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How many hours of daylight do Oslo and Bergen get in winter?

Sunrise and sunset through the dark season, and how fast the days grow.

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Short answer

On the shortest day of the year, 21 December, the sun is up for 5 hours 54 minutes in Oslo and 5 hours 45 minutes in Bergen. In Oslo it rises at 09:18 and sets at 15:12. By 1 February the days have grown to about eight hours in both cities.

Polar night and winter in Oslo and the North a round calendar wheel with four seasons shown as a snowflake, a leaf, a sun and a raindrop around a small mountain

Why

  1. MET Norway's sunrise data give Oslo a sunrise at 09:18 and a sunset at 15:12 on 21 December 2026, and Bergen 09:44 and 15:29.
  2. On 1 November 2026 the day is still 8 hours 43 minutes long in Oslo and 8 hours 39 minutes in Bergen.
  3. On 1 February 2027 the sun is up from 08:30 to 16:30 in Oslo and from 08:55 to 16:49 in Bergen.

Details

Bergen lies further west, so the sun rises and sets later there than in Oslo. At midday on 21 December the sun is less than 7 degrees above the horizon in both cities, so it stays low all day. In summer the picture is reversed: on 21 June the sun is up for 18 hours 50 minutes in Oslo and 19 hours 2 minutes in Bergen.

Tip

In December, plan outdoor sightseeing for the hours around midday and save museums and cafés for the dark afternoon.

What may differ

Further north the difference is much bigger: in Tromsø the sun does not rise at all on 21 December, according to MET Norway's data.

Common misconception

Oslo and Bergen are dark all day in winter.

What actually happens

They are not. Even on 21 December the sun is up for almost six hours in both cities; days without any sunrise occur only further north, for example in Tromsø.

People also ask

  • How long is the day in Oslo in winter?

Sources

Information checked on 15 October 2026.

Polar night and winter in Oslo and the North
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