We will be traveling to Denmark and Norway with a toddler. We cannot take buses as one of us gets vertigo.
We are interested in scenic routes by train, cruise or drive, kids related activities and less of museums.
Would love to take two scenic railway Rauma line and Flam.
Should we visit Denmark first and then Norway or other way around?
We plan to spend 4 days in Denmark and 10 days in Norway.
Copenhagen( 3days)
one day to drive to Hirtshals to catch the ferry for Kristiansand and from there to Stavanger
Stay in Stavanger(2 nights) Is Pulpit rock hike manageable with a toddler? What other things we can do?
Stavanger to Bergen drive OR train? what are the places we can visit in between?
Bergen ( 3days) What other places can we visit near Bergen and which glacier cruises we should take? Any nearby drives?
Train route to flam from Bergen and back ( scenic railway)(1 day)
I am clueless on how to proceed further? How to do Rauma line? and drive to
Geiranger to trollstigen? or Geiranger to ornesvingen? and then AlesunGeirangerfjord?
We will be flying back to London? What should be our last stop Alesund?
Can someone please guide?
Much appreciated
Thanks
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5837 posts
No to buses but OK with trains, planes and automobiles?
The train is one of the better ways to get from both CPH to downtown Copenhagen and from OSL to downtown Oslo.
https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/taking-train-copenhagen-airport
https://www.visitoslo.com/en/transport/transport-airport/oslo-gardermoen/
The Norwegian state run railroad that use to be the "NSB" is not called "VY", The NSB/VY regional train between OSL and Oslo Sentrum is cheaper than the Flytoget express airport train and only take a couple of minutes longer.
Oslo (and Copenhagen) have great transit systems. Oslo's include trams (train tracks), the Oslo T-bane/Metro also on tracks, and buses. Oslo also has a ferry boat between City Hall and the Bygdøy peninsula. The Norwegian outdoor folk museum is in Bygdøy.
https://www.visitoslo.com/en/activities-and-attractions/boroughs/bygdoy/attractions/
Norsk Folkemuseum – Norwegian Museum of Cultural History
One of the world's oldest and largest open-air museums, with 155
traditional houses from all parts of Norway and a stave church from
the year 1200.The museum also has indoor exhibits with traditional handicraft items,
folk costumes, Sami culture, weapons, toys, pharmaceutical history and
changing exhibitions.In summer the open-air museum offers freshly-baked lefse, horse and
carriage rides, feeding of the animals, guided tours, handicraft
demonstrations and much more.
The Norway in a Nutshell (NiN) route/tour is mostly rail, but has a boat then a bus leg. You could just take the Bergen Line between Oslo and Bergen, but it would be a shame to miss the Flam Railroad between Myrdal and Flam, and the boat journey through the narrow fjords.
https://www.norwaynutshell.com/original-tour/
The Norwegian "official travel guide" is a good start about what to see and do in Norway:
https://www.visitnorway.com/
SAS Airlines hubs through Copenhagen. This works well for visiting Copenhagen either before or after Norway. The benefit of visiting Denmark first is one less flight leg from North America. There is also an overnight ferry option to Norway but we have not tried it.
Posted by
Berlin
2977 posts
Expectation management: unlikely that a forum member is doing the itinerary planning for you.
Based on your knowledge so far I would ask a travel agent or minimum a professional itinerary planner who is familiar with Norway. Date of travel and budget are important to know for them - recommendations in different seasons / months are different.
Buses are the main public transport option in Norway's fjordland. Make yourself familiar with train network of Norway (map). Then you will recognize that trains for traveling Fjord Norway are a pleasure with strongly limiting possibilities - still a pleasure. Buses and sometimes ferries will bring you further, e.g. between Bergen and Stavanger. If train you will travel back to Oslo and then the NiN like route to Bergen.
Therefore a rental car can be a better option (avoiding x-border and one-way rentals).
Question if you want to do a round trip with toddler or not better having a base somewhere?
I would reduce the travel plans especially with a toddler. Example: hiking. We adults might enjoy walking through the sun or rain for hours, toddlers seldomly do - even if carried around. What if one of you is suddenly injured on a hike? If you want to hike search for shorter and easier ones on ut.no.
What you can do instead is renting a bike at some places, e.g. in Flam. If you are fit enough you can also drive up Stegastein (normally bus tour ...) - but it is really a hard experience. Also boat tour through the Naeroyfjord is a nice experience (normally bus back but ...).
Last tip: Do not underestimate distances and weather influences in Scandinavia and especially in the fjord area of Norway. These frame conditions simply rule life there.
Good luck for planning and your journey.
Posted by
Copenhagen, Denmark
971 posts
You write that you will spend a day driving from Copenhagen to Hirtshals to catch the ferry to Kristiansand. Do you plan on having a rental car?
Posted by
8185 posts
Denmark is great, but Norway has the scenery.
If you can, look at cruises that go up the coast of Norway. Norway is very expensive and on a cruise ship you get to stop and great ports and see the scenic areas, but don't have to pay expensive hotel and meal prices.
Alesund is tops with the Path of the Trolls.
Geiranger has the most awesome fjord.
Flam has the train that goes into the mountains and it is great.
Stavanger is another great port in the south.
We did a cruise that went to Tromso and the North Cape as well, it was amazing.