There are no seats available on the trains departing to Myrdal-Flam around our arrival time from Oslo. In Rick's book it says don't worry, it rarely fills and to hop on in standing room. Has anyone tried this? Is it possible and do you buy a standing room ticket when at Myrdal? Or should we buy the tickets for the departure many hours after our arrival and hope we get on an earlier train? It doesn't seem like there is anything to do in Myrdal if we are stuck there for 5 hours.
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
60 posts
Maybe I'm not understanding your question, Jena, but having traveled via the Flåm-Myrdal train in May, there aren't any reserved seats on that train. First-come, first-served, sit anywhere. No "standing room only" tickets. (The one kinda-sorta exception is that some cars/seating areas are reserved for tour groups, but that should not pose a problem.) When capacity of a certain departure is reached (# of pax), that departure is listed on the website as "sold out." https://www.visitflam.com/flamsbana/experience-flamsbana/
If you mean that trains from Oslo to Myrdal aren't available shortly after your arrival to the former, why not kill a little time in Oslo?
What you do have pretty much correct is the lack of something to do in Myrdal. One can do a little hiking or rent a bike. Beautiful scenery all around. There is some seating adjacent to the small snack bar and gift shop where my son and I sat while waiting for our train to Oslo.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
We were trying to book on the train company website, https://www.nsb.no/en/frontpage, in advance to go from Myrdal to Flam. We already have our ticket from Oslo to Myrdal and they do sell tickets for Myrdal to Flam, but our date of travel is sold out until late in the day. On visitflam.com it looks like the only option is a round trip starting in Flam and we need a one way starting in Myrdal.
Posted by
Burlington, Vermont USA
114 posts
"First-come, first-served, sit anywhere."
Absolutely not. When I went, there were flyers taped to half the train doors with Chinese letters. Chinese tour groups reserved at least half the cars. Best to look for cars without fliers.
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
60 posts
Uhhhh... I mentioned that cars/seating areas are sometimes reserved for tour groups. Thanks for reading carefully.
Posted by
Burlington, Vermont USA
114 posts
Uhhhhhh
You said it wasn't a problem. I'd say half the trains reserved is a problem.
And do I really want to read "the one kinda-sorta exception"?
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
60 posts
The tour groups should not pose a problem, Jena. If you encounter any issues finding open seating, there are Flåmsbana personnel on the train and the platform who can assist you. Hopefully you were able to work your itinerary such that you won't have to wait five hours in Myrdal. I forgot to mention that the Myrdal station has wifi that can help with passing the time.
Posted by
Denver, CO, USA
1556 posts
Did you only search on the visitflam website or did you also check the nsb.no website. I just found out this morning that the different channels have different availability for the same train. In fact, I was seeing more availability on the nsb.no website that the agent I was talking to on the phone.
I too noticed that the visitflam website was only selling round trip tickets.