The Flåm Railway from Bergen

Can you do a day trip from Bergen to the Flåm Railway?

Yes. The classic loop of train, Flåm Railway, fjord boat and bus fits into 10 to 12 hours, and most guided tours run it every day.

You have five ways to do it. They differ in hours, money and how many connections you manage yourself.

How long does it take from Bergen to Flåm by train?

About 3 hours: roughly 2 hours on the Bergen Line to Myrdal, then about 1 hour on the Flåm Railway. Allow time for the change.

Norway's Best gives about two hours from Bergen to Myrdal. The trains stop at Arna, Dale and Voss before the climb. Between Voss and Myrdal the line runs through the 5,311 m Gravhals tunnel, one of the 182 tunnels Vy counts on the Bergen Line.

At Myrdal you walk across the platform to the green Flåm Railway train. Buy the whole journey at vy.no and the change is one ticket. The connection can be short, a few minutes in some timetables, so keep your bags small. In October 2026 the Flåm Railway leaves Myrdal at 09:30, 10:45, 12:06, 13:24, 15:55 and 17:09.

Is the train from Bergen to Flåm scenic?

Very. The Bergen Line follows fjord arms out of Bergen, climbs past Voss into the mountains, and the Flåm Railway then drops 865 m to sea level in an hour.

The first hour hugs the water. Vy notes the last stretch into Bergen stays below 57 m above sea level, past tall mountains and narrow fjords. After Voss the line climbs steadily, and by Myrdal you are at 867 m, often with snow beside the tracks into early summer.

The Flåm Railway is the main event: waterfalls, a valley floor far below, 20 tunnels and a five-minute stop at the 93 m Kjosfossen. Our stops and seats guide tells you where to look. Fair warning: the Bergen side of the trip is pretty, while the real high plateau, Hardangervidda and Finse, lies east of Myrdal on the way to Oslo.

Can you get from Bergen to Flåm by bus or boat?

Yes. The NW162 bus runs all year in about 3 hours. From 1 May to 30 September a Norled express boat sails from Bergen at 08:00 and takes about 5.5 hours.

Bus: Nor-Way Bus Express route NW162 leaves Bergen bus station at 09:05 and reaches Flåm at about 12:05, via Voss and Gudvangen, on the example times Norway's Best lists. It is the cheapest way there, and it misses the best part.

Boat: the express boat leaves Bergen Strandkaiterminal at 08:00 and returns from Flåm at 15:30. A smart summer day: boat out in the morning, then the Flåm Railway up to Myrdal in the afternoon and the Bergen Line home. You see the coast, the Sognefjord and the railway in one day, all by public transport.

How does the DIY Norway in a Nutshell loop work?

Train from Bergen to Voss, bus to Gudvangen, boat through the Nærøyfjord to Flåm, Flåm Railway up to Myrdal, Bergen Line home. You buy each leg yourself.

This is the route Fjord Tours packages as Norway in a Nutshell. Done yourself, it looks like this:

Plan the waits too: you rarely step off one leg onto the next. Book the boat and the Flåm Railway first in summer, since those sell out before the Bergen Line does. If one link fails, nobody holds the next one for you. That risk is what you pay a tour or a package to carry.

Is a guided tour from Bergen better than doing it yourself?

For a first visit with one day to spare, yes. For travellers who want to stop over in Flåm, or ride on Interrail, DIY wins.

A tour fixes the connections and adds things a ticket can't: the Njardarheimr Viking village in Gudvangen, Stegastein viewpoint or a lunch. The listing details differ more than the titles suggest.

One guest on the lunch tour summed it up: "there is a lot of travelling but it's totally worth it". That is fair for all of them. Every option here is a long day, and the later ones get you back to Bergen at about 21:30 in summer.

Bus to Voss, the Bergen Line to Myrdal, the Flåm Railway down to the fjord, the Nærøyfjord boat and a guided Viking village. Back in Bergen by evening.

★ 4.8 · 10.5 hours

Explore the classic guided loop from Bergen → Tour details

Is it better to ride the Flåm Railway up or down?

Down, if you have the choice. You face the fjord as it opens up, you ride it fresh in the morning, and the day does not end with a tight connection at Myrdal.

Only the classic guided loop and option 1 of the small-group day ride downhill from Myrdal. The rest cruise first and climb to Myrdal late in the day, then sit on the Bergen Line for two to almost three hours. Uphill is not worse for views, since the valley is the same. It is worse for energy, and in winter the late trains climb in the dark.

The which-side guide covers seats for each direction.

Should you stay a night in Flåm instead?

If you can, yes. A night splits a 12-hour day in two, gives you the early and late trains without the crowds, and leaves time for Stegastein or the fjord.

Flåm has about 300 residents and several hotels by the quay. Lockers next to the station and customer centre hold bags for up to three days, which Vy confirms. Ride down from Myrdal in the afternoon, sleep, take the first boat to Gudvangen, and you have the loop at half speed. If you return to Bergen the same way, the boat on its own is the Nærøyfjord cruise from Flåm.

Coming from Oslo instead? See the Flåm Railway from Oslo.

Frequently asked questions