Where in Kristiansand should you live?

Think about what is most important to you: price, standard, proximity to campus, proximity to town, facilities and walking areas in the vicinity, where people you already know live.

Here we give a short presentation of the various areas around campus and around town.

The areas are roughly located on the map, so the given distances will vary, and all times are approximate.

On campus (Gimlemoen)

Campus Kristiansand is located in an area called Gimlemoen and has everything you need as a student. On campus you will find a convenience store, fitness centre (Spicheren), student pub and a great outdoors area at Jegersberg for hiking, training and swimming.

There are of course some obvious advantages to living on campus. You can get to lectures on time even if you oversleep, you do not have to walk far when you stay late at the library, and it takes no time to go home and cook.

Drawbacks: It is a bit of a walk (about 10 min) from the bus stop on the east side of campus to the student houses on the west side of campus (Kaserneveien). On the other hand, almost all buses between the centre of town and Sørlandsparken stop at the campus bus stop (Sørlandsparken is where you find the big shopping centre, Sørlandssenteret, as well as the zoo and Ikea).

Housing on campus is primarily student accommodation run by SiA.

The centre of town

The centre of Kristiansand, also called Kvadraturen, is much like the centre of most towns: Here you can find most things. Pubs and clubs, restaurants, cafés and entertainment. Bystranda offers opportunities for swimming and sunbathing. The outdoors areas in Baneheia and Odderøya are close by. And you have everything you need in the way of shops a stone’s throw away.

The rental market in town is varied, you can find tiny little houses with low ceilings in Posebyen, and you can find brand new apartments. As in most towns, having a certain tolerance for noise is a good idea if you want to live in the town centre. Concerts, party goers, traffic and construction work are constant features, though not necessarily troublesome – but there are other areas for those who want a quiet residential environment.

All buses in town pass through the centre one way or the other, so it doesn’t get better than this if you want to get around in Kristiansand. The centre itself, Kvadraturen, is 1 km long and 1 km wide, so the distances are small no matter where in the centre you live.

So where in the town centre is the centre? The town square with the cathedral is a natural starting point. Other important things to know is that Markensgate is the main shopping street, and that most pubs and clubs are where Tollbodgata and Markensgate intersect.

Lund

Lund is the area located between campus and the town centre – which is something many students find convenient. There is lots of rental accommodation in the area, and many students choose to live here. At Lund, everything is nearby – campus, forest, sea and beach, shops, town centre and so on. Since the area obviously is popular with students and others, you can expect to pay more to live in Lund than in other areas. Housing and prices vary – you can find everything from old self -contained and semi-detached houses to newly constructed apartments for rent.

SiA also has some student accommodation in Lund which may be worth checking out.

Public transportation in Lund varies. From the bridge (Lundsbroa) past the square (Lund Torv) there are lots of buses to campus, while departures from Marviksveien and Østre Ringvei are more infrequent but still good. 

Gimlekollen

Gimlekollen is a quite large area stretching from Prestheia right next to campus (near Spicheren/the bus stop) and all the way to Fagerholt/Justnes. How central it is therefore varying.

To get to Gimlekollen from campus (or town) you have to go up a hill so steep you can skip a weekly training session if you walk or bike there daily. At Gimlekollen, you live near campus (depending on where on Gimlekollen), and at the same time almost in the woods. A great number of short and long trails await in Jegersberg and further. And when there is snow, there are opportunities for skiing on cross-country skiing trails. Renting at Gimlekollen is a little cheaper than in Lund, and if you are ok with going around by bike, you are almost as close to town as at Lund. There are moreover buses going up the hill if you need a ride.

There is a regular bus connection between the centre of town and Gimlekollen via campus. At the top of the hill buses are not very frequent, but if you get down to campus on foot there are lots of buses.

Kokleheia

The area is right behind the student accommodation on campus and is the closest you get to living on campus. Many of the same advantages as living on campus.

Drawbacks: A bit further from the centre of town and the best bus services.

Eg

Eg is located up a short hill by the river, a few minutes outside the town centre / Kvadraturen.

For something more rural and quiet, a few extra minutes by bike or on foot from the town centre takes you to Eg (on the edge of the woods and fields - just by Stampa, the lake in Baneheia), 

The area extends all the way from the town centre to the hospital, so whether it is  central or not depends on which end of the area you are talking about.

Drawbacks: Although the campus is just across the river in air distance, you still have to make a small detour towards the town centre to get over the bridge, and direct buses to campus are also some distance away from Eg (the buses cross the bridge on the far side of the centre of town).

Grim

Just outside the centre of town, to the west of Baneheia and at the end of Markens (the main shopping street), you will find Grim. Grim is centrally located but a bit further from campus (although it is not far to go by bike). The rental market in Grim is more reasonable than in Lund and the town centre, and there is usually a wide range of bedsits, flats, and larger houses to choose from. Grim is situated a short distance from the scenic Ravnedalen, where a number of concerts and other events are held in the summer, and which is worth a visit no matter where you settle.

Grim also has all the essentials nearby – such as a grocery shop – and is ideal for those who enjoy cycling.

There are some buses to the town centre, and there is also a bus you can take from Grim to campus. Not the best public transport service in town, but it is adequate if you plan a little, the few times you need to take a bus. Use a bike!

Further away (west of the town centre/campus)

To the west of Grim there are more areas worth checking out. Tinnheia, Slettheia, Vågsbygd and Voiebyen all have good public transport services, often less expensive than the more central areas, and their own local centres with shops, cafes, restaurants and so on.

Nearness to the sea, forest or both is common, and you can live in everything from bedsits and apartments to houses if you share with others.

Public transport: Variable – but along the M1/M2 routes (Vågsbygd/Voiebyen) the service is good. See also M3 (Slettheia) and 12 (Åsane). Tinnheia also has decent service and is much closer to the town centre than the other areas (you can cycle, but the hill is long and steep!).

Further away (east of the town centre/campus)

If you do not mind living away from the town centre and campus, if you want to find a cheaper place to stay or simply want to try something different, there are several areas in Kristiansand that might be worth checking out.

On the other side of big bridge, Varoddbroa, you come first to Søm, where you can continue to Tømmerstø and Randesund, and then to Hånes. Both Søm and Hånes have metrobus service (the M buses), which allows you to go back and forth almost anytime, at least if you are willing to plan a little. If you are tough, you can go by bike, but the bridge is long and cold at freezing temperatures. The areas are characterised by diverse housing and local centres, and there are good opportunities for finding bedsits, basement apartments and the like, often reasonably priced. As in many other areas, there are good hiking and swimming opportunities in the vicinity. These areas are also to some degree quieter than the centre of town and Lund, for example, for those who enjoy the silence.

If you are dependent on public transport on a daily basis, look for places to stay that are adjacent to the metrobus (route M1/​​M2 in Hånes and M3 in Søm). It will make your transport much easier. If you are near the metrobus, the service is good; outside of it, it varies greatly – from almost nothing to good.