Ferries to Oslo
Is there a direct ferry to Oslo?
Yes, two: from Kiel in Germany and from Copenhagen in Denmark. The Kiel ferry is Color Line’s overnight cruise ship, just under 20 hours, with restaurants, a show and a cabin for everyone on board; it is the most comfortable way into Norway and the one most drivers from the south use. The Copenhagen ship, run by Go Nordic Cruiseline (Gotlandsbolaget), sails the two capitals overnight and no longer calls at Frederikshavn, so it is now a straight Copenhagen to Oslo crossing. The old Frederikshavn to Oslo route has stopped.
Map: ferries to Oslo from Germany and Denmark
About the crossings to Oslo
Kiel to Oslo
- Operator: Color Line, with the Color Fantasy and Color Magic.
- Duration: just under 20 hours, departing 14:00, arriving 10:00 the next morning.
- On board: cabins for all passengers, several restaurants, bars, a show and plenty for children.
This is the direct crossing from northern Germany to the Norwegian capital, and the arrival up the Oslofjord is the best entrance Norway has. My brother has made this trip many times and keeps coming back to it, so it comes recommended from close by. For most passengers from the European mainland, and for British drivers who have crossed to Holland, it is the logical holiday route: a day on the motorway, then a night at sea instead of a hotel. Color Line is being bought by Stena; nothing changes for sailings or bookings until the deal closes in 2027.
Copenhagen to Oslo
Sailing from Denmark now means Copenhagen. The Go Nordic ship leaves in the late afternoon and arrives in Oslo the next morning, about 17 hours, and it is the obvious choice if you start on Zealand or in southern Sweden, or want both capitals in one trip. We have sailed it ourselves, on the Crown and Pearl ships in the DFDS years; the report still applies to the ships and the route.
- Operator: Go Nordic Cruiseline (Gotlandsbolaget).
- No stopover: the Frederikshavn call has gone.
- Best for: trips starting in Copenhagen, and foot passengers.
Other ways to Oslo
Oslo is often one stop on a loop through Norway, so it can pay to arrive by one route and leave by another. Common combinations: in via Kiel, out via Larvik or Kristiansand to Hirtshals; or in via Kiel to Gothenburg, three and a half hours’ drive from Oslo, and home on the Oslo to Kiel ship. All the routes into the country are on our Norway ferry page.
If you would rather keep driving, the Puttgarden to Rødby crossing and the Øresund Bridge take you through Copenhagen and Sweden to Oslo by road.
On board the ferry to Oslo
Photos from the Kiel to Oslo ship and the route maps for the crossings to Oslo.
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- Aboard the Color Line
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- Docking of the Color Fantasy © FerryGoGo
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- Playground for the little ones on the Color Fantasy © FerryGoGo
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- The Color Fantasy © FerryGoGo
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- Bar at Color Fantasy © FerryGoGo
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- Restaurant
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- Kiel to Oslo route
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- Kiel and Copenhagen to Oslo
Prices and availability
Enter the crossing and your dates below for live fares and sailing times for the ferries to Oslo.
Routes to consider for Oslo
- Kiel to Oslo, direct.
- Kiel to Gothenburg, then drive via Sweden.
- The long drive through Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
Useful for travellers to Norway
