My friend and I are going to Norway in July 2015. We want to do a roundtrip train ride from Oslo to Bergen. We are spending one night in bergen and want to take a night train back to Oslo on the second night. What is the best/cheapest way to do this and see the fjords? Can you take a boat ride from Bergen to the fjords or is it better to do the Norway in a nutshell tour? Thank you for your help. We have never been to Norway before. -karen
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
The the fast boat service from Bergen to the fjords would be a good way to vary your route, instead of backtracking the whole way by train. However, I recently heard some news about that service being discontinued, so you may have to wait and see what other ferry company might pick up that route by summer; see also http://www.visitnorway.com/us/getting-here-and-around/ferries-and-ships/.
See train ticket tips at the bottom of http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains/norway-rail-passes. Since this is a popular route, "minipris" train tickets are likely to sell out quickly. There was a time when the NSB web site was not working well with US credit cards, but I think that issue has passed. Most European train tickets aren't bookable more than 3 months in advance.
Posted by
115 posts
The express boat between Bergen and Stavanger is discontinued.
Flåm – Bergen is on the price list for 2015, so I guess the boat will run this summer.