Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
spectacular Ofotbanen Railway and, in Sweden, past Abisko National Park, which offers
excellent hiking and lovely Arctic scenery.
Getting Around
Narvik's Framneslia airport is 3km from the centre. Flybuss runs four to eight times daily
between Narvik and Harstad-Narvik Evenes airport (adult/child one way Nkr240/120,
adult return Nkr360, 1¼ hours), 79km away.
For a taxi, phone
Narvik Taxi
(
07 550;
www.narviktaxi.no
)
.
Ofotbanen Railway & Rallarveien
The spectacular mountain-hugging
Ofotbanen Railway
( 76 92 31 21)
trundles beside
fjord-side cliffs, birch forests and rocky plateaus as it climbs to the Swedish border. The
railway, which opened in 1903, was constructed by migrant labourers at the end of the
19th century to connect Narvik with the iron-ore mines at Kiruna, in Sweden's far north.
Currently it transports around 15 million tonnes of iron ore annually and is also a major
magnet for visitors.
The train route from Narvik to Riksgränsen, the ski resort just inside Sweden (one way
adult/child Nkr130/free, one hour), features some 50 tunnels and snowsheds. Towards the
Narvik end of the rail line, you might make out the wreck of the German ship
Georg
Thiele
at the edge of the fjord.
You can run the line as a day or half-day trip, leaving Narvik at 10.26am. The 11.39am
return train from Riksgränsen allows time for coffee and a quick browse or you can walk a
trail in this stunning alpine country and catch the 4.02pm back to Narvik. For the best
views, sit on the left side heading from Narvik.
In Sweden, several long-distance trails radiate out from the railway, including the
world-renowned Kungsleden, which heads south from Abisko into the heart of Sweden.
The
Rallarveien
is a popular hike that parallels the Ofotbanen Railway, following an
old navvy (railway worker) trail. Few walkers attempt the entire way between Abisko Na-
tional Park and the sea, opting instead to begin at Riksgränsen or Bjørnfell, the next station
west. It's an undemanding descent as far as Katterat, from where you can take the evening
train to Narvik.
