Important Notes

Currency

Norway’s official currency is the Krone (the plural is Kroner). Usually other currencies such as the Euro and US dollar aren’t accepted in Norway. It makes sense to carry a little local cash on you, but as cards are widely accepted (even preferred), you shouldn’t experience difficulties in paying for services here.

Language

English is widely spoken in Norway, and virtually every Norwegian can speak fluent (or understand a minimum of, this is mostly the elder people) English.Tourist information is usually printed in several languages. … Many Norwegians also speak or understand a second foreign language, often German, French or Spanish.

Weather

In Kristiansand, the summers are comfortable and partly cloudy and the winters are long, very cold, wet, windy, and mostly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 26°F to 68°F and is rarely below 11°F (11.67°C) or above 76°F (24.44°C).

Based on the tourism score, the best time of year to visit Kristiansand for warm-weather activities is from late June to mid August.

Time Difference

Like most states in Europe, Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in Kristiansand Time, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT+2 ).

Emergency Number

  • Police: 112
  • Fire: 110
  • Ambulance: 113
  • Sea Rescue: 120

Drinking water

The tap water in Norway is of excellent quality. You can drink tap water from anywhere as long as nothing else is stated. Bottled water can be bought in supermarkets, kiosks, gas stations and delis.

Tipping

In Norway, tipping is not cumpolsory. It is however usual for Norwegians to leave a tip in restaurants and bars if they are happy about the service. A 10-20% tip is expected if the customer is satisfied. For Norwegians it’s uncommon to tip taxi-drivers or cleaning staff at hotels.

Electricity

Norway uses the Europlug Type C & F (Schuko) connectors and 230V, 50Hz mains power, so you might need a travel adapter if coming from outside of Europe.