3. Oslo to Flåm to Bergen in a 1 Day Norway Nutshell
The majestic route that takes you from Oslo to Flåm to Bergen across the scenic mountains of Norway by train and across the Sognefjord and the UNESCO Nærøyfjord by boat is called Norway in a Nutshell®. This segment of the Bubbly Tourist perfect 7 - 10 day itinerary will utilize Norway in a Nutshell and will take you from Oslo through the villages of Flåm, Myrdal, Gudvangen and Voss to the North Sea city of Bergen in 1 or 1.5 days . Segment 1 of the Bubbly Tourist Perfect Norway Itinerary is Oslo. Segment 2 per the map below is Flåm, a picture perfect small village on the outer edges of the great fjord of Norway, Sognefjord. It is well known and marketed for trips to Norway and in this article, we also discuss the merits of acquiring tickets on your own vs. a package through a tour operator.
Bubbly Tip: It rains a lot in Norway so bring proper rain gear including coats, shoes/boots and umbrellas. And bring layers because you'll need to be able to layer up or down depending on the hour of the day. Don't feel like packing everything? Well there's plenty of fashionable stores throughout the country that set the standard with cool and stylish water-proof rain gear.
Getting to Flåm from Oslo
Myrdal
To get to Flåm from Oslo, you will take a five hour train ride from Oslo Central Station and then change trains at the mountain station in Myrdal. Myrdal is in the middle of nowhere in a tiny but scenic mountain town which seems built for the sole purpose of the train station. Here you'll hop on the Flåm Railway, identified as one of the prettiest train rides in the world.
Bubbly Tip: The Flåm Railway train will wait for the passengers to de-board from Oslo (or Bergen depending on the direction you're coming from) and board the train for Flåm before leaving. It's intentionally designed that way so there's no fear of missing your train connection regardless if your train is running a few minutes behind.
Myrdal to Flåm, a stunning train ride
The Flåm Railway will take you down to the small town of Flåm which sits at the tip of the Sognefjord. This 45 minute train ride is absolutely stunning and is worth the adventure down from the tops of the mountains, along the rushing river, and through lush valleys with beautiful waterfalls. You might even have a surprise stop by the Railway where you happen to see a Huldra, a dangerous seductress who lives in the forest and is said to lure men with her charm. Bubbly Tourist must admit that this brief stop did offer quite the pleasant surprise.
2. Flåm
Flåm, Port Town on the Aurlandsfjord
Segment number 2 on our perfect 7 - 10 Day Norway itinerary is Flåm, a small village located in the Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the Sognefjord in Norway. When we say small village, recognize that its population is normally around 400 people. However, it's also a popular cruise destination and can add 3,000 passengers per cruise ship in the height of summer travel. It's a cute town and will give you your first glimpse of the beautiful Sognefjord, nicknamed the king of the fjords. Given the size of Flåm, Bubbly Tourist recommends you make the village a passthrough unless this will be your only exposure to the fjords. Our perfect 7 - 10 Day Norway itinerary gives you 3 more full days on the fjords so there is no need to spend more than a few hours and/or just one night here.
Bubbly Tip: Check this Flåm port schedule to see when cruise ships will be in port and how many passengers the cruise ship contains. It may have a cruise ship (or two) in port so in order to fight the crowds, your best time to be in town is early in the morning before the ship docks or late afternoon when it's leaving or has left.
What to See and Do in Flåm
As mentioned, it's a very small town, so there really isn't that much to do in town, per se, other than shopping and eating, or as a launch point for hiking or excursions.
Flåm Railway
The number 1 thing to do in Flåm is the Flåm Railway. Assuming you are following Bubbly Tourist's itinerary and have arrived here by the Flåm Railway, then you can scratch that off your list. If not, it's a Must Do!
Flåm Zipline
If you're in for a thrill, then the Flåm Zipline is for you. It's Scandinavia's longest zipline and spans 1.4 km (.8 of a mile). You can access it from the Vatnahalsen station of the Flåm Railway which is also, by the way, only a 20 minute walk from the Myrdal station. Once you take the zip line down, you have the choice to walk 2.5 km (1.5 miles) to the next station or take a bike down to Flåm (this requires you rent a bike separately in advance).
Tap into some local brew Viking style
Located right at the port, Aegir is a Viking inspired BrewPub that serves up plenty of different beer and other optional drinks. The downstairs serves freshly brewed beer, cocktails, wine and liquor and a bar menu while the upstairs serves as the restaurant with good local norwegian food which is viking inspired.
Hike to Brekkefossen Waterfall
From Flåm, the hike to Brekkefossen Waterfall is only a 20 minute hike. Take the hiking trail from center Flåm across some picturesque farmland before ascending the sherpa-made stairs. From there, you're a dirt trail away from reaching the waterfall and a stunning view back across to Flåm and the Aurlandsfjord.
Cruise the Aurlandsfjord and UNESCO listed Naerøyfjord
While in Norway, you have to see the fjords from the water. This is a must do! As part of the Norway in a Nutshell route and Bubbly Tourist 7 - 10 day perfect itinerary of Norway, you will take the ferry from Flåm (or Aurland) to Gudvangen. The fjord cruise from Flåm to Gudvangen involves sailing through two of the best fjords of Norway: the Aurlandsfjord and the UNESCO listed Naerøyfjord near Gudvangen. Even if you do not plan on taking the ferry to Gudvangen then do not miss this opportunity to get out into the fjords if this is your only chance while in Norway!
Shop for some Rain or Winter gear
There's no better place to buy stylish rain gear than Norway. Take advantage of the shops right in town and take your pick of some of the best and chic raincoats in the world. We were grateful to have purchased our rain gear as it kept us dry, not to mention fashionable, for our wet travels in Norway.
Where to Stay in the Aurlandsfjord region
As mentioned, Bubbly Tourist considers Flåm to be more of a passthrough village than a full day stop. But if you do intend to stay in the region like Bubbly Tourist did (for scheduling purposes we wanted an early morning ferry), then we have a hotel recommendation. Just up the road 10 minutes by bus from Flåm is the village of Aurland. It has a very nice 3 star hotel and restaurant / pub that will make your stay cozy and comfortable. The Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri hotel with its historic past has great value because of its good pricing, large rooms with comfortable beds and nice views of the Aurlandsfjord, nice showers, and nice breakfast spread. It is a close walk to shops, cafés, a theatre and the pier where you can catch the ferry to Gudvangen. FYI, you can also catch the ferry in Flåm.
Getting from Flåm to Bergen
Flåm to Gudvangen
As part of the Norway in a Nutshell route, take the ferry from Flåm or Aurland across the Aurlandsfjord. The boat then continues through the narrow Nærøyfjord before arriving in Gudvangen at the inner end. This is a beautiful voyage that is a must do, especially if this is your only chance to visit the fjords by water. Seeing the sky scraping mountains that rise vertically from the edge of the water into the clouds and still covered with snow during the summer, this is a spectacular trip. It's a 2 hour ferry with just a few stops in small villages that dot the coastline with colorful buildings and lush valleys.
Gudvangen
Gudvangen itself is another passthrough village due to its small size. It's a port town where the ferry stops and transfers you to bus.
Gudvangen to Voss
This is a one hour bus ride from Gudvangen to Voss. The trip takes you through the mountains, up to a beautiful view point rest stop at Stalheim, past waterfalls and finally arrives in Voss. The bus ride is part of the Norway in a Nutshell route.
Bubbly Tip: you will not be able to buy your bus tickets in advance. However, there are plenty of buses waiting for you when you arrive by Ferry in Voss.
Voss
Voss or Vossevangen is a municipality and a district in Vestland county, Norway. The village is known as Norway’s extreme sports capital where there are several white water rivers including the Strandaelva and the Raundalselva, which are both international standard rivers, and where you can also mountain bike, sky dive, and snow ski. The village itself is small and if you want to stroll around, you can see the Voss Church, a stone church dating from 1278 (which we weren't able to access), Lake Vangsvatnet, and a small shopping district not far from the train station with restaurants and a delicious food truck.
Voss to Bergen
As part of the Norway in a Nutshell package, the bus from Gudvangen will drop you off at the train station in Voss. From here it's a 1hr15 train ride to Bergen. Note: the bus will drop you off at the train station with barely enough time to catch the train to Bergen. The train will drop you off at the Bergen Railway Station pictured below. It's located in central Bergen (Sentrum) and is only a ten minute walk to the harbor. Bergen is segment 3 of the Bubbly Tourist Perfect 7-10 Day Itinerary of Norway.
Acquiring Your Tickets
What is Norway in a Nutshell®?
The majestic route that includes Oslo, Flåm and Bergen is called Norway in a Nutshell®. Bubbly Tourist mimicked this itinerary from Oslo to Bergen for our Norway itinerary. It helped us identify the recommended locations to visit and the modes of travel from one destination to another. Regardless of how your itinerary is purchased, the travel is self-guided and done independently unless you purchase your tickets as part of a group tour.
How should you purchase your tickets for this segment of Norway?
Google Norway in a Nutshell® and you will find tour operators that will provide you all the transportation you need in one package. Easy and comprehensive. If, however, you're willing to invest a few hours to purchase the same exact itinerary on your own through the train line and cruise operators, you will save yourself some money. Bubbly Tourist's savings was around a 15% savings which is nothing to sneeze at especially if you have a larger group!
Helpful Websites with Corresponding Apps
One of the convenient Norwegian train line providers is VY. Buy your train tickets in Norway through the VY website and then download your tickets into the app. Additionally, you can purchase train tickets in Norway and across Europe at trainline.com.
Bubbly Tip: you can also buy bus tickets (like from Flåm to Aurland) through VY, but your Gudvangen to Voss tickets need to be purchased on the bus directly and NOT in advance.
For your cruise across the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, purchase your tickets through Norway's Best.
Bubbly Bon Voyage!