Oslo day tours with a private driver: routes, timing and cost

The best Oslo day tours with a private driver come in two shapes. The first is the city loop: Holmenkollen above the town, the Vigeland sculptures in Frogner Park and the museums on the Bygdøy peninsula, all within about 27 km (17 mi) of driving. The second is a day out of town, either south along the Oslofjord to Drøbak and the Old Town of Fredrikstad, or north to the glassworks at Hadeland and the sculpture park at Kistefos.

With Elly8.net, the private city highlights tour costs from US$380 in a business sedan to US$760 in an Executive Sprinter, the full-day chauffeur from US$700 to US$1,400, and the hourly service from US$95 an hour with a 3-hour minimum, all per vehicle and all-in. Below are the routes with routed clear-road times, the packages that fit them and an honest word on when a ferry, a tram or a coach tour is the better buy.

Which Oslo day tour is worth a private driver?

The table shows routed distances and clear-road drive times from the city centre, the reference point for Oslo fares.

See Oslo prices and reserve

Route 1: the city loop, Holmenkollen, Vigeland and Bygdøy

Oslo's own highlights are close together but spread across hills, parks and a peninsula, which is why a car helps when time is short. By routed estimate, a loop from the centre up to Holmenkollen, down to Frogner Park, out to Bygdøy and back is about 27 km (17 mi) and under an hour of driving, leaving most of a half day for the stops.

Holmenkollen. The ski jump sits on the hillside about 9.5 km (6 mi) and 20 minutes above the centre, with the Holmenkollen Ski Museum and Tower and views over the city and the fjord.

Vigeland sculptures in Frogner Park. About 4 km (3 mi) from the centre, a quick stop the chauffeur can time around your visit.

Bygdøy. The peninsula across the harbour is Oslo's museum district. The Norsk Folkemuseum, an open-air museum, includes a 13th-century stave church from Gol among its historic buildings, with traditional crafts and food through the seasons.

A relaxed half day might start at 09:30 at your hotel, reach Holmenkollen by 10:00 for the jump and the view, stop at Frogner Park around 11:30, and finish with two hours on Bygdøy before a late lunch back in town.

The private city highlights tour costs US$380 in a business sedan, US$480 in a business SUV, US$580 in a First Class SUV, US$620 in a First Class Sedan and US$760 in an Executive Sprinter. It can also take in the Royal Palace, City Hall, the Opera House and MUNCH on the Bjørvika waterfront. See private city tours.

Route 2: down the Oslofjord to Drøbak and Fredrikstad

South of the city the road follows the eastern side of the Oslofjord. Drøbak, a small fjord-side town, is about 42 km (26 mi) and 44 minutes away by routed estimate, a natural first stop for a coffee by the water.

Further south, Fredrikstad's Old Town is about 101 km (63 mi) and 1 hour 28 minutes from Oslo. Visit Østfold, the regional tourist board, describes Fredrikstad's well-preserved Old Town, and the area around it opens onto an archipelago coast.

The full loop, Oslo to Drøbak, Drøbak to Fredrikstad and back to Oslo, is about 213 km (132 mi) and 3 hours 20 minutes of driving by routed estimate: roughly 44 minutes to Drøbak, 1 hour 5 minutes on to Fredrikstad and 1 hour 29 minutes back.

A typical day:

• 09:00 Pickup at your hotel and south along the fjord.
• 09:45 to 10:45 Drøbak: a walk along the harbour.
• 10:45 to 11:50 Drive on to Fredrikstad.
• 12:00 to 15:30 Lunch and the Old Town.
• 15:30 to 17:00 Drive back to Oslo.

That is eight hours door to door, the length of the full-day chauffeur.

Route 3: north to Hadeland Glassverk and Kistefos

North-west of the city, two stops sit only about 5 km apart near Jevnaker. Hadeland Glassverk presents itself as a place of living tradition, contemporary design and craftsmanship, with seasonal events including Christmas markets. Kistefos Museum and its sculpture park are, in the words of the sponsoring company, approximately one hour's drive from Oslo; by routed estimate it is about 64 km (39 mi) and 1 hour 9 minutes.

By routed estimate the loop runs about 66 km and 1 hour 13 minutes from Oslo to Hadeland, about 5 km and 7 minutes to Kistefos, and about 65 km and 1 hour 10 minutes back: some 136 km (84 mi) and 2 hours 32 minutes of driving. Kistefos is also about 56 km (35 mi) and 55 minutes from Gardermoen, so the route can fill the afternoon of an arrival day before you check in.

A typical day:

• 09:30 Pickup in the city and north-west out of Oslo.
• 10:45 to 13:00 Hadeland Glassverk, with lunch on site or nearby.
• 13:10 to 16:00 Kistefos and the sculpture park.
• 16:00 to 17:15 Drive back to Oslo.

Check seasonal opening at both before you fix a date; the chauffeur can adjust the order of stops on the day.

Fjord or forest: choosing between the two days out

If you only have time for one day out of the city, let the season and your interests decide. The fjord route south is the better summer day, with the water in view for much of the drive and the Old Town of Fredrikstad at its liveliest. The northern route suits art and design lovers, works well in shoulder seasons, and is the easier of the two to combine with an airport transfer. Families with younger children often prefer the shorter driving time of the northern loop, about 2 hours 32 minutes against 3 hours 20 minutes, by routed estimate.

Route 4: an evening rather than a day

Not every outing is a daytime one. The evening out and event night package, from US$475 in a business sedan to US$950 in an Executive Sprinter, covers dinner with the car waiting, a performance at the Oslo Opera House or a concert, and the late drive back. In the week of the Nobel Peace Prize around 10 December, when the city is at its busiest, a car that waits is worth booking early. See event transportation.

What an Oslo day tour costs

Every Elly8.net price is per vehicle, never per person, and includes the chauffeur, vehicle, taxes and standard gratuity. Road tolls and parking are billed at cost; Oslo charges tolls at stations around the city, with the lowest rate for electric cars.

Choosing the right package:

• City highlights tour for Holmenkollen, Vigeland and Bygdøy.
• Full-day chauffeur for Drøbak and Fredrikstad, or Hadeland and Kistefos, where the car waits at every stop.
• Hourly service for a single out-of-town stop, such as a half day in Drøbak. See hourly chauffeur.

A Business Sedan or First Class Sedan takes three passengers and two large bags, a Business SUV or First Class SUV six and six, and an Executive Sprinter twelve and twelve. As arithmetic for comparison only, a full day in a Business SUV at US$885 shared by six people is about US$148 each. See the fleet.

When a ferry, tram or coach tour makes more sense

• Solo travellers in the city. Oslo's public transport reaches the main sights, and much of the centre is walkable. One traveller does not need a private car for Vigeland or the Opera House.
• The fjord from the water. A boat trip shows the Oslofjord in a way a road never can. If the fjord itself is the point, take a cruise and use the car only to reach the quay.
• Group coach tours. For one or two travellers on a budget, a seat on a coach tour costs far less than a private car.
• One museum, no hurry. If all you want is a single museum on Bygdøy, a taxi or public transport there and back is the economical choice.

The private car wins for families and small groups, for two out-of-town stops in one day, for travellers with limited mobility, for winter days when waiting at bus stops is no pleasure, and when you want the timing to be yours.

Planning tips for North American travellers

• Daylight and season. Winter days are short; start early and keep outdoor stops for the middle of the day. Summer evenings are long, which suits the fjord route.
• Electric cars. Many partner vehicles in Oslo are electric. On long days the chauffeur plans any charging into lunch or museum stops.
• Arrival day. Combine Hadeland or Kistefos with the Gardermoen transfer, which costs from US$265 in a business sedan to US$690 in a Sprinter on its own.
• Getting around the rest of the time. For taxis, apps and the airport train, see Oslo taxi or rideshare and Uber in Oslo.
• Going west. If Bergen is next, see Oslo to Bergen by private car or train.

Companies hosting visitors can book on a corporate account, and hotels through hotel accounts. The Visit Oslo attractions guide is a good place to plan opening times.

How to book an Oslo day tour

Rides in Oslo are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk.

1. Choose the package on the Oslo fares, or enter your own route and stops on the web booker.
2. Choose the vehicle by passengers and bags, and add child seats.
3. Reserve and pay by card in US$. Confirmation arrives by email, and the chauffeur meets you at your hotel.

Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% at 72 hours or less; 50% at 48 hours or less; 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show; refunds go to the original card. See the cancellation policy and the Oslo chauffeur service. Travelling on to Sweden? Our Stockholm day tours with a private driver covers the palaces and Uppsala.

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