If you’re planning a trip to Norway, you’re probably excited to see its rolling hills, lush greenery, and quaint countryside towns for yourself.
What you might not be thinking about is whether you’ll be safe in whatever part of Norway you intend to visit.
Since Norway has a strong reputation for tolerance of differences and low crime rates, most of its cities slip through the cracks on lists of “most dangerous cities abroad.”
Still, even though it isn’t rife with crime, some of its cities have higher crime rates than others.
It’s best to be aware of these higher crime areas before you visit, so you can plan to stay as safe as possible.
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5 Most Dangerous Cities in Norway
Kristiansand
With a crime rate of 44 per 1,000 inhabitants, Kristiansand tops the list of most dangerous cities in Norway.
Of course, this isn’t to say that Kristiansand is dangerous by international standards.
There are some countries where this crime index would put them at the top of the list of safest cities.
Even so, for Norway, a crime rate this high is worth noticing.
According to travelsafe-abroad.com, the types of crimes that make up Kristiansand’s crime rate are not violent ones.
Most crimes in the area fall into the category of property crimes such as vandalism or theft.
If someone does encounter a dangerous or suspicious situation while traveling through the city, three police stations may be able to help.
The most useful one for those who are in the center of the city would be the Agder Police Station.
Officers from this station patrol the city center region.
If you don’t speak the best Norwegian but you can manage English, these officers speak English so they will be able to help you despite the language barrier.
Most visitors feel safe walking through the city even at night.
However, you should treat Kristiansand like all travel destinations and exercise caution while walking through the city alone after dark.
A low likelihood of crime does not mean zero likelihood of crime.
By taking basic steps to protect yourself in Kristiansand, you’ll avoid becoming part of their low crime statistics.
Oslo
As the capital city, Oslo’s crime index of 34 per 1,000 inhabitants makes it higher on the danger scale than some other Norwegian cities.
A low crime index simply means that there are fewer crimes per capita than there would be in a city with a higher crime index.
It doesn’t mean that somewhere is completely safe or that you can let your guard down while you are traveling in the city.
For those who have never traveled to Oslo before, it’s best to stay in groups and avoid making instant friends.
If you don’t know someone, you can’t be sure of their intentions.
This might go without saying, but as a traveler in a friendly country, you may be swept up in the new experience and forget such a basic guideline for traveling.
For the most part, Oslo is safe to walk freely during the daytime.
Some of the rougher areas as laid out in an article by travel-safeabroad.com include Kuba, Gronland, Toyen, and Karl Johan Street.
The article recommends steering clear of these areas in general.
If it’s nighttime, you are even better off staying away from these parts of the city.
No matter where you are in the city, you may get offers for rides from illegal or unlicensed taxi services.
While it might be tempting to hitch a ride with these services, you should always decline them.
This is especially true if you are hanging out near a nightclub.
Bergen
Since it has a crime rate of 28 per 1,000 inhabitants, Bergen is a fairly safe city.
By Norweigian standards, though, this statistic makes it more dangerous than most Norweigian towns.
As a tourist, you may find yourself more susceptible to small, non-violent crimes.
These offenses may include pickpocketing and petty theft.
The best way to avoid these crimes is to keep your expensive jewelry and other flashy items at home or the hotel.
If pickpocketing is a major concern for you, you can make it harder for folks to nab items from your pockets by putting cash, credit cards, and more in different pockets close to your body.
If you have an inner pocket on your jacket and coat, this is usually the safest place to store items.
Some Reddit threads have indicated that certain streets like Korskirken and Hollendergaten have a higher number of folks on substances hanging around.
This can make them more likely to harass strangers passing through the area.
Still, most locals find that these groups stick to themselves and fight with each other.
Stavanger
With a crime rate of 24 per 1,000 inhabitants, it’s hard to call Stavanger dangerous by international standards.
Even so, it’s more dangerous than most Norwegian cities and towns, so it makes this list.
In highly populated areas of the city and on transit, you might notice a higher instance of pickpockets.
To avoid becoming a target, you should secure your belongings close to your body.
You should keep an eye on backpacks, bags, and pockets, as well.
If you can keep your cash and cards in different pockets, this will help you avoid losing everything if you become the target of a pickpocket.
Other than this non-violent crime, there are some instances of fights and harassment.
As with anywhere, you’ll want to stay out of these fights to avoid getting at the center of the violence if it escalates.
Trondheim
The low crime index of 20 per 1,000 inhabitants makes Trondheim extremely safe by most measurements.
As with all Norwegian cities, the danger level here is relative to the safety of the surrounding areas.
Many residents feel that they can go for short errands without locking their doors and expect to return to a safe, secure home.
While most find this city very safe, you should still be aware of your surroundings.
Never take an unlicensed taxi from Trondheim and always walk with a group at night if you can.
5 Safety Tips for Traveling to Norway
- Decline rides from illegal or unregistered taxis. In Norway, taxi services and transit are pretty reliable. However, unregistered and illegal taxis can pose a threat to safety as well as a risk of crime.
- Keep your belongings close to you. As a tourist, the main crime that you are likely to experience is petty theft and pickpocketing. Maintaining a close grip on your belongings can help avoid this.
- Put important items like credit cards or cash in different pockets in your clothes. In populated areas or transit, this strategy can lower your risk of losing most or all of your resources to pickpockets.
- Traveling with a buddy at night. Even if you’re walking through a safe area, there’s no reason why you can’t go with a friend to keep your risk of stranger-on-stranger crime low.
- Avoid getting involved with street fighting and harassment. If someone starts harassing you or trying to instigate a fight, your best bet is to walk away.
Norway Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Norway Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: LOW
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the wildlife in Norway dangerous?
In Norway, there are some predatory animals such as moose, bears, wolves, and even wolverines.
Still, most of these animals are used to keeping their distance from humans.
Brown bears especially stay away from humans.
The last deadly brown bear attack in Norway occurred over a century ago.
Polar bears still pose a threat to people in Norway.
The Svalbard Islands have been the location of several polar bear attacks over the past few years, so if you travel there you should be mindful.
In the city, though, polar bear attacks and other wildlife threats are rare.
Is Norway safe for international students?
Most international students find Norway as peaceful and safe as the locals do.
Since keeping their citizens safe is a priority for Norway, that extends to international students.
For those who only speak English, Norway can feel like a safe country because it is largely English-speaking.
This makes it ideal for students who are still learning the language but want to feel safe while studying there.
What number should you call if you feel unsafe in Norway?
To reach the police, those visiting Norway can call 112.
This is similar to the U.S. emergency number 911.
You can also call the local police station if you have the number for them.
If you are in Oslo, the police presence makes it easy to find an officer if you run into a safety issue.
Norway may have a low crime rate, but it’s important to be aware of the higher risk areas and take precautions while traveling.
Interesting. Good to note too that compared to international stats, Norway is still quite safe.
Ryan