EXPLORING NORWAY BY TRAIN

It’s hard to describe Norway in words.

Why?

Well, mainly because its beauty leaves you speechless.

Norway is the country of the fiords, of the snowy peaks diving into the ocean, of the endless woods, of the northern lights.

Norway develops in latitude, this means that its landscapes change dramatically from South to North.

Discovering it by train it’s a great way to not miss a single patch of these magnificent landscapes!

That’s what I did: 2.400 miles almost entirely by train that brought me all the way from Oslo to beyond the arctic circle, and throughout two of Norway’s main cities: Bergen and Trondheim.

It’s possible to discover Norway by train?

I say absolutely yes! Here’s my itinerary, full of hints, info and advices!

 

FROM OSLO TO BERGEN

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If you’ve never been to Norway before, spending some days exploring Oslo is a must.

Here yo can find some hints for things to do and see in Oslo -> five top things to do in Oslo in winter.

If you already visited, flying to Oslo is still the best option, being the capital most of the flights go to and from there, and anyway all of the railways develop from Oslo.

The Bergenbanen, the railway that from Oslo takes you to Bergen, is known to be one of the most scenic railways in the World, and after have ridden it, I can confirm it!

And at the end of the Bergenbanen there’s Bergen obviously, a maze of wooden houses nestled between fiords and hills.

You can’t miss it!

Useful info: the ride from Oslo to Bergen takes approx. seven hours, and it’s available both during day and night. Obviously during night you’ll miss the beauty of it, but you can always ride one way during the night and the other one during the day, as I did. It costs from 50 to 70 EUR one way. If you purchase a return ticket you’ll get a significative reduction.

 

FROM OSLO TO TRONDHEIM

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The railway that connects Oslo to Trondheim is a railway on its own. This means that once reached Trondheim the train stops, and you will have to take another one if you want to proceed further North.

To me, this sounds as a great opportunity to discover the city!

Trondheim is the third most populous city in Norway, after Oslo and Bergen, and it’s the creative and artistic heart of Norway.

It reminds a bit of Amsterdam, with its wooden houses framing the Nidelva river, but what you will love the most about Trondheim is to getting lost in its cozy cafes, digging its many festivals and events, and exploring the unspoiled nature surrounding it.

Useful info: the ride from Oslo to Trondheim takes approx. seven to eight hours, and it’s available both during day and night. It costs from 60 to 70 EUR one way. If you purchase a return ticket you’ll get a significative reduction.

 

FROM TRONDHEIM TO BODØ: THE GETAWAY TO THE LOFOTEN

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The Lofoten islands are known worldwide for their wild beauty, and are an archipelago of sharp snowy peaks diving into the ocean, creating one of the most amazing natural scenery on Earth.

The Lofotens lay after the arctic circle, this means that they are just in the right spot to see the Northern Lights.

What else do they need to be an absolute must destination?

To get to the Lofotens by train you will have to stop in Trondheim, and then continue to Bodø, which is also the Northernmost train station served by the Norwegian Railways.

From Bodø, you can either take a ferry or an airplane to reach the Lofotens.

I used both, not that I had any choice .. more on this will follow in the next post ..

The ferry is cheaper, and the crossing is very pleasant, while the flight is a bit more expensive, thought it takes only 25 minutes and Wideroe’s airplanes are the tiniest ones I’ve ever flown with!

Useful info: the ride from Trondheim to Bodø takes almost ten hours, and it’s available both during day and night. It costs from 60 to 70 EUR one way. If you purchase a return ticket you’ll get a significative reduction. I highly recommend to purchase the whole way from Oslo to Bodø, which costs approximately the same that from Trondheim, and there are no extra fees if you choose your dates to spend a day or more in Trondheim.

 

-> WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TRAINING IN NORWAY <-

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Norwegian trains are without any doubt the most modern, clean and well kept I’ve ever used.

Training in Norway is not only safe, but also comfortable and pleasant.

On board you will always find plugs, comfortable and clean seats with tray-tables, dining car and even free wi-fi!

If you choose to travel with NSB Comfort (for 10 EUR more) you will get a bigger table and complimentary coffee and tea.

 

Traveling by train by night in Norway is 100% safe: I traveled solo and there hasn’t been a single minute I’ve felt uncomfortable, and it’s quite comfortable. Usually the trains are not full (even thought it happened to me) and getting both seats for yourself is not hard.

On every seat you will find a sleeping kit containing a plaid, an inflatable pillow, eye mask and earplugs. A service I’ve experienced only on the most prestigious airlines ..

You can even choose to travel in a sleeping compartment. It costs approx 100 EUR on top of the price, and the compartment have two berths. This means that if you are traveling in two you can share the price!

Traveling by night is a great way to save hotel money, and a lot of time!

 

I would suggest to book in advance your ticket, as it can happen that the trains are full (especially during summertime), and if you are traveling on a certain itinerary you don’t want to mess it up!

You can book and purchase the tickets on the Norwegian State Railways site. Once you have purchased the tickets, you can print them, or collect them at the station or on the train.

If you however jump on a train without ticket you won’t get fined, you will simply have to buy the ticket, with an addition of approx 5 EUR!

 

If you have any question or if you need assistance,

don’t hesitate to drop me a line at info@ablondearoundtheworld.com! 

I will be happy to help you make your dream come true