Travel Tips

Bank Cards

Always travel with two cards, one debit and one credit, keeping them in two different places. For example, if you're traveling with your spouse, each could carry a card. Or keep one in the hotel safe and the other one in your wallet. This is necessary due to bank and travel insurance requirements if cards are stolen or lost. To block Norwegian-issued bank cards if lost or stolen, call:

• For most debit cards in Norway - 08989 (BBS) , outside Norway +47 222 14 055
• For VISA credit cards - 815 00 500
• For American Express inside Norway - 800 68 300, outside Norway +47 669 84 373
• For Diner's Club - +47 210 15 000
• For most "savings bank" cards, ie MasterCard - 815 49 800
• For Sparebank1 - 800 83 111

Put the pertinent numbers in your mobile phone before leaving on your trip.

Currency Tips

Minibanks give the best currency rate. Have some cash in the currency of the country you're visiting before leaving Norway. If you use your bank card with VISA, make sure you are charged in the local currency and not in Norwegian kroner. This will give you the best rate.

Flying Delays while traveling in the EU or EØS

Compensation rights as a ticketholder for non-chartered package trips:

• Between 2-4 hours (depending on flight length) - food and drink
• Over 5 hours - can cancel your ticket or demand rerouting at your convenience
• Flight Cancellation - can demand rerouting ASAP or later at your conveniece
• Overbooking - can either have your your ticket price refunded within 7 days or demand later rerouting

Economic Compensation:
With both cancellation and overbooking, you have the right to free food and drink, hotel, and transport. Extra compensation:

• 250€ in compensation for flights up to 1500km
• 400€ for flights between 1500-3500km
• 600€ for all flights over 3500km

Airlines can reduce this compensation up to 50% if they can get you to your destination within 2, 3 or 4 hours. You can be refused compensation if they provide early cancellation information, in case of bad weather or due to security measures. (EU-EØS rules from Feb 2005)

Lost, Damaged or Delayed Luggage

• Delayed: you have the right to compensation for necessary items, ie toiletries, medicine, and a change of clothes.
• Lost or damaged: up to 9000NOK when traveling to or from any airport in an EØS area, or 170 NOK per kilo of baggage if traveling outside the EØS area. You must inform the airline within 7 days to get compensation.

Airline Complaints

For airline tickets bought from SAS Braathens, Widerøe, and Norwegian: Reklamasjonsnemnda for rutefly, Boks 2924 Solli, 0230 Oslo.

For all other airlines, complaints go to Avignor.

Theft on Vacation

To receive compensation, you must inform the police of the country you're in. Most travel insurance policies demand:

• A police report
• Confirmation that you've kept your money or valuables on your person or locked in your hotel room (or safe).

Stolen or lost Norwegian Passport: contact Utenriksdepartmentet (Foreign Department), tlf +47 222 436 00 (24 hours), and they will direct you to the nearest consulate or embassy.

Foreign Purchases

Duty Free quota: you are allowed up to 6000 NOK in goods.(Not including alcoholic beverages)

Sickness or Injury

EU countries: Bring your healthcard. This gives you free rights to medical treatments in EU-EØS countries, or in Switzerland. Order your card at trygdeetaten.no (in English).

Outside EU: You have to have travel insurance that covers sickness/injury. For more information, contact your insurance company. Keep all receipts.

Tipping Wisely

• Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Portugal, and Spain: Service as a rule is included, but you can tip up to 5% for exceptionally good service.
• Finland, Germany, and Switzerland: Service is included, tips are not necessary.
• United Kingdom and Malta: It's normal to give at least 10% in restaurants and taxis.
• Ireland: Service is normally included. If not, 10% at restaurants.
• Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia: Big tipping culture. Give an Egyptian pound to bellhops, etc. Give more on Nile cruises and in finer restaurants.
• Cyprus: Round up to nearest half or whole pound. One Cyprus pound is approx. equal to 14 NOK.
• The Czech Republic and Austria: Normally between 5 and 10%. You tell your waiter how much.
• Turkey: Give up to 5-10% if you're pleased with the service. Round up for taxis.
• Hungary: Big tipping culture. 10% in restaurants and taxis. Let your waiter know how much.
• USA: Big tipping culture. 10-15% normally in restaurants, however can be up to 20% in certain areas of the country. Note that many places will place the tips on the bill for groups over 6 people.

Haggling: in countries such as Turkey and the north African countries, you should haggle when making a purchase. It's a natural part of the culture. Start with offering half the suggested price. If you offer too little, you won't get the item.