Oslo's Main Airport: A Guide To Gardermoen

what is oslo

Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, is the main airport serving Oslo, Norway. It is alternatively referred to as Oslo Gardermoen Airport or simply Gardermoen. The airport is located 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi) northeast of Oslo and is the second-largest airport in Scandinavia and the Nordics.

Characteristics Values
Name Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Alternative names Oslo Lufthavn, Oslo Gardermoen Airport
IATA code OSL
ICAO code ENGM
Location 30-35 miles northeast of Oslo, at Gardermoen at the border of municipalities Nannestad and Ullensaker, in Akershus county
Owner Oslo Lufthavn AS, a limited company wholly owned by Avinor
Number of runways 2
Number of terminals 1
Number of destinations 195+
Number of gates 52
Amenities Free WiFi, retail stores including duty-free shops, restaurants, bars, banks, ATMs and currency exchanges
Year of opening 1998

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Oslo's main airport is called Oslo Lufthavn, also known as Oslo Airport, or Oslo Gardermoen Airport. It is located in Gardermoen, 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi) northeast of Oslo, at the border of the municipalities Nannestad and Ullensaker, in Akershus county. The airport is 50 kilometres (30 miles) away from the heart of Oslo.

The airport is accessible by road, with the main road corridor northwards from Oslo to Gardermoen being European Route E6. The E6 has been widened to six lanes north to Hvam, and to four lanes north to Gardermoen.

Oslo Lufthavn is also served by rail. The railway was financed by its users and built by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) through a subsidiary, NSB Gardermobanen. The subsidiary owns and operates the railway line and the airport trains. The Romerike Tunnel, which was built as part of the railway construction, encountered leaks that drained water from the lakes above, causing delays and budget overruns. The tunnel was not ready by the time the airport opened, so only two trains, instead of the intended six, were operational from the beginning. Today, the airport is connected to Oslo's city centre by a high-speed railway.

Public transport options for reaching the airport from Oslo include the Flytoget, Flybussen bus, and Bybanen rail, with the latter two options taking approximately 45 minutes.

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History and construction

The main airport in Oslo, Norway, is Oslo Lufthavn, also known as Oslo Airport or Oslo Gardermoen Airport. It is an international airport located 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi) northeast of Oslo, in the area of Gardermoen. The airport is alternatively referred to as Gardermoen, which comes from the name of a farm, "Garder", first mentioned in 1328, and "mo", meaning "moor" or "drill ground".

Oslo Airport is the second-largest airport in Scandinavia and the Nordics, and the second-busiest airport in Scandinavia and 17th busiest in Europe. It serves as a hub for Scandinavian Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Widerøe, and Norse Atlantic Airways. The airport has two parallel north-south runways and one terminal with two wings: the west wing for domestic flights and the east wing for international flights.

The construction of Oslo Airport began on 13 August 1994. The western runway was already in place, having been renovated by the Air Force in 1989, but a new eastern runway needed to be built. The construction required 13,000 man-years of work, with 220 subcontractors involved. Notably, there were no fatalities or accidents during the construction process. The airport was officially opened on 8 October 1998, replacing the previous airport at Fornebu.

The airport is owned by Oslo Lufthavn AS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avinor, a state-owned company that operates 46 Norwegian airports. The railway connection to the airport was built by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) through their subsidiary, NSB Gardermobanen. However, the construction of the Romerike Tunnel encountered leaks, causing delays and budget overruns. As a result, only two trains were operational when the airport opened, instead of the planned six.

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Military use

The main airport serving Oslo, the capital and most populous city of Norway, is Oslo Airport, also referred to as Oslo Gardermoen Airport or Gardermoen Airport. The airport is located 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi) northeast of Oslo, at Gardermoen, at the border of the municipalities Nannestad and Ullensaker, in Akershus county.

Oslo Airport has a long history of military use, dating back to the early 20th century. Gardermoen was first an army base, equipped with a landing field in 1912, and became a station for military flights. During World War II, the airport was taken over by the German Luftwaffe, who built the first proper airport facilities, including two crossing runways.

After World War II, the airport was returned to Norwegian control and was taken over by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, becoming the main air station. The Norwegian Air Force has maintained a presence at Gardermoen since then, and the base currently houses the 335-Squadron, which operates three Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport planes. The airbase handles nearly all military freight going abroad and serves as the main entry point for VIPs and officials travelling to Norway.

The Royal Norwegian Air Force base at Gardermoen is located on the north side of the passenger terminal at Oslo Airport. The air force station has a compact 41,000 square metres (440,000 sq ft) of building space and is designed for quick expansion without encroaching on the civilian section of the airport. The military utilizes the civilian terminals for their passenger transport needs, sending 200,000 people on chartered and scheduled flights from the main terminal each year.

The airport location was first used by the Norwegian Army in 1940, and the first military airport facilities were constructed during that time. The Norwegian Air Force has played a significant role in the development of Oslo Airport, with the western runway being renovated by the Air Force in 1989. The airport's connection to the military is also evident in its name, "Gardermoen," which combines the farm name "Garder" and the word "mo," meaning "drill ground."

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Commercial development

Oslo's main airport is Oslo Lufthavn (OSL), also known as Oslo Airport or Oslo Gardermoen Airport. It is located in Gardermoen, about 30 miles (50km) from Oslo.

Oslo Lufthavn Eiendom AS is the subsidiary of the airport's owning company, Oslo Lufthavn AS, that is responsible for the commercial development of real estate around the airport. The subsidiary owns and operates a range of commercial facilities, including:

  • An airport hotel run by the Radisson Blu chain
  • A second hotel, Park Inn, opened in 2010
  • An office building and conference centre, Flyporten, which features 60 conference rooms
  • An employee parking lot

The airport itself also has a range of commercial amenities, including retail stores, duty-free shops, restaurants, bars, banks, and currency exchanges.

Oslo Lufthavn is the busiest airport in Norway, with a passenger traffic flow of over 27 million people per year. It is a hub for several major airlines, including Scandinavian Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, and Widerøe, and offers flights to numerous domestic and international destinations. The airport has two runways and one terminal, with domestic flights operating from the west wing and international flights from the east wing.

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Facilities and amenities

The main airport in Oslo, Norway, is Oslo Lufthavn, also known as Oslo Airport (IATA: OSL), or (ICAO: ENGM) or Oslo Gardermoen Airport. It is located 30 miles northeast of Oslo, in the Gardermoen area, and is the second-largest airport in Scandinavia and the Nordics.

Oslo Airport has a range of facilities and amenities for passengers, including:

  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurants, cafes, and bars
  • Retail stores, including duty-free shops
  • Banks, ATMs, and currency exchange services
  • Conference rooms and event spaces
  • Employee and guest parking lots
  • Hotels: Radisson Blu and Park Inn

The airport also has a subsidiary, Oslo Lufthavn Eiendom AS, which is responsible for developing commercial real estate around the airport. The airport is easily accessible from the city centre by high-speed railway, bus, or car via the E6 motorway.

In addition to civilian operations, the Royal Norwegian Air Force has an airbase at the airport, located on the north side of the passenger terminal. The airbase handles military freight and passenger transport, serving as the main entry point for VIPs and officials visiting Norway.

Frequently asked questions

Oslo's main airport is called Oslo Lufthavn, also known as Oslo Airport, Gardermoen.

Oslo Airport is located 30 miles northeast of Oslo, in Gardermoen at the border of municipalities Nannestad and Ullensaker, in Akershus county.

Oslo Airport has two runways.

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