Gudvangen to Bergen bus and train. Is it OK not to book tickets in advance?

Posted by moss on 05/30/26 05:32 PM

I'm booking myself on the Norway in a Nutshell route from Oslo to Bergen.

After getting off the two-hour in Gudvangen, the suggested itinerary is bus to Voss and then train to Bergen.
I'm reading that it's cheaper to not book these legs in advance and just buy the bus ticket from at the station or from the driver in Gudvangen and get the train ticket from Voss to Bergen at the Voss station.
Is this correct?
I want to save as much money as possible, but I also do not want to be stranded without transportation.
The Flam to Gudvangen cruise that I'm taking arrives at 1400 on August 3.

Posted by isn31c

Lake District, England

05/30/26 06:24 PM

11821 posts

It's certainly cheaper to buy the bus ticket on the bus, and the train ticket at Voss station. The bus is a service bus and serves dozens of stops (at least in theory) between Gudvangen and Voss. However in the event of a late running ferry the service bus can't wait indefinitely. Only the duplicate buses specifically serving pre-booked passengers can wait.
They will wait even if the ferry is cancelled, with passengers displaced to the later Lustrabaatane boat.

That isn't theory, it happened several times in 2025.

Most of the trains from Voss are commuter trains which cannot sell out.

But the cheapest option of all is to pre- book the long distance VyBus 450 from Gudvangen E16 junction (about 5 minutes walk from the ferry dock) direct to Bergen- at 1528 (arrive Bergen at 1811)- 220 Kr, or at 1647.
Choose the option to travel through to Bergen Bus Station, rather than changing at Arna (on the outskirts of Bergen) for the commuter shuttle train.

Posted by moss OP

05/30/26 08:01 PM

145 posts

Thanks.

It sounds like the safe option if I don't want to take the bus the whole way from Gudvangen to Bergen is to spend extra to reserve the Gudvangen to Voss bus and then buy the Voss to Bergen ticket at the station.

Am I understanding this correctly?

Posted by isn31c

Lake District, England

05/30/26 08:11 PM

11821 posts

yes that's right.

Posted by jeanm

Chicagoland

05/31/26 12:13 AM

2350 posts

There are several different bus companies running the Gudvangen to Voss route.

If you take the public transit bus, you can purchase your ticket from the driver.

If you are planning to take the non-stop FjordTours bus leaving from the Gudvangen ferry dock at 2:28 pm you MUST purchase your ticket in advance. That bus can and will sell out and you can not buy a ticket from the driver. As I mentioned in your other post, the cost of the non-stop FjordTours bus is 200nok.