Wine and spirits are not sold in local supermarkets but only in special shops set up by the state for this purpose (Vinmonopolet). Such shops are found in the larger cities and towns.

Beer can be purchased in supermarkets except in some places which have special outlets for the sale of beer.

The age limit for purchasing beer and wine is 18 years and for liquor it is 20 years. Due to these restrictions discotheques and night-clubs tend to have age limits somewhere between 18 and 23 for entrance. In some cases you may have to verify your age by presenting an ID-card.
 

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• Duty free limits alcohol

  • 2 litres of beer, 1 litre of spirits (maximum 60% proof) and 1 litre of wine (maximum 22% proof).
    or
    2 litres of beer and 2 litres of wine, but no spirits.

• Duty free limits tobacco goods:

  • 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of other tobacco products and 200 leaves of cigarette papers.

• Duty free limits meat, meat products and cheese:

  • A total of 10 kg of meat and meat products, cheese and foodstuffs except dog and cat food.

You must be at last 20 year of age to bring in spirits and at least 18 to bring in wine, beer, cigarettes and tobacco products.

Import of the following goods is prohibited without special permission:

• Drugs, medicines and poisons (minor quantities of medicine for personal use are permitted), alcohol over 60 % per vol., weapons and ammunition, fireworks, potatoes, mammals, birds and exotic animals, plants/parts thereof for cultivation.

You may only bring medicine for your personal use, and you should have a letter from your doctor attesting to your need for the medicine.         

  Read more      

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The importation of all kind of drugs is strictly prohibited in Norway. There is a regime of zero tolerance in Norway with regard to prosecution of drug trafficking, and this policy is followed up by the court practice of severe punishment for violation of the Norwegian Penal Code relating to drug offences.

Visitors carrying even small quantities of drugs will risk penal reaction and immediate expulsion from Norway.

You may, however, import prescribed quantities of medication listed as drugs for personal medical use. This requires a specific licence from your general practitioner which you must present to the customs authorities upon arrival in Norway.

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220 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are of the European round two-pin type.

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Fire Department - 110

Police - 112

Ambulance - 113

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Standards of health care in Norway are high. There are reciprocal health agreements with most European countries. The agreement with the UK allows free hospital in-patient treatment and ambulance travel on presentation of a UK passport.

If you should become ill during a trip to Norway, the staff at your camp site  will be able to put you in touch with a local doctor or the emergency medical service.

Travel insurance should be taken out before departure from your own country.

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There are many Internet cafes throughout Norway and the Internett can also be accessed via public libraries.

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Norwegian (Bokmål and Nynorsk). Lappish is spoken by the Sami population in the north. English is widely spoken.

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Pharmacies are called Apotek, and are open during normal shopping hours. Some are also open weekends and evenings for emergencies.

If you use any prescription drugs, be sure to bring enough to last for your entire stay in Norway. Norwegian pharmacies (Apotek) are not permitted to give out medicine on prescriptions from outside of the country, and if you do run short, you will need to contact a Norwegian doctor in order to get a prescription for a new supply.

The staff at your camp site will be able to put you in touch with a local doctor.

You may import prescribed quantities of medication listed as drugs for personal medical use. This requires a specific licence from your general practitioner which you must present to the customs authorities upon arrival in Norway.

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Most major  dual band networks work across Norway. Mobile phones cannot be hired.

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Many of the news-stands in Norway carry foreign newspapers and periodicals. English newspapers are readily available ( 1 day later than in the UK).

The national newspapers published in Oslo are Aftenposten, Verdens Gang (VG) and Dagbladet. There are no English-language newspapers.

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British nationals must hold a valid passport in order to enter Norway. Please ensure that your passport is valid for the duration of your stay in Norway.

British nationals do not need a visa to visit Norway.

For detailed information please contact:

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Owing to the risk of rabies, very stringent rules are in force for the importation of dogs, cats and other animals. Norway is one of the few European countries where rabies is not found, and every precaution is being taken to maintain this status.

If you wish to bring a pet with you on a trip, a Veterinary Certificate approved by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority must be produced upon border controls to Norway.

The Veterinary Certificate is available from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority or through your local veterinarian. It consist of a Health Certificate and a Vaccination Certificate and must ascertain that the import requirements are fulfilled. The Veterinary Certificate must be signed by an authorised veterinarian.

It is against the law in Norway to possess certain types of dogs, and meeting the requirements will not change that.

For detailed information please contact:

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Shops and kiosks selling postcards will sell stamps. Airmail within Europe takes 2 to 4 days. There are Poste Restante facilities at post offices in all major cities.

Post office hours: These vary from place to place but are generally from Mon-Fri 0830-1600, Sat 0800-1300.

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BBC World Service (www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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IDD is available. Country code: 47. Outgoing international code: 00

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In Norway we are 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT + 1).

Part of the year clock is set forward 1 hour in relation to the time during the rest of the year (Daylight saving time / Summer time).

Daylight saving time / Summer time (GMT + 2) always starts the last Sunday in March and ends the last Sunday in October.

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British nationals do not need a visa to visit Norway.

British nationals must hold a valid passport in order to enter Norway. Please ensure that your passport is valid for the duration of your stay in Norway.

For detailed information please contact:

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Useful links:

• Norwegian Tourist Board

• The Royal Norwegian Embassy

• The British Embassy in Norway

• Directorate for Nature Management

• Ministry of the Environment

• Norwegian Food Safety Authority

• Norwegian Directorate for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems

• Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Welfare, Dept. of Tobacco Control