Car Rental at Oslo Gardermoen Airport

More than 27 million passengers are passing through the Oslo Gardermoen Airport doors every year and many of them opt for car hire, when they arrive at the Norwegian capital’s airport.

Gardermoen Airport is located some 47 km north of the city and although there are train and bus connections to Oslo city and onward destinations, hiring a car from one of the rental stations at the arrivals hall gives visitors far greater freedom to explore the city and its surroundings.

The major car hire companies serving the airport are Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt. Car rental stations can be found in the arrivals hall on the western side of the rail way station. Although the opening hours can vary from company to company, generally speaking the car rental stations are open from 07.00 to 23.30 hours from Mondays to Fridays and from 08.30 to 19.00 hours on Saturdays and from 9.00 to 23.30 hours on Sundays.

All car rental companies at Oslo Gardermoen Airport:

• Alamo: +47 63 97 73 00
• Avis: +47 67 25 55 10
• Budget: +47 67 25 55 20
• Enterprise: +47 63 97 73 00
• Europcar: +47 64 81 05 60
• Hertz: +47 22 21 00 00
• Keddy By Europcar: +47 64 81 05 60
• Sixt: +47 66 69 99 00
• Thrifty: +47 64 81 05 50

At the end of the rental period cars should be returned to the parking lot in field 4c located in the multi-storey car park right next to the terminal building. The returns area is signposted with "rental car return". The keys and documents for your car must be returned to the Car Hire Oslo Airport station in the arrivals hall and unless otherwise arranged with the rental company of your choice, you should return you car during the office hours indicated above.

Parking is easy at the airport, since a total of 16,000 spaces is available for short and long term parking in two separate multi-storey car parks and six outdoor parking areas.

Outside of Oslo city lies the nature reserve of the Marka Forest. Although an underground train will take visitors there, with a hired car you take your picnic things and make a whole fun packed day of it. In Marka visitors can go hiking, cycling, canoeing and explore the wonderful wildlife in the forest.

Beware of elks as you travel further inland, they come out at dusk to graze in the fields and take no notice whatsoever of unsuspecting motorists. If you've even had to slam on your brakes and stare one of those huge gentle giants in the eye through your windscreen, you won't forget it in a hurry!

Norway has a mainland coastline of 13,264 miles and there are too many fjords, waterfalls, rivers and lakes to mention. Here hobby fishermen and women come into their own and cod, mackerel, coalfish and salmon, red char and sea trout go into hiding in coastal and river regions, when the angling season starts. Freshwater angling for eel, perch, pike, trout and char is also easy. Anglers pay a set fee at post offices and are allowed to fish in freshwater vicinity. Fishing in the sea and the fjords is free of charge, but it is forbidden to fish with live bait and anglers must be over 16 years old.

For less cold and wet pursuits tourists could try one of the many wellness and spa places in and around Oslo. Body treatments like massages, sauna, swimming in heated pools, Jacuzzi and exercise in gyms are all part of a health regime that can be complemented with outdoor pursuits like walking, cycling and hiring a boat or canoe.

In winter Norway becomes a winter wonderland covered in snow and ice. Winter sports like downhill and cross country skiing or dog-sledding, sleigh rides and sledging are favourites with visitors coming to Oslo in the winter. Hiring ice scooters to explore the isolated, picturesque villages with their traditional Baltic wooden barns and colourful wooden houses is best done with a local guide, since temperatures can plummet suddenly and losing one’s way would not be a good idea at sub-zero conditions.

If you are planning to visit Oslo in the winter, be sure to hire your car and winter equipment well in advance from the Car Hire Oslo Airport stations. Don't forget to reserve a roof rack for your luggage and skiing equipment in advance, as they are subject to availability, just like the winter equipment for your chosen vehicle.