Hello all. Planning trip to Copenhagen-Oland-Stockholm (or vice versa) in May and would like to add fjords in Norway. Initial plan was to get to Oslo (fly, train or ferry) and do Norway-in-a-Nutshell to Bergen. NiN sounds great, but also a LOT of skipping on and off trains, buses, ferries. Is there a better way? Was thinking to skip Oslo, go directly to Bergen, and either do NiN roundtrip from Bergen or take a day ferry or two from Bergen into the fjords. I know there's a ferry Copenhagen-Oslo. Is there one Copenhagen-Bergen? Or would flying be best? Suggestions welcome. Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
7178 posts
How much time do you have for Norway? Oslo is worth a visit and I would not suggest skipping it.
Posted by
SE Pennsylvania
2743 posts
The NiN is not difficult to manage and all the parts are worth doing. I don't understand why you would do it RT instead of using it to get from Oslo to Bergen.
Posted by
Lake District, England
8367 posts
There is no Copenhagen to Bergen ferry. The Bergen ferry goes from Hirtshals at the very north of Denmark- about a 7 hour train ride from Copenhagen,
Posted by
Schwerin
3223 posts
I second opinion that Oslo is worth to visit.
Is there one Copenhagen-Bergen?
No.
take a day ferry or two from Bergen into the fjords
Day ferries close to coast are not very attractive. Tip: check YouTube videos.
Tip: rental car round trip around Bergen provides best experience (from mid May on), e. g. Hardanger scenic route. You can also interrupt NiN at Voss and rent a car there.
Posted by
OP
Hermitage, Pennsylvan, USA
11 posts
Thanks everyone. So now I’m thinking of these options:
- NiN in full from Oslo to Bergen (maybe overnight in Flam)
- OR, NiN to Voss and then scenic road trip to Bergen in rental car
- OR, NiN to Flam and then the Norled ferry cruise from Flam to Bergen. https://www.norled.no/en/fjordcruise/sognefjorden-bergen-to-flaam/ Has anyone ever done that?
Thoughts on these options
Posted by
Washington DC
28428 posts
The Naeroyfjord ferry (Flam-Gudvangen) is more scenic that the Flam-Bergen ferry, because the Naeroyfjord arm of the Sognefjord is narrower than the main part of the Sognefjord; it is said that much of the trip to Bergen seems more like being on a lake. I'm sure it's attractive, but the consensus is that the Naeroyfjord trip is preferable. I think folks tend to use the Bergen ferry primarily if they plan to stay in Balestrand, which is on the north side of the Sognefjord.
Skipping the Naeroyfjord ferry means also skipping the bus trip from Gudvangen up to Voss, which is also scenic, although not as much as in the past; the route has changed due to road damage.
Flam itself is not a particularly exciting place. The setting is dramatic as long as there's not a monster cruise ship blocking the view. I'd only recommend spending the night there if you have plans for an activity or two. There are RIB trips (on inflatable boats) and I think also bus excursions to the Stegastein viewpoint. Plus walks, of course. I took the public bus to the Borgund stave church, but that required spending two nights in Flam because of the bus schedule.
I'm sure renting a car in the area opens up lots of good options.
Posted by
185 posts
We took the train from Oslo to Voss and rented a car from there. We stayed in a few places along the way and ended up in Bergen. You can rent a car in Voss. Have them leave the car in the parking lot of the hotel adjacent to the train station. You pick up the keys at the front desk of the hotel. You’ll need to call and speak to a person at the rental office. (They speak perfect English).