First train in Norway
Our first train ride in Norway was not on the Bergensbanen railway. It was from the airport to Oslo S, the city’s central station, on a clean modern train with USB chargers at the seats. Trains run every 20 minutes or so and tickets cost 110 NOK, adult single.
Cash and cards
We paid by card, in fact the only time we used cash in Norway was to operate a washing machine (and we bought the coins needed using plastic). The exchange rate was 6NOK to the NZ dollar. Norway has the reputation of being expensive and it is but using a credit card makes that easy to ignore. Restaurant bills, for example, will include the cost of the meal plus VAT (up to 25%) plus a service charge (from 12% to 15%). You can add a tip if you want to but it’s not compulsory and Norwegian wages are quite high so staff don’t have to rely on tips to get by.
One problem with a cashless society is that you can’t give money to homeless people or buy goods from street vendors. How will they get by?
Next day
We stayed overnight at a small hotel near the station because we had to be up early to catch the train to Bergen, the Bergensbanen railway.
This left at 8.25am but we walked to the station at about half-past-seven – it was still dark. Oslo Central S is full of cafes and shops, but few were open at that time in the morning. However, we found one where we could have a cup of coffee and a bacon, chicken and tomato baguette. Too much mayo for my taste.
Bergensbanen railway
Pluss (first class) carriage on the Bergensbanen train from Oslo to Bergen in Norway
The trains are safe, well-equipped, run on time, and offer ample luggage space.
Our seat was in the first of six carriages, Pluss (first class). At the centre of each Pluss carriage is a refreshment area with tea and coffee available throughout the journey.
The café car was in the last wagon, number 6, so we had a bit of a walk to get food, past economy seats, the family carriage with games for young children, and the compartment carriage – compartments can accommodate six people and have berths for sleeping on night trains.
The café had a reasonable selection of hot and cold food and snacks. We had pizza with ham and cheese (99NOK), a bit larger than A5 size and very tasty. You can eat in the café but we took the food back to our seat so we could look at the passing scene in comfort.
Starting the journey
We left on time but for the first half an hour or so the train was mainly inside tunnels with occasional forays into the outside world when we passed stations.
Then we travelled past industrial estates that gave way to farmland that looked like giant cabbage fields and empty livestock paddocks. We very rarely saw cattle and sheep in the fields because in winter the animals are kept inside for a lot of the time and Norwegian winters are long, dark and cold.
Scenery gets better
Traditional Norwegian landscape with autumn leaves and mist in the valleys
For a rail journey that’s supposed to be one of the most beautiful in Europe it hadn’t been very photogenic so far, but as we travelled further north it improved dramatically and we rolled through a traditional Norwegian inland landscape of forests and rivers.
No water transport on these rocky rivers in Norway
We wondered why there was very little river traffic but later we found out as the rivers became shallow, rocky and fast flowing.
Up and down
Isolated houses near the high point of the Bergensbanen rail journey in Norway
After about three hours, at Ål, the line started to climb. The landscape became rugged with snow topped mountains, ice on lakes and rivers and no trees to be seen. But still there were isolated houses with people surviving in such tough conditions.
Snow on the mountain tops, ice in the valleys on an October journey on the Bergensbanen train from Oslo to Bergen in Norway
The highest point on the line comes just after Finse, about four hours into the journey, then a gentle descent begins.
Passengers on the Bergensbanen railway
Norway, Bergensbanen, Myrdal station – the Flåm railway begins here
The train was crowded to start with, but passengers came and went at stations along the way. At Myrdal a lot of people got off because the famous Flåm line begins here. It is 20km (about 12.4mi) long and the hour-long trip takes you from mountainous Myrdal to sea level at Sognefjord. There are about 5 trains a day.
The Vossebanen train in the video is regional. It runs between Bergen and Voss using the same track as the intercity Bergensbanen railway.
Onwards to Bergen
A still lake reflects a rugged mountain on the train route from Oslo to Bergen in Norway
From Myrdal our descent to Bergen took about two hours, past high mountains and deep valleys, clear lakes and rushing rivers, with trees, fields and towns becoming more frequent as the journey continued.
High mountains, deep valleys, clear lakes on the way to Bergen on the Bergensbanen train in Norway
We reached Bergen, the second largest city in Norway, right on time after a very enjoyable trip.
The Bergensbanen train from Oslo to Bergen in Norway arrived on time
The Bergensbanen deserves its reputation as one of Europe’s most beautiful train journeys.
For more information check the Bergensbanen website.