Cheap winter clothing (and sights) in OSL

Story in a nutshell: In a few weeks I'll be flying from Zambia to Svalbard ( yes, I do plan on writing a trip report, thank you :D ), and I don't want to lug a parka with me to the equator. I was thus thinking of picking up some winter clothing suitable for 0-10C weather in Oslo, where I have a one-night stop. Now I know that Oslo and "cheap" shouldn't be used in the same sentence, but any recommendations for where I could pick up an, um, affordable winter jacket? H&M comes to mind, but any other suggestions? I'm really not looking for haute couture, just some cheapo Chinese synthetic coat that keeps the rain and the wind out of my bones. Buying at FRA is also an option if there's a shop open between 5:30 and 9:30 AM, when I do another transit...

Any other suggestions for what to do with slightly less than 24 hours in Oslo would also be appreciated. It's my second visit and I found it exceedingly boring the first time, so please help me change my mind :D

If you can last in your summer clothes until you get to Svalbard you will find quite a reasonable and reasonably-priced selection in Longyearbyen - it's tax-free, so should be cheaper than Oslo.
Seriously!? I would have thought that the transport costs would more than outweigh any savings from being tax-free. I'm a little hesitant to rely on their selection though, I'm on the tall side even by Norwegian standards and usually find fitting clothes a bit of a hassle.

As for your 24 hour lay-over... if you don't want to go into Oslo you can always take the train in the other direction and go to Lillehammer (journey time between 1:30 and 2 hours depending on the type of train). It's a ski resort, and a former Winter Olympics venue, and quite a pretty little town.
D'oh! That would have been a great idea, but I already went ahead and booked a cheapo (by Norwegian standards) Internet fare at a hotel in Oslo. :(

Seriously!? I would have thought that the transport costs would more than outweigh any savings from being tax-free. I'm a little hesitant to rely on their selection though, I'm on the tall side even by Norwegian standards and usually find fitting clothes a bit of a hassle.(

I am told that the taxes are about twice the cost of transportation, and that prices really ARE lower than on the mainland.

Information about Svalbard shops can be found here:

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Svalbard/Shopping-Svalbard-BR-1.html

If you can find out contact details (Google?) it may perhaps be worth calling one of the outdoor clothing shops to find out if they do clothes for tall people.

If you already own a suitable parka, you could mail ahead and then reclaim it in Oslo. Perhaps have it held at the post office or your hotel? If you need a special size, i.e. tall, (as does Mr. CDTraveler) it can be hell to have to find it in a hurry in a strange place.

If you can last in your summer clothes until you get to Svalbard you will find quite a reasonable and reasonably-priced selection in Longyearbyen - it's tax-free, so should be cheaper than Oslo. Don't know where you're staying, but all shops are within easy walking distance of the main hotel, the Svalbard Polar (I stayed there a few years ago).

It seems that shops at Frankfurt Airport generally open at 0700, so that would indeed be another option.

As for your 24 hour lay-over... if you don't want to go into Oslo you can always take the train in the other direction and go to Lillehammer (journey time between 1:30 and 2 hours depending on the type of train). It's a ski resort, and a former Winter Olympics venue, and quite a pretty little town.

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Posted on at 5:16 am by jane.
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