Getting Around Drammen
Drammen sits at the head of the Drammensfjord, where the Drammenselva river meets the water, roughly an hour southwest of Oslo. The city centre is split by the river into two halves, and getting around is generally straightforward: most visitors find they can cover the central sights on foot, with buses and trains filling in the gaps for anything further out.
On Foot
The city centre is compact and easy to get around by foot, which makes walking the default way to explore Drammen. The river separates the two halves of the city, and two main bridges link them for pedestrians:
- The old city bridge, which often carries heavy traffic.
- The Ypsilon bridge, a cable-stayed crossing for pedestrians and cyclists only, which makes a pleasant alternative to the busy road bridge.
Beyond the bridges, Drammen has many walking paths along the river on both sides. These riverside paths are popular and pleasant, and a public pathway along the Drammenselva has been part of the city centre's recent renewal. If you want to climb higher, there are walking trails in the hills behind the city, including the Zig-Zag path up to Spiralen, which is accessed just behind the main church.
Rail
Drammen's railway station, Drammen Stasjon, is located at Strømsø Torg 1, across the river from the central square. The station is a major stop on several routes rather than the terminus of a single line, which makes it useful for both local and long-distance travel.
- Most long-distance trains from Oslo travelling in the western and southern directions pass through Drammen.
- Lines serving the city include the Oslo–Skien line, the Oslo–Bergen line, and the Oslo–Kongsberg–Kristiansand–Stavanger line.
- Drammen also has frequent local trains from Oslo.
For a visitor, this means the city is well connected to Oslo and to destinations across southern and western Norway without needing to change in the capital.
Metro and Tram
Drammen itself has no metro or tram network for visitors to use. Trams did once run here — the city had the first trolleybus system in Scandinavia, operating from 1909 until 1967 — but those lines are long gone. Metro, tram and ferry services are associated with the wider Oslo region rather than with Drammen's own streets, so plan on trains, buses, walking and taxis for getting around locally.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Local buses are the main public transport option within the city and its surroundings. The network is organised by Brakar, the regional transport authority, with Ruter also appearing on services that reach into the wider Oslo region. Regional bus services are part of the same broader network.
Bus stops are spread across the city and its approach roads, with Strømsø Torg — by the railway station — serving as a convenient central interchange between bus and rail. Because tickets, passes and route information are handled by the regional operators, the practical approach for a visitor is to buy tickets through the local transport app or at ticket outlets before boarding, and to check the operator's own journey planner for timetables and any zone-based fares. Fares and ticketing are generally integrated across the region, so a ticket bought for one leg of a journey often covers onward connections.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are available in Drammen, with Norgestaxi among the operators serving the city. The company's smartphone app offers address-based routing and calculates the price according to the route taken, which lets you see the fare basis before you travel. For visitors, taxis are most useful for trips that are awkward by bus — late evenings, heavy luggage, or destinations in the surrounding hills and villages — while the compact centre rarely justifies the cost.
Getting There from the Airport
Drammen is served by two airports, both roughly an hour's drive away: Oslo Airport, Gardermoen (OSL) and Sandefjord Airport, Torp (TRF).
From Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, rail is the most convenient option, with several direct trains to Drammen:
- Airport express trains run frequently and take about an hour.
- InterCity and regional trains also serve the route, taking a little longer, with departures through the day.
There are also bus connections to Drammen from both airports, which can be a useful alternative depending on your arrival time and where in the city you are staying. Whichever mode you choose, tickets can be purchased through the relevant operator or app, and it is worth checking departure times in advance since the airport express and the ordinary trains run on different schedules.
By Car
If you are driving, the E18 motorway connects Drammen with Oslo, Larvik and Kristiansand, and the drive from Oslo takes around 40 minutes depending on traffic. The E134 links the city with Kongsberg and continues onward to Notodden and Haugesund, while Norwegian National Road 23 approaches through a sub-sea tunnel from Drøbak on the east side of the Oslofjord. Note that much of the through traffic has been diverted away from the centre by the E18 bridge and the Bragernes tunnel, so arriving by car does not mean fighting your way through the middle of town.