Welcome to Norway

We are proud to welcome you to the buildingSMART International Standards Summit at Lillestrøm. To help you plan your stay, we have put together some practical information and recommendations of things to see and experience before, during or after the Summit.

Preparing your trip to the Summit

Get the most of your stay by preparing your trip in advance.

  • The Summit

    Read all about the summit, buy tickets and create your personal agenda at the Summits online plattform.

    Remember to download the Hopin smartphone app, where you will find your personal agenda and much more.

  • Oslo_airport_chack_in_area

    The venue

    Thon Hotel Arena is a modern conference hotel fully equipped to accommodate conference, meetings and banquets of every size. The hotel is also one of Norway's most central hubs for national or international events. With our central location in Lillestrøm, a short walk from the train station, and only 12 minutes by train from Oslo S. or Oslo Airport, people can gather in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.

  • Visit Norway

    visitnorway.com is the official travel guide to Norway,

    The website contains thousands of travel industry business listings from all over Norway provided by third parties such as local tourism offices and destination marketing organisations.

  • Staying in Oslo

    No rooms available at the venue? Oslo is a 10-minute train ride from Lillestrøm, and has a wide range of hotels for you to choose between. For your convenience, we recommend booking a hotel within walking distance of Oslo central station (Oslo S) or the Nationaltheatret station.

  • Currency

    The currency of Norway is Norwegian krone (NOK). Euro or American dollar are not valid means of payment. You can withdraw Norwegian kroner at cash machines at Oslo Airport and throughout Lillestrøm and Oslo. Most kiosks and supermarkets will also allow NOK withdraws, when paying with a debit card. The maximum withdraw varies based on company policy, your credit card agreement and what is available in the cash register.

    Most supermarkets, kiosks, shops, restaurant, cafeterias etc accept VISA, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Many also accept Diners, American Express and other services.

  • Visa

    Norway is not part of the European Union (EU), but the Schengen Agreement ensures that citizens from EU and several other countries, can cross the border without applying for visa.

    The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UD)I is responsible for processing applications from foreign nationals who wish to visit or live in Norway, the running of asylum reception centres and expulsion cases.

    At UDI you will find information on the need of, and how you can apply for a visa.

Getting around

Oslo airport, Lillestrøm and Oslo is in close vicinity and its easy getting from one place to the other.

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    From the airport to Lillestrøm and Oslo

    Flytoget’s express trains offer the fastest and most convenient journey to and from Oslo Airport. After leaving the airport, Lillestrøm station is the first stop. Thon Hotel Arena where the Summit it held, is a 10 minute walk from the station. If your are staying in Oslo, Oslo central station (Oslo S) is the second stop, and Nationaltheatret station is the third stop from Oslo Airport.

    You can buy your tickets at the airport, in the Flytoget smartphone app or at Flytoget’s web pages.

  • Between Lillestrøm and Oslo

    Staying in Oslo or want to visit Norway’s capital? The fastest and easiest way between Lillestrøm and Oslo is by train. RE10 Drammen, RE11 Skien, R12 Kongsberg, R13 Drammen and R14 Asker, takes you to Oslo central station (Oslo S) in 10 minutes and Nationaltheatret station in 14. For a more scenic ride, take L1 Spikkestad. From both stations you have access to tram, subway and bus.

    From Oslo to Lillestrøm you take RE10 Lillehammer, RE11 Eidsvoll, R12 Eidsvoll, R13 Dal, R14 Kongsvinger, or L1 Lillestrøm for the scenic ride.

    You can buy you ticket at the station, but we recommend using the Ruter smartphone application as you then get about an hour transfer to tram, subway and bus. The Ruter application is also the best way to navigate public transport in Oslo.

  • In Oslo

    Oslo city center has good public transportation, and you can get most place with tram, subway or bus. Please note that tickets are not sold on the transport means. Tickets and travelcards can be bought at at the kiosks Narvesen, 7-Eleven, Deli De Luca and Mix.

    We recommend downloading the Ruter smartphone app where you can both plan your trip and buy digital tickets.

    Other fun ways of getting around the city are with Oslo City Bike (download the Oslo Bysykkel smartphone app), electric scooters (you will find them around the city), or just take a walk.

    If you want to take a taxi, we recommend using Oslo Taxi or Norgestaxi. Uber is also available.

Things to see

If you have a few extra days, there are many things to see and experience in Oslo.
Here are some of our favorites:

  • The National Museum

    Description goes heThe largest art museum in the Nordic countries. Here you can experience both older and modern art, as well as contemporary art and design, all under one roof. The National Gallery closed in 2019. It is now a part of the National Museum.

    The National Museum gathers the collections of the former National Gallery, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design. The presentation of the artworks is chronological and shows the main features of Norwegian art history, in addition to selected foreign works. The main exhibition creates a coherence across the various collections and the various historical epochs.

    Some of the most famous paintings by Edvard Munch, including The Scream (1893) and Madonna (1894), are located in the Munch Room at the National Museum. You can also see the works of artists such as Harriet Backer, Harald Sohlberg, Christian and Oda Krohg, as well as sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. You can also see works by international artists such as Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne and Pablo Picasso.

    The building itself is designed in a brutalist style by Kleihues + Schuwerk Gesellschaft von Architekten. The design of the building is subdued and minimalistic, and blends in well with the surroundings. From the roof terrace, visitors get a completely unique view of the inner Oslofjord. The space in front of the museum has been developed as an urban meeting place with outdoor seating and space to rest.

  • The Munch Museum - MUNCH

    MUNCH's collection, left to the city of Oslo by the artist himself, consists of paintings, graphical prints and drawings. It is the largest collection of art by one single artist. Edvard Munch has a unique position among Nordic painters and is considered a pioneer in expressionism.

    In addition to Munch's art, world class contemporary art is exhibited in the 13 floor building. By constantly changing the exhibitions, the museum make sure that one can always experience something new during a visit there, such as solo exhibitions honouring the winners of the Edvard Munch Art Award.

    Artistic and cultural events are also figuring on MUNCH's calendar.

    The monumental museum by the Oslo Fjord offers three place to have a bite of food or a drink: Munch Deli & Café, Bistro Tolvte and Kranen Bar.

    In the museum shop you will find gift items, products for children, literature about Munch and other unique products inspired by Munch's art.

  • The Royal Palace

    The Royal Palace is situated on a rise, the Bellevue, at one end of Oslo’s main thoroughfare, Karl Johans gate. The Royal Palace is one of the country’s most important buildings, and a concrete symbol of the course of Norwegian history since 1814.

    Building activities commenced in 1824, and the foundation stone was laid by King Carl Johan on 1 October 1825. The Palace was officially taken into use on 26 July 1849 by King Oscar I.

    The Royal Palace is owned by the state and placed at the disposal of the head of state. It is where the daily work of the monarchy is conducted and where the King and Queen live. It is where the King presides over the Council of State, grants audiences and holds official dinners. Foreign heads of state who visit Oslo stay at the Palace. Most of the members of the Royal Court have their workplace here.

    The Royal Palace is open to the public during the summer season.

  • The Astrup Fearnly museum

    Astrup Fearnley Museet is one of Scandinavia’s most notable museums for contemporary art. Beautifully situated by the fjord, it has become a popular landmark along Oslo’s harbour promenade.

    The museum building is designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, whose other notable museum buildings include Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.

    In addition to the exhibitions, a visit to the Astrup Fearnley Museum should include a stop at the museum shop, a break at restaurant VentiVenti and a walk outside in the scenic Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park.

  • Holmenkollen Ski Museum and Tower

    Experience Oslo's best views from the top of the ski jump hill in Holmenkollbakken. Take in the panoramic view of the city and its surrounding areas.

    You can also enjoy the thrill of jumping from Holmenkollen in the ski simulator or find cool gifts and trinkets in the souvenir shop.

  • Vigeland Sculpture Park

    Sculpture park in the Frogner Park with more than 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland (1869–1943) in bronze, granite and cast iron, including The Angry Boy (Sinnataggen in Norwegian), The Monolith (Monolitten) and The Wheel of Life (Livshjulet).

    Vigeland was also responsible for the design and architectural outline of the park, which is one of Norway's top tourist attractions, with more than one million annual visitors.

    The park is free to enter and open all year round, 24 hours a day.