Biking around the Oslofjord

Do you want a cycle trip out of the ordinary?

Explore charming coastal villages along the Oslofjord – full of cultural highlights!

Sun in the face and windy hair. The pedals run easy, and there is so much to look forward to.

Let's go!

South of Oslo, there is a truly beautiful two wheel-adventure waiting for you!

Just rent an electric (or normal) bike in the capital and cycle all the way, or take the train to wherever you want to start and stop the journey.

Art galleries, historical treasures, local cafés and hidden gems lies like pearls on a string, and it can almost be hard to choose where to stop.

But don't worry, we will show you the highlights – you only have to care about spoiling yourself! :)

Combine a city break in Oslo with a biking adventure like no other. Well known to many Norwegians, but still off the beaten track for most foreign tourists, the innermost part of the Oslofjord is a biking paradise with short distances between top cultural experiences, good food and great places to stay!

Travel routes

There are several ways to do this trip. Here are our favorite options!

1. You can bike all the way (except the ferry-ride midway).
2. Bike all the way from Oslo to Moss, then take the ferry to Horten, and bike between Horten, Åsgårdstrand and Drammen.
3. Go by train from Oslo to Moss, then bike the stretch as mentioned above until you reach Drammen. We recommend the train at the last stretch from Drammen to Oslo, because this road is usually more trafficked.

If you are tired of biking when arriving in Åsgårdstrand, you can also jump on the train either from Tønsberg (45 km and 13,4 km south of Åsgårdstrand) or Sande (1 hour 52 min and 34 km north of Åsgårdstrand).

PS: You can also do the whole trip by car, if that suits you better.

Santa stop in Drøbak

From the Oslo city center, you cycle 37 km until you reach the idyllic, small seaside towns of Drøbak, known for its rich history, cozy center, narrow streets with small wooden houses, quaint boutiques, art galleries and local craft shops where you can really discover some treasures!

For a more detailed description on where exactly to bike from Oslo to Drøbak, check out this travel route description from NAF travel planner, but in short terms: Cycle along the sea, on the Mosseveien road until it merges with the Gamle Mossevei road. Then continue on the Nessetveien road until reaching Årungen, take to the right and continue on Freensveien. Follow this road straight (it will first merge into Kirkeveien, then Osloveien), until you arrive in Drøbak.

You should also pay a visit to the historic Drøbak Church from the 13th century, the Santa Claus Post Office in the center of Drøbak, and the Oscarsborg Fortress on the small island just outside the town. The fortress is reachable with boat, and there is also a nice hotel here. Drøbak also have a nice shoreline with many nice bathing spots, so jump in the sea for a refreshing dip too!

Afterward, continue for 14 km along countryside roads and rolling fields to the hidden gem of Hvitsten. Do as the famous Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen once did, and go for a leisurely stroll along the coastline, and look out for the many quirky figureheads that are exhibited in the area.

You should definitely also make a stop at the unique Cultural Destination Ramme. Here, treat yourself with an organic lunch from Ramme’s working eco-farm, walk in Edvard Munch’s footsteps and admire world-class art, or join a guided tour in the fairytale-like Havlyst garden park. You can also spend the night at the upscale Ramme fjordhotel before you keep pedaling on.

11 km further south, you cycle through the very nice summer village of Son, where you also might want to park the bike and spend the rest of the day (and maybe some tired leg muscles) on the posh Son Spa Hotel. Bad weather? A hot sauna is the answer!

On the road again. Next stop is Moss, 12 km away, and on this stretch you can bike along the sea all the way to the city's brand new Riviera Hotel!

If you are looking for tropical vibes, you will for sure find it here!

The hotel is located right beside a nice beach, and it has its own spa- and swimming area on the rooftop with a bar that serves the most colorful drinks.

We continue strolling through the more historical parts of Moss.

Along the river, the surrounding old factory buildings and the old town area, there are many green parks and cozy cafés, like for example Farbror Melkers Café, that are really worth a visit!

This is also a paradise if you are interested in architecture and history, – or for those who just want to take a cool Instagram picture!

Let's leave the city life for a bit, and come along to experience some real rural luxury on the idyllic Jeløy peninsula, just a 10 minute bike ride from Moss.

And let's be honest, biking through an alley of maple trees on a size like this is an experience in itself!

In the end of the alley, there is a large stone gate to ...

... Gallery F15!

The beautiful, old manor house, that is surrounded by cozy farm houses, is one of Norway's oldest and most prestigious exhibition venues for Norwegian and Nordic contemporary art and handicrafts.

And they also got ...

... Moss' best cake, Albykringlen (the Alby cake)!

It might be the world's best, actually, in our opinion ... At least it's worth a shot for sure!

Just a five-minute bike ride away, we find charming Røed farm.

The farm is mentioned in documents as far back as the 14th century, but the houses today date back to the 18th century, so here's a lot of history in the walls!

Visit the galleries of several artisans that have their workshops and exhibitions in the historical buildings.

If you have space for more after that fluffy cake you just ate at Gallery F15, you should also definitely try some of the delicious food and drink in the café and bring outside in the cozy garden!

Ready to be treated like the lord you are?

Welcome to Refsnes Gods.

Enjoy the view from the hotel, just like guests have done here for over 250 years.

Perhaps the world-famous artist, Edward Munch, stood here and wondered about life during some of his stays?

He and other famous Norwegian artists like Peder Balke, Hans Gude and many more, found good inspiration from this place for their masterpieces.

After a long day with many impressions, slow down with a delicious dinner in the beautiful, historic restaurant. Or time your cycle trip for after noon tea at weekends!

If you want to spoil yourself, spend the night here, or in one of the hotels in Moss. There are also several good camping options in the area.

Good morning, sunshine! Let's go to the western side of the fjord.

Or maybe you have to return to Oslo? Choice is yours, but if you choose to continue, take the ferry from the center of Moss.

In 30 min, we will reach ...

... Horten!

We start by exploring the Horten channel and the former main base for the navy, Karljohansvern!

Ever dreamt of getting inside a submarine?

At the year-open Karljohansvern naval museum, you actually can! But be aware, it might be a biiit ...

... tight, especially if you have claustrophobia.

The submarine was in service from 1965 until 1990, before it was given to the museum and put on land. Just imagine life for those who worked here, when it was in use!

But don't worry, the naval museum also have less tight exhibitions.

It is actually one of the world's oldest of its kind, with exciting collections related to the Navy's history through war and peace.

The same building also houses Preus, Norway's national photo museum, with an image collection of over 325,000 photographs from Norwegian and international photographers.

Interested in history?

Then you should keep pedaling for about 20 minutes, until you reach Borre.

This magical area was once an important residence during the Viking Age, and today you can still admire the large burial mounds that remains (some even untouched) here!

You should also check out the Midgard Viking center, a living museum.

The Viking longhouse is a replica of how the houses looked like, thousands of years ago, and you can join activities for both old and young – all year around.

Let's get back to modern times and keep biking a few more minutes south, to the very charming seaside village of Åsgårdstrand!

The village has a thriving artist's community, with several galleries and shops, especially in the cozy pedestrian street of Smalgangen.

Look out for a small yellow house, surrounded by a lush garden with tall trees, and the most beautiful view over the sea.

This is the best preserved house of the world-famous painter Edvard Munch that exists today.

There are still even a lot of painting tools and other personal items in the house, and in the associated painting studio, which has remained almost untouched since the painter left the site for the last time.

Pssst! Have you actually been to Åsgårdstrand if you haven't taken a "The Girls on the bridge"-picture?

We think Edvard would have been proud, at least.

Starting to get hungry?

Treat yourself with a nice lunch or dinner at the Grand Hotel in Åsgårdstrand, right above the brigde you just took a photo with.

Here you can get really spoiled, with both the view and the food!

Velbekomme (bon appetít)!

When it's time to go back to Oslo, bike through lush fields and along the sea almost all the way up to Sande.

On the way, you will pass the fjord village Holmestrand, which is a good place to take a last break before you pedal the last stretch to the train station in Drammen.

If you are tired of biking, you can also take the train from Tønsberg, which is just a 45 minute bike ride from Åsgårdstrand.

Time your trip

Because of all the things you can see and do, this trip can almost be made as long as you want it to be. Use a week, a weekend, or just race the whole route in one day. If you bike the whole route from Oslo to Drammen without any stops, the whole trip is around 166 km (9,5 hours), but check beneath for time and kilometer between every stop. Even though you can do everything in one day, we definitely recommend taking your time to experience the places on the way!

Distances between the stops, with bike:

(Faster with electric bike)

  1. Oslo–Drøbak: 37,5 km - 2 hour 9 min
  2. Drøbak–The Cultural destination Ramme: 12,2 km - 52 min
  3. Ramme–Hvitsten: 1,5 km - 5 min
  4. Hvitsten– Son: 11,2 km - 46 min
  5. Son–Moss (Hotel Riviera): 11,3 km - 37 min
    1. In Moss: Hotel Riviera–Farbror Melkers Café: 634 m, 3 min
    2. Farbror Melkers Café–Galleri F15: 5,5 km, 19 min
    3. Galleri F 15–Røed Farm: 1,4 km, 4 min
    4. Røed Farm–Refsnes Gods: 2 km, 8 min
  6. Refsnes Gods–Moss Ferry wharf: 3,2 km, 12 min
  7. Moss Ferry wharf–Horten Ferry wharf (time with boat): 10,9 km - 34 min
  8. Horten Ferry wharf–Karljohansvern: 2,5 km – 8 min
  9. Karljohansvern–Borre: 6,9 km - 24 min
  10. Borre–Åsgårdstrand: 4,2 km - 14 min
  11. Åsgårdstrand–Holmestrand: 20,7 km - 1 hour 9 min
  12. Holmestrand–Drammen: 33,9 km - 1 hour 48 min

(This route is planned with NAF travel planner)

Train rides (you can buy tickets through Vy or Entur):

Eastern side of the Oslofjord:
Oslo – Moss: 30-40 min

Western side of the Oslofjord:
Drammen – Oslo: 33 min
Sande – Oslo: 49 min
Tønsberg – Oslo: 1hour 11 min

Extend your trip

If you want to enlengthen your biking trip, we recommend that you continue along the eastern coast from Moss to the charming city of Fredrikstad. Then bike further on all the way to Strømstad (SWEDEN), where you take the ferry from Strømstad back to Norway again, to the summer city of Sandefjord. Then you can cycle north towards Oslo from Sandefjord, through Tønsberg and Åsgårdstrand (after this, just continue on the route above).

Discover Norway offers a pre packed 6 days cycle trip along this route.

Get your wheels rolling and plan your trip now!