Public transportation in Oslo is reliable, safe, and the easiest way to move around the capital. The system is run by Ruter and covers the metro (T-bane), trams, buses, local ferries, and local trains within the fare zones. Prices are set by the number of zones you travel through, with Zone 1 covering virtually all of Oslo’s urban area where most visitors spend their time. As a local who rides daily, I’ll walk you through what tickets cost, which one makes sense for your trip, and real-world examples so you can budget confidently.
Short answer: within Zone 1, an adult single ticket costs about 44 NOK and is valid for transfers for 60 minutes. A 24-hour ticket for Zone 1 is a little over 130 NOK, a 7-day ticket sits around 330–350 NOK, and a 30-day pass for Zone 1 has recently been reduced to the low-700s NOK for adults. Children, youths, students, and seniors get significant discounts, and Ruter tickets work across metro, bus, tram, local ferries, and most local trains inside the zones. Airport express trains (Flytoget) are not included.
Let’s take a closer look at how pricing works, what’s included, and how to choose the right ticket for your time in Oslo.
How Oslo’s Zones and Validity Work
Ruter’s prices are based on zones. Zone 1 is central Oslo and stretches wide enough to include major sights, neighborhoods, and the Bygdøy museums via the seasonal ferry. If you stay central, you’ll likely remain in Zone 1 your entire trip.
A single ticket is valid from activation for 60 minutes in one zone. You can freely transfer between bus, tram, metro, and eligible local trains and ferries within the ticket’s time window. If your trip crosses into more zones, the price goes up and the validity window increases by 30 minutes per extra zone. That extra time is helpful when you’re riding out to places like the ski areas in Oslo’s hills or down the fjord.
Important: Flytoget (the Airport Express train) is a separate company and not covered by Ruter tickets. If you want to use a Ruter ticket to and from Oslo Airport (OSL), take a Vy regional/local train or the airport buses that accept Ruter within the correct zones. Oslo Airport sits outside Zone 1, so you’ll need a multi-zone ticket for that journey if you go the Ruter route.
What Tickets Cost in Zone 1 (Typical 2025 Prices)
Here are the typical adult prices you’ll see for Zone 1 in 2025. I’m rounding to the numbers you’ll actually spot in the app or at machines:
- Single ticket (Adult, Zone 1): ~44 NOK
- 24-hour ticket (Adult, Zone 1): ~135 NOK
- 7-day ticket (Adult, Zone 1): ~330–350 NOK
- 30-day ticket (Adult, Zone 1): low-700s NOK
Discount categories:
- Children (usually 6–17) and seniors (67+) pay around half for most tickets.
- Students with proper ID get discounts on period tickets.
- Kids under 6 travel free with a paying adult (one child per adult on trams/buses is the old rule of thumb; conductors are friendly, but mind stroller space at rush hour).
Prices can be adjusted by the city from time to time, but this is a solid guide for budgeting and planning. If you stick to Zone 1, you won’t spend much per ride.
Single vs Day vs Week: Which Ticket Should You Choose?
Single tickets are perfect if you just need one or two rides in a day. The 60-minute transfer window covers a surprising amount of city travel. For example, you can hop on a tram to Grünerløkka, switch to the T-bane to Majorstuen, and finish with a bus up to Holmenkollen within a single validity period if you keep moving.
24-hour tickets make sense if you’ll make three or more rides in one day. They’re also convenient if you plan a museum-heavy day with lots of short hops.
7-day tickets are great for stays of 4–7 days, even if you skip a day or two of transit. Not having to think about purchasing or validating every time is a relief, especially with family.
30-day passes are obviously for longer stays or frequent work trips. Many visitors who come for multi-week projects find the 30-day pass cheaper than stacking multiple weekly passes.
Real Examples You Can Copy
Here are straightforward, real-world scenarios to show how the math works:
Example 1: One sightseeing day in central Oslo
- Plan: Breakfast at Torggata, Munch Museum at Bjørvika, Vigeland Park at Majorstuen, dinner in Grünerløkka, back to hotel near Nationaltheatret.
- Likely rides: 4–5 across tram and metro.
- Cost options:
- Five single tickets would be 5 × ~44 NOK = ~220 NOK.
- One 24-hour ticket is ~135 NOK.
- Best choice: 24-hour ticket. You save money and don’t think about transfers or time limits.
Example 2: Weekend family trip (two adults + one 10-year-old)
- Plan: Two days in Oslo, moving around a lot both days.
- Option A: Buy 24-hour tickets for each day.
- Adult: ~135 NOK × 2 days × 2 adults = ~540 NOK
- Child: ~68 NOK × 2 days = ~136 NOK
- Total: ~676 NOK
- Option B: 7-day ticket for each adult and a 7-day child ticket (if you might ride Monday morning back to the station or extend your stay, the weekly pass can win).
- Adult: ~340 NOK × 2 = ~680 NOK
- Child: ~170 NOK
- Total: ~850 NOK
- Best choice for a tight two-day trip: Two 24-hour periods are cheaper. If you stretch into a third day or plan airport rides inside the zone system, weekly can start to make sense.
Example 3: Airport to Oslo S on a budget
- You land at OSL and want the cheapest train to Oslo Central Station.
- Flytoget costs more but is a couple of minutes faster and has very frequent departures.
- Vy regional/local trains are cheaper and only a few minutes slower.
- If you’re cost-sensitive, take Vy; if you want speed, wide luggage racks, and fewer crowds at peak times, Flytoget is convenient.
- Remember: Ruter Zone 1 tickets do not cover Flytoget, and OSL is outside Zone 1, so you’ll need the appropriate zones if you try to do this with a Ruter ticket on a Vy train. Most visitors simply buy a Vy ticket for the airport leg in the Vy app or at the machines, then switch to Ruter tickets for city travel.
Example 4: Holmenkollen ski jump and a fjord detour in one day
- Plan: Metro Line 1 to Holmenkollen, tram to the harbor, Bygdøy museums by the seasonal Ruter ferry, then back to the center.
- All of this sits inside Zone 1 during the ferry season.
- 24-hour ticket (~135 NOK) pays off because you’ll ride at least 3–4 times without worrying about the 60-minute clock.
Example 5: Commuter month inside Zone 1
- You’re in Oslo for a 4-week work assignment staying near St. Hanshaugen and commuting daily to Bjørvika.
- 30-day pass (low-700s NOK) is the comfortable choice. Even compared to 7-day passes stacked four times, the monthly is typically cheaper now and you avoid weekly top-ups.
What’s Included on Your Ticket
With a Ruter ticket in the right zones:
- Metro, tram, bus across Oslo.
- Local ferries, notably the Bygdøy ferry in summer (Line 9), plus the inner-fjord island ferries.
- Vy local trains inside the zones (not long-distance intercity reservations) are generally included, which can be a time saver between central stations and some suburban stops.
Not included:
- Flytoget Airport Express.
- Long-distance trains and most intercity services that require separate tickets.
How and Where to Buy
The Ruter app is by far the easiest. Set your profile to Adult, Student, Youth, Child, or Senior, pick Zone 1 (or more zones if you need them), and pay by card or mobile wallet. You can also buy from ticket machines at major metro and train stations or at kiosks like Narvesen and 7-Eleven. On buses and trams, you generally need to have your ticket before boarding.
Tip from daily use: activate period tickets (24-hour, 7-day, 30-day) a few minutes before your first ride. For single tickets, I activate when I see my tram coming; inspectors scan the QR code in the app and check the countdown timer.
Smart Ways to Save
- Pick your cap: If you know you’ll make 3 or more rides in a day, go straight for the 24-hour ticket. Oslo is compact, and you’ll likely hop on and off.
- Travel off-peak when you can. Morning and late afternoon can be busy; if you’re carrying luggage with kids, it’s worth shifting by 20–30 minutes to avoid crowds.
- Use the ferry. The Bygdøy ferry is included in Zone 1 during its season, and it’s both transport and a scenic fjord ride for the price of your usual ticket.
- Families: watch the child and youth categories in the app. It’s easy to save 50 percent or more compared with adult singles.
- Students and seniors: period tickets usually bring the best per-ride value. If you’ll commute or sightsee daily, don’t overthink it; get the week or month.
Outside Zone 1: What to Expect
If you plan a daytrip that crosses zones, the app will calculate the price for you based on your start and end stops. Each additional zone adds both cost and validity time, which helps when buses and trains run a bit spread out. Popular cross-zone mini-excursions include heading to the Nordmarka forest trailheads or sailing out a bit farther into the fjord on local boats.
If your plan is mostly Zone 1 but includes one or two out-of-zone hits, buy the cheapest sensible base (often a 24-hour in Zone 1), then get one higher-zone single just for the longer leg. That’s what I do when I go from central Oslo to a trailhead beyond the ring and back the same day.
Local Etiquette and Small Things That Help
- Queue loosely, board fast. Oslo riders form tidy crowds at doors. Move inside and take off backpacks to make space.
- Validate mentally, not physically. In the app era, you don’t beep in and out. Just have your active ticket ready for inspection.
- Strollers and accessibility: newer trams and all metro stations have step-free options. For buses, front doors may be preferred for validation checks by drivers, but they’re used to strollers.
- Late evening service: trams and buses run well into the night. On weekends there are night services on many routes. If you rely on last departures, check the Ruter app’s live times.
Bottom Line
For most visitors, Zone 1 is all you need, and prices are straightforward: ~44 NOK for a single with a 60-minute transfer window, ~135 NOK for a 24-hour ticket, ~330–350 NOK for a 7-day pass, and a bit over 700 NOK for a 30-day. Use the Ruter app, choose a day or week pass if you’ll ride often, and don’t forget the ferry is included. That’s how locals keep costs down and still cover a lot of ground in a day.