NIN 2024

Ask your question on the TripAdvisor forum. I did NIN July 2023. There are TA questions and answers similar to yours re booking individual vs through the NIN website. Very helpful people post on the Norway forum.

NIN acts as an agent for the components of the NIN journey. My guess is that it is like many of the agent rail ticket sites - you are not actually purchasing a ticket(s) through them as the tickets are not released until 90 days in advance. Instead, you are purchasing a reservation for them to buy ticket(s) for you when they become available.

Maybe you want to book the hotels earlier than 90 days out if you are taking multiple days vs a single day on NIN?

We did the Oslo - Bergen Bergensbanen train in one day with no additional excursions. I had zero difficulty booking the train we wanted 90 days out. Not a NIN trip, but I purchased a day cruise on Rodne out of Bergen on the day of the voyage - early July 2023. Just another FYI point of reference.

I didn't go in July (it was late May, but still plenty busy) but I did book the NIN components individually as soon as the booking time frames allowed, following do-it-yourself instructions found via a Google search. At least one leg (I think the bus?) must be purchased on board so you can't do that ahead. Try to book the earliest train out of Flam as even if there are cruise ships in port it is typically less busy. And follow the advice on the instructions as to which side of the train to sit on for best views (can't remember offhand).

My concern is whether some segments could be filled with tour
pre-bookings before opening to independent travellers?

Don't be concerned, it won't happen. If the tickets aren't for sale, they aren't for sale. Neither for you nor for tour companies.

Keep in mind that most of the legs are just regular public transportation that in many cases can not sell out.

I booked NIN from Bergen to Oslo myself. I don't recall having to wait to book tickets, so I can't help with that, but in case you find it helpful, you can read my report here: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/self-booked-norway-in-a-nutshell

I did the NiN trip in June 2022. I didn't book the transportation particularly early; I didn't have the on-sale date marked on my calendar or anything like that. I had no problem at all, but I probably paid more for the Oslo-Myrdal train segment by not buying super-early; those fares are variable. I can't imagine you'd have a problem getting exactly what you want.

I think there may now be a way to buy the Gudvangen-Voss bus ticket ahead of time--maybe on the NorwaysBest website. If so, you might pay more doing it that way. I just paid on the bus last year, but I saw others with some sort of ticket or voucher. They may have been cruise passengers.

In case you haven't uncovered this info: You can buy a ticket all the way between Flam and Oslo as a single trip on the vy.no website. At one time (not sure about now), there was no way for a solo traveler to buy a ticket just between Flam and Myrdal.

I think there may now be a way to buy the Gudvangen-Voss bus ticket
ahead of time--maybe on the NorwaysBest website. If so, you might pay
more doing it that way.

Sort of, you can buy it in advance from Norways Best, but it makes the ticket 50% more expensive and there is really no benefit in doing so.

I just paid on the bus last year, but I saw others with some sort of
ticket or voucher.

You made the right choice. By buying it in advance you basically just get a voucher for a ticket.

So you can either buy a ticket from the bus driver, or you can buy a voucher that costs 50% more that you can exchange for a ticket. An easy choice in my opinon.

Buses are expensive enough in Norway without paying extra for the tickets.