The Flåm Railway: One of the World's Great Train Rides

The Flåm Railway is the rare attraction that lives up to the hype: a 20 km branch line that drops from a bleak mountain plateau down to a fjord-side village, past waterfalls, hairpin valleys and tunnels dug by hand a century ago. It is regularly named one of the world's most scenic train journeys, and for anyone based in the Nordics it is one of the easiest "bucket-list" fjord experiences to reach — a train from Bergen or Oslo, a change at Myrdal, and you are on it. Here is how to ride it properly, when to go, and how to turn it into a full fjord day rather than a there-and-back novelty.

What the Flåm Railway actually is

The Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana, "the Flåm line") runs between Myrdal, a remote junction high on the Bergen Railway, and Flåm, a small village at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord. According to the official operator, the line is about 20 km long and the ride takes roughly 55 to 60 minutes. In that short distance it descends from Myrdal at 867 metres above sea level down to Flåm at the water's edge — a drop that makes it one of the steepest standard-gauge railways anywhere, with gradients reaching 5.5 per cent (about 1 in 18).

It is also a feat of old-fashioned engineering. The line was built between the 1920s and 1940 and threads through 20 tunnels, 18 of which were dug by hand. The train moves deliberately, slowing or pausing at the best viewpoints rather than rushing, which is exactly the point: this is a sightseeing ride first and a transport link second. VisitBergen and VisitNorway both flag it as a one-day highlight reachable directly from Bergen.

How to get there from Bergen

From Bergen, the route is simple in shape: you ride the Bergen Railway (Bergensbanen) up to Myrdal, then change onto the Flåm Railway down to Flåm. The Bergen Line is run by Vy on line R40, and the Bergen-to-Myrdal leg takes roughly two hours, passing through the lakeside town of Voss on the way. There is no through train to Flåm — Myrdal is always the connection point, and the two services are scheduled to meet so the change is short.

Because the trains are timed to connect, the cleanest approach for visitors is a single combined ticket or a packaged round trip that handles the Myrdal change for you. If you would rather base yourself in Flåm or nearby for a night and slow the trip down, compare stays on Booking.com for the village and the surrounding Aurland area before you lock in your train times. Either way, confirm departures on the official Vy and Flåm Railway sites close to your travel date, as winter and summer timetables differ.

How to get there from Oslo

The Flåm Railway is just as reachable from the Oslo side, and the journey there is a highlight in its own right. From Oslo you ride the Bergen Railway eastbound-to-westbound across the mountains — one of Europe's great rail crossings, climbing over the bare Hardangervidda plateau — and get off at Myrdal, where you change to the Flåm Railway exactly as you would coming from Bergen.

This makes Flåm the natural midpoint of an Oslo-to-Bergen rail trip rather than a detour: many travellers ride Oslo to Myrdal, drop down to Flåm for the fjord, then rejoin the main line (or take the fjord cruise) and continue to Bergen. If you are planning the wider crossing, our Oslo to Bergen by train guide covers the full mountain route, and the Norway in a Nutshell route explains how to stitch the trains and cruise into one loop.

What you see on the ride

The descent is relentlessly scenic, but a few moments stand out. The headline stop is Kjosfossen, a thundering waterfall where the train pauses and passengers step out onto a platform to take it in. It is at its most powerful in late spring and summer, fed by snowmelt; in the summer season a short cultural performance is staged on the rocks beside the falls. Elsewhere the line clings to the side of the Flåm valley, doubling back on itself through tunnels and offering changing views of cliffs, farms and the river far below.

Because the train runs slowly and stops for photos, you do not need to fight for a window seat the whole way — but the views alternate sides, so be ready to move. The carriages have large windows designed for exactly this, and the official operator describes the ride as a year-round experience, with the landscape shifting dramatically between green summer valleys and snow-walled winter cuttings.

The Nærøyfjord cruise add-on

The single best upgrade to the railway is to keep going by water. From Flåm you can board a fjord cruise that sails down the Aurlandsfjord and into the Nærøyfjord, one of the narrowest fjord arms in Europe and part of the UNESCO World Heritage fjord landscape, with mountain walls towering far overhead. The cruise ends at Gudvangen, from where a bus climbs out of the valley to Voss and a train carries you onward to Bergen.

Strung together, the Bergen Railway, Flåm Railway and Nærøyfjord cruise form the famous Norway in a Nutshell circuit. According to VisitBergen, the full loop can be done as a single long day round trip from Bergen — though it is a packed day, and splitting it with an overnight in Flåm or Gudvangen makes it far more relaxed. Modern fjord cruise vessels on this route are electric and quiet, which suits the scenery. For the full breakdown of how to DIY the loop versus buying it as a package, see the dedicated Norway in a Nutshell route guide.

What to do in Flåm village

Flåm itself is tiny — a few hundred permanent residents at the head of the fjord — but it has enough to fill the gap between trains or a relaxed overnight. The free Flåm Railway Museum, just behind the rail line, tells the story of how the railway was built and the people who dug those hand-cut tunnels; it is a genuinely worthwhile half hour. Nearby, the Ægir BrewPub, built in the style of a Norwegian stave church, is the village's well-known craft brewery and a good spot for a meal after the ride.

Active visitors have options too. The Rallarvegen (the navvies' road, the old construction route) is one of Norway's most famous cycling trails; a popular plan is to take the train up to Myrdal and freewheel the long descent back down to Flåm by bike, with rentals available locally. Hikers head for Aurlandsdalen, a dramatic valley sometimes called Norway's Grand Canyon, while kayaking on the calm Aurlandsfjord is offered by local operators in the warmer months.

The Stegastein viewpoint

If you have a few hours and want the postcard fjord view from above, the Stegastein viewpoint is the trip to make. Part of the Aurland–Lærdal National Scenic Route, Stegastein is a striking wood-and-glass platform that sits roughly 650 metres above the Aurlandsfjord and juts out from the mountainside, giving the unnerving sensation of floating over the water. It sits up the mountainside from Aurland, a short distance from Flåm, and is usually reached by a local bus or tour rather than on foot. Bear in mind the access road is mountainous and can be closed or restricted in winter, so check current conditions before planning a visit in the colder months.

Best time to ride

The Flåm Railway runs all year, so the "best" season depends on what you want. Late spring through early autumn is the classic window: the waterfalls are full, the valley is green, the Nærøyfjord cruise and Stegastein are both fully operational, and daylight is long. It is also the busiest and priciest time, and Flåm can be crowded on days when cruise ships are in port, so an early or late train helps. Winter is quieter and starkly beautiful, with snow lining the cuttings, but daylight is short, some add-on activities scale back, and mountain roads (including up to Stegastein) may close — lean on the train rather than expecting to drive yourself around.

Whatever the season, dress in layers: Myrdal at the top can be cold and exposed even when Flåm at the bottom is mild, and the Kjosfossen platform is bracing. Norway's mountain weather changes fast, so a waterproof layer is worth packing regardless of the forecast.

Plan your trip — good to know

A few practical pointers. Book ahead in peak summer, especially around midday departures and cruise-ship days, and buy Flåm Railway tickets through the official Flåm Railway site and Bergen Line tickets through Vy or Entur — always check current timetables and fares there before you travel, as they change with the season. Allow buffer time at Myrdal if you are connecting onward, and don't assume you can grab a same-day seat in July.

Norway is expensive, so a card with low foreign-exchange fees and a fair exchange rate — services such as Wise or Revolut — saves money on tickets, food and the inevitable brewery stop. And while Norwegian healthcare is excellent, residents travelling on a Nordic holiday and overseas visitors alike should make sure they are covered for the trip; travel insurance such as SafetyWing is worth checking for anything from a missed connection to a hiking mishap in Aurlandsdalen. Whether you ride it as a quick round trip from Bergen or build it into a full Oslo-to-fjord crossing, the Flåm Railway earns its reputation — go for the scenery, give yourself time at the bottom, and let the fjord do the rest.