Norway in a nutshell vs simple train trip

Norway in a Nutshell is way more expensive than the simple point to point train ride- Bergen to Oslo you can get for under £40 (US$50) or about £80 to £100 even booked on the day. £40 for a train trip of that length in an expensive country is something of a bargain.

But you miss the fjords trip and the Flam Railway (but get the Myrdal to Voss section through the mountains which everyone misses).

It's the premium pricing on the Flam railway especially which pushes the price of Norway in a Nutshell up, and to a slightly lesser extent the boat trip through the fjord.

A good half way house between a straight train ride, and Norway in a Nutshell is to take the Bergen to Stavanger bus down the coast (the bus drives on and off two ferries en route) and then the Stavanger to Oslo train. Some of the bus departures now have double deck buses on them. It is one of those under rated trips in Norway, being just normal public transportation, as it's primary function.

The Oslo-Bergen train trip is lovely and an attraction in and of it itself.

Norway in a Nutshell is a combination of train/boat/bus legs that show multiple
features of Norway in a compact package. It is a separate attraction and worth
considering, whether you arrange it yourself or buy a package deal from an agency.

You can do NiN on the way to/from Bergen, but it may be easier to do it as a day
trip from Bergen, as this avoids managing your luggage, or, spend a night along
the way in Voss or Flam.

We have done NIN twice. The first time we did it in a day, which I do not recommend.

The second time we took just over a week. Both of these were booked through Fjordtours. The first time we did the standard route, but the second time we stopped in Stavanger for several nights which we really enjoyed and also had several nights in both Oslo and Bergen. One thing that was very helpful was that we used PorterService for our bags from Bergen back to Oslo. It was really nice to not have to haul those around with us.

Normally we book things ourselves, but it was nice to just let Fjordtours take care of the logistics. We did add on several excursions, and it allowed us to book our own hotels. I know we paid more, but at the time my mother had passed just the month before and her services were days before we flew out, so I was mentally not up for doing all the legwork myself. So for us, it was perfect, but your choices may differ of course.

Of course NIN is more expensive. It's a true travel excursion versus just a means of transportation.

IMO, the cruise through the spectacular Naerøyfjord between Flåm and Gudvangen and the scenic bus ride between Gudvangen and Voss are the best parts of the trip. Add in the tour to Stegastein Viewpoint and that day was 1 of the highlights of our 2 ½ weeks in Norway in 2023. We overnighted in Flåm.

You can save $$ by DIY the trip. If you're 67+ you'll qualify for senior fare on the rail and bus. We DIY the Nutshell, traveled in Comfort class between Myrdal and Oslo and still saved money.

OK, so NiN includes additional components. Here's a component I did not mention: we are starting with a coastal Norway cruise before the Bergen-Oslo trip, and so have done some of the fjord stuff.

Paul, we also started with a coastal cruise. We traveled with Hurtigruten from Kirkenes to Bergen. While the scenery is lovely, the fjords that we traveled along on the coast are quite wide. They are not in the same league as the dramatic Naeroyfjord.

After 2 nights in Bergen we did our DIY Nutshell to Oslo via an overnight in Flåm. Then, after 2 nights in Oslo we flew to Ålesund for 3 nights. One day in Ålesund we did the Geirangerfjord cruise, next day we took a day tour to Trollstigen. Trollstigen was another top highlight of our trip.

Depending on your coastal cruise, you might not get the best "fjord stuff".