Stranded on Christmas: The Costly Taxi Ride to Geilo

Scores of travelers across Norway had their Christmas Eve plans disrupted when all trains came to a halt on the first day of the holiday. Among them were Lisbet Angeltveit and her friends, Catrine and Roger Hovland from Fredrikstad, who had been looking forward to spending the festive season in their cozy Geilo cabin.

The trio was set to board their train at noon, but after hours of waiting at the station, they were faced with the grim reality of cancelling their plans. However, a lifeline in the form of taxis presented itself, as the train cancellations were confirmed.

"We were hesitant to book a taxi before the cancellations were confirmed, but once we got the news, the conductor on the platform mentioned that taxis were an option if no alternative transportation was arranged," they told BA.

In a hurry, they decided to book a taxi, fortunately finding willing drivers waiting outside the station. The journey was smooth, except for the treacherous, icy roads leading up to Geilo, which the taxi driver struggled with.

Upon reaching their destination, they discovered they had to shell out an eye-watering NOK 9,901 for the trip. "It’s a lot of money," Angeltveit admitted to BA. "We’ve submitted the receipt, but with the high volume, it might take a while to get the refund. We’re left to wait and see."