay.

You can find more information about the Flytoget travel guarantee here.

Vy has a similar travel guarantee, although if you read the terms and conditions, they are certainly not as generous as Flytoget’s, which might be a reason to still choose a Flytoget train from Oslo to the airport!

Conclusion

When travelling between Oslo Gardermoen Airport and the central railway station in the city centre, you can choose between the Flytoget Airport Express and the local train.

The local train costs 129 Norwegian crowns (£9.30 or €11), which is half the price of the expensive Flytoget Airport Express, while being only 4 minutes slower.

I’d therefore highly recommend taking a local train rather than the airport express train when travelling from Oslo Gardermoen Airport to the city centre.

However, when travelling in the reverse direction from Oslo’s central station to the airport, it’s worth noting that Flytoget offers a highly generous insurance policy, reimbursing you with a new plane ticket if your train is more than 30 minutes late and you happen to miss your flight, regardless of the cause of the delay.

For more useful information about trains, explore the rest of my blog and watch some of my other YouTube videos!