I’m a fan of train travel, as you know. Over the past few years I’ve tried collecting some of the memories from the most scenic journeys in the world. I’ve taken the train from Kandy to Ella in Sri Lanka, ridden the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto, and most recently travelled from Oslo to Bergen by train.
What made this one different is the landscape. Sweeping through the Taiga forest, frozen lakes and snowy mountains, the train from Oslo is almost a ‘highlights of Norway’ reel. Then, throw in the fact that you end up in Bergen – Gateway to the Fjords – and you have the ultimate way to see this remarkable country.
So, let me persuade you that the train from Oslo to Bergen isn’t just transport. It’s the reason to visit Norway.
Oslo to Bergen by Train | Your Quick Guide
Planning Your Journey
Before you hear about all the facts and journey of the train, here are some of the key planning points. I’ve included everything you need to know and have linked them to FAQs too.
The Route
There are two types of train journey from Oslo to Bergen. The first takes 7 hours and the second is a sleeper train. My recommendation is to take the former as you’re here to see the views!
The train covers over 500km and runs multiple times throughout the day, all year round. It begins in Oslo before heading into the Taiga forest and then snakes its way through the mountains. As it does so, it stops at Geilo (a popular ski resort), Finse (the highest station in Norway) and Myrdal (which is where you change for Flåm). From here, you’ll descend towards the coast and Bergen.
Booking Your Ticket and Interrail
Booking your ticket is easy. VY is the main website you use to book trains in Norway. It includes everything you need and is very simple to use.
However, I’d recommend Interrail. If you are linking this in with any other train journey in Scandinavia and the rest of Europe, it is definitely good value for money.
I’ve written about how to plan an Interrail Trip before and included everything you need to know. However, if you’re short on time, the main things you need to know are that you get allocated a select number of days to conduct your travel and all journeys on these days are included. Then, you need to book seat reservations for an additional fee on many of Europe’s fast trains.
To book your reservation for the Oslo to Bergen train, head over to Interrail and follow the instructions.
Top Tip: Book your seat reservations as early as possible. Each train only allocates a certain number of tickets to Interrail Pass holders and they sell out quickly.
Best Times to Take the Train
Time of Day
The whole point of the journey is to see the views. We disembarked at 08:15 and I actually think that this was a great choice. We could see the soft morning light change throughout the day and arrived in Bergen just after 15:00, meaning we could immediately check-in and enjoy the city.
Time of Year
Oslo to Bergen by train is beautiful all year round. If you had to ask me for my opinion, I think that you need to see some snow to make it truly magical. When you go through the mountains it just adds so much to the journey. However, winter in Scandinavia is dark and the sun won’t rise until 09:00am in December. With that in mind, I’d suggest early spring (February to April) for the best time to visit. Alternatively, if you want to see sprawling, lush valleys, summer is also beautiful.
What to Expect from the Train Interior
The Seats
I thought that the seats on the train were actually fantastic. They were really spacious, comfortable and the leg room was more than enough. Windows on the train were also large to help you see the view.
With other commodities, the train also had excellent Wi-Fi and there were charging cables underneath every seats. I also thought that the toilets were especially clean in comparison to other trains which I had been on.
Food and Drink
7 hours on a train is a long time and you’re probably wondering about the food and drink options. Honestly, the café on the train was one of the best I’ve seen. There are plenty of hot and cold options for both food and drink, and there is a dedicated cart to the café. This actually has a nice seating area so that you don’t miss the view!
With this in mind, I’d recommend that you don’t need to worry about packing a lunch. You will enjoy the café.
My Journey on the Bergen Line
Leaving Oslo
We arrived at Oslo Central Station early in the morning, around 07:45. We loaded up on coffee and a few pastries to take with us, and then saw that the train was ready to board. If you haven’t seen pictures of the Bergensbanen train, it appears quite rustic and prepared for any eventuality up a snow-covered mountain. We found our carriage, took our seats and got ready for the journey.
Now, the weather when we left was rather miserable. It was drizzling and the temperature was not particularly warm. As the train set off though, the rain turned to sleet, which eventually (after about 20 minutes) turned to a thick snow. It was evident that it had snowed heavily outside of the city and the landscape was becoming more and more wintery with each passing moment.
The Wild Norway
After an hour, we were in the dense boreal forest. The conifers were completely caked in snow and the large lakes nearby were completely frozen and snow-capped. It felt a very different place to the one we had left, but was hauntingly beautiful. Eventually though we left the forest and began seeing more mountainous terrain. The snow was evidently deeper (we could see at least a foot of it by the tracks) and the mountains were getting taller.
After a short while we reached the plateau. Apparently, this is the best place to see reindeer on the journey. We kept our eyes peeled and had the camera at the ready. Sadly, we didn’t see any, but could make out multiple footprints in the snow, possibly belonging to hares, foxes and maybe even a reindeer. The plateau was completely deserted at first, with the odd house appearing every so often. However, we eventually reached Geilo and into one of the most popular skiing destinations in Norway. The train became a little busier at this stop, but was still pleasant enough. Besides, the landscape outside was breathtaking and was as close to the Arctic experience as we’ve had so far.
7 hours on any form of transport can often feel like an eternity. This was definitely not the case on this train.
Lunch
At around midday, we decided that it was time to grab some food. As I’ve said above, the café on the train is excellent and we found it difficult to pick our lunch. In the end, we opted for hot dogs and snacks, including Kvikk Lunsj, the Norwegian equivalent of a Kit Kat (but much better, in my opinion).
What I loved about the café was the seating arrangements. You could perch yourself onto these little bar stools and just watch the world go by out the window, without cranking your neck.
Descending to Bergen
Eventually, we noticed that the snow levels were slowly lowering. The white trees were becoming greener and we could see patches of snow on the ground instead of a thick coating.
Eventually, there was no snow to be seen and we could feel the train climbing down to sea level and to Bergen. The latter part of the journey was spent on the flat, passing by small Norwegian villages, roads and rivers.
After 7 hours, I genuinely felt that I had seen some of the best things on offer in this fabulous country. The train journey had felt less of a transportation and more of an experience.
How to Extend your Experience
Whilst Oslo to Bergen by train is amazing, there are some more adventures to be had nearby.
If you read our 2 Week Scandinavia Interrail Itinerary | Your Ultimate Guide, you’ll see that we stayed in Bergen for a day before going on a ferry through the Fjords to Flåm. This was the perfect addition in my opinion. We got to see another beautiful side of Norway and have a different – albeit just as incredible – experience in this remarkable country. Flåm is a lovely base to explore various hiking trails and the Fjords. It is also very remote and quiet most of the year (with the exception of summer), allowing you to breathe after busy cities.
From Flåm, we then took the Taking the Flåmsbana to Myrdal, which linked back with the Bergen Line back to Oslo.
The Bergen Railway History
I don’t know about you, but I love hearing about the history of places I visit. If you’re into train travel history, then you’ll love the Bergen Railway. It opened in 1909 and remains one of the country’s most impressive engineering achievements. After 200km into the journey, the line climbs dramatically to a whopping 1,222m above sea level to Finse. It also crosses the grand and isolated Hardangervidda plateau before descending rapidly down to sea level.
During German occupation of Norway during the Second World War, the line was critical for the transport of military equipment. After the war, the line finally became electrified and steam locomotives were stopped on the line.
Final Thoughts | Oslo to Bergen by Train
I hope I’ve convinced you that Oslo to Bergen is an experience worth having. To this day, it remains one of my favourite travel experiences which is up there with the greats. When you consider that this is included with an Interrail Pass and takes you through some of the most beautiful places in the world, this has to be high on the Bucket List for any seasoned traveller.
