Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Myrdal train, 13:10-14:00; Flåmsbana train from Myrdal to Flåm,
14:43-15:27 (these are 2013 times; confirm locally). The opposite direction
(Flåm-Myrdal-Voss-Gudvangen-Flåm)returnstoFlåmtoolateformostcruise
ships.
• The same “package vs. on your own” considerations, explained earlier,
apply to cruisers. Unless you're eligible for student, senior, or railpass dis-
counts, book the Flåm round-trip package (at the Flåm TI).
• If you'd rather not do the full Nutshell on your day in port, you could do
one or two legs: For example, cruise to Gudvangen, then bus back to Flåm;
or simply go for a round-trip ride on the Flåmsbana to Myrdal and back (this
popular-with-cruisers option often sells out—get your tickets as quickly as
▲▲▲Norway in a Nutshell
If you only have one day for this region, it'll be a thrilling day. The following
segments of the Nutshell route are narrated from Oslo to Bergen. If you're
going the other way, hold the topic upside down.
▲▲Oslo-Bergen Train
This is simply the most spectacular train ride in northern Europe. The scenery
crescendosasyouclimboverNorway'smountainousspine.Afteramildthree
hours of deep woods and lakes, you're into the barren, windswept heaths and
glaciers. These tracks were begun in 1894 to link Stockholm and Bergen, but
NorwaywonitsindependencefromSwedenin1905,sothelineservedtolink
the two main cities in the new country—Oslo and Bergen. The entire railway,
an amazing engineering feat completed in 1909, is 300 miles long; peaks at
4,266 feet, which, at this Alaskan latitude, is far above the tree line; goes un-
der 18 miles of snow sheds; trundles over 300 bridges; and passes through
200 tunnels in just under seven hours.
Here's what you'll see traveling westward from Oslo: Leaving Oslo, you
pass through a six-mile-long tunnel and stop in Drammen, Norway's fifth-
