King Harald V’s funeral will bring large crowds, major transport changes and extensive security measures to central Oslo on 9 September. Here’s what you need to know if you plan to be in the Norwegian capital.
Norway will say its final farewell to King Harald V on Wednesday, 9 September, when his funeral takes place at Oslo Cathedral.
The service begins at 1pm, but the events will extend well beyond the cathedral. A ceremonial procession will carry the King’s coffin through central Oslo before the service, while a second procession will continue to Akershus Fortress afterwards. Large crowds are expected throughout the city centre.
For anyone living in Oslo or planning to visit that day, the most important advice is simple: allow plenty of time, expect to walk, and anticipate significant disruption to normal travel.
When is King Harald’s funeral?
The funeral service begins at 1pm on Wednesday, 9 September, at Oslo Cathedral (Oslo domkirke), the historic church near Stortorvet in the heart of the capital.
The service will be led by Olav Fykse Tveit, presiding bishop of the Church of Norway. Oslo bishop Sunniva Gylver will also participate, together with cathedral organist Marcus André Berg, Oslo Cathedral Choir and others. The ceremony will follow the Church of Norway’s standard funeral liturgy.
A significant number of foreign royals, heads of state and other official representatives are expected in Oslo. Places inside the cathedral are limited, so for most people the public farewell will take place along the procession route or through the television broadcast and public screens.
The funeral procession through Oslo
Before the service, King Harald’s coffin will leave the Royal Palace in a ceremonial procession.
The confirmed route runs from the Royal Palace down Karl Johans gate, turning into Kirkegata before arriving at Oslo Cathedral. After the cathedral service, a further procession will carry the coffin to Akershus Castle Church at Akershus Fortress.
The Norwegian Armed Forces will provide a gun carriage to carry the coffin between the Palace and cathedral and onwards to Akershus. Military personnel from across the armed forces will also participate in the day’s ceremonies.
Oslo municipality is planning large public screens at several locations along the procession route so people gathered in the city centre can follow the funeral service. The exact locations of those screens have not yet been announced.
That is one of several details still to be confirmed closer to 9 September.
Expect major security measures
Anyone hoping to watch the procession in person should expect a very different Oslo city centre from usual.
From 6am until 9pm on 9 September, a large part of central Oslo will be closed to normal road traffic. People entering the restricted area will have to do so on foot through police-operated security checkpoints. Some restrictions will begin as early as 6pm on the previous evening.
Police have described the security arrangements as exceptionally extensive, with large numbers of foreign dignitaries expected alongside substantial public crowds. Oslo police are receiving assistance from elsewhere in Norway and from abroad.
In practical terms, anyone planning to attend should arrive early and avoid bringing anything unnecessary. Exact arrangements for access to individual parts of the procession route may change at short notice.
Public transport will be heavily affected
Driving into central Oslo is not a realistic option. Oslo municipality and public transport operator Ruter are strongly recommending public transport, with the T-bane metro expected to be the most reliable way into the centre.
However, even the metro will not operate entirely as normal. Stortinget station will be completely closed from 6am until 9pm. At Nationaltheatret, the main entrance beside Johanne Dybwads plass will be closed and only eastbound metro services will stop there.
Passengers travelling west are advised to use Jernbanetorget or Majorstuen instead.
Trams will not run through central Oslo, with several routes cut short on either side of the city centre. Numerous bus routes will also be diverted or suspended through the restricted area. Regional buses from the west will in some cases terminate at Skøyen rather than continuing to Nationaltheatret.
Anyone travelling on the day should check the Ruter app immediately before departure, as further changes remain possible.
A minute’s silence across Norway
At 12 noon, an hour before the funeral begins, the Norwegian Armed Forces will fire a 21-gun mourning salute from Akershus Fortress. Similar salutes will take place at Norway’s other official saluting stations.
Then, as the funeral begins at 1pm, Norway will observe a national minute’s silence.
Three strokes of church bells across the country will mark the beginning of the silence at 1pm. After one minute, another three strokes will mark its conclusion.
The funeral day is not a public holiday. Individual workplaces, schools and educational institutions can nevertheless make their own arrangements to allow people to follow the ceremony. Oslo schools will remain open, although pupils may be given permission to attend the events with their families.
What happens after the cathedral service?
Following the funeral service, King Harald’s coffin will be taken in procession to Akershus Castle Church, where a private ceremony will take place.
The King will ultimately rest in the Royal Mausoleum at Akershus Fortress alongside earlier members of Norway’s modern royal family. A new double sarcophagus has been made for King Harald and Queen Sonja.
Church authorities expect the private ceremony at Akershus to be completed at approximately 3pm. Flags that have flown at half-mast during the mourning period will then be raised.
Paying respects before the funeral
Anyone who wants a quieter opportunity to say farewell does not have to wait until 9 September.
King Harald is lying in state in the Palace Chapel at the Royal Palace. The public can file past the coffin daily until 6pm on Tuesday, 8 September. From 2 September onwards, the chapel is scheduled to open from 10am until 6pm each day.
For many people, this may be a more practical way to pay their respects than attempting to reach Karl Johans gate on the funeral day itself.
Visiting Oslo on 9 September
For visitors who happen to be in Oslo, the funeral will be an extraordinary moment in modern Norwegian history. It will also make normal sightseeing in the centre difficult.
Expect closures around the Royal Palace, Karl Johans gate, Oslo Cathedral and Akershus Fortress, disrupted transport and very large numbers of people.
If you want to witness the procession, arrive early and follow instructions from police and event staff. If you simply need to cross central Oslo that day, allowing considerably more time—or avoiding the centre altogether—will be the safer plan.
Norway has not buried a reigning monarch since King Olav V’s funeral in 1991. On 9 September, central Oslo will once again become the setting for a national farewell.
