It's the trip every visitor asks about. Train from Oslo or Bergen up into the mountains, the steep Flåm Railway down to the fjord, a boat through the narrow Nærøyfjord, and a bus up the valley to catch the train again. Norway in a Nutshell is a ticket package that strings all of that together. It isn't a guided tour. Nobody holds up a flag, you just follow your tickets. So the real question is whether you need the package at all.
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The trip in 4 numbers
kroner for an adult, the round trip from Bergen (2026 price)
Bergen to Bergen, if you do it all in one day
tunnels on the Flåm Railway, 18 of them dug by hand
changes between train, boat and bus
The short answer
First time? Buy the package.
It costs a bit more, but you get one booking, departures that fit together, and one company to call if something goes wrong. On a day with four changes, that's worth something.
Doing it yourself makes sense if you want to pick your own times, you're already in Flåm or Voss, or you're a family and the savings add up. Guides that have priced it out land a few hundred kroner below the package per adult.
The route, leg by leg
The classic route runs from Oslo to Bergen, or the other way round. From Bergen you can also do it as a round trip in one day. Five legs, four changes:
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Oslo or Bergen to Myrdal
Train, the Bergen LineAbout 5 h from Oslo, 2 h from BergenPhoto: Piotr Guzik on Unsplash The Bergen Line climbs over Hardangervidda, the big mountain plateau, and for a good stretch you're above the tree line. It can be a lot colder up here than in Oslo or Bergen, even in summer, so keep a warm layer in your day bag.
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Myrdal to Flåm
Train, the Flåm Railway55 minPhoto: Daniele D'Andreti on Unsplash Myrdal is a mountain station with not much else around it. From here the Flåm Railway drops about 865 metres in 20 km down to the fjord, through 20 tunnels. One of them makes a full U-turn inside the mountain.
Local tip
Seats aren't reserved. Have your bags ready when the Bergen Line pulls in, and you'll get a window.
Fun factThe train stops for about five minutes at the Kjosfossen waterfall, so you can step out onto the platform and look at it up close.
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Flåm to Gudvangen
Electric fjord boatAbout 2 hPhoto: Meriç Dağlı on Unsplash Out along the Aurlandsfjord and into the Nærøyfjord, one of the narrowest fjords in Norway and on UNESCO's World Heritage list. The boats on the package run on electricity, so it's quiet enough to hear the waterfalls.
Local tip
Sit outside for at least part of it, and bring a windproof jacket. The deck is where the photos are.
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Gudvangen to Voss
BusAbout 1 hUp through the Nærøydalen valley and on to Voss. Older guides talk about the bus going down the hairpin bends at Stalheim. That road has been closed to traffic for years, so don't plan around it.
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Voss to Bergen
TrainJust over 1 hThe last leg, along lakes and fjords into Bergen. If you started in Bergen, that's the round trip done. If you started in Oslo, welcome to the west coast.
The package or on your own?
| The package | On your own | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From NOK 2,698 per adult for the Bergen round trip | A few hundred kroner less per adult, by most guides' sums |
| Booking | One booking with Fjord Tours | Separate tickets from Vy and Norway's Best |
| Times | Fixed departures you choose when you book | You pick every departure yourself |
| If something goes wrong | One company to call | You sort it out with each company |
| Extra nights | Can be added when you book | Stay wherever you like |
| Guide | None, you travel on your own | None either |
Book the package if
- It's your first time in Norway
- You're going in July or August, when everything sells out
- You'd rather not juggle tickets from several companies
- You want one place to call if a train is late
Do it yourself if
- You want to pick your own times, or start in Flåm or Voss
- Your cruise ship docks in Flåm and you only need part of the route
- You're a family, and the savings add up
- You don't mind booking with more than one company
Only booking 3 things? Make it these.
Norway in a Nutshell, 4 days from Oslo with hotels
The same route spread over four days, with the hotels included. Far less rushing. Check which hotels and which nights before you book.
See the 4-day tripGuided day trips from Bergen
Want someone else to keep track of the changes? These are guided day trips from Bergen to the Flåm Railway and the fjord and back.
See trips from BergenNærøyfjord cruise
Already in Flåm, or only want the best bit? The boat through the Nærøyfjord is the part people remember.
Find a fjord cruiseThe package and guided trips
Norway in a Nutshell, 4 days from Oslo with hotels
The route at a calmer pace, with the beds sorted. See what's included in the price before you book.
See the 4-day tripGuided day trips from Bergen
A guide, a fixed plan and the Flåm Railway in one day. Check whether the boat is included.
See trips from BergenTrain trips from Oslo
From Oslo it's a long day there and back. Check the return time before you book.
See trips from OsloAlready in Flåm?
The Flåm Railway
Up to Myrdal and back, about two hours on the train. Handy if your ship docks in Flåm.
Find Flåm Railway ticketsNærøyfjord cruise
The narrowest, steepest and greenest part of the trip, without the trains around it.
Find a fjord cruiseWhere to sleep
A night in Flåm
Splitting the trip with a night by the fjord turns a long day into a good one. Book early for summer.
Booking the package
Fjord Tours sells it on fjordtours.com, and the round trip from Bergen is also sold through Visit Bergen. You can start or end in Oslo, Bergen, Flåm, Voss or Geilo, and add a night in Flåm or Gudvangen when you book. Children under 16 pay NOK 1,204 on the Bergen round trip. You get your tickets and a timetable, and then you're on your own.
Doing it yourself
Vy sells the trains, including the Flåm Railway when you combine it with the Bergen Line from Oslo or Bergen. Norway's Best sells the fjord boat. The bus from Gudvangen to Voss runs all year.
Vy opens sales about 90 days ahead. The Flåm Railway and the fjord boat open up to 120 days ahead. In July and August, book a few weeks ahead at least, and book your bed in Flåm at the same time. It sells out before the trains do.
If one leg runs late and you miss the next, you deal with that company yourself. That's the trade-off for the money you save.
In winter
Yes, it runs all year, apart from 24 and 25 December and 1 January. There are fewer departures on the Flåm Railway and the boat in winter, and snow on the mountain plateau. Beautiful, but check the times before you commit to anything.
Coming by cruise ship?
If your ship docks in Flåm, you're already in the middle of the route. The Flåm Railway up to Myrdal and back, or a boat through the Nærøyfjord, fit well into a day in port. On days with big ships in, the trains and boats fill up, so book ahead. The port calendar on flamport.no shows which ships are coming.
Practical tips
- Do it over two days if you can. One day works, but it's a long one.
- Pack light. You carry your own bags on and off at every change.
- Food isn't included. Buy lunch in Flåm or bring your own.
- Keep a warm layer handy for the mountain plateau, even in July.
- Check which days the big cruise ships are in Flåm before you pick a date.
Norway in a Nutshell® is a registered trademark of Fjord Tours. This site is independent and has no connection to Fjord Tours.
Last checked November 2026. Sources: Visit Bergen, Norway in a Nutshell, Fjord Tours, Norway in a Nutshell, Guide to Lofoten, Norway in a Nutshell on your own, Oslo Spirit, Norway in a Nutshell explained, Loudavým krokem, Norway in a Nutshell DIY, Everyrail, the Flåm Railway.