Ruter takes you from door to door: Order a Hent
The capital is a city in motion, and people move in different ways. Some take the metro to work, others cycle, and many combine bus, tram, and walking to make their daily life work.
Last fall, Ruter launched a new option – that picks you up where you are, and takes you where you need to go. The service is called Hent, and it makes it easier to get around the city, especially for trips that don't have direct connections.
Hent is initially available in areas east of Akerselva, from Nydalen to Rødtvet and Kjelsås to Etterstad. Do you want to travel from Ensjø to the Technical Museum, or get from Alna to Tøyenbadet without transfers? Then you can use Hent.
How to order a pickup
All you need to book a trip with Hent is the Ruter app. Follow these steps:
- Search for your destination in the journey planner.
- You will receive suggestions to order a pickup at the top among the travel suggestions if the journey starts and ends within the area where pickup is available.
- The first time you use the service, you will be guided through a simple explanation of Fetch – step by step.
- Select the number of travelers. The price is 55 kr for adults, and 27 kr for children (over 135 cm), youth, and seniors. Currently, there is room for four passengers, in addition to one wheelchair, in each car.
- You will receive a travel suggestion with a pickup time and estimated arrival, and you book the trip.
- The app shows the way to the pickup location. This is not a physical stop, but a virtual stop located right near you. The pickup location is never more than 600 meters away.
- A red car with the Ruter logo will pick you up. If several people have booked travel in the same direction, the car may pick up additional passengers along the way – but you will still arrive at the estimated time. The car drops you off at the nearest virtual stop – right near your destination.
Practical information about Pickup
- Hent is initially available in the area around Hovinbyen, such as Alna, Løren, Tøyen, Bjerke, and Rødtvet.
- You can order Pickup on weekdays from 3 PM to 10 PM and on weekends and holidays from 10 AM to 8 PM.
- The price for adults is 55 kr, and 27 kr for children/youth/senior.
- There is room for four passengers + one wheelchair user in each car.
- Everyone over the age of 15 can book a trip with Hent. Children under 15 must travel with an adult and cannot require a child seat (shorter than 135 cm).
- A good deal for those who live here
One of those who greatly appreciates the launch of Hent i Hovinbyen is ThyThy Vanem (50). She lives in Bjerke and works as a senior consultant at Oslo University Hospital. She uses public transport every day – both for work and when she goes to the city center. However, not all trips fit equally well into the route network:
– I mostly take the bus everywhere. But some routes, like when I'm going to practice at Løren, can be a bit cumbersome. It takes up to half an hour to travel by public transport, even though it's not that far as the crow flies.
ThyThy and her husband have a car, which often becomes the solution when the travel route is not simple enough. Especially after long workdays, or when the weather is bad.
– I want to use public transportation as much as possible, but it also has to fit into my daily routine. That's why a service like Hent, which makes it easier to reach places that are difficult to access by bus or train, is very convenient.
She believes Hent is a good service for those living in Hovinbyen and the surrounding area: – It's not always about long distances, but about how efficiently you can get around. If Hent can contribute to fewer transfers and shorter travel time, then I think many will use it. It feels like a sort of middle ground between a bus and a taxi – just cheaper and more environmentally friendly. And it's really nice not to have to worry about parking.
– Gives me flexibility
Marit Helle (61) lives in Lilletøyen Hageby, and has always enjoyed using public transport – both for work and leisure. However, sometimes the journeys are not always as convenient as she would like.
– Tomorrow I have to go to the physiotherapist. There's no direct route from my place, so I have to take both the train and the bus. That can take quite a long time, she says. In the past few months, Marit has been using crutches, and that makes such trips particularly challenging. That's when solutions that make daily life easier become especially important.
– I don't have a car, and I like being able to get around on my own. The great thing about Hent is that it provides me with the flexibility I need – especially on days when regular public transport routes don't meet my needs. It's a strength for the public transport offering that this option exists, she says.
