Posts Tagged Transport
It’s summer, go on a boat trip!
Posted by admin in Travel and practical stuff on June 22, 2010
It’s hot, it’s sunny, so what better way to spend the day than at sea? Here are a few boat trip options in the area:
- M/S Sagasund arranges two-hour trips (each way) between Fredrikstad and Strömstad in Sweden, where you can spend a couple of hours before heading back to Fredrikstad. Daily during the summer holidays, departs Toldbodkaia, Fredrikstad 11am, Strömstad at 3pm. A return ticket costs 150Kr (children under 8 free), you can buy lunch and refreshments on board. Tel: 90 99 81 11, www.mssagasund.no (Norwegian only)
- If this sounds too tame, why not go for a spin with RIB Adventures instead, and explore the Oslofjord at full throttle on board one of their speed boats? A guaranteed adrenaline kick! Tel: 40 00 69 89 or 92 81 01 01, www.riboslo.no
- No time to spend a whole day at sea? Take a mini-cruise on the Glomma, Norway’s longest river. The iconic little red and white Gamlebyen ferry links Gamlebyen and the centre of Fredrikstad in 10 minutes, and you can take bikes on board. Departs Gamlebyen on the hour every day from 7am during the week, Sat 11am, Sun noon in summer (from the pier furthest from the entrance to Gamlebyen), and the city centre (pier next to Pizzanini Restaurant) at 35 minutes past the hour. A ticket costs 10Kr.
- Engelsviken Båtskole & Charter in Engelsviken, 15km west of Fredrikstad, arranges boat charters for anglers, as well as island and diving cruises along the Østfold coast. Ideal for small groups (the boat can take up to 9 passengers), but not cheap. Rental rate per hour is 1,500Kr + VAT. Tel: 91 39 08 75, www.engelsvikencharter.com
- M/S Falkungen in Fredrikstad (moored on Kråkerøy) is a 15m aluminium boat that can also be chartered for mini cruises, and provides taxi services. Maximum 10 passengers. Tel: 90 16 70 70, www.falkungen.no
- Or rent your own. Olseng Marina on Ullerøy, Skjeberg, also have a 39ft sailing boat for hire. It will set you back 14,000Kr for a week (Sunday to Sunday) in July and August, 12,000Kr in June and Sep. Deposit of 25,000Kr, insurance included (sleeps 6). Weekends Fri-Sun 9,500Kr (June to Sep). What better way to explore the Hvaler Archipelago eh?! Tel: 69 16 95 95, www.olsengmarina.no (Norwegian only)
Stunning modern architecture in Norway
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Photos and videos on April 27, 2010
The National Tourist Roads Project
Posted by admin in History and architecture on April 27, 2010
It all started in 1994, as a trial project aiming to improve the driving experience in Norway, and attract more tourists. The idea: offering motorists an alternative to the main roads, and stunning architecture along the way. A special council was set up, a team of international architects put together, and before you knew it unusual, striking constructions were beginning to pop up at every bend along Norwegian roads.
This being Norway, the focus has all along been on quality, and many of the 200 or so buildings and structures (most of them information centres, rest areas or observation platforms) have already won awards in their field. The jaw-dropping Stegastein viewpoint at Aurlandsvegen, a wood and glass platform jutting out 650m high over the green waters of the Aurlandsfjord, might be the most photographed, but there are many other equally interesting structures.
This visionary project, which was the brainchild of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, will have been 20 years in the making when completed in 2015. It focuses on 18 roads covering 1.850km nationwide. It’s financed for the most part by the Norwegian government, and the final bill is expected to come in at around 2.3 milliard crowns. A big, but clever investment that is already giving a real boost to Norwegian architecture.
Read more about the project, and see some great pix here (article in Norwegian only) http://www.dn.no/d2/arkitektur/article1695413.ece
Moss Rygge Airport fifth largest in Norway
Today is the official opening of Ryanair’s base at Moss Rygge Airport, the airline’s first base in Norway. This means that Moss Rygge Airport, the main airport in Østfold, is now Norway’s fifth largest.
To mark the occasion, Ryanair, the biggest no-frill carrier in Europe, is opening 7 new routes from Rygge to Berlin, Eindhoven, Malaga, Paris, Riga, Venice and Wroclaw. Additional routes to Gdansk, Krakow, Memmingen (Germany), Zadar, Århus, La Rochelle and Palma de Mallorca will follow in the next few days. Altogether Ryanair will now serve 30 destinations from Rygge.
Competitor Norwegian has in response cut some of its international routes from Rygge, but strengthened its domestic network, by introducing direct flights from Rygge to Tromsø in northern Norway for example.
Østfold in Pictures: The Fredrikstad Bridge
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Photos and videos on January 16, 2010
The Fredrikstad Bridge
Posted by admin in History and architecture on January 16, 2010
Dominating the landscape on the eastern side of the city, the Fredrikstad Bridge, with its distinctive arch, has become a landmark for Fredrikstad. The silver bow-shaped bridge, which was opened in August 1957, is also a vital link between the Old Town and the new one. Spanning the Glomma about 2km from where the river meets the Oslo fjord, the bridge is an impressive 824m long and 40m tall.
In March 2004 a 2.5m ’suicide fence’ was affixed to the bridge. Up to 3 people every year used to take their lives by jumping from the bridge, and it is believed that many more have tried. The fence, which stretches 400m down on each side of the bridge, was an attempt to put a stop to these sad statistics.
The bridge is part of the technical heritage of Norway, and as such was listed by the Riksantikvaren (Directorate for Cultural Heritage in Norway) in 2008, together with the roundabout on the east side – the first roundabout in Norway to acquire this status.
You can see old black-and-white photos of the bridge being built here www.demokraten.no/bildeserier/article2923408.ece
Useful websites (Norway)
Posted by admin in Travel and practical stuff on January 8, 2010
Here are a few useful websites if you’re planning a trip to Norway. See also earlier entry for useful websites specifically for Østfold (www.elusivemoose.eu/2009/10/useful-websites/). All the websites listed below have info in English, unless otherwise stated.
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Transport
www.hurtigruten.com: The famous Norwegian coastal voyage
www.nsb.no: Norwegian railway
www.nor-way.no: Coach travel in Norway
www.flytoget.no: The express airport train (Oslo)
www.norwegian.no: Low cost airline with many domestic and international routes
www.wideroe.no: Domestic airline also covering a few destinations in southern Scandinavia and Scotland
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Accommodation
www.dehistoriske.com: Historic hotels throughout Norway
www.camping.no: Camping in Norway
www.norgesbooking.com: Hytte rental
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Destinations
www.visitnorway.com: The official website for the Norwegian Tourist Board
www.visitoslo.com: Ditto for Oslo
www.visitbergen.com: Ditto for Bergen
www.regionstavanger.com: Ditto for Stavanger region
www.trondheim.com: Ditto for Trondheim
www.destinasjontromso.no: Ditto for Tromsø
www.visitalesund.com: Ditto for Ålesund
www.sorlandet.com: Ditto for Kristiansand
www.fjordnorway.com/en/: Ditto for the fjords
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Other
www.billettservice.no: Ticket booking service for events in Norway
www.turistforeningen.no/english/: The Norwegian Trekking Association
www.yr.no: The weather where you are in Norway
www.newsinenglish.no: News about Norway and all things Norwegian
http://jtisdall.wordpress.com: Excellent blog by Oslo-based journalist Jonathan Tisdall
Østfold in Pictures: Halden train station
Posted by admin in Photos and videos, Travel and practical stuff on January 4, 2010
