The 7hr. train journey from Oslo to Bergen is one of the world’s most scenic rides, regardless of season. From Oslo, trains climb 1222m to remote Finse, stop in Myrdal for transfers to the Flåm railway, and then pass through Voss en route to Bergen. Purchase advance tickets at www.nsb.no. Note that hop-on, hop-off tickets are not available. You must plan each leg of the trip separately and choose your destinations ahead of time.
Finse. Outdoor enthusiasts head to Finse, the highest point on the line, and hike north through the Aurlandsdalen Valley to Aurland, 53km from Flåm. Before setting out, ask about trail conditions at Finse’s train station or at DNT offices in Oslo or Bergen; from early June to late September the trails are usually snow-free and accessible. You can sleep in DNT hytte (mountain huts), spaced one day’s walk apart on the Aurland trails. Bikers can head down the rutted Rallarvegen trail, old Navvies road, which parallels the Oslo-Bergen train and extends 81km west to Voss. (www.rallarvegen.no.) Most of the bike ride is downhill; exercise extreme caution on the steep curves in the Flåmdalen Valley. Stay in a hytte in Hallingskeid (21km from Finse) or forge onward to Flåm (57km). Rent bikes at Hotel Finse 1222. (☎56 52 71 10. Bike rental M-W 420kr, Th-Su 520kr.) Star Wars fans will appreciate the nearby Hardangerjøkulen glacier , which was a shooting location for Hoth, the ice planet scenes from The Empire Strikes Back. Postal Code: 5719
Flåm And The Flåm Railway. The railway connecting Myrdal, a stop on the Oslo-Bergen line, with the tiny Sognefjord town of Flåm (pop. 400) is one of Norway’s most celebrated attractions. It is an incredible feat of engineering; it has the steepest descent of any railway in the world. The highlight of the 55min. ride is a view of the thunderous Kjosfossen waterfall, where the train stops to allow photography. The scenic trip is heavily touristed. Make sure to call ahead. (☎57 63 21 00. www.flaamsbana.no or www.nsb.no. 55min., 10 per day, 210kr. 150kr for ScanRail or Eurail.) A 20km hike (4-5hr.) on the well-tended paths between Myrdal and Flåm more or less follows the train route and passes by smaller cascades and knoll campsites.
Flåm Camping and Youth Hostel (HI) , a half-hostel, half-campground, is the best bet for cheap overnight stays in the area. (☎57 63 21 21. Showers 10kr per 5min. Linens 65kr. Laundry 60kr. Tent sites 1 person 90kr, 2 people 155kr; cabins 550-850kr. 15% HI discount. Dorms 175kr; singles 300kr; doubles 450-540kr. MC/V.) The Coop Market, right by the main complex, sells groceries. (☎57 63 21 08. Open M-F 9am-9pm, Sa 9am-6pm, Su noon-6pm. Reduced hours in winter.) Fylkesbaatane express boats run daily to Aurland (15min.), Balestrand (1hr., 2 per day), and Bergen (5hr., 2 per day); check www.fjord1.no/fylkesbaatane for schedules. A popular, scenic sightseeing ferry route runs west through Sognefjord branches to Gudvangen (2hr., 4 per day, 225kr, student 130kr). From Gudvangen, you can take a bus south to Voss (45min., 74kr, student 64kr) and get back on the train (1hr., 5 per day, 70-90kr). Flåm’s tourist office is next to the train station. (☎57 63 33 13; www.visitflam.com. Open daily June-Aug. 8:30am-8pm; Sept. 8:45am-4pm; May 8:30am-4pm.) Between October and April, direct questions about Flåm to the tourist office in nearby Aurland, 9km north. (☎55 57 63 33 13; www.alr.no. Internet 25kr per 15min. Bike rental 50kr per hr., 250kr per day. Open June-Sept.daily 8:30am-8pm. May 8:30am-4pm, Oct.-Apr. M-F 8:30am-3:30pm.) Postal Code: 5743.
Voss. Voss (pop. 14,000) is an adventurer’s dream. Deep powder and 40km of marked trails attract skiers in winter, while kayaking, paragliding, and parabungeeing (jumping from a flying parasail) draw summer thrillseekers. Extreme Sports Week (late June; www.ekstremsportveko.com) draws sports fanatics with a variety of daredevil feats. Kayaking trips to nearby Nærøyfjord allow beginners to visit otherwise inaccessible areas. Rental kayaks (1 day 495kr, 2 days 795kr, 3 days 1050kr, 275kr per day thereafter) are also available. (☎55 56 51 00 17; www.nordicventures.com. Open daily from mid-Apr. to mid-Oct. 9am-9pm or later. Kayaking daytrips 650-975kr; 2 days 2095kr; 3 days including hiking 2995kr. All trips fully catered. MC/V.) Voss Rafting Center, Nedkvitnesvegen 25, 4km from Voss off E16 in Skulestadmo, leads rafting trips at 10am and 3pm daily (from 490kr). Pickup from Voss can be arranged. (☎55 56 51 05 25; www.vossrafting.no. Open in summer daily 9am-5pm, phone bookings until 10pm; in winter M-F 9am-4pm. MC/V.) If you’d rather stay dry, take the 30min. hike from Voss to Bordal Gorge. From the tourist office, turn on the path marked Prestegardsalleen by the lake. Make the trek between July and August, when it is safest. Follow the signs for Bordalssjelet.
Turn right as you exit the train station and walk along E16 away from town for Voss Vandrerhjem (HI) . If money is short, sleep on a foam mattress in the basement for 195kr. (☎56 51 20 17; www.vosshostel.com. Bike, canoe, and kayak rental all 100kr per 2hr. and 250kr per 12hr. Breakfast included. Linens 45kr. Sauna; laundry 40kr. Internet 1kr per min. Reception 24hr. Dorms 250kr; singles high-season 590kr, low-season 500kr; doubles 770/700kr. 15% HI discount. MC/V.) To reach Voss Camping , behind the tourist office, head left from the train station, stick to the lake shore, and turn right onto the gravel path at the church. (☎56 51 15 97; www.vosscamping.no. Reception May-Sept. 8am-10pm. Reserve ahead. 140kr per tent site; 2 person cabin 500kr. Showers 10kr per 6min. MC/V.) Pick up the cheapest groceries at Kiwi, on the main street past the post office. (☎55 56 51 27 35. Open M-F 7am-11pm, Sa 7am-9pm.)
Trains leave for Bergen (1hr., 1 per 1-2hr., 159kr, students 119) and Oslo (5.5hr., 4 per day, 653kr, student 490). Book online ahead of time for mini pris tickets. To get to the tourist office, Uttrågata 9, turn left as you exit the train station, follow the main road and bear right at the fork by the church. (☎55 56 52 08 00; www.visitvoss.com. Free Internet. Bike rental 250kr/day. Open June-Aug. M-F daily 8am-7pm; Sept.-May M-F 8:30am-3:30pm. MC/V.) Postal Code: 5700.
Eidfjord. In an eastern arm of Hardangerfjord accessible only by bus or car, Eidfjord (pop. 950) allows visitors to explore beyond the touristed Oslo-Bergen Line. The town draws hikers bound for the nearby national park and Hardangervidda mountain plateau, the largest of its kind in Europe. Inexperienced hikers should stick to the plateau’s eastern half, while more seasoned adventurers can tackle the Hardangerjøkulen glacier in the north or, with a guide, its pristine southern tip. A 2hr. walk on a trail from the harbor leads to a Viking burial ground on top of a plateau in Haereid. Pick up a trail map from the tourist office and then head out along Simadalvegen. After passing the bridge, turn right and walk along the river; follow the path as it goes by the lake and winds uphill. A mini-tour from Voss whisks a mixed-age crowd to Hardangervidda Nature Center, which features interactive displays on the region’s botany and zoology. (☎53 66 59 00; www.hardangervidda.org. Open daily June-Aug. 9am-8pm; Apr.-May and Sept.-Oct. 10am-6pm. Nature center 80kr. MC/V.) From there, the tour continues to the roaring Vøringfossen Waterfall, which plummets 182m into a serrated glacial valley. It’s important to be careful; the stones are slippery, and safety rails are few and far between. (Mini-tour daily May-Sept. Departs from the harbor after ferry arrival. 195kr.) Sæbø Camping , 6km from town near the Nature Center, has a spectacular lakeside location and a service building with a great array of amenities. (☎53 66 59 27; www.saebocamping.com. Kitchen available. Breakfast included. 110kr per tent site, 20kr per person; 4- to 8-bed cabins 360-920kr. Electricity 30kr. Showers included.) Eidfjord is best reached from Voss via Ulvik. Buses leave Voss at 8:45am (1 per day; 76kr, students 57kr) and arrive in Ulvik at 9:35am. From there, the ferry travels to Eidfjord (½hr, 100kr) from May to September, departing at 11:15 and returning at 2:40pm, allowing just enough time for a 200kr, 2hr. tour of the area. The tourist office, in the town center, will book accommodations for a 60kr fee. (☎53 67 34 00. www.eidfjord.kommune.no. Open from mid-June to mid-Aug. M-F 9am-7pm, Sa-Su 10-6pm; from May to mid-June and from mid-Aug. to Sept. M-Sa 9am-6pm, Su 11am-6pm; Oct.-Apr. M, W, and every other F 10am-4pm.) Postal Code: 5783.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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