Bus Hire in Gjovik, Norway

Blast a cavern 25 metres deep into solid rock, fit it out with an ice rink, and you get Gjovikhallen, the ice hockey venue built inside a mountain for the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics and, at the time it opened, the largest hall of its kind carved out of rock anywhere in the world. Gjovik itself, home to around 20,000 people, sits on the western shore of Lake Mjosa, a town whose 19th-century economy ran heavily on paper and pulp production from mills powered by the lake's outflow.

That Olympic cavern still hosts hockey and public skating today, a genuine curiosity for any group expecting a conventional arena. Away from the mountain hall, Gjovik's lakeside setting on Mjosa, Norway's largest lake, gives it the same kind of waterfront appeal as Hamar further along the shore, with a working history in paper manufacturing that shaped the town's growth through the industrial era.

Gjovik Olympic Cavern Hall

Built for the ice hockey competitions of the 1994 Winter Olympics, Gjovikhallen was blasted 25 metres into the mountainside beside the town, and when it opened it was the largest hall of its kind carved directly out of solid rock anywhere in the world. The venue remains in regular use for hockey, skating, and public events today, and coach groups touring Norway's 1994 Olympic venues alongside Lillehammer and Hamar often add Gjovik specifically for this unusual piece of engineering.

Lake Mjosa and Gjovik's Paper Mill Heritage

Gjovik developed through the 19th century largely around paper and pulp mills powered by outflow from Lake Mjosa, Norway's largest lake by both area and volume, and traces of that industrial history remain visible in parts of the town's older waterfront buildings. The lakeside setting today gives Gjovik a pleasant promenade and marina area, sharing the same Mjosa shoreline that runs north to Hamar and Lillehammer.

Gjovik's Position on the Mjosa Circuit

Sitting on Lake Mjosa's western shore opposite Hamar, Gjovik forms part of a natural touring loop around the lake that also takes in Lillehammer to the north, giving coach groups a workable multi-stop itinerary combining Olympic heritage, lakeside towns, and open countryside without long transfer distances between stops.

What Bus Hire Costs in Gjovik

As a rough guide, a minibus (up to 19 seats) in Gjovik runs around 3,500 to 6,000 NOK per day, a midi-coach (around 35 seats) around 5,700 to 9,900 NOK per day, and a full-size coach (49 to 55 seats) around 8,500 to 15,200 NOK per day. Gjovik sits in the lower-mid range of the Norwegian market, consistent with neighbouring Hamar and the wider Mjosa lake region. The final figure depends on your route, the date, and how long you need the vehicle. We confirm a fixed price with no hidden charges -- send your details for a free quote.