Getting There

By Plane -- Kristiansand Airport lies at Kjevik, 16km (10 miles) east of the city center. Braathens (tel. 05400; calls from within Norway only) flies from Oslo to Kristiansand. An airport bus runs between Kjevik and the heart of Kristiansand.

By Train -- Anywhere from three to six trains link Oslo and Kristiansand daily, taking 4 1/2 hours, with a one-way ticket costing 569NOK ($88/£47). Call tel. 81-50-08-88 for more information or visit the NSB website.

By Bus -- Nor-Way Bussekspress buses (tel. 81-54-44-44) travel down from Oslo in 5 1/2 hours, with a one-way ticket costing 320NOK ($49/£26). Buses run two to four times daily.

By Ferry -- International ferries link Kristiansand to Hirtshals in the northern reaches of Denmark's Jutland peninsula. Ferries run three to four times daily, depending on the time of year, with the sea voyage taking 4 hours. Color Line (tel. 22-94-44-00) operates these ferries. This is the shortest ferry link between Norway and Denmark. Depending on the time of year, fares can range from 200NOK to 450NOK ($31-$69/£16-£37). The highest fares are charged on weekends from mid-June to mid-August.

By Car -- From our last stopover at Arendal, the E18 continues southwest in Kristiansand.

Visitor Information

For help, go to Destinasjon Sørlandet, Vestre Strandgate 32 (tel. 38-12-13-14), which also distributes bus, train, and ferry schedules. Open June 18 to August 19 Monday to Friday 8:30am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 6pm, and Sunday noon to 6pm. Otherwise, hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3:30pm.

Getting Around

Municipal buses go through the center taking you from point to point at a ticket cost of 15NOK ($2.30/£1.25) per ride. Contact the tourist office for information.