Hello,
Looking to book train tickets for 4 from Oslo to Flam for August 17 but can't for the 8:25 train because the Flambana train seems to be booked up already. I really don't want to do the earlier train with 2 grumpy teenagers. Any suggestions?
Posted by
Freedonia
16273 posts
What website are you trying to use? There are tickets available for the 13:13 train from Myrdal to Flam on the 17th. (That's enough time to connect from the 8:25 from Oslo.)
I went to: www.vy.no
They operate the train.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7937 posts
It looks like the sold-out portion of the trip is the first available train on the Myrdal-to-Flam connection leg. Looks like you can still book the 8:25 Oslo train, arriving in Myrdal at 13:04, but since the earliest connecting Myrdal train leaving for Flam at 13:13 is sold out, you’ll want the second connection at Myrdal, the 14:28, which reaches Flam at 15:28. Book them as two separate legs, rather than a single booking.
Otherwise, pick the least objectionable of taking the 6:25 train out of Oslo (with Myrdal connection) and arriving in Flam before 1:00 PM, or taking the 9:40 bus (with bus connection at Håbakken) and getting to Flam at 4:45 PM. At least the slower, later bus option is cheaper than the trains.
Is car rental an option, if neither of those work for you?
Posted by
Berlin
2998 posts
Just book the free tickets asap. On Aug 17 a large cruise ship with possible over 6,000 passengers will be in Flam port arriving 7 am.
Posted by
Freedonia
16273 posts
Please do not listen to any advice about alternate transportation from Myyrdal to Flam. The train between these two towns is not a regular train. It is a sightseeing train and the reason to take it is the stunning scenery. It will even make photo stops.
Posted by
OP
Cambridge, UK
37 posts
Frank II--I'm also going to www.vy.no and not seeing a 13:13 train available.
Posted by
OP
Cambridge, UK
37 posts
MarkK--Ah, very helpful! I think I'm going to try to rearrange my dates!
Posted by
Freedonia
16273 posts
When I posted my first time, the train was availble. If you can change the date to go when cruise ships aren't in port, the better.
Posted by
Lake District, England
7838 posts
This is the cruise ship timetable- https://www.flamport.no/ship-arrivals2021
(ignore the file name- it is for this year)
You will see that there is no cruise ship in the previous day (16 August) or the following day (18 August) according to this schedule.
It doesn't help you but half of one car is always kept available for unbooked local traffic as there are a number of intermediate, if not much used, local stations- which are mainly used by local villagers. Thus a train is not strictly full. I have actually used supposedly full trains on the line twice by using that loophole and paying the conductor on the train, and years ago even used the then through sleeping car from Oslo to Flam, catching a fjord boat onwards from Flam. Both times I was walking up (mainly) the valley on the adjacent road and using the wayside stations to help me. I was doing that specifically because of being unable to book a straight through return ticket from Flam to Myrdal when on a cruise.
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
6970 posts
MarkK--Ah, very helpful! I think I'm going to try to rearrange my
dates!
That seems like a very good idea. Flåm overrun cruise passengers sounds like a nightmare in my opinion.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7937 posts
MarkK and isn31c, I appreciate the ferry info for consideration. We’re going to be in the area in September, and Vikoyri is another nearby cruise port harbor, but not as busy as Flam. I’ve found the listing for the cruise ship days there, as well. Perhaps boats at Vikoyri don’t actually affect the Flam area (perhaps), but we’re trying to avoid the days that either harbor has cruise ships.
Carolyn, I hope you’ve gotten suitable trains for the four of you.