Oslo has one main long-distance train station, Oslo Sentralstasjon, almost always written Oslo S in timetables and Oslo Central Station in English. One underground stop in the central business district, Nationaltheatret, sees the same long-distance trains a few minutes later. Two western stations, Skøyen and Lysaker, sit on the Drammen Line and are useful western alternates rather than full long-distance termini. Oslo Airport has its own station built directly below the terminal. For almost every traveller, the default is Oslo S.
Oslo S is also the entry point for international services. SJ runs Oslo to Stockholm over the Kongsvinger Line, Vy runs Oslo to Gothenburg, and Vy long-distance services head west to Bergen and southwest to Stavanger. There is no direct train to Copenhagen or to Berlin. The wrong station, or the wrong operator, can cost a connection.
Oslo’s main train stations at a glance
If your booking page only shows “Oslo“, open the train details before paying and look at the named station. “Oslo S“ and “Oslo Sentralstasjon“ and “Oslo Central Station“ are the same place under three names. Skøyen, Lysaker, and Nationaltheatret are separate stations on the Drammen Line, and they do not handle every long-distance train.
| Station | Best for | Networks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oslo S (Oslo Central) | Long-distance, regional, international, airport express | Vy, Flytoget, Go-Ahead Norge, SJ Norge, SJ, Vy Tåg | The default for almost every trip. |
| Nationaltheatret | Long-distance and regional in central Oslo | Vy, Flytoget, Go-Ahead Norge | Underground stop on the Drammen Line, useful for Vika and Aker Brygge. |
| Skøyen | Western suburbs and airport express | Flytoget, Vy | 4 km west of Oslo S. S-tog and Vy services only. |
| Lysaker | Bærum and western suburbs | Flytoget, Vy, Go-Ahead Norge | 7 km west of Oslo S. Drammen Line and Asker Line. |
| Oslo Airport (Gardermoen) | Airport arrivals and departures | Flytoget, Vy, SJ Norge | Built into the terminal. Flytoget on platforms 2 and 3. |
The rule of thumb. Choose Oslo S unless your trip is specifically the airport, or you are staying near Vika or Aker Brygge (Nationaltheatret), or your hotel is near Skøyen or in Bærum (Skøyen or Lysaker).
Oslo S (Oslo Central Station): the default station
Oslo Sentralstasjon, abbreviated Oslo S and written Oslo Central Station on English-language booking sites, is the long-distance, regional, international, and airport-express hub for the Norwegian capital. It sits at Jernbanetorget 1 in the Gamle Oslo district. The current station opened on 1 June 1980, replacing the older Oslo Ø terminus. Bane NOR Eiendom owns the building; Bane NOR operates it.
A few numbers help with orientation. Oslo S has 19 tracks, the highest count of any station in Norway. The waiting hall is open from 03:45 to 01:30 daily, per the Vy operator page; it is not a 24 hour station. The customer service desk runs Monday to Friday 08:00 to 19:00 and weekends 09:00 to 15:00.
The station has several useful connections. A covered pedestrian bridge from the north entrance leads to Galleri Oslo and the Oslo Bus Terminal, which handles long-distance coaches. An underground passage from the concourse links Oslo S to Jernbanetorget metro station, which is served by all five Oslo Metro lines (lines 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5). Several tram lines stop on the surface at Jernbanetorget.
What to check before you set off. The named platform group for your train, and whether the same train calls at Nationaltheatret a few minutes later if you are staying in the central business district. A surprising number of Vy and Flytoget trains do.
Nationaltheatret: the second central stop
Nationaltheatret is an underground station on the Drammen Line in the central business district. It opened on 1 June 1980 as part of the Oslo Tunnel project, and was upgraded from two to four tracks in 1999. The same Vy long-distance trains heading west (towards Drammen, Skien, Bergen, and Stavanger) call here a few minutes after Oslo S, as do Flytoget services to and from the airport and Go-Ahead Norge services to Stavanger.
Nationaltheatret is the right station for anyone staying near Vika, Aker Brygge, the Royal Palace, or the western side of the central business district. It is co-located with Nationaltheatret metro station, served by all five Oslo Metro lines, and with several tram stops. From a hotel in Vika, boarding at Nationaltheatret saves a 1.5 km walk over to Jernbanetorget.
What to check. The specific train timetable. Trains heading north or east of Oslo typically depart from Oslo S and do not call Nationaltheatret. For anything going west, the same train usually calls at both stations.
Skøyen and Lysaker: the western alternates
Two stations west of Oslo S sit on the Drammen Line and are useful western alternates for travellers staying in the right neighbourhoods. Neither is a substitute for Oslo S on a Bergen or Stockholm trip; not every long-distance train calls at either.
Skøyen station is 4.36 km west of Oslo S. It has 4 tracks on 2 island platforms and sits on the Drammen Line and the Skøyen to Filipstad Line. It is served by Flytoget and Vy; Go-Ahead Norge does not list Skøyen on its station roster. Tram line 13 (Lilleaker Line and Skøyen Line) stops nearby. Skøyen is useful for hotels in the Skøyen district and for Flytoget passengers who would otherwise change at Oslo S to head west again.
Lysaker station is in Bærum, 7.00 km from Oslo S. It also has 4 tracks on 2 island platforms and sits on the Drammen Line and the Asker Line. It is served by Flytoget, Vy, and Go-Ahead Norge. Lysaker was rebuilt from two to four tracks between 2006 and 2009, and was connected to the Asker Line in 2011, which is why more long-distance trains call here than at Skøyen.
What to check. That the specific train calls at Skøyen or Lysaker. The booking page on Entur or the operator app shows the calling pattern; trains run by Vy on the Bergen Line typically run direct from Oslo S without calling at Skøyen.
Oslo Airport Station: Flytoget against the regional train
Oslo Airport, also known as Gardermoen or Oslo lufthavn, has its own train station built directly below the terminal. Reach it from the arrivals hall by escalator or lift. The station is 48 km from Oslo S (51.85 km by line marker) and opened in 1998 with the new airport.
The platform layout matters. Flytoget, the Airport Express Train, uses inner island platforms 2 and 3. Vy regional and local trains, plus SJ Norge long-distance trains on the Dovre Line to Trondheim, use the side platforms 1 and 4. Going to the wrong platform group is the most common airport-station mistake.
The decision is between Flytoget and a Vy regional or local train. Flytoget runs every 10 minutes between Oslo Airport and Oslo S, with a 19 minute journey time, and five of six hourly services continue west of Oslo S to Asker. Two of those continue to Drammen. Vy R10 and R11 regional services and the L12 local train cover the same Oslo S to Oslo Airport corridor in just over 20 minutes, at intervals of 10 to 20 minutes, at standard Vy ticket prices.
What to check. The live screens for the next train and the platform group. If you are travelling with an Interrail or Eurail pass, choose the Vy regional or local service rather than Flytoget, which is a separate paid premium operator outside the standard rail-pass set.
International trains from Oslo S: Stockholm, Gothenburg, and what is missing
Oslo S handles every international train in and out of Oslo. There are fewer of these than first-time visitors expect.
The Oslo to Stockholm route is operated by Swedish SJ on the Kongsvinger Line. SJ runs the trains, sells the tickets, and answers questions about disruption; buying through Vy is not the right channel for the SJ-branded service. Tickets are bought at sj.se or via Entur. There are multiple daily round trips between the two capitals.
The Oslo to Gothenburg route is operated by Vy and is bookable on vy.no. It is the standard way to start a journey south by train; the onward Gothenburg to Copenhagen leg is run by Swedish SJ and is booked separately.
What is missing. There is no direct train from Oslo to Copenhagen. The seat61.com Copenhagen to Oslo page advises planning the trip with a change at Gothenburg. Snälltåget, the Swedish open-access operator, does run a Berlin Night Express, but it operates Stockholm to Malmö to Hamburg to Berlin and does not call at Oslo.
What to check. The operator on the booking. SJ tickets for Oslo to Stockholm are not sold by Vy. If a booking page offers a “direct“ Oslo to Copenhagen result, look at the train details; it is almost certainly a change at Gothenburg sold as a single ticket.
Operators at Oslo S
Oslo S is shared by several Norwegian and Swedish operators, each with a clear domain.
Vy is the Norwegian national operator. It runs the Vy R10 and R11 regional services from Oslo S, the Vy local network, and Vy long-distance from Oslo to Bergen on the Bergen Line and from Oslo to Stavanger on the Sørlandet Line until 2027.
Flytoget, the Airport Express Train, is an independent airport operator. It runs Oslo Airport to Oslo S in 19 minutes every 10 minutes, with some services continuing west to Asker and to Drammen.
Go-Ahead Norge runs the Sørlandet, Jæren, and Arendal lines, including the Oslo to Stavanger service. Go-Ahead won the southern package in 2018, services started on 15 December 2019, and the contract returns to Vy from 2027.
SJ Norge AS, the Norwegian subsidiary of Swedish SJ, runs Oslo to Trondheim on the Dovre Line and operates the Nordland, Rauma, and Røros line services.
SJ AB, the Swedish parent, runs the Oslo to Stockholm service on the Kongsvinger Line.
Vy Tåg is Vy’s Swedish subsidiary and is also listed as an Oslo S operator for cross-border Swedish services.
What to check. Which operator runs the specific train you have booked. That decides where the ticket is sold and which app or counter to use on the day.
Tickets, apps, and rail passes
Entur is the Norwegian multi-operator planner and booking platform. It is the easiest single tool for trip planning across Vy, Go-Ahead Norge, SJ Norge, and most connecting domestic services. For most domestic trips, planning and buying on Entur is the simplest approach.
A few rules trip pass holders up. Vy regional and long-distance trains accept Interrail and Eurail passes as part of the standard rail-pass network. Flytoget, the Airport Express Train, is a separate paid premium operator and is not part of the standard rail-pass network; pass holders travelling to or from Oslo Airport should use Vy R10, R11, or L12 instead. SJ Oslo to Stockholm: passes are accepted on Swedish SJ services with the SJ reservation rules in force.
On the ground. Oslo S has ticket counters and machines in the main concourse. Ticket machines also operate at Oslo Airport, Nationaltheatret, Skøyen, and Lysaker. Flytoget operates its own ticket gates at Oslo Airport and at Oslo S; the Vy app and the Flytoget app are not the same thing.
What to check. That your pass is valid on the specific operator before you board, and that the planner you used has actually issued the ticket type the conductor expects.
Connecting transport at Oslo S
Oslo S is the city’s transport hub: heavy rail, metro, tram, and long-distance bus all meet there or on the same block.
The Metro. Jernbanetorget metro station sits directly underneath Oslo S, served by all five Oslo Metro lines (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5). The entrance is from inside the station concourse and from street level on Jernbanetorget.
Trams. Several Oslo tram lines call at Jernbanetorget on the surface in front of the station.
Long-distance buses. The Oslo Bus Terminal sits in the Galleri Oslo complex on the north side of the railway. Reach it from Oslo S by walking over the covered pedestrian bridge from the north entrance; the terminal is not inside Oslo S itself.
What to check. Which exit you want. The bus terminal is on the north side over the bridge, the metro is downstairs from the concourse, and the trams are on the south side at street level on Jernbanetorget.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main train stations in Oslo?
The main long-distance station is Oslo Sentralstasjon, abbreviated Oslo S and written Oslo Central Station in English. One underground stop in the central business district, Nationaltheatret, sees the same long-distance trains a few minutes later on the Drammen Line. Two western stations, Skøyen (4.36 km west of Oslo S) and Lysaker (7.00 km from Oslo S, in Bærum), sit on the Drammen Line and the Asker Line and are useful western alternates. Oslo Airport has its own train station built directly below the terminal at Gardermoen.
Is Oslo S the same as Oslo Central Station?
Yes. Oslo S, Oslo Sentralstasjon, and Oslo Central Station are three names for the same station. Oslo S is the abbreviation, Oslo Sentralstasjon is the Norwegian name, and Oslo Central Station is the English form used on most international booking sites. The station sits at Jernbanetorget 1 in the Gamle Oslo district and is owned by Bane NOR Eiendom, operated by Bane NOR. It opened on 1 June 1980, replacing the older Oslo Ø.
What is the train station at Oslo Airport called?
Oslo Airport Station, also known as Gardermoen Station or Oslo lufthavn stasjon. It is built directly below the airport terminal at Gardermoen, 48 km from Oslo Central Station (51.85 km by line marker). It opened in 1998 with the new airport. Flytoget uses the inner island platforms 2 and 3; Vy regional and local trains and SJ Norge long-distance trains use the outer side platforms 1 and 4.
How do I get from Oslo Airport to Oslo Central by train?
Two operators run the airport corridor. Flytoget, the Airport Express Train, runs every 10 minutes between Oslo Airport and Oslo S with a 19 minute journey time, and five of six hourly services continue west of Oslo S towards Asker, with two of those going on to Drammen. Vy R10 and R11 regional services and the L12 local train cover the same route in just over 20 minutes at intervals of 10 to 20 minutes, at standard Vy ticket prices. Flytoget is a separate paid premium operator; Vy ticket prices are lower, and Vy services accept Norwegian rail tickets and rail passes.
Which station do the trains to Stockholm leave from?
Oslo S. The Oslo to Stockholm service is operated by Swedish SJ on the Kongsvinger Line. Tickets are bought at sj.se or via Entur, the Norwegian multi-operator booking platform; the SJ service is not booked through vy.no.
Is there a direct train from Oslo to Copenhagen?
No. There is no direct train from Oslo to Copenhagen. The standard rail route is Oslo to Gothenburg, then a change at Gothenburg for a Copenhagen-bound service. Vy runs the Oslo to Gothenburg leg, bookable on vy.no; SJ runs Gothenburg to Copenhagen and is booked through SJ. Snälltåget operates a Stockholm to Malmö to Hamburg to Berlin route as the Berlin Night Express; that service does not call at Oslo.
Can I use an Interrail or Eurail pass on Flytoget?
Flytoget, the Airport Express Train, is a separate paid premium operator and is not part of the standard rail-pass network. Flytoget tickets are not valid on Vy trains and Vy tickets are not valid on Flytoget. Pass holders travelling between Oslo Airport and Oslo S should use the Vy R10, R11 regional services or the L12 local train, which take just over 20 minutes and are part of the standard Norwegian rail network.
Which station do the trains to Bergen leave from?
Oslo S. Vy runs the Oslo to Bergen service using the Drammen Line out of Oslo and the Bergen Line (Bergensbanen) onward from Hønefoss to Bergen. The Bergen Line itself runs Hønefoss to Bergen and is 371 km long; the through service from Oslo combines the Drammen Line and the Bergen Line on a single ticket. Most Oslo to Bergen trains also call at Nationaltheatret a few minutes after Oslo S, which is useful for travellers staying near Vika or Aker Brygge.
Where is Nationaltheatret station and when should I use it instead of Oslo S?
Nationaltheatret is an underground station on the Drammen Line in the central business district, 1.4 km from Oslo S. It is the second busiest station in Norway after Oslo Central. The same Vy long-distance trains heading west (towards Drammen, Skien, Bergen, and Stavanger), the Flytoget Airport Express, and Go-Ahead Norge services to Stavanger all call here a few minutes after Oslo S. Use Nationaltheatret if you are staying near Vika, Aker Brygge, the Royal Palace, or the western side of the central business district. It is co-located with Nationaltheatret metro station on all five Oslo Metro lines.
