national park
Kosterhavet National Park
Sweden's first marine national park, a cluster of car-free islands and turquoise waters off the rugged Bohuslän coast.
38 km · about 45 min drive
Østfold, Norway · Europe
Fredrikstad sits on the route: 20 minutes from Lervik, 38km from Kosterhavet National Park.
Fredrikstad is a town located in Østfold, Norway. With a population of 83,761, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Fredrikstad sits in Norway, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Oslo time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Fredrikstad to your route.
Fredrikstad (Norwegian: [ˈfrɛ̀drɪkstɑ] ; previously Frederiksstad; literally "Fredrik's Town") is a port city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad.
The city of Fredrikstad was founded in 1567 by King Frederick II, and established as aRead more
municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The rural municipality of Glemmen was merged with Fredrikstad on 1 January 1964. The rural municipalities of Borge, Onsøy, Kråkerøy, and Rolvsøy were merged with Fredrikstad on 1 January 1994.
The city straddles the river Glomma where it meets the Skagerrak, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the Swedish border. Along with neighboring Sarpsborg, Fredrikstad forms the fifth largest city in Norway: Fredrikstad/Sarpsborg. As of 31 December 2024, according to Statistics Norway, these two municipalities have a total population of 146,001 with 85,862 in Fredrikstad and 60,139 in Sarpsborg.
Fredrikstad was built at the mouth of Glomma as a replacement after Sarpsborg (15 kilometres (9 miles) upstream) was burnt down by the Swedish Army in the 1500s. Some of the citizens stayed behind and rebuilt their old town at its original site and got their city status back in 1839.
The city centre is on the west bank of the Glomma, while the old town on the east bank is Northern Europe's best preserved fortified town.
Fredrikstad used to have a large sawmill industry and was an important harbour for timber export, then later on shipbuilding, until the main yard was closed in 1988. The main industries are currently various chemical plants and other light industry.
In 2005, Fredrikstad was the final host port for the Tall Ships' Race, attracting thousands to the city. In 2019, it was the first host port.
In 2017, Fredrikstad won the national award for most attractive city. The award is given yearly by the Norwegian government on the basis of social, economic and environmental factors.
Economy: One out of six families - in total they include 11,644 persons - is a low-income family (according to media in Q1 2026).
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Fredrikstad offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Fredrikstad is located in Østfold, Norway, Europe. The coordinates are 59.2181 latitude, 10.9298 longitude.
Fredrikstad has a population of approximately 83,761 people, making it a town in Norway.
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Essential numbers in Norway
Many toll roads use automatic plate recognition (AutoPASS). Headlights required at all times.
Full driving guide for Norway1 notable place within an hour's drive.
national park
Sweden's first marine national park, a cluster of car-free islands and turquoise waters off the rugged Bohuslän coast.
38 km · about 45 min drive
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
Other places to explore near Fredrikstad.
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