NPL tips: Apps & websites 📱
What apps and websites are good to have a look at while planning, but also out there when you’re completing your Norge på langs-journey? Or even when you’re just out travelling in Norway, hiking shorter hikes etc?
Well, down below we have listed a few that we had a lot of use for and that might be helpful for you too!
The titles link to the websites or to the apps on Google Play Store.
Apps
Ticket app for Agder kollektivtrafik. Can be used for buying bus tickets to/from Lindesnes. We bought our ticket from Lillehavn kryss to Kristiansand Rutebilstasjon through this app.
Billett Nordland (now Reis)
Ticket app for Nordland fylkeskommune. Might be useful if you, like us, decides to go to Lofoten on your way to/from Nordkapp (North Cape).
Hut and food payment. I think this is the app that we used most on our entire hike. Here you will pay for both accommodation and food in almost all of the unmanned and self-manned DNT huts.
DNT membership card. You add your DNT member information in this app, and that way you don't need to carry a physical DNT member card, just use this app. We actually never had to show our membership card but if anyone would ask for it, we would need to show it to be allowed to stay in the huts.
Travel planner for most of Norway's buses, trains and ferries. We used this planner mainly to get an overview, then bought the tickets directly from the different companies.
Topographic map of Norway. We used this app as a backup map for when Topo GPS was not detailed enough. You can add gpx-files to this map which is useful, and you can also save the map offline. The only downside is that the map takes up a lot of space if you want a detailed version, which made us have to remember to download new maps whenever we had wi-fi.
Free map of Norway. This app has both topographic, sea and satellite maps of Norway. We used this app as a backup map for when Topo GPS was not detailed enough. You can pre-sale the map offline which is useful.
Ticket app for buses, trams, metro etc in Oslo.
Travel planner for Troms and Finnmark fylkeskommune. Here you can search for journeys between Alta and Nordkapp (North Cape) for example.
Ticket app for Troms and Finnmark fylkeskommune. From this app we bought our tickets from Alta to Nordkapp (North Cape).
Topographic maps for several countries. This is our most preferred map for navigation in both Norway and Sweden. We also used it for Finland but we only hiked for ~2 days in Finland so it was the easiest for us to just use the map in Topo GPS. The maps are not for free (except Openstreetmap) but well-worth the investment. You can add gpx-files, export gpx-files, create your own route and Topo GPS helps you find the best way, as well as saying how far it is and the elevation.
Ticket app for Troms fylkestrafikk. For buying bus tickets to/from Nordkapp (North Cape) if you're coming from the south and aiming to go there by bus. We bought our tickets here for the stretch between Narvik to Alta (via Tromsø).
Great app for planning the whole hike. In the app you will find information about different trails, as well as huts that you pass along the way.
We used this app to buy train tickets. Both between Gävle (Sweden) and Narvik, but also on our way home we bought tickets between Kristiansand and Oslo. We also used it during our short “break” when we joined the family Meetup. Then we bought tickets from/to Otta to Halden.
Websites
Agder Kollektivtrafik - www.akt.no
Website for Agder kollektivtrafik. Here you can search for bus journeys to/from Lindesnes and find other information about their public transport.
DNT (Den Norske Turistforeningen) - www.dnt.no
DNT is probably the most important name to know when you are hiking in Norway. The Norwegian Trekking Association (in short DNT) is Norway's biggest outdoor activities organisation. For 150 years, they've been working to promote trekking and to improve conditions for all who enjoy the country's broad range of outdoor attractions. Here you will find information about the huts, how to act in the huts, what to think about when roaming in nature, etc.
UT - www.ut.no
UT is a service provided by DNT with the help of Statskog, Friluftsrådenes Landsforbund, Miljødirektoratet and Kartverket. Here you will find maps and information about trails, huts and other accommodations in Norway.
Entur - www.entur.no
With Entur you will find buses, trams, trains, subways, ferries, scooters and city bikes all in one place. Every transportation company in Norway submits information and data to them. Based on that data they have built the Entur app for travelers, and digital services that all of Norway's public transport can benefit from.
Vy Tåg - www.vy.no / www.vy.se
Website for the company Vy, that runs most of the Norwegian trains as well as the Night Trains in northern Sweden that goes from Stockholm to Narvik. For the Night train you need to by your ticket through the Swedish website (vy.se) but for the other trains in Norway you get your ticket from the Norwegian website (vy.no).
Norgeskart - www.norgeskart.no
Free topographic and sattelite maps over all of Norway. Provided by Kartverket, the Norwegian Mapping Authority.
Reis Nordland - www.reisnordland.no
Website for public transport in Nordland fylkeskommune. Maybe not necessary for everyone doing Norge på langs, but if you, like us, decide to go by bus to Lofoten, you can find tickets, timetables and other information about that here.
Snelandia - www.snelandia.no
Website for Snelandia, the public transport company in Troms and Finnmark fylkeskommune. Here you can search for bus journeys the last stretch from Alta to Nordkapp (North Cape) and find other information about their public transport.
Troms fylkestrafikk - www.fylkestrafikk.no
Website for Troms fylkestrafikk. Here you can search for timetables from Narvik to Alta for example, and find other information about their public transport.