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Stockholm to Oslo to Bergen - Advice?

I have a couple of uncommitted days between home exchanges in Stockholm and Copenhagen this summer and would like to use that time to ride the train between Oslo and Bergen. I have the time but riding a train for 12 hrs from Stockholm through Oslo to Bergen doesn't particularly appeal to me, although if it is an exceptionally scenic ride the whole way, I'll do it.

It seems more reasonable to fly from Stockholm to Bergen and take the train back to Copenhagen with a stopover in Oslo. I haven't yet decided whether to buy a Eurail Scandinavia pass, although a current 1 free day offer makes the price attractive, even with additional fees.

Can anyone offer thoughts on this and advise as to whether and why I should choose one option over another? Additionally, an idealized itinerary would be appreciated.

Decisions, decisions!

Brenda

Posted by
5516 posts

If it were me, I'd use the following transportation options:
1) Fly from Stockholm to Bergen
2) Take the Norway in a Nutshell train route from Bergen to Oslo
3) Take the overnight ferry from Oslo to Copenhagen

Posted by
16893 posts

I agree with the other Laura's suggestions. If you do cover a couple of legs by plane or ferry, then you wouldn't have enough train travel left to get good value out of a rail pass. If you choose a rail pass, seat reservation fees are only about $10 each. When I drove from Sweden to Oslo years ago, I don't remember seeing much besides dense forests and a few lakes, so I'd have no qualms about flying, instead.

Posted by
11294 posts

I also like Laura's plan. I'll add that when I was in this region in 2003, I learned that most locals fly these routes, and that I didn't find the Stockholm route scenic enough to make the train preferable.

When I went, I flew SAS across the Atlantic; they had a deal where you could add segments within Scandinavia cheaply to your transatlantic ticket. I don't know if this deal still exists or if you're using SAS, but if you are, look into it.

Posted by
162 posts

Thanks everyone. I've realized it makes more sense to transition from Stockholm to Copenhagen first in order to get rid of luggage before going on to Norway. Even a small suitcase is a nuisance to haul around. So as of now I plan to fly from Stockholm to Copenhagen first and settle in at the exchange home. Then I'll take the overnight ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo, tour the Norway in a Nutshell region for a couple of days, return to Oslo and spend a day there before going back to Copenhagen again on the ferry. I'll make reservations in advance and probably skip the rail pass, at least for this part of my trip.

It's always helpful to get the perspective of others and I appreciate your input. If you have more insight into this new plan, please pass it along!

Many thanks.