Getting to Oslo: Comparing Vy Regional Trains and Flytoget from Gardermoen

Almost all international and domestic flights arrive at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL), located 47 kilometres north of the capital. (A small number of low-cost European flights land at Sandefjord Torp Airport, TRF, 110 kilometres south of Oslo, which connects to Oslo S in 1 hour 45 minutes by Torp Ekspressen coach or regional RE11 train). At Gardermoen, the mainline railway station sits directly underneath the arrivals hall, and two different train operators run along the exact same high-speed tracks into Oslo Central Station (Oslo S) and Nationaltheatret.

The #1 Money-Saving Tip: Vy Regional Train vs Flytoget Airport Express

When you walk out of customs at Gardermoen, giant orange signs immediately point you toward the Flytoget Airport Express Train, while smaller signs point to the regular public Vy Regional Trains (lines R12, R13, RE10 and RE11). Here is how they actually compare:

• Vy Regional Trains (23 minutes to Oslo S, half the price): depart three times an hour from the same station, take 23 minutes to reach Oslo S (and 27 minutes to Nationaltheatret for the Royal Palace, Aker Brygge and Frogner), and are included in standard Ruter Zone 1 to 4N regional pricing. Consequently, a regular Vy ticket costs roughly half the price of Flytoget. Buy your ticket in 30 seconds on the Ruter app or Entur / Vy app (selecting Zone 1 to Zone 4N, or "Oslo lufthavn" to "Oslo S") before boarding.
• Flytoget Airport Express (19 minutes non-stop to Oslo S): departs every 10 to 20 minutes and saves four minutes by not stopping at Lillestrøm. You simply tap your contactless bank card at the orange barrier at Gardermoen and select your destination station. Flytoget is worth the extra cost Mainly if you are travelling with children under 16 (who ride free with a paying adult on Flytoget), are a student/youth aged 16 to 20 (half price), or want 10-minute frequency without checking a timetable.

Arriving at Oslo S and Continuing Across Norway

Glass-roofed Oslo S (Oslo Sentralstasjon) sits right at the foot of Karl Johans gate and five minutes' walk from the Opera House and MUNCH. Its underground concourse connects directly to Jernbanetorget T-bane station (where all five Oslo metro lines meet) and outside tram lines 11, 12, 13, 17, 18 and 19. Long-distance Vy trains also depart here for Bergen, Trondheim and Gothenburg.