What's open and what's closed in Norway over Easter

Local Norway

15-04-2025

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are four of the most anticipated days in Norway, as it typically means five days off work for most.
Many also like to use their annual leave around this time to maximise their days off.
Aside from skiving off work, Easter in Norway is fantastic as the country is normally treated to milder temperatures – making trips out to the mountains or out into nature fantastic.
However, the downside of all these public holidays is that everything closes. This makes it pretty easy to find yourself in a pinch if you fail to stock up properly.
Shops
Maundy Thursday is a public holiday, meaning all but small convenience stores will be shut. The same applies to Good Friday and Easter Monday. Easter Sunday, being a Sunday and public holiday, also means stores will be closed.
Even though Saturday is a 'normal' day, reduced operating hours will be in place at most shops and supermarkets. Expect supermarkets to close at around 4pm, and for smaller independent shops to stay completely closed.
This means there won't be any normal trading hours between Wednesday, April 16th and Tuesday, April 22nd.
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Some areas with large numbers of tourists (excluding big cities like Oslo and Bergen) have special rules that allow stores to remain open. In resort towns like Hemsedal, you can expect stores to remain open, albeit with reduced hours.
Alcohol sales
Norway's wine monopoly, the only place to buy alcohol stronger than 4.75 percent for home consumption, will have reduced opening hours on Wednesday, April 16th. It will then close on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Polet' as it's affectionally called, will reopen on Saturday, April 19th, but close at 3pm – an hour earlier than usual for Saturdays.
No stores in Norway can sell any alcohol on the public holidays. Several local areas will also have different hours for when they can sell beer.
Oslo Municipality:
Wednesday before Maundy Thursday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Easter Eve, 9am - 6pm
Bergen Municipality:
Wednesday before Maundy Thursday 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Easter Eve 8am – 3pm
Trondheim Municipality:
Wednesday before Maundy Thursday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Easter Eve, 9am – 3pm
Stavanger Municipality:
Wednesday before Maundy Thursday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Easter Eve 8am – 6pm
Tromsø Municipality:
Wednesday before Maundy Thursday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Easter Eve 8am – 3pm
Banks
It's best to sort out your banking needs as soon as possible. If you want to send someone money via your bank account, you will need to do so fairly early on the Wednesday before Maundy Thursday.
Different banks have different opening times and deadlines; for example,
Nordea
has ordinary deadlines, but Sparebank 1 has a deadline of 1.30pm unless
sending money to someone with the same bank
.
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Should you make a payment after this date, the recipient won't receive the money until Tuesday, April 22nd.
There will also be tighter deadlines for sending money abroad.
Healthcare and pharmacies
Doctor's offices will close on public holidays and Saturdays, and they will likely have reduced operating hours on Wednesday before Maundy Thursday.
Pharmacies will be closed on public holidays too.
If you need medical care, you can try the out-of-hours medical service. The number for this service is 116 117.
Every local authority in Norway has its own out-of-hour medical room if you need to see a doctor. Alternatively, if you find yourself in a life-threatening situation, you should contact the medical emergency number in Norway, 113, and the service will send an ambulance to your location.
Bars, restaurants and coffee shops
This will be hit-and-miss in many locations. In tourist areas and big cities, you can expect a reasonable number of locations to remain open.
However, many of the places staying open may be booked up over the Easter break, so a bit of preparation may be required when finding something to eat.
Attractions
Practically every attraction will close over the public holidays. However, ski centres, where there is enough snow, and other Easter favourite attractions will remain open.