[OSL] Car rental pick‑up points: airport vs city centre—what’s the smartest choice for price, queues, and toll handling?

I’ve rented cars both at OSL and in the city, and for transportation tips my honest take is this: my bold claim is that airport pick-up is usually smarter if you’re heading straight out of Oslo. At the airport it felt more streamlined, with clearer toll handling and less awkward back-and-forth about returns, even if queues can spike at peak times. City centre pick-ups looked cheaper on paper, but from what I’ve seen the time spent navigating traffic, parking rules, and office hours cancels out the savings fast. but there’s a nuance… if you’re staying a few days in the city before driving on, a central location can make sense and feels less rushed. Winter gear has always been standard for me, but I still double-check tires and that there’s actually a scraper in the car, not just promised. EV rentals were easy enough, though charging expectations require a quick reality check before you assume it’s effortless everywhere. Would you rather pay a bit more for simplicity at OSL, or save money and deal with city logistics? And has anyone had a surprisingly smooth city-centre pick-up recently?

I’ve done both OSL and city pick-ups a few times, and it really depends on how your trip starts. Airport rentals are usually smoother for tolls and returns, and if you’re heading straight out of Oslo, it’s hard to beat the convenience even if queues get ugly at peak times. Deposits and insurance upsell feel pretty standard there, nothing shocking, and winter gear has always been fine—but I still check tires and make sure there’s actually a scraper in the trunk. EVs are easy too, as long as you don’t assume chargers are everywhere once you leave the city. City centre rentals can work if you’re staying in Oslo first, but traffic, parking rules, and limited office hours eat into the savings fast. If you end up at OSL, grab a beer at O’Learys in the terminal before hitting the road—it’s a decent reset button.