Well, I did a big no-no here in Oslo last week. I was going to my Sunday night yoga class at 5:30pm. I was already late to the underground and so was going to be about fifteen minutes late to class. Anyways, I packed my purse light because I didn’t need anything with me because I was just going to yoga.

So, two stops after I got on the train, there was none other than ticket control. I have a monthly pass, but of course in my ‘light packing’ for yoga, forgot that I might need my wallet, which contains my ticket. I was escorted off of the train and told to go get a ticket written up for not having my pass.

So I went away from the guy who took me off of the train and tried to blend in with the crowd and sneak back on the train so I wouldn’t get a ticket (wasn’t afraid of the ticket, was afraid of telling Marius I got a ticket ….). I tried twice to escape, but did not succeed.

Finally I went to where they were writing tickets and they asked for id. Of course I had no id because I left my wallet at home (with my pass). So they had to call the police on the phone and see if they could verify who I was. Of course they could not verify with ANYONE that I existed in Norway at all. By the way, I have a residence permit here and got married here. You would think they would know that!

So I was told to pay 700kr- or they would call the police and have me arrested. Of course, I didn’t have my wallet - which had my id and my ticket in it - so I did not have any money or credit cards either. Grrrrrr.

So I begged them to let me call Marius (because I didn’t know what else to do), who I prayed would answer his phone…because he is the one who is teaching the yoga class, which I was now about an hour late for.

Thank goodness he answered and I don’t know what he said to the guy, but after he got off of the phone with them they just wrote me a ticket and let me leave.

It was a little nerve-wracking experience. I was thinking, “It figures I’d end up in Norwegian jail for forgetting my monthly pass - which I DO have!”.

So, the ticket is a whopping 900kr- that is $169.64. And somehow Marius was not even mad….An hour and fifteen minutes late to the yoga class and a 900kr- ticket later, I arrived just in time for some deep (and much needed) relaxation.

The moral of the story is: Don’t forget your bus/metro pass when you take public transportation in Norway. Its an expensive ticket!

Where to purchase you tickets for the local Oslo transportation?

When you are in Norway you can purchase a pass to ride on the underground metro, the city buses and the tram as much as you want. As far as I know there are daily, weekly and monthly passes. You can purchase them at a Narvesen (I don’t know if that is spelled correctly), which are a lot like a 7eleven here in Oslo or at a ticket machine (as in the picture) or if you are taking a bus, you can buy a ticket from the driver.

Once you buy your ticket do not forget to get it stamped. On the buses and trams you can stamp them inside. On the metro/underground you can usually do it near the ticket machine. If you look in the picture of the ticket machine, it is the little yellow machine to the right of the big one.

FYI an unstamped ticket is as worthless to the ticket control as not having one at all!