Full ferry queue at Rådhus dock

Hot weather, sun, Pentecost and Ruter’s corona rules lead to long queues for Oslo people who will take a ferry out to the islands in the Oslo Fjord.

Ruter ferries in the Oslo Fjord have space for only 50 passengers due to corona restrictions, which provides a capacity of a modest 200 passengers per hour, according to Aftenposten.

It is not possible to install more boats than four per hour. Usually the ferries take close to 1,000 passengers an hour, when all the boats are fully operational.

Oslo people hungry for sunbathing, swimming and perhaps a cabin trip, however, have not been stopped by the reduction in passenger numbers.

Two hour queue
On both Saturday and Sunday there have been long queues at the Rådhus dock that have stretched up to the food trucks at the side of the town hall.

According to the newspaper, the waiting time to take the ferries out to Hovedøya, Lindøya, Nakholmen, Gressholmen and Langøyene is one and a half to two hours.

Press officer Knut-Martin Løken at Ruter tells Dagsavisen that they have a great understanding that many will go to the islands in fine weather.

Asking people to avoid unnecessary travel
“It is true that the space restrictions lead to queues at Aker Brygge, but we have guards in place who report that people are patient and show consideration for each other and understanding of the situation,” he says.

Still, the public transport company in the capital is urging people to avoid unnecessary travel.

“The reopening of society means that more and more passengers are transported, while capacity is still limited. We must therefore adhere to the principle of not traveling by public transport if one does not have to,” he says.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today