🏫Trondheim: close to NTNU and the Nidelva River

If your goal is to study or work during the day and enjoy the Nidelva riverfront in the evening, the most important thing is to choose the right place to stay. The city has a compact centre, with campuses scattered along the Nidelva, and it is possible to walk to Gløshaugen or Kalvskinnen. Below are three practical answers: which neighbourhoods are convenient without a car, where to safely store your bike (including 24-hour bike hotels) and what is more cost-effective for 1-3 months — a room in a kollektiv or a micro studio.

🚶 Where to live to walk to campus/the city centre? [Lock: Trondheim]

Campuses and walking distance. It takes 15–30 minutes to walk from the centre to NTNU Gløshaugen (depending on the hotel/address), part of the way is uphill. Kalvskinnet itself is within walking distance of the central streets.

Neighbourhoods ‘within a 20–25 minute radius’.

• Singsaker / Nedre Singsakerslette. A classic ‘student’ hill between the centre and Gløshaugen (Sit-campus right between the centre, Studentersamfundet and NTNU Gløshaugen).
• Elgeseter / Øya. Bridge to Gløshaugen, close to the hospital cluster and embankments — convenient for both the campus and the centre. (See typical walking routes from Bakklandet to Gløshaugen.)
• Bakklandet / Midtbyen. The ‘postcard’ shore by the Old Bridge; cafes and paths along the river, just minutes from the centre.
• Kalvskinnet / Nedre Elvehavn (Solsiden). Flat terrain, quick access to the centre and the river; 6–8 minutes from Kalvskinnet to key stops.

Transportation backup. The entire city is covered by AtB (metro-bus and city lines), zones and maps are available on the website/app. For rare trips further afield, see the zoning information.

🚲 Are there secure bike storage facilities in the buildings?

What is usually available. Look for ‘sykkelbod / felles bod’ in the ads — this is a shared bike storage room on the ground floor with key/fob access. Municipal recommendations allow bike parking in the basement, at ground level or in built-in shared storage rooms — ask to see how storage is organised in the building.

24/7 options outside the home.

• Leüthenhaven sykkelhotell (centre). A locked ‘bike hotel’ with 24-hour access, 158 spaces, a wash station and a service station with tools — ideal if you live nearby and need a ‘quiet hangar’ for your road bike or gravel bike.
• Heimdal sykkelhotell (south hub). Convenient for those who live/travel through the Heimdal train and bus hub.
• Bane NOR bike parking at stations — covered racks and bike hotels at a number of train stations.

What to check with the owner before booking. How many spaces are there in the sykkelbod, are there wall mounts, CCTV/door closers, how to get a key fob and access at night.

⚖️ What to choose for a month: kollektiv or micro studio?

Kollektiv (room in a shared flat).

Pros: cheaper, already has furniture/dishwasher/washing machine, lively environment. Cons: noise from the shared kitchen, neighbours and different ‘daily routines’. Ask for the ‘house rules’ (no phone calls in your room, quiet hours), look at the layout — where the ‘traffic’ is.

Micro studio (1 room).

Pros: privacy, you can set up a normal desk, quieter. Cons: more expensive per square metre and communal utilities. For reference: according to SSB data, the average monthly rent for a two-room apartment in the city in 2024 is ≈11,150 kr; one-room apartments are usually cheaper, but depend on location/condition.

If you are a student or intern. Check out Sit: Moholt and other towns have different formats — from hybel to family blocks; often closer to campus and with predictable conditions.

How to decide.

• Take a kollektiv in Singsaker/Bakklandet if budget is more important and your schedule is flexible.
• Take a micro studio in Kalvskinnet/Solsiden if you need quiet, conference calls and proximity to the centre.
• In both cases, ask for a speed test screenshot and a photo of the bike parking space.

The working formula is simple: live within a 15-30 minute walk of your buildings (Gløshaugen/Kalvskinnet), keep your bike in a building sykkelbod or a 24-hour sykkelhotell, and choose your accommodation based on noise and personal space: kollektiv saves money, a micro studio saves your nerves and gives you your ‘own’ desk. With this setup, both the campus and Nidelva will be within walking distance, and your weekdays will be calm and productive.