Drive it Yourself: Oslo to Kristiansand on the E18
This drive goes from Oslo to Kristiansand in the south of Norway, following the E18.
The Hidden North
North European travel guide
Population 104,109 / 59.4 degrees north
Drammen, Norway
Located just outside of Oslo at the point where the Drammen River flows into the Drammensfjord, Drammen is a regional and communications hub for the southern part of Norway. Originally founded as an industrial and trading town, Drammen has transformed into a modern centre and is one of the fastest-growing places in Norway in terms of population. While not quite a tourist destination, there are some interesting places to visit if you’re driving through the city.
About Drammen
Latitude: 59.4 degrees north
Population: 104,109
Hottest Month: July
Coldest Month: January
Wettest Month: August
Windiest Month: May
Annual Precipitation: 514mm
Drammen Municipality
In this Travel Guide...
Map of Drammen
Uniquely Drammen
Here are some things that you must do and try in Drammen
Brewery
The Aass Brewery
The Aass Brewery is the oldest surviving brewing in Norway, and has won acclaim for both its beer and its sell-conserved building. Founded in 1834, the brewery’s primary products are soft drinks, beer and aquavit. It is possible to do brewery tours, or you can go into any bar or restaurant in Drammen and order a beer.
Theatre
Drammen Theatre
The Drammen Theatre was built in 1869 and designed by Emil Victor Langlet. The theatre was the first modern theatre in Norway and is designed in the Renaissance style with symmetrical facades and round arched windows. After the theatre was destroyed by fire in 1993, the theatre was rebuilt as an exact replica.
Square
Bragernes Torg
Bragernes Torg is the largest town square in Norway and one of the largest in the Nordics.
Things to See & Do
Here’s an overview of some of the best things to see and do in Drammen
Museum
Drammen Museum
The Drammen Museum of Art and Cultural History is located in a number of historic buildings around the city. The museum’s main exhibition is in the Marienlyst manor, which dates from 1770. The museum also includes two well-preserved farms in Drammen. The museum is located on the southern side of the river, which used to be an area for country homes and manor houses. The collections come from through Buskerud and covers areas such as folk art and handicrafts, commerce, transport, agriculture, the bunad, church art and industry.
Hikes, Day Trips & Experiences
Looking to go for a hike or take part in a unique experience? Here are our recommendations!
Scenic Overlook
The Spiral (Spiraltoppen)
The Spiral is a spiral road tunnel that takes drivers on six and a half laps through and up a mountain. At the top is a café and wonderful view of the city. When stone for two new roads in the city was needed, engineer Eivind Olsen came up with the idea of turning the quarry into an attraction by blasting a spiral tunnel inward and upwards into the rock.
Hiking Trail
Kjosterudjuvet
One of the most popular hikes in Drammen is to Kjosterudjuvet, a historic ravine.
Walking Trail
Walk along the waterfront
The Drammensfjord links the town with the Oslofjord and the city has grown up on both sides of the waterway. As such, several bridges link the two parts of the city while waterfront walks are possible on the water.
Road-Trips
Follow our road-trip guides for scenic trips around Drammen
The E18 from Ørje to Kristiansand
The E18 is the main highway from Oslo down south to Kristiansand. Along the way are several important towns and villages that feature in Norway’s early history.
The E134 from Oslo/Drøbak to Haugesund
The E134 follows one of the historic routes between east and west Norway. It provides a nice alternative to taking the E16 (the main highway) between Bergen and Oslo. On this drive you pass a number of historic churches, most notably Heddal Stave Church, as well as the UNESCO World Heritage region of Notodden-Rjukan. As you approach the mountains, you can see some of the original roads that the earliest travellers used – and even drive on them in the summer! This drive ends at Haugesund, a known Viking settlement located halfway between Bergen and Stavanger.
Self-Guided Walks
Drammen on YouTube
Watch our YouTube videos featuring Drammen
History of Drammen
Rock carvings found in the area are 6000 to 7000 years old and are the first signs of human activity in the area.
In the Viking Age the area was called Dramn or Drofn, a Norse worse that can mean ‘waves’. A the time, the water was 4-5 metes higher than today. In this era, the longships sailed up the fjord and in Snorre’s sagas it is written that Olav the Saint hid from Knut the Mighty in the Drammenfjord.
Saint Hallvard (the saint of Oslo) was killed and sunk in the Drammensfjord in 1043 with a millstone around his neck.
Drammen consisted of three small seaports: Bragernes, Strømsø, and Tangen, all situated around the Drammen River. The geographical location made the city favourable for seafaring, log driving and timber trade.
The timber trade in Drammen formed the basis for the rise of the city, which in the 18th century developed into one of Eastern Norway’s most important maritime and trading cities. The location by the watercourse and the timber that could be obtained from the surrounding areas provided the basis for industry and other businesses.
There was extensive timber trade with the Netherlands and Denmark as early as the 13th century. In the 16th century, the Drammen River had extensive timber floating, and sawmills were built by the waterwalls.
Drammen was officially founded on the 19th of June 1811, when the two separate ports of Bragernes and Strømsø were merged to make the town of Drammen. The bridge from Bragernes to Strømsø was completed in 1812 despite major protests from merchants at Bragernes, who feared trade leakage. There was a barrier on the bridge and people had to pay tolls.
Large parts of the city were ruined in the fire of 12-13 July 1866, which led to the reconstruction of the city centre, including the town square and church. The city planners wanted to build magnificent public buildings and entertainment to support business. The planners announced architectural competitios for the most important buildings. The Swedish architect Emil Victor Langlet, who had designed the Stortinget building, designed Børsena nd the Theatre.
The authorities tried to mandate brick houses, but Norwegians wanted to build in wood. In Drammen, wooden houses with only one floor were allowed. The city panners thought that rising land prices would eventually make it unprofitable to build anything other than multi-story brick houses. The plot owners found they could build wooden houses where the plot was furnished, so the houses actually had two floors. These drammenshus resemble contemporary houses with other Norwegian cities.
The Drammen Line opened in 1872, providing rail service between Drammen and Oslo.
Eventually Drammen became industrialised, with a brickworks established here. In 1847, the Drammens Jernstøberi was established and became one of the country’s most important iron producers of furnaces, machines, cranes and ships. Textile factories were established as well as the shoe factory, which produced more than 50,000 pairs of shoes a year. Norway’s first canning factory was started here.
In 1909, Drammen got its first trolleybus system in Scandinavia. The lines ran until 1967.
Drammen Today
Drammen has seen the introduction of new housing, shopping facilities, restaurants, cafes and bars.
About 29% of the population are first and second generation immigration, with many coming from Poland, Turkey, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Drammen is known in Norway as an industrial town. It had a rather bad reputation for having lots of heavy traffic and pollution, something the city is currently trying to change.
A large part of the town has been torn down to make way for apartments and modern buildings. Large parts of the city have been under construction for rehabilitation. The city used to have very heavy traffic, but now most of it is car-free.
Travel Information
Getting Here
Fly: The express train (Flytorget) connects Drammen with Oslo Airport.
Drive: Drammen is a major transportation hub. Drammen is located on the E18 that runs between Oslo and Kristiansand, or the E134 that connects Drammen with Haugesund through Telemark. It also goes east towards Drøbak.
Train: Drammen is a station on the Bergensbanen and the Sørlandsbanen, and there are trains connecting the city to Oslo.
Ferry: No ferry connection.
Getting Around
The city centre is compact and easy to get around on good. The river separates the two halves of the city, though there are bridges connecting them.
There is a local bus network. You can view their timetables and routes here: https://brakar.no/en/timetables/
Shops
Places to Eat
Cafes & Bakeries
Quick Bites
Reasonable Restaurants
High End & Unique Eats
Places to Stay
Camping
Cabins & B&Bs
Chains & Mid-Range
Scandic Ambassadeur
Click here to view rates & book
Quality Hotel River Station
High End & Unique Properties
Sunrise/Sunset & Weather Averages
January
Sunrise: 9:05am
Sunset: 3:51pm
Average Temperature: -2C (24F)
February
Sunrise: 7:57am
Sunset: 5:09pm
Average Temperature: -1C (24F)
March
Sunrise: 6:34am
Sunset: 6:22pm
Average Temperature: -1C (31F)
April
Sunrise: 6:02am
Sunset: 8:37pm
Average Temperature: 4C (40F)
May
Sunrise: 4:42am
Sunset: 9:50pm
Average Temperature: 10C (50F)
June
Sunrise: 3:58am
Sunset: 10:41pm
Average Temperature: 14C (57F)
July
Sunrise: 4:26am
Sunset: 10:23pm
Average Temperature: 16C (61F)
August
Sunrise: 5:35am
Sunset: 9:09pm
Average Temperature: 15C (59F)
September
Sunrise: 6:48am
Sunset: 7:38pm
Average Temperature: 10C (51F)
October
Sunrise: 7:58am
Sunset: 6:09pm
Average Temperature: 5C (41F)
November
Sunrise: 8:16am
Sunset: 3:50pm
Average Temperature: 0C (32F)
December
Sunrise: 9:14am
Sunset: 3:14pm
Average Temperature: -4C (25F)
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