How to Book a Sauna in Oslo
Booking summary
Choose a venue, pick a time slot, and pay online (card/Vipps). Floating saunas often need 1-2 week notice; municipal saunas offer drop-in slots daily.
TL;DR
- •Oslo saunas usually allow same-day booking (book a few hours ahead)
- •SALT is 205 NOK on weekdays and 255 NOK at weekends, booked at salted.no
- •KOK sets its price per session at the booking stage, so read it on koknorge.no rather than assuming a figure
- •Gym saunas (SATS only, at 15 Oslo clubs, among them Colosseum, Bislett, Storo and Solli Plass) are included with a SATS membership. Fresh Fitness, Evo and Fitness24Seven have no sauna.
- •Weekends with good weather book out, so reserve 1-2 days ahead. Weekdays are usually available.
Complete Booking Guide
1. Choose Your Sauna Type
Oslo offers fjord saunas with cold plunge access, member-run community badstuer, and gym saunas that need a membership. Fjord saunas give you the fjord view and the ice bath, and they are booked per session. SALT at Langkaia is 205 NOK on weekdays and 255 NOK at weekends. KOK, at Langkaia and Aker Brygge, sets its price at the booking stage depending on the site, the time and whether the session is shared or private. Oslo Badstuforening runs seven sites and sets price and drop-in availability per site. Gym saunas cost nothing extra once you are a member.
2. Check Availability & Book Online
Most fjord saunas use online booking systems. Visit the operator's website, koknorge.no for KOK Oslo and salted.no for SALT. Select your date, time slot and number of people. The price you pay is shown at this stage, which is the only reliable place to read it. Same-day booking is often available, but weekends with good weather can book out, so reserve 1-2 days ahead to be safe. Weekdays usually have good availability. Note that salted.no currently states the SALT sauna is temporarily closed.
3. Pay & Receive Confirmation
Pay via credit card or Vipps (Norway's mobile payment app). You'll receive email confirmation with session details, arrival instructions, and what to bring. Most saunas expect you to bring your own towels. Save the confirmation - some venues require showing it on arrival.
4. Arrive 10-15 Minutes Early
Fjord saunas have strict time slots. Arrive 10-15 minutes before your session starts to check in and change. Late arrivals may lose session time. Bring swimwear, two towels (one to sit on, one to dry), and water (most venues don't allow alcohol). Ask staff if you're uncertain about anything - they're helpful but don't always give formal briefings.
Booking Methods Compared
| Sauna | Booking | Advance Notice | Price | Drop-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOK Oslo | Online (koknorge.no) | Same day, weekends 1-2 days | Set at booking | Yes |
| SALT | Online (salted.no) | Same day, weekends 1-2 days | 205 NOK weekday / 255 NOK weekend | Yes |
| Oslo Badstuforening | Website / Drop-in (oslobadstuforening.no) | Drop-in or same day | Set per site | Yes (community) |
| Municipal pools (e.g. Tøyenbadet) | No booking, pay at the door | None | 175 NOK adult / 125 NOK student | Yes |
For a complete list of Oslo saunas, see our sauna directory
Frequently Asked Questions
Same-day booking is usually available (book a few hours ahead). However, weekends with good weather tend to book out, so reserve 1-2 days ahead to be safe. Community saunas offer drop-in access, and gym saunas are available to members without booking. Weekdays typically have good availability.
SALT at Langkaia is 205 NOK on weekdays and 255 NOK at weekends. KOK sets its price per session at the booking stage on koknorge.no, and Oslo Badstuforening sets price and drop-in availability per site across its seven locations, so read those on their own sites rather than assuming a figure. A municipal pool such as Tøyenbadet is 175 NOK for an adult and 125 NOK for students and seniors, with sauna included. SATS gym saunas are included with a SATS Oslo membership, which runs Basic 839, Flexible 849 and Premium 999 NOK a month, and only Colosseum, Bislett, Storo and Solli Plass have a sauna. Fresh Fitness, Evo and Fitness24Seven have none.
Some community saunas like Oslo Badstuforening allow drop-in same-day access. Fjord saunas rarely have same-day availability on weekends but may have openings on weekday mornings. Check websites or call ahead.
Bring swimwear (required for mixed saunas), two towels (one to sit on while sweating, one to dry yourself after showering), and a water bottle. Sandals/flip-flops are optional but can be nice. Most venues don't allow alcohol. For fjord saunas, bring warm clothes for after - cold Oslo fjord winds! Water quality note: Some saunas recommend avoiding swimming (especially submerging your head) in the fjord if it's rained heavily in the last couple of days due to sewage runoff. Ask the staff if you're concerned.
Yes. Staff are helpful for first-timers - ask if you're uncertain about anything (etiquette, temperature, cold plunge technique). Formal safety briefings aren't always given, but don't hesitate to ask questions. Start with shorter sessions (10-15 minutes) and build tolerance gradually.