city tour of Oslo during 5 hour stopover?

Like in many European cities there is a fast, convenient and costly train between the airport and city center.
All info of train and other connection as usual on airports homepage.
BUT remember that you do not have 5 hours - you will have to get out of airport (hope you luggage is checked through and not going through customs), maybe immigration if arriving from non-Schengen country - and when returning (hope you have boarding pass) you have to go through security. And passport control if leaving for a non-Schengen country. My guess: do not count on more that MAX 3 hours between being ready for train and having to be back at airport. Then subtract waiting time for next train and the relatively long (but fast) drive - and you are left with less than 2 hours in city.

Not worth the risk IMHO - I mean if not flying on a full fare ticket and missing the palne (probelm wiht railway - or traffic ) and you miss the fligt and the value of the ticket.

BTW - if from Senengal - do you have a Schengen visa?

Edited by: Bjoern

also to consider- the train station will be closed all of July so part of the fast train trip will be replaced by a (much slower) bus. So, the trip to Oslo S that is normally 20 minutes will definitely be longer.

http://www.jernbaneverket.no/en/Startpage/News/Oslo-Central-Station-closed-for-six-weeks-this-summer-due-to-major-construction-work/

Plus, I'm not sure what prices you're used to but "a reasonable amount" is also much higher than you're probably thinking in Norway. Whenever I return from trips there I'm still always amazed at the prices converted to my own currency.

As pointed out the train won't be running at that time. That means a bus. The FlyBus is supposed to take 40 minutes and costs $45 for a round trip ticket (welcome to Norway prices)

So that's 30 minutes to get through immigration, 40 minutes in on the bus, 40 minutes back, 30 minutes to go back through immigration, 30-45 minutes preboarding. So suddenly that 5 hour layover leave you with only 2 hours in the city (if you're lucky). Hardly worth the stress or the cost.

Hmm, thanks all for the advice. Real shame about the train. Maybe it won't be worth it - just seems such a shame to be so close and miss out...

BTW, although I live in Senegal I am British, so no visa necessary.

Note also that if you're connecting from an international to a domestic flight, you'll have to pick up your luggage, take it through customs, and then re-check it up at departures, even if it's tagged through. That's why I prefer to fly home to Trondheim via Copenhagen rather than Oslo.

If you're connection from international to international, don't follow the crowd but look for the shortcut to international connections. If you go with the flow and enter the baggage collection area, you're "dirty" and will have to go through customs and security.