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The Flåm Railway from Oslo

From Oslo the Flåm Railway comes after one of Europe's great train rides: the Bergen Line over Hardangervidda. It is a long way for a day, and a fine way to cross the country.

A long train winding through a green valley beside a river
The Bergen Line leaves Oslo through farmland and valleys before it climbs to the plateau.

Booking choice: The private day trip from Oslo. Check dates Tour details

Oslo to Flåm is about 4.5 to 5 hours on the Bergen Line to Myrdal, then an hour on the Flåm Railway. That makes a same-day return by public train a very long day. Most visitors from Oslo either ride on to Bergen, stay a night in Flåm, or hire a driver.

This guide covers the train, the scenery, the one-way route to Bergen, the private day trip and the question everyone asks: which train ride in Norway is the most beautiful?

The quick answer

Take the Bergen Line from Oslo to Myrdal (about 4.5 to 5 hours) and change for the Flåm Railway (about 1 hour). Sit on the left from Oslo for the plateau. The best plan is one way to Bergen via Flåm and the Nærøyfjord, or a night in Flåm. A same-day round trip is possible but long; a private driver-guide day from Oslo costs far more than any other option and takes about 15 hours.

A red train crossing a high plateau with snow patches and a lake
Hardangervidda from the Bergen Line, the stretch you only see coming from Oslo.

Can you do the Flåm Railway from Oslo?

Yes. Every rail route from Oslo to Flåm takes the Bergen Line to Myrdal and changes there. It works best one way, or with a night in Flåm.

Vy sells Oslo to Flåm as one journey with a change at Myrdal. A round trip in one day means about 11 to 12 hours on trains, with little time at the fjord. Possible, if you love trains. Not what we would plan.

Better options: ride from Oslo to Flåm, sleep, and continue to Bergen by boat, bus and train the next day. Or do the one-way Norway in a Nutshell route to Bergen in a single long day. Or let a driver take you there and back in the private day trip from Oslo.

No trains to connect: a private driver-guide from Oslo, with the Flåm Railway and a fjord cruise in one day.

Check dates for the private day trip from Oslo

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

About 5.5 to 6 hours plus the change: 4.5 to 5 hours from Oslo to Myrdal, then about 1 hour down to Flåm.

The operator says about 4.5 hours to Myrdal; Vy says about 5. The difference is the train and the timetable.

LegTimeNotes
Oslo Airport to Oslo SAbout 20 minIf you land and go
Oslo S to Myrdal, Bergen Line4.5 to 5 hoursVia Drammen, Hønefoss, Geilo, Finse
Change at MyrdalMinutes to an hourCafé Rallaren on the platform
Myrdal to Flåm, Flåm RailwayAbout 1 hourDownhill, 867 m to 2 m
Oslo to Bergen direct, for comparison6.5 to 7.5 hoursDay or night train

One travel blog's 2026 example: 08:25 from Oslo S, Myrdal 13:04, Flåm Railway at 13:24, Flåm at 14:22. That last connection matches the October 2026 Flåm Railway timetable from Myrdal. Check Vy for your own date.

Is the train from Oslo to Flåm scenic?

Very, from Geilo onward. The Bergen Line climbs onto Hardangervidda and stops at Finse, 1,222 m up, before dropping to Myrdal.

The Bergen Line is 471 km long, with 182 tunnels and a highest point of 1,237 m. The first hours from Oslo follow the Drammen river and Tyrifjorden, Norway's fifth-largest lake. Then the line climbs onto Hardangervidda, which Vy calls Europe's largest high mountain plateau, home to Norway's largest herd of wild reindeer.

Finse is the highest railway station in Norway at 1,222 m, says SNL, beside a lake below the Hardangerjøkulen glacier. Robert Falcon Scott tested his gear here before his South Pole expedition. For the plateau, Vy advises sitting on the left from Oslo. The 10.3 km Finse tunnel follows, then Myrdal.

Myrdal station with snow banks and mountains
Myrdal, where you leave the Bergen Line for the Flåm Railway.

What is the most beautiful train ride in Norway?

Our pick is the Bergen Line plus the Flåm Railway as one journey. The Rauma Line is the strongest rival.

Each famous line does a different thing well:

LineLength / timeWhy ride it
Bergen Line, Oslo to Bergen471 km, 6.5 to 7.5 hThe high plateau, Finse, snow most of the year
Flåm Railway, Myrdal to Flåm20.2 km, about 1 hThe drop from 867 m to the fjord, Kjosfossen
Rauma Line, Dombås to Åndalsnes115 km, about 1 h 25Kylling bridge, Trollveggen, Romsdalen

The Rauma figures come from Visit Norway. The Flåm Railway is the most intense hour; the Bergen Line the most varied day. Ride them together and you have Norway's best rail journey, which is why Norway in a Nutshell exists.

Can you go from Oslo to Bergen via the Flåm Railway in one day?

Yes. Oslo to Myrdal, Flåm Railway down, boat through the Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen, bus to Voss, train to Bergen. It takes about 12 hours.

This is the one-way Norway in a Nutshell route, sold by Fjord Tours, and you ride the Flåm Railway downhill. You can also buy each leg separately on vy.no and norwaysbest.com. One blog's sample day reaches Bergen at 20:38, with under an hour in Flåm. It recommends splitting the trip over two days, and we agree.

Going the other way? The Bergen to Oslo self-guided route covers train, bus, boat and the Flåm Railway uphill, ending in Oslo. Note its cancellation window is 3 days, not the usual 24 hours. Luggage transfer between Oslo and Bergen is a Fjord Tours add-on worth paying for.

The Nærøyfjord seen from the deck of a boat
The Nærøyfjord, the middle of the Oslo to Bergen day.

What is the private day trip from Oslo like?

About 15 hours with a private driver-guide: the drive west past Hardangervidda, the Flåm Railway, a two-hour fjord cruise and the drive home via Geilo.

The private day trip from Oslo is run by Easy Travel Norway. The listing says pickup is at Storgata 28B in Oslo, includes the Flåm Railway, a one-class Bergen Line ticket on request and a two-hour cruise, and returns via Geilo. The order of train and boat is not clear on the listing, so ask the operator which way you ride.

It is a long day. The price shown is per person for one traveller; groups pay less each, so check the price for your party. Guests like their driver-guide: one wrote that "Janis was our guide he was excellent! Overall great experience!"

From Oslo: Private Day Trip to the Flåm Railway

Your own driver-guide from Oslo to the fjords and back, with the Flåm Railway and a two-hour cruise.

★ 4.9 · 15 hours

Explore the private day trip from Oslo Tour details

Should you stay overnight in Flåm?

Yes, if your plans allow. A night in Flåm turns two rushed days into two good ones and puts you on the quiet first train and boat.

Arrive from Oslo in the afternoon, eat by the fjord, and take the first boat to Gudvangen the next morning. Lockers next to Flåm station hold bags for up to three days, Vy says, so you can leave the big case. Use the evening for Stegastein or the free Flåm Railway Museum.

From Flåm, the guided loops from Bergen are no use to you: buy the Nærøyfjord boat on its own and the bus from Gudvangen. If you base yourself in Bergen instead, the Bergen guide has the day trips.

Flåm village at golden hour with the green train at the station
Flåm after the last train, one reason to stay the night.

Staying in Flåm? Add the Nærøyfjord by boat, two hours to Gudvangen.

Check dates for the Nærøyfjord cruise from Flåm

Which Bergen Line ticket should you book from Oslo?

A standard seat is fine; Plus adds space, power and coffee. Seat reservations are free, and booking early gets the cheaper fares.

Vy's seat types on the Bergen Line: standard with a free reservation, Plus with more room, work tables and power, Family with a play area, and six-seat Compartments. Flex fares let you pick your seat, which is how you get the left side from Oslo. Night trains add PlusNight, six-berth Rest and two-bed Sleeper cabins. There is free Wi-Fi on the Bergen Line, and bikes need a reserved space.

Vy fares drop the earlier you book. Interrail holders pay a reservation fee on the Bergen Line and get 30% off the Flåm Railway single, bought by phone or at a staffed station. The full rules are in the tickets guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is the train from Oslo to Flåm scenic?

Yes. The Bergen Line crosses the Hardangervidda plateau and stops at Finse, the highest station in Norway, before the Flåm Railway drops to the fjord. Sit on the left from Oslo.

Can you do Oslo to Flåm and back in a day?

By train it means about 11 to 12 hours of travel with little time in Flåm. A private driver-guide day takes about 15 hours. We suggest one way to Bergen or a night in Flåm.

Do you have to change trains from Oslo to Flåm?

Yes, at Myrdal, from the Bergen Line to the Flåm Railway. Vy sells it as one ticket.

What is the closest town to Flåm?

Aurland, a few kilometres along the fjord, is the municipal centre. By train, Myrdal is the closest station on the Bergen Line, and Voss the closest town with a main station.

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From Oslo: Private Day Trip to the Flåm Railway

From Oslo: Private Day Trip to the Flåm Railway

★ 4.9 · 15 hours

A long private day from Oslo with a driver-guide

Trip length15 hoursCheck dates
Viking Village, Nærøyfjord Cruise & Flåm Railway

Viking Village, Nærøyfjord Cruise & Flåm Railway

★ 4.8 · 10.5 hours

  • Bergen Line train from Voss up to Myrdal
  • Flåm Railway, Myrdal down to Flåm
  • Two-hour Nærøyfjord cruise, Flåm to Gudvangen
Trip length10.5 hoursCheck dates
Classic Nærøyfjord Cruise from Flåm

Classic Nærøyfjord Cruise from Flåm

★ 4.5 · 2 hours

Already in Flåm? Add the fjord by boat

Trip length2 hoursCheck dates

Plan your date before you go

A private driver-guide from Oslo to the fjords and the Flåm Railway and back in one long day.

Check dates for the private day trip from Oslo