I can tell summer is just around the corner now, because more and more people are asking me about Norway’s most famous tour: Norway in a Nutshell.
There are a few different versions of this tour, depending on whether you’ll be departing from Oslo, Bergen, Voss, or Flåm, but they all have the same objective: to take you through the beautiful scenery of the Flåm Railway, Aurlandsfjord, Nærøyfjord, and Stalheimskleiva.
So for everyone who has asked for my personal Norway in a Nutshell tour review here it goes: I don’t think it’s worth it.
Okay, maybe it’s a bit more complicated than that.
The Norway in a Nutshell tour itself is amazing. Like, it really does take you through some truly gorgeous places. I did it with my friends as a teenager and loved it. In fact this photo I took on the tour was my desktop background for a good 8 years:
I just have two problems with the Norway in a Nutshell tour: 1. it uses public transportation and 2. you’d be able to see more for less money if you rented a car.
The first point is actually my biggest issue with the tour – Norway in a Nutshell isn’t a guided tour, it just provides you with a set of tickets, all of which you could book independently for much cheaper. So you’re essentially paying a (pretty high!) fee to have someone book tickets that you could easily book online yourself.
In my opinion, this almost feels like a bit of a scam. Almost.
I mean, the convenience of having the tickets booked all together in one place is certainly worth it for some (especially as a few legs of the journey can’t actually be booked in advance otherwise – though they also don’t need to be), but it seems a little crazy to me that this is sold as an expensive tour when all you’re actually getting is a bunch of public transport tickets.
But the dumbest part is that if you’re booking through the tour, you’re going to be traveling on all of the busiest buses, ferries, and trains, with everyone else who has booked the same tour. Whereas if you did the same route independently you could choose transport times to avoid all the crowds.
Wait, actually the dumbest part might be that the tickets you get with the tour are not real transport tickets. You will still have to wait in line when you arrive to exchange your Norway in a Nutshell tickets for the actual train, bus or boat tickets. And no, your ticket does not reserve you a spot either. So what’s the point?
Norway Travel Guides! I’ve gathered all my best advice for planning an incredible trip through Southern and Northern Norway in two 95-page ebooks covering my top recommendations for places to visit (both on and off the beaten path), the best times of year to visit, how long to visit for, the best accommodation choices, transportation, what to eat, what to pack, and how to plan the perfect itinerary.
Now, Fjord Tours, the company behind Norway in a Nutshell, has been around since 1982. And I really don’t mean to disrespect them. They offer a wonderful service for people who don’t know how to book tickets online, or would prefer to pay someone to do so.
But this 2022! Thanks to the Internet we can all book these tickets on our own now, so for many of us the service offered by Norway in a Nutshell is simply outdated. Why wouldn’t we just book our own tickets, where we can choose our own departure times and forego paying someone else a hefty fee, especially when planning a trip to an already very expensive country?
So if you’re not able to rent a car in Norway, I recommend doing a DIY version of the Norway fjord tour by booking the same itinerary yourself. You’ll save money (especially if you book your trains well in advance!) and have more flexibility to avoid the busy travel times and maybe take the journey a little more slowly, if you have time.
Booking the Norway fjord tour route independently
It’s actually incredibly easy to replicate the Norway fjord tour because they give you all their itineraries on their website. So if you want to do the exact Norway fjord tour you can simply find the itinerary you want to copy here, and then book your train, ferry, and bus tickets yourself. If you want to compare different routes, I’ve also shared all the best ways to get from Bergen to Flåm and Sognefjord here.
So for example, if you want to do a tour starting and ending in Oslo, enter Oslo as your start and end point.
Note: this tour gets incredibly crowded in the summer, especially in July, so I would highly recommend visiting outside of that time if at all possible.
Another advantage of booking this Norway fjord tour independently is that you can supplement it with some other really cool tours and activities since you’ll be deciding all of your own transport times. You’ll find some really great adventure tours and activities here (like zip-lining and even taking a helicopter ride over the fjords!). And since you’ll be saving money by booking your Norway fjord tour yourself, you’ll have extra money for adding activities.
Booking trains in Norway
You can book the train on the Vy website. If you book well in advance (you can book them up to three months in advance) you can get a really good deal on a “lowest price” ticket for the longer stretches – I’ve booked 10 hour train rides for 249 NOK (less than $30).
I just checked, and for August 5 you could still get a ticket from Oslo to Bergen for 249 NOK:
Or, if you’re following the Oslo Norway fjord tour itinerary, you could get a train from Oslo to Myrdal for 249 NOK:
Then you can get the train from Myrdal to Flåm for 430 NOK:
There are some regional trains, like the one to/from Bergen from/to Voss, that you can’t actually book in advance. But don’t worry, these trains don’t have assigned seats so you just need to arrive at the train station in good time to buy your ticket and you’ll be fine (worst case, if you board the train late you might have to stand if it’s very full).
Now, the one annoying thing about booking the Vy trains yourself is that the website won’t process credit cards from the United States, Canada and Australia, because apparently they lack a security protocol used for safe payments in Europe.
Instead you can pay online with PayPal, or if you don’t have PayPal (though really, you should have PayPal) you’ll have to call Vy at +47 23 62 00 00. They speak perfect English, so you can just tell them which routes you want to book and then they’ll send you a link to pay with your card. It sounds like a pain, but it should actually be really easy!
Booking a fjord cruise in Norway
You can then book your fjord cruise here, and again you can either follow the Norway in a Nutshell itinerary and book the same Nærøyfjord cruise, or choose a different ferry or time (if you go early or late you can avoid some of the crowds).
Be aware that these cruises do book up, so you’ll definitely want to book this one in advance! Personally here I’d choose the 17:00 ferry, which should be much quieter, and then I’d spend the night near Gudvangen (which is gorgeous).
And when you’re in Gudvangen you could also stop by the Viking Village. This isn’t a museum, but a village where people live like Vikings. There are regular guided tours from June to September, and you can talk to the locals who have chosen to live like this even today.
It’s a really interesting way to learn more about the Viking era, from people who are so incredibly passionate about it that they continue to carry out the traditions and way of life.
Booking buses in Norway
While you do want to book long bus journeys in advance, as tickets online are cheaper than buying on the bus (I actually tend to just book them on my phone right before boarding the bus), depending on your route you’ll probably just be using the local bus on this journey, where you’ll by your ticket from the driver. Again, just get to the bus stop in time and you’ll be fine.
You can check the local bus schedule for the buses around Hordaland on Skyss, and Vy.no also sells bus tickets for some routes (from Gudvangen E16). So for example, from Gudvangen (Gudvangen kai) to Voss (Voss Stasjon) you’ll simply put in the two stations and see the timetable – you can then choose to get the same bus that’s listed on the Norway fjord tour itinerary, or you could get an earlier or later one, depending on what you want to do.
One thing to note: only the bus departing to/from Gudvangen kai (the dock where the ferry leaves from) from/to Voss will do the hairpin route via Stalheimskleiva. There are also some express buses to/from Gudvangen E16, but they go through a tunnel instead, and the bus stop is about 500 meters from the ferry dock.
And then from Voss you’ll probably be getting the train back to Oslo or Bergen, which you can again book on the Vy website.
If you were going straight back to Oslo you could get the evening train so that you can see the scenery (luckily at this time of year it will stay light!), or you could get the overnight train. Personally I would get the evening train, as there are many hotels right near the train station in Oslo, so it won’t be a problem getting in late.
So the total cost for roundtrip from Oslo via Voss (I included an overnight by Gudvangen here, so the hotel would be extra) would be 1622 NOK (about 190 USD). If you booked the same tour with Norway in a Nutshell it would cost 3420 NOK (about 400 USD) – that’s a 1798 NOK difference, or about 211 USD!
So the tour can be half the price if you book it yourself. That’s kind of absurd, no?
Seeing Norway by car instead
Usually I’m a huge fan of public transport, especially trains, but in Norway I always always prefer to travel by car. First because renting a car in Norway is usually cheaper than using public transport (at least if you’re two or more people), and second because having a car gives you the freedom to explore more of the countryside.
Read also: How to Plan an Epic Road Trip in Norway
The Flåm Railway is a beautiful rail journey, but I also found it to be an incredibly frustrating experience because I wanted to be able to stop in the prettiest areas and explore off the track a bit. You actually will be able to see more if you drive around the fjord region instead. Plus then you can get farther off the beaten path, which is especially helpful in the summer when the Norway in a Nutshell tour route is so, SO crowded.
But if you want to drive along the Flåm railway route, you can drive up from Flåm towards Myrdal. The road does get really narrow at the end and you can’t actually drive all the way to Myrdal. But if you want you can hike the last few kilometers, which will take you up the famous Rallarvegen road, which is especially popular amongst cyclists.
This is also where the Flåm zipline is! I did this hike this summer (2022) and then spent the night at the top at the Vatnahalsen Hotel, which can actually only be reached by hiking or by train.
You can also potentially save a lot of money by renting a car, not only because public transport is expensive in Norway, but also because the cheapest accommodation options are usually outside of the main tourist areas with few to no public transport connections. So by renting a car in Norway you can potentially save on transportation AND accommodation.
Norway is also one of the easiest countries I’ve driven in. Yes, the roads have lots of twists and turns, but they’re generally quite wide (at least compared to some other places I’ve driven!) and with very little traffic. The only time I don’t like driving in Norway is in the winter when there’s lots of snow on the roads.
So yes, if you are at all able to rent a car in Norway I would 100% recommend taking a road trip around the fjords instead of doing the Norway in a Nutshell tour.
You can find my favorite road trip route from Bergen here, or you could follow the Norway in a Nutshell route more closely.
I’ve also written up a post with my top picks for places to stay along Sognefjord (including some lovely off the beaten path villages). If you’re on a really tight schedule you might not be able to stray too far off the main route, but I highly, highly recommend taking a look at my list and seeing if you can stay at at least one of these places, because they are so much nicer than the main tourist spots.
And then of course if you want to see the fjords from the water you can book a fjord cruise. Again, I recommend doing a cruise early or late in the day, as midday can get really crowded with tour groups.
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Nynke says
So many good tips! I’m hoarding them for next summer, when I *may* actually take you up on that offer and see if you’re there to visit! (Don’t worry, I’m exactly as harmless IRL as I seem here 😉 )
Silvia says
Sorry, forgot to reply to this one but yes please, how amazing it would be to meet in real life! Unless it turns out we don’t like each other, haha. Though I would be very surprised if that were the case…
Nynke says
Ha, I forgot I wrote this, but I still stand by it! We might have to find a cunning way to overcome IRL shyness, but I think it would be fun!
Heather Hudak says
I love that you have included comprehensive train schedules, links to itineraries, and ideas for places to stay. You’ve made it really easy to see the best of Norway!
Silvia says
Thanks, Heather, glad you think so!
Jayne says
Thank you for the great tips. I need some advice on – how to go from Bergen To Alesund – cheapest? Fastest? Easiest? Traveling date : 16 May ’17. And I’m thinking about boarding the Hutrigrten port to port from Bergen to Alesund… is it doable? How much roughly?
How to dress in May weather this year? Is it still cold?
Finally I will be in Norway from 10-20th May.
Thank you in advance.
Jayne.
Silvia says
I don’t know how much Hurtigruten costs, but you should be able to find out pretty easily online! Or you could always just fly from Bergen to Ålesund. The nicest way would be to drive, but that would take a lot longer.
May is cold this year, so bring lots of warm clothing!
Vanessa Brune says
Bookmarking this for when I finally get to explore the South! I totally agree with you though – public transport in Norway just usually sucks as the distances are huge! Renting a car and just driving around is always the better option – after all, you never know which postcard perfect motive you’ll find around the next corner 😉
Silvia says
Yup, I’m all about the Norwegian road trips. And I guess you’ll be able to explore the south soon?!
Justine says
A road trip through Norway pretty much sounds like the best thing ever. Now if I could only find the time (and money) to get there… hopefully someday soon!
Silvia says
Aah it would be amazing if you visited!
Stephanie Liane says
Love the detail and suggestions here! I am wondering if there is any suggestion to bypass the bus trip at all? The trains and fjord cruise is what sounds good to my family.
Silvia says
You could simply do a roundtrip fjord cruise from Flåm, and then you won’t need to get the bus. Or you could just do a little boat trip from Flåm – have a look through the options on the fjord cruise site I linked to.
ana says
Hi Silvia! Your blog is lovely, just makes me want to pack right away! I’m living in Aarhus for a year with my boyfriend and we’d love to spend a couple of weeks in Norway … on a budget of course 🙂 I was wondering, do you think there’s some place we could rent a van? Nothing fancy! And maybe beginning the trip in Bergen, and ending in Oslo? In Portugal we can do that … not sure if it is possible there? Thank you so much!
Silvia says
Do you mean a camper van? I think they’re quite expensive to rent here, but you definitely can – just not sure if they’d let you pick up and drop off at two different locations. Though you could always get a cheap overnight train or flight back to Oslo at the end instead of driving (the best scenery is all on the west coast anyway). The absolute cheapest way to do it though would be to rent a small car from Sixt as they have some really cheap options (http://heartmybackpack.com/sixt-discount) and then camp or stay in the little huts at campsites.
Victoria @The British Berliner says
‘Love this post. Very detailed.
I haven’t been to Norway yet, but I’ll get there and when I do, your guide will be extremely useful.
Thanks Silvia!
Silvia says
Haha yeah, possibly a bit too detailed – I went full out nerd on this one!
Mercy Woods says
Thank you so much for this post!!
Absolutely love it! I am currently studying abroad in Spain and I am planning on spending a few days around Norway! I literally have no idea what I am going to do. I have always dreamed of going to Norway, and I’m thinking of going for a short time this summer just to see the Fjords and enjoy all that Norway has to offer!
Are you in Norway this summer? Do you host events there for people to meet you and listen to your adventures? My aspiration is to travel the world and document it and I would love to meet you and hear how you did it!
Thank you for being such an inspiration!
Silvia says
I won’t be in Norway very much this summer, but that would be so fun if I were! I hope you have an amazing time if you come!
Bekah says
Thanks for all the tips!! Do you have any recommendations for traveling or things to do/see in February?? I know it’s like the COLDEST and darkest month of the year but I found crazy-cheap airfare so I couldnt pass it up. I’ve read the northern lights is a must, but that’s about it. Have you done “Norway in a Nutshell” during this time of the year?
Silvia says
I know people who did Norway in a Nutshell in winter and loved it! You’ll be way too far south to see the northern lights though. If you were you I would head straight up to Northern Norway – Tromso or even Lofoten would be amazing! Maybe see if you can find cheap flights there?
john says
Hi Silvia,
Thanks for the wonderful blog. I’m planning a 4 weeks trip in Feb. Quick question, for the fjord cruise, you recommended boarding the 1700 session as it is quieter. In term of scenery, would it be too dark to see anything by that time?
Cheers!
Silvia says
It depends when in February you’ll be visiting – you might actually be going right at sunset, which would be beautiful! Just Google the place, date, and sunset time and you’ll see.
J.D. Moore says
Hi Silvia,
I just wanted to thank you for your very detailed and easy to follow blog posting. I just finished booking the trains and the boat tour for my girlfriend and I. We saved a considerable amount of money booking ourselves and it’s all thanks to you and this blog post! We will be getting on the train in Oslo in a little less than 2 weeks we are beyond excited.
Thanks again!
Gary says
Your site is so helpful – thank you!
You mention driving the Flam Railway route as an alternative – would you basically just link up with the route in either Flam or Myrdal? And would there be any need for 4WD?
Silvia says
If you want to do the exact route and see the waterfall then I would recommend getting the train – but I actually preferred just driving and following any pretty scenery – often I’d go off on smaller roads. And my car is tiny so you definitely won’t need 4WD!
Leslie says
Hi Silvia – thank you so much for your blogs on Norway! I’m planning a trip in September and I have probably read ALL of them!
You’ve completely inspired me to rent cars everywhere I go! My plan is to rent a car in Stavanger, drive up to Bergen (how is that drive?), then round trip to Balstrand, Flam, Aurland and back to Bergen. Since this is my first trip, I’m wondering if there is anything that I will miss by NOT doing the Flam railway. I have to admit, the train is so cute and the pictures I see from it are amazing, but then again – It’s Norway. Everything looks amazing (in my humble opinion). I’m still deciding on whether to head up to the Lofoten Islands – rain or not, but if I do road tripping it is 🙂
Again … such great information! I joined the FB group too and having been gleaning lots of great tips from the questions/answers posted there!
Silvia says
I’m so happy to hear that – and your trip sounds like it will be wonderful!
Dodri says
We will be in Norway in mid July for 14 days. We plan to do Norway in a nutshell and have not booked it.will that be difficultto do on a friday-Sunday? We will stay 2 nights in Bergan. Any recommendations on hotels? How do you pack for that time of year? Thank you
Silvia says
I would just check the booking sites now to see if there are still available trains and ferries. Mid July is the busiest time of year in Norway, so you should try to book transport and especially accommodation as soon as possible. I have an article with my recommendations for hotels in Bergen here: https://www.heartmybackpack.com/norway/best-hotels-bergen/ and hotels on Sognefjord (including Flåm) here: https://www.heartmybackpack.com/norway/best-sognefjord-accommodation/
Kamlesh Ramcharitar says
Hi Silvia,
Just came across your blog a couple days now and they’re all incredibly detailed. I’ve been researching Norway off/on for a couple months now and I’m planning a trip in October (2017). I may spend just about 3-days in Stavanger (hike either Preikestolen or Kjerag) and have about 4 more leftover in Norway.
I’m so torn between trying to see anything in the cities (Oslo & Bergen or others) and going more inland to visit the towns perched near the fjords. From what I’ve seen, the rainy weather may be less a problem in the inland locations? I’d prefer to take in the stunning visuals (fjordscape) rather than tramp around the cities. Also would have liked to do some more hiking etc. but I’ll be traveling alone so I don’t know how that’s gonna work out.
Silvia says
It’s true, it rains less inland. Bergen is a really great city, while tourists often don’t find Oslo as interesting (it doesn’t have Bergen’s beautiful landscape). I would maybe skip Oslo and just fly in/out of Bergen, as you’ll see a lot of beautiful landscape around Stavanger and Bergen. I’ve written about some nice places to stay on the fjord near Bergen, though you would need a car (or to hitchhike) to reach some of these places: https://www.heartmybackpack.com/norway/best-sognefjord-accommodation/.
I hope you have an amazing trip!
Ann says
My husband and 2 young adult children will be in Norway the last week of July. I was in the process of buying train tickets myself, following Norway in a nutshell suggestions when I came upon your blog about renting a car. So you recommend driving from Myrdal to Flom instead of riding the Flom Train? We are going from Oslo to Flom to Bergen.
Silvia says
If you’ll only be going one direction then I would get the train, as it could be a hassle returning the rental car. I do love driving in Norway as you can explore off the beaten path a bit and it’s often cheaper than public transport, but for one way trips sometimes it’s not as practical.
Have an amazing time!
Ashley S says
Hi – Thank you, this has been so helpful in planning our excursion from Oslo to Bergen! We’ve decided to take your advice and stay overnight in Gudvangen, however I can’t seem to find any hotels or places to stay. We’ll be arriving at 19:15 at the end of August. Are there any hotels in Gudvangen or should we take a bus elsewhere?
Thanks!
Silvia says
I know of this hotel in Gudvangen: http://go.redirectingat.com?id=72376X1521313&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fhotel%2Fno%2Fgudvangen-apartments.en-gb.html, or you could try Airbnb maybe.
ZMR says
We will be traveling in mid-September and wanted to use public transportation and car rental between Oslo and Bergen. We would also like to include a lot of hiking along the way, where would you recommend renting a car midway between Oslo and Bergen? Also, is it better to just fly into Bergen and start our tour from there? We will be in norway for 9 days.
Silvia says
If you want to rent a car between Oslo and Bergen I would do so in one of the towns on the train line, so that you can take the train instead of a bus there. Personally I would just fly into Bergen as I don’t find Oslo so interesting, but of course that’s totally up to you. Have an amazing trip!
Mar says
This is super helpful, thanks! Quick question – if we’re thinking of doing Bergen to Oslo in mid-November, is driving still an option? Not sure if winter driving is in full effect. We’d like to rent a car and do the route ourselves, but may have to opt for public transport based on roads. Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated! Good winter driving skills (NY and CO) but not sure how that compares to Norway! Also risk of road closures? Thanks!
PB says
Awesome post! Quick follow-up question: does any of your advice change if we will be traveling with a ~1-year-old baby (and consequently will have more luggage, a stroller, etc.)? For example, are there seat reservations that we’ll need for a good experience but can’t make on our own without the tour company? Thanks!
merry natalia says
Hi Silvia,
Many thanks for your lovely tips. We are thinking to take this trip at end of Nov this year. Starting at Bergen with Norway in a Nutshell and continuing to Oslo. Do you think we will be fine to carry big luggage and carry on luggage with us on train, bus and ferry? Appreciate your input.
Cheers,
merry
Jodi says
Hi Silvia – I have just come across your site and absolutely love it! So much great information for first time travellers to Norway. My husband and I are driving from Copenhagen to Oslo in October and only have a couple of days to see as much as we can. Can you recommend a driving route from Oslo that will give us a good overview of Norway in only a day or two please? Thanks
Silvia says
I would consider driving to Rjukan and up to Gaustatoppen and back!
Matt says
Thank you so much for this helpful guide!! Saved me $60 🙂
Paula Sherwood says
Hi Silvia. So glad that I found your websites (just had fun looking at your Accommodations one). Feel like we should know you since you come from Worcester and we currently live in Plymouth, MA! We are planning a trip to Norway next summer with 3 generations, including two teenage grandchildren. We’ve already booked a Hurtigruten cruise for the Bergen to Kirkenes route, and would like to follow a Norway in a Nutshell itinerary, but the consensus is not to rent a car (since the kids would be much happier on trains and boats).
My first question is: are taxis and/or Ubers generally available to get folks from one town to another, say, on the Sognefjord?
Also, would you recommend that we book a night or two in Kirkenes at the end of the cruise?
Thank you so much!
Silvia says
Taxis are incredibly expensive in Norway, but generally available even in more remote destinations (you’ll just have to wait longer for them or book in advance). And yes to Kirkenes, if you have the time! It’s a really interesting little place.
Felice says
Hi Silvia
This blog is a God send! I’m visiting Norway in April 2018 (hope the weather is kind!). Thanks to your advice I will be booking independently going to Trondheim first and doing the nutshell tour in reverse.
Thanks so much!
Felice
Silvia says
So happy you found it helpful!
Dan says
Hi Silvia,
I was on the Norway in a Nutshell website, and the tour price at the moment is 1,440 NOK, which isn’t that big a difference compared to what you’d pay if you booked yourself.
Am I looking at the wrong page, or are those just winter rates? Will they be hiked back up to 2,440 come summertime?
This is a painstakingly comprehensive article. Thanks 🙂
Silvia says
Just went back and checked and the round trip from Oslo via Voss is still listed as 2480. 1440 is just the cheapest route they have (probably one way).
Santo says
Hi Silvia,
really like your summary in visiting Norway…i have question, do you come to know any company that can send luggage from Bergen to OSLO, thank you
Suzanne Pearlman says
What wonderful blog Silvia!
I’m planning a trip from Santa Fe, NM (USA) for next December and this was such great information!
I really appreciate all of your tips, thank you.
Silvia says
Oh that’s wonderful, have an amazing time!
Ellen says
I’ve got a random question for you – my brother and I are planning to visit Norway the last 2 weeks of May. If we got there before National Day, where would you suggest celebrating? Are there certain cities that celebrate more than others? We both prefer less-touristy destinations.
Silvia says
The bigger celebrations will be in the cities – Oslo’s is the biggest – but you’ll find lovely celebrations everywhere. I would maybe try to be in at least a bigger town maybe of at least 5,000 inhabitants, as smaller places might not have so much of a parade or anything.
AZ says
Silvia, thank you so much for this post! I am planning a trip to the fjords this summer and have been very hesitant about NiN. This was a great, honest post and inspired me to do it myself 🙂 For the trip, my partner and I will fly into Bergen (because it is the best route from Paris). Do you think it is do-able to rent a car and drive from Bergen to Flåm for example? Merci beaucoup 🙂
Erika says
Hi, Silvia
I just came across your site looking for ideas on how to DYI Norway in a nutsell. I will be in Norway March 2018. This will be my first solo international trip. I am very excited and I am really looking forward to making my way from Oslo to Bergen and back. Thank you for all of your great information. I like your site and look forward to reading about the different counties that you have visited and adventures you’ve had.
Melissa Lusk says
Hi Silvia,
First, let me say thank you for this great website and awesome advice. I really appreciate being able to reference this information. We are coming to visit right during the summer, the beginning of July. We have booked our accomodations and we’re starting in Oslo (1 night), going to Gudvangen and around (3 nights), Bergen (half-day), and then Tyssedal (2 nights). We have to rent a car to go to Tyssedal and we were originally thinking take trains/ferries from Oslo to Bergen and then rent a car, but after reading your posts I’m wondering if it would be better to rent the car in Oslo and then return it in Bergen (we fly out of Bergen).
As far as I can tell the pros of the trains are no stress, no navigating, and just enjoying the views. And the pros of driving are being able to stop when you want. One site in particular that has me on the fence is I am very excited to see the Borgund Stave Chruch and I’ve read the bus ride from Flam is limited in it’s availability. We are staying at the Gudvangen Camping site, so I’m thinking it would be safer to drive. But, I’m still torn.
As such, I’m seeking your advice. Please let me know which option you would recommend. A. Renting a car in Oslo and driving the trip. Or, B. Train/ferry/bus to Bergen and the rent a car.
Thank you very much for your time and help!
Chris says
Hello. We are planning on doing this same trip in June. Just wondering what you decided as far as the transport situation went? Did you take a train from Oslo to Bergen, then rent a car? I’d really appreciate the feedback. -Chris
Joey says
Love this blog, makes me want to explore Norway even more! (I live in the southwest part of Norway, not to far south/southeast of Stavanger).
Have already bookmarked this blog for further reading!
Maria says
Love this blog, thank you so much! We are planning to fly into Bergen and we were thinking to do the Norway in a nutshell. We planned to rent a car in Bergen and travel around. Do you happen to know if we could rent a car in Bergen and return it in Oslo? Do you know if we could leave our rental car where we take off for the cruise? From Oslo we plan to fly to Northern Sweden. I have shared your blog with my friends.
Silvia says
You should be able to rent a car in Bergen to drop off somewhere else, but it’s usually more expensive. Sometimes you can find quiet good deals if you book it early enough though – once for me it was nearly the same price as returning it to the same city, so it’s worth checking! And you should be able to leave your car in at the ferry parking lot – not sure if you have to pay or not though, so you might want to check with them.
Y says
Hi Silvia, thanks so much for this post which is still relevant in 2018. I just booked the Oslo – Myrdal – Flam train ticket on NSB and the Flam – Gudvangen cruise on VisitFlam following your instructions. Since I’m not able to buy the Gudvangen to Voss bus ticket and Voss to Bergen train ticket in advance, I don’t know if I’ll save any money overall (compared to booking through Fjord Tours’ Norway in a Nutshell) but I like the additional flexibility it gives me. I can choose my seat on the train (you can’t if you book the NIN package because the seat is allocated to you), and to add on a ticket protector (in my case it was 38NOK) for the fjord cruise that allows me to refund/change my cruise ticket until the day before. If you book the NIN package, you can’t make changes or cancellations to any legs of your journey unless you top up 350NOK for cancellation protection when you book and even then, if you cancel, you still have to supply a medical certificate or a letter stating your extenuating circumstances. So even if not for the monetary savings, the DIY tour offers other advantages. Thanks again!
PD says
I can’t get over how detailed, useful and beautifully written your blog is – it’s along the lines of how I think and covers all the options/ideas I would have spent hours exploring myself, so I feel like I owe you!
My partner is from Oslo and always tells me about the beauty of Norway, so I do end up moving there (from London), I think I might message you to ask your advice on various other things if you don’t mind!
Many thanks!!
Y says
Hi, I’m “Y” who commented earlier about the flexibility of DIY Norway in a Nutshell. Just an update: I realised that the train timing that fitted in for my Voss to Bergen leg happened to be a regional train so I was able to book it in advance (full price but refundable). With that booked, and estimating that the Gudvangen to Voss bus is around 120NOK, I was able to calculate that the overall cost of my DIY Oslo – Bergen NiN (inclu. premium fjord cruise and cancellation protector) would be around NOK 1450 as compared to the package NiN cost of NOK 2250 for the same dates and same components. The difference of NOK 800 translates to a 35 per cent cost savings. So, this was a really great overall outcome!
Silvia says
That’s great news!
Sweeda says
Hi,
I am so glad to have come across your blog, perhaps you can help clarify for me. I am so confused about the Norway in a Nutshell – is that just meant to be a journey where you sit and enjoy the scenery from the various means of transportation you are on? I don’t understand. The times between each destination from the itinerary is so little as well, so I guessed that there wouldn’t really be time to get off at each destination and take time seeing the place, walk around etc. Is it meant to be just get from one place to another and enjoy everything via the train, bus, ferry etc? Also, if I were to get off and wander around, is it easy enough to wander around and get back to the bus stop, station and see everything much closer etc.
Thank you.
Silvia says
Yeah, it’s mostly meant to show you the sights while on the transport. This works well on the ferries, as it is a great place to view the fjords from, but if you want to explore more on your own I would book independently and factor in more time, or maybe even rent a car.
Viola says
Hello my name is Viola and thank you so much for this info, very helpful! My family and I will be visiting Norway come this July and are wanting to DYI the Hurtigruten Norway in a Nutshell. I’m a little nervous and want to make sure its done right. So I have a few questions. Is the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord Cruise on one trip or two different cruises? Also regarding the Hurtigruten coastal cruise overnight stay, From Bergen to Ålesund which company is used? And is the over nighting on the cruise ship or do we spend the night somewhere and need accommodations? Is the tender boat to Urke and sight seeing through Norangsdalen valley to Hotel Union all included on the Hjørundfjord cruise? Your feed back is very much a appreciated. Thanks, Viola😊
Y says
Hi Viola, I’m not Silvia but I am following the thread because I had previously followed the instructions here to book DIY NiN and also commented. Separately, on my own, I also booked tickets to go from Bergen to Ålesund on the Hurtigruten, so thought I would answer this part. You can book the Hurtigruten tickets yourself on http://www.hurtigruten.no and choose the tab ‘havn til havn’ which means ‘port to port’. Then, you just enter your embarkation and disembarkation points to get the price. If you use Google Chrome as browser, just choose the translate option to get the page translated to your preferred language.
If you are on a budget, the Bergen to Ålesund journey which is 13.5 hours is considered a short trip so it gives you an option to book as a deck passenger (no cabin). The price without a cabin (especially for a solo traveller) is cheaper than one with a cabin. You can check out both pricings and compare. Hope this helps.
Silvia, hope you don’t mind me replying this part.
Viola says
Thank you very much!! This does help, very much appreciated!😃
Y says
You’re welcome! I realise you are travelling in July, which is summer season, so if you travel Bergen to Ålesund then, the Hurtigruten offers an extended sailing Ålesund – Geiranger – Hjørundfjord – Ålesund, so that may be quite a scenic option. You can choose the extended option when you book your tickets. Or see the sailing schedule (click the Sommer/Summer tab for July sailings) here: http://www.hurtigruten.no/praktisk-informasjon/ruteplan
Cheers.
Brandon Converse says
I really enjoy your articles and webpage in general. This one specifically, speaks right to me, because I love to vacation via rental car because everything is at my pace, or should I say “our pace”. My wife and I are both from the US and absolutely love traveling to new places. She’s the navigator, I’m the driver, and together we’ve experienced some incredible places “off the beaten path”. Norway is the ultimate destination for me, and am currently planning our 10 year anniversary (summer 2019) trip to Norway. I’ve already got a foundation established for the regions we want to visit but would really enjoy receiving some feedback from you on the small villages to see just north of Bergen and then flights up to the Lofoten Islands, traveling the E10 and staying in the rorbuers. I’ve been reading many of your articles but just now signed up for your newsletter and FaceBook group. I’m so thankful you have this webpage and are sharing your experiences and tips for Norway. It’s great to learn from those who have been there. Thanks!
Afif says
Hi Silvia,
I have booked the train ticket from Oslo-Bergen next week. But do you think that I should cancel it, and do the NIN or the manual NIN instead? Because if we book the NIN tour, we can use the one-way tour to reach Bergen instead of riding the train Oslo-Bergen? Not sure if I am making any sense. Because I think it will save quite a lot of money
Karyn says
Is it better to do the NIN instead of the DIY NIN version you’ve posted if we are traveling as a family of 4 the week before Christmas 2018? I’m wondering about the roads etc even though we are competent drivers.
Thanks so much for your wonderful blog.
Karyn
Silvia says
The DIY version is exactly the same as NiN, except that you book the tickets yourself. But if you mean if it would be better to do a road trip, I think it depends on your experience driving in snow. If you’re used to it it should be fine, but if snow makes you nervous maybe stick with the trains!
kaitlin says
I was planning on doing the Norway in a nutshell tour and was curious what places in recommended staying the night at? I’m planning to go in June and a few of the places the hotels are already booked. I’m planning on just purchasing the tickets through the company since my boyfriend and I are both terrible with directions so doing a rental car probably isn’t the beat option for us. Also what is the weather like in mid June? I’m from San Diego California so pretty much everything is cold to me!
Gabriel says
I was planning to make a day trip by car. I have already booked an AVIS from Bergen City Center for that day at a reasonable price. Do you think is possible to drive to Flam, take boat trip and then come back to Bergen in the afternoon. This will take place in May 2018. Thanks for your help.
Silvia says
I think that should be doable!
Sujata Suri says
Hi Silvia!
My husband and I plan to visit our friends in Oslo in June. We were in the process of planning a Norway In A Nutshell “Tour” – ended up thoroughly confused & a few Google searches later, we stumbled upon your v.informative blog. We are also considering visiting Stockholm by train and Copenhagen via the Stena Line cruise. Looking at an approx 10 day itinerary.
Since we are still at the drawing board, could you please suggest how best we could utilize the time if we do not drive (don’t think our driving licenses would be valid in Norway)?
Warm regards
Silvia says
Where are you from? Most foreign driver’s licenses are valid in Norway for up to a year – just check online.
Mihiri Arven says
Thank you so much for this Blog post which was very helpful for me. I was about to book the NIN tour for 4 persons which was about 13600 SEK when I found your blog. What a relief and now I’ve booked almost everything by myself and it cost me only 8600 SEK. So I was able to save about 5000SEK which was quite a lot of money. Also I had the flexibility to pick the suitable times by myself. Only thing i’m going to do different compared to NIN is, that take a direct bus from Gudvangen E16 to Bergen. I found this site http://www.nettbuss.no/bestilling/velg-avgang where you can book the bus also. Do you think we will miss anything without taking bus+train option rather than taking the direct bus?
Silvia says
The route is a bit different, but still beautiful!
Tim Stein says
Hi: Do you have any suggestions on a one-way car rental from Bergen to Oslo? We have 4 adults and 2 kids. Everything available is sooooo expensive.
Silvia says
I’m afraid one-way rentals will be quite expensive – usually sixt.com has the best rates though!
Sheetal says
Hello,
Your blog seems incredible specially for tips on Norway. We have booked our tickets for Norway for mid May and plan to drive around Oslo – Flam – Bergen – Stavanger – Oslo over a period of 4 days.
I had a quick question (because all the searches have left me thoroughly confused) – the route from Gudvangen to Voss – is this via ‘stalheimskleiva’ in that direction? Or does this road ‘stalheimskleiva’ run from Voss to Gudvangen? Reason for my question is I read it is a one-way road now and goes downhill so which direction do i need to take to be able to drive along this road?
Thanks in advance, and apologies if the question doesn’t make sense!
Cheers,
Sheetal.
hejpdx says
I am not a Norway expert, but I happen just now to be planning a Norway driving trip which includes the Stalheimsklevia Road. The Road is off of road E16. It runs from high ground to low ground, which is also basically from west to east. If you locate the Stalheim Hotel on a map, the Road will take you east from there back to E16. If you want to drive to the Road from the other direction, you have to pass it and then return on E16 so you can enter from the right direction (not a great distance). maps.google.com should help to picture this.
Sheetal says
Thanks for the reply. It now makes it clear! 🙂
Elizabeth Anglarill says
Hi Silvia –
Can’t tell you how grateful I was to stumble upon your blog. I had been looking into NIN, and you’ve just saved me a lot of money, as well as clarified some things for me as well.
I wonder if you could advise me on a travel question. I am traveling to Norway in early July with my 2 boys (ages 10 & 14). We’ll be in Oslo for 2 nights, and then head to Bergen doing the NIN itinerary. I would love to stay a night somewhere along the line so that I can enjoy the countryside some more, and hopefully be able to do some kayaking (recommendations for that is appreciated). Your suggestions of Aurland, or Gudvangen look ideal, however, lodging is proving to be difficult. I had planned to stay one night in Bergen, where I’m assuming lodging will be easier, but would you suggest I stay a few nights (I can do up 5 nights)? Is it a good base for day trips, and such? Ideal activities are biking and kayaking, if that helps, and just slowing down a bit.
Thanks in advance!
Heather says
I’m so glad I ran across your post. My husband and I are in the early stages of planning a trip to Norway and we were trying to decide if we should just book the expensive “tours” or try to piece it together ourselves. This post was seriously so helpful for making that decision. We will definitely rent a car so we can take our time and go at our own pace so we can stop and see the beautiful scenery!
Patrick McMahon says
Great, informative stuff here! My wife has been bugging me to do the Nutshell (it’s a big thing for Chinese tourists it sounds) and your ala carte approach is just plain smart. Question: Any recommendations on where to stay in Gudvangen? Thanks again.
Silvia says
My friends recently stayed here in Gudvangen and said it was nice: https://fave.co/2MEnRmu This is another option: https://fave.co/2JXl0mG
Carole McIntyre says
You mention how cheaply you may rent a car. It has been my experience in the past that the rate you book for has nothing to do with what you end up paying. The insurance and whatever else they add, jacks the prize through the ceiling. Has that changed for foreigners? In addition they require a credit card be used,so they can bill it directly for any possible scratch, with no recourse.
Silvia says
Hm, I’ve never experienced extra charges when renting a car in Norway.They do bill you later for any toll roads you took, but that’s purely based on where you drove. The only place I’ve experienced added costs was in Spain, but that was for a super cheap rental car.
Melissa Yu says
Hi Silvia!
We will have a car for the entirety of our 2 week stay in Norway. My husband wants to do the Flam Railway because he heard it’s the prettiest train ride in the world. However, your blog says to travel by car? I am reading conflicting information on whether the route is accessible by car. People have said the road does not go where the train goes. Can you provide more info and suggested routes if you do not recommend the Flam Railway?
Silvia says
It’s a different route by car, but also very pretty! Of course if you want to do the exact rail route you could always park your car and ride the train up and down.
Andrew says
Silvia,
What would be the route by car that is comparable to Flam Railway?
Juz says
Just wanted to say thanks for writing this blog!
I was able to book the same trip as NiN but be more flexible with the times I wanted to travel as well as pick my seats for the train ride from Myrdal to Oslo. Also, I saved about $180 between the two of us for the same trip!
Bergen – Voss Train
Voss – Gudvangen Bus (yet to book this one yet but seems the least worrisome leg of the trip)
Gudvangen – Flam Fjord Cruise
Flam – Myrdal – Oslo Train
Thank you for catching all the important points that gave me the confidence to book the trip myself. I can’t wait for our trip in August!
Best,
Juz
Sharon says
Thank you so much! This was so helpful and much appreciated. You are a gem.
Jennifer Liscinsky says
This information is awesome, thank you so much for writing all this! My friend and I are visiting the first week of August…we were supposed to stay with one of my friends I met while living in Dublin and he convinced us to book tickets to go to Bergen saying we could stay with him. He’s now not replied to my messages for 2 months so we’re last minute looking for ideas/places to stay during prime tourist season and we’re both poor graduate students so I’m very frustrated and mad at him but your post has helped so much!
Sameer says
Great Information here… Thank you for all information. I am planning to go for “Norway in Nutshell” tour with my wife and two kids(age:1 year & 4 years). I tried to calculate indivisual ticket of entire itinerary but it cost me same as they are charging from Bergen -flam-Bergen.
I like to know if we can carry a baby stroller with us during entire trip…I doubt if we can carry it in boat/bus.
Silvia says
Ah I’m afraid I’ve never traveled with kids, so I’m not sure about the baby stroller. Norway seems quite baby friendly in general though, so you probably can take a stroller.
Alicia Scott says
I came upon your blog today while researching Tallinn. Now I can’t stop reading it. Thank you for all the great information. Would love your advice. My friend and I are going from Oslo to Bergen and we’re going to take the train but book it ourselves rather than through Norway in a Nutshell. We plan to do it in two days and then spend a third day in Bergen. We plan on staying overnight in Gudvangen the first night and go to Voss/Bergen the next day. Anything we should do the second day besides travel to Bergen on the bus/train? We have a full third day in Bergen too.
Selma says
Love love love your blog and it has been my inspiration for our planned road trip to Norway early Sept.
We are renting a car in Bergen and want to check my itenary with you.
Day 1: Bergen via Hardangerfjord to Odda and Latefossen Waterfall. Continue north and sleep in Voss.
Day 2: Voss to Flam. Park car. Do return Flam Railway trip Flam to Myrdal. Continue onto the Aurlandsfjellet scenic route. Cross Sognefjellet and onto Sognefjelletvegen. Sleep on R55 near Skjolden 30mins from Gaupne.
Day 3: continue on R55 to Lom. Head to Geiranger but do the Strynefjellsvegen. Sleep outside Geiranger. Geirangerfjord cruise late pm.
Day 4:Geiranger via Trollstigen to Andalsnes. Then towards Molde and do a stretch of the Atlantic Road. Sleep Molde.
Day 5: Molde to Alesund to return rental car late morning in Alesund.
Question: 1)Do I leave Flam railway trip in my itenary, or rather spend more time around Hardangerfjord and scrap the Flam Railway.
2) According to google maps this very full itenary is okay, or do you think I need to slow down. It is just sooo expensive to rent a car that I am trying to do as much as possible in a day and do not mind starting early in the mornings.
Really appreciate any advice!
Laura says
HI, I have been reading your blog over and over! So much good information. I will be there in November this year to do a Hurtigruten cruise. I have two days in Bergen and want to do one day of the Flam railway with a fjord cruise. I really want to take the railway down from Myral to Flam and then catch a train back to Bergen. Do they have a train that will go from Flam to Bergen?
Sharon says
Hi Laura. I am not the blog’s author but I was just in Norway 2 weeks ago and did a diy Norway in a nutshell tour. You are right, this blog is so helpful.
There is no direct train from Flam to Bergen. I think the only train in Flam is the Flam railway.
So if you intend to travel by train to Bergen, you have to take the Flam railway back to Myrdal then change to another train to get to Bergen.
Jeremiah says
Thanks. I’m heading to Norway from Austin later this month, and this is exactly the information I was looking for.
Sal says
Hey, thank you for all the detailed tips.
I am planning to visit in 1st week of November, not sure if its a bad idea?
I imagine it will be too cold and days going to be short too, so we have to do one thing in a day and cant keep train journeys or cruise for evenings as will be dark to see anything?
I have no compelling reason as such to visit in November only but me and my friend both wanted to visit norway and we have weekend free that time.Flights are cheap too but then we dont want to come if we cant explore and enjoy the beauty around.
Please suggest.
Thanks
Sal
Lysen says
Hello Silvia! I am LOVING your blog. Thank you SO MUCH for the work you put into it. The links to all things you suggest are so helpful. You seem to think of EVERYTHING and I love all your pictures. I feel like I like to travel in a similar way to you. With that, I have been dreaming of traveling to Norway and have just purchased my flights for October 2-22, 2019. I am traveling with my mom… she is 71. So I won’t be doing any camping but still want to hike & kayak (per what the season allows :)). I have been looking into the Hurigruten round trip cruise. I was overwhelemd by ALL of the options in the Country and had heard that a cruise was a good way to see a lot on a budget (?? really?). But not knowing any better I found Hurtigruten and for a cruise, it looked great. But After reading many of your posts and this one especially I wondered if you had any thoughts on the cruise. Right now OUr plan is to do the round trip cruise (Bergen to Kirkenes and back to Bergen) and then travel for 5 days after… Probaby to Oslo and maybe back to Lofoten (Rein) or to that town you talked about, Ana-Sira Or Stavanger. So much is in the works :). Just wanted to get your thoughts… Cruise or no? 🙂 Thank you!
Alexandra says
Hi, Silvia!
First of all, thank you soooo much for this post! It’s so detailed and with all the links, it’s just fantastic and a precious help to all of us. I’m planning to do the NiN in May, but I’m thinking about the “reverse” route (beggining in Myrdal and ending in Voss). But, due to train and buses schedules, I need to spend around 2h both in Gudvangen and Voss. Do you think I can entertain myself for a couple of hours there, or I’m gonna be bored? I don’t mind walking a bit, or spending some time just reading and enjoying a warm drink – I even think it might be a way to know some cute places – , but I’m afraid that the places would be too quiet and with nothing to see/do in a walkable distance to the station (it was the problem with ending in Myrdal, because I nedded to spend 1h there, and I read it is mainly a transit station, so I decided to try the oposite route – just not sure if it’s a better option).
Thank you very much in advance! Happy 2019!
Alexandra
David Rosenbaum says
Hi, Silvia. Thank you for all of the great information. My wife and I are planning a trip to Norway mid-September of 2019, three weeks through the first week in October. We will do nine days on Hurtigruten (Bergen to Kirkenes to Svolvaer) then a week driving around Lofoten and maybe Senja, too.
Two questions: Considering what we are doing, would NIN be overkill or more of the same? Second, what do you think about Northern Norway and Lofoten from mid September to early October?
Thanks,
Dave
Mike says
I just priced this out for a day trip from Bergen as a loop back to Bergen for a Friday in June. 4625NOK on the NIN website; 3594NOK booking separately for 2 adults and a child; saves about $115 USD.
PARTHA DATTA says
We are planning for May, but the gas price is little confusing. One of my friends told me that it would be so expensive if we travel hy car. Can anyone please kindly guestimate the car travel cost from Oslo to Bergen based on the current gas price in Norway? The price and metric comparison giving me hectic in comparison to USA gas price calculator.
Silvia says
Gas costs about 16 NOK per liter right now, so you need to look up the gas mileage of the type of car you’re looking to rent and then divide the number of miles you’ll drive by the gas mileage (in liters), and multiply that by 16 to find out about how much you’ll spend on gas.
Jeremy Tan says
Hi Silvia,
Thank you so much for the information, i am intending to visit Norway and Tromso for the 1st 2 week of December 2019. Do you have any recommendation or guide that i can follow?
Northern Lights is definitely a must visit in our itinerary.
Thank you
Silvia says
You can find all my information and guides to the Northern Lights here: https://www.heartmybackpack.com/norway/tips-northern-lights-norway/
Have fun!
Aidan says
Hello Silvia,
Thanks for you amazing guide on the self-planned ‘Norway in a Nutshell’, we saved lots of money by booking things independently 🙂
One question: should the bus from Voss (Voss Stasjon) to Gudvangen (Gudvangen kai) be booked advance via the app (we are going there in late July) or should we head straight to the bus stop then book at last minute? I’m afraid that there will be lots of passengers- which we won’t be able to get on the bus- as we followed the same itinerary as listed in fjordtours.
Please advise us on this matter.
Thanks,
Aidan
Manuela A. says
Hello Silvia, lovely to e-meet you. This is very helpful and detailed, thank you 🙂
One question, I want to do NiN like you suggested and book the tickets myself to save some money however I like the idea of renting a car as well. I am very excited about the Flam railway and my concern is: am I going to enjoy the views with the car same as If I were on the train? I heard the train goes very high, would that possible with the car?
Many thanks in advance and have a lovely weekend.
M.
Silvia says
To be honest I think the views from the car will be even better, plus you’ll have the added advantage of getting to stop to take photos whenever you want!
John K says
I am stilll a little confused can you help? If I do day trip via driving from Oslo where do I catch the train or fjord cruise? And then how do I get back to my vehicle?
If you can point me to a good day trip itinerary for a fjord visit in June I would be forever grateful.
John
John K says
I am stilll a little confused can you help? If I do day trip via driving from Oslo where do I catch the train or fjord cruise? And then how do I get back to my vehicle?
If you can point me to a good day trip itinerary for a fjord visit in June I would be forever grateful.
Thank you
John
Tim says
It looks like you can do the fjord cruise round trip.
Abhinay says
Hi Silvia,
We have followed your suggestion and could save lot of time and rush. It has been a fantastic tour.
Thanks
Alicja Lisnow says
Thank you so much for this review, we appreciate how thorough you are and how now it all makes more sense to me in deciding where to go from Bergen to Oslo, or not. I do have a question.
We are taking a cruise that will stop at Stavanger, Eidfjord, and Bergen Norway. Do you think it also makes sense for us to rent a car and visit Godwangen, Flam and Aurlandsvangen? Is it worth taking 2 days to see these additional locations considering where we stop?
helpless says
Will be travelling using this guide in mid Sept.
Just wondering, are we only required to book the train from Oslo to Myrdal?
What about the train from Myrdal to Flam?
Ferry from Flam to Gudvangen?
Bus from Gudvangen to Voss?
and Train from Voss to Bergen?
Do we have to book those in advance too? If not, will there be any price difference if we are to buy the ticket on the spot?
Silvia says
You can (and should!) book everything in advance except the bus tickets. The bus you can simply pay for by card when you get on.
helpless says
test test
Lily says
Hi Silvia!
Loved all your info! I was looking at Norway in Nutshell for my potential trip. I plan to do a tour with Aurora Holidays in Jan 12th thru 19th then head to Norway after & maybe Sweden from Jan 19th thru 30. Renting a car would be ideal but since we will be going in the dead if winter doing the public transportation would be better. Any suggestions where to stay? Hotel vs Airbnb? Activities? What cities or town s to stay at? Where ever we could save money the better. All your help is much appreciated.
Brad says
Thanks a ton for all this information. One question – and I apologise if you’ve answered this a million times before. I want to go from Bergen to Oslo, with the Myrdal Flam detour thrown in. The Vy website has 249 NOK tickets from Bergen to Oslo, and 360 NOK from Myrdal to Flam, as you suggested.
But, if I want, after doing Myrdal-Flam, to get back on track for Oslo, Flam Oslo tickets are 609 NOK, with one change, and 16 hrs overall! So to be clear, do I need to pay 249+360+609? Or is there a way to book Bergen-Oslo, stop in Myrdal and do the Flam detour, and resume your journey to Oslo on the same initial 249 NOK fare?
I hope I make sense, and any help will be much appreciated!
Silvia says
The prices are for specific departures, so unfortunately you can’t take a detour off the same ticket. You’ll need to book separate tickets for each specific departure, and the price will vary according to availability.
Have a great trip!
Lynn B Jones says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am so glad to have found your site. Your insights to Norway travel are incredibly helpful. I have been trying to plan an itinerary for a May trip to Norway and every night I find myself with 78 open browser tabs. There is so much to read and so confusing! We plan on starting in Oslo, then going to Bergen, Stavanger and Ålesund before going back to Oslo. We were considering the NIN but now might decide to drive.
Laura B. Cher says
Hi Silvia,
Really appreciate all your great Norway info. We will be in Norway May 29-June 2, starting in Bergen. And we’d like to do some of the Norway in a Nutshell trip by car, ending up in Oslo in time for a morning flight on June 2. This means essentially 3 days of happily wandering. Is this realistic and, if so, do you have a suggested route? Tentatively, I set up one night in the Lavik Fjord Hotel. Will that work for doing by car on the route? And is there a recommended place to stay near the Oslo end of the route, close to where the airport is?
Thanks so much for your help!
Laura and David
Silvia says
That sounds like a good plan! If you’ll still have your car then I’d actually recommend checking Airbnb.com for a place on your route.
Nadine says
Great info! Just what I have been looking for! I am planning a trip to Norway April 19-25. What are your thoughts about spring weather? I understand Norway spring can be a mix of late winter and/or mild weather. Are there areas inaccessible or not recommended due to spring weather? Not sure if I should save a Norway trip for when I can travel in June. Really appreciate your insight, thank you
Silvia says
Hm I do prefer June, but Norway in April is nice as well. Most roads should be accessible, except for the high mountain roads that are closed all winter. I’d say come in April if you have the chance!
Sebas says
First of all Silvia you are amazing! Excellent post I can’t believe the amount of information and the superb way that you present it (sorry about my English but it not my primary language).
May I ask if there is a way to reach Bergen from Flam by sea or I should stick to the boat tour and then take the bus. Or maybe from other city I don’t know I was thinking moving forward and not returning to Flam and take the bus.
If you have any tips , and you have the time for an answer I would be extremely happy.
Hope the best and can’t thank you enough for the time you put into this.
Silvia says
Yes, there’s a boat from Flåm to Bergen that takes about five hours. You can book tickets here: https://booking.norled.no/default.aspx?_ga=2.143587197.935810423.1583162287-928645056.1583162287
Guy says
I found this article so helpful. Thank you so much. Norway is such a beautiful country.
Matteo says
Hello,
I’m booking separately all the tickets from Oslo to Bergen like the Norway in a nutshell trip. Only a question: how can I do for buying bus tickets Gudavangen-Voss? With Skyss app I can’t find the time and I don’t find any other way to buy tickets.
Thank you for advice
Silvia says
There are no reservations for the bus tickets – you simply buy it one you board the bus.
Carolyn Buenaflor says
Planning to follow the Norway in a Nutshell tour but booking my own tickets this winter – this information is perfect! I want to go from Oslo to Bergen but want to take my time, where would you recommend spending one night along this route? Thanks!
Jo says
Hi Silvia, I am so happy to have found your blog. Thank you for all the great information and the links to make it easier for this 71 year old LOL. As we have all come through a crazy couple years I am wondering if there are any changes to be aware of. I am booking a cruise to circumnavigate Svalberg/Spitsbergen starting 6/3 in Oslo and ending 6/15 in Oslo. Since I will have traveled so far, from the US, I would like to experience a bit more of Norway and was thinking to add 5 – 7 days that would include 2 days in Oslo, 2 in Bergen on a NIN itinerary. I am not sure if I will try to do that pre (late May) or post cruise (late mid June). Based on weather and crowds what would be your recommendation? I can fly into or out of either Bergen or Oslo. I would greatly appreciate any input as this is a once in a lifetime trip for me. Thank you again
Silvia says
How exciting! You’ll have better weather in late June than May, and it’s still before the main summer crowds arrive in July. Personally I would fly in and out of Bergen and skip Oslo, as Bergen is a much more beautiful city. I hope you have a great time!
Neil Erwin says
We are cruise ship passengers in Flam for one day in May wanting to do the Norway in a nutshell trip via rental car. Do you know of any rental car companies that rent cars out of Flam or Gudvangen?
Hilde says
I’m from the Flåm/Aurland area and enjoyed reading your article. I didn’t have a chance to go through all the comments here, but can also recommend taking the train up to Myrdal and walk/cycle back down to Flåm. Part of this journey can be taken by using a zip line (https://www.flaamzipline.no/) and the rest of the walk is just stunning with waterfalls and goats 🙂 it’s not steep but it will take a few hours.
Once back in Flåm splurge out on soft ice cream and a warm cup of coffee (our staple diet 😉 )
Shout if I can be of any help xx
Kirk says
Hi Hilde, thank you for the walking/hiking tip from Myrdal to Flam. I love walking and exploring, and discovering things along the way, so this is hugely helpful. I will ask this of Silvia as well: I will most likely be coming in early to mid-November. I don’t mind cold weather. But is this still a beautiful time to come? Will roads still be passable without snow? Thanks so much!
Angela G says
Man, I was so going to do that zipline after seeing your post. I’ll be there the 2nd half of october and they’re closed. Looks amazing!
Kirk says
Silvia, thank you for taking the time and energy to put together such outstanding information on Norway. I love the practical advice and the insights. This is hugely helpful! I will go through your guides this week as I begin to plan my solo adventure in November.
Before I begin booking a rental car and such, I wanted to get your opinion on coming to Norway in November. Do you think the roads will be easy to navigate? I don’t mind the cold–I just want to make sure the views are still stunning! Thanks again!
Silvia says
Yes, the views are still stunning! Some of the scenic routes will be closed for the season though, so keep that in mind when planning. I have more info on that here: https://www.heartmybackpack.com/norway/plan-road-trip-norway/
Suzanne says
Hello Silvia, Your information and travel suggestions are AWESOME! I will be arriving in Oslo Oct. 20 and leaving Oslo the 24th. Sounds like I like to travel like you do-off the beaten path, less crowds, rent a car and stop where I want, seeing remote, quaint places. THANK YOU! Can you suggest a road trip route that is doable in a car seeing all the most amazing places and scenery in just 3-4 days? Also, as far as daylight and weather the best times to be places?
Angela G says
I’ll be in Oslo the 19th and looking to do my own nutshell route on the 20th! Sadly I don’t have as much time as you, but so excited to see the scenery!
Angela G says
So happy I stumbled upon your post. I’m usually a self planner but was tempted by the ease of the nutshell, however I’m coming in October and would miss hours of scenery after sunset, so I’ll do it myself and take up your suggestion to stay in Gudvangen. I can’t find a bus though. I put in the stops on the Skyss website and there are no routes, not for october 21 or any other date I search so that’s making me nervous. Is this a bus that I should be booking in person the day of or should I be able to find something online (since it’s been 5 years since your post)? Any suggestions? Also if you could do any Fjord tour reachable by the public transit system between oslo and bergen is the one that norway in a nutshell does the one you’d choose? Thanks so much for your amazing detailed post!
Silvia says
The bus is the local bus, so you can’t book it in advance. And yeah, the Nærøyfjord tour is my favorite!
Francis says
Hi Silvia – Amazing blog, with so much details. If I were to rent a car from Bergen to Oslo and follow the NIN route – I have to Ieave my car at Gidvangen to take the ferry. But the ferry stops at Flam – so how do I get my car back?
Another consideration: If I were to book the public buses and ferries – is there space to stow our luggage?
Silvia says
You’ll have to take the ferry back from Gudvangen, or you can get the bus from Gudvangen to Flåm. And yes, you can bring your luggage on the buses and ferries.
Robert Dunas says
Wow, what a wealth of information! If we do book all the NIN legs from Oslo to Bergen on our own (then flying from Bergen to Stockholm) what can we do with our luggage (a suitcase each for my wife and I) while we are on the train/flam railway, boat and then bus to Voss or Bergen. Is our only option to carry the suitcases with us the whole time?
Thank you so much for your help, plus I really appreciated your sense of humor!
Bob
Silvia says
There are luggage lockers at the Bergen train station! https://en.visitbergen.com/visitor-information/travel-information/getting-here/bergensbanen-oslo-to-bergen-by-train/bergen-railway-station
Anjali says
Hi, Thank you for the post. We are planning an 8-10 days vacation trip to Scandinavia in July. I would like to taste every type of travel like travel by car but I like to have at least a small portion by train and then ferry on the route from Bergen to Oslo. We are planning a 2 day trip.Could you please give suggestions.
CHETNA KHANDELWAL says
THIS ARTICLE OF YOURS IS VERY INFORMATIVE…ONE QUESTION FOR YOU
WE WILL BE TRAVELLING FROM 5TH AUGUST FOR A WEEK IN NORWAY…WE ARE PLANNING A FOUR DAY DIY TRIP OF NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL ..WE WILL STILL HAVE 3 MORE DAYS… WHICH OTHER PLACE DO YOU RECCOMMEND IN NORWAY IN AUGUST ? THANKS IN ADVANCE
Silvia says
Hardangerfjord! https://www.heartmybackpack.com/norway/day-trips-from-bergen-norway/
Diane says
Please can you advise….we will be starting our trip in Oslo July 9th and want to do a combination of car rental, train, ferry, bus etc so we get to see the most scenic routes possible. We only have 3 days and was thinking we need to get to Flam as that seems to be the most spectacular. Can you suggest a possible route for us, which mode of transport and where to stay along the way? We probably need to end the trip close to Oslo as we will train travel back to Sweden and finally onto Stockholm. Thank you so much.
Silvia says
I would get the train from Oslo to Bergen, spend a day in Bergen, and then rent a car for a couple of days to see the fjords, maybe staying in Fjærland or at the Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand. Ready my Bergen guide here: https://www.heartmybackpack.com/norway/top-29-things-to-do-in-bergen-norway/ And road trip from Bergen here: https://www.heartmybackpack.com/norway/aurlandsfjellet-sognefjellet-bergen-road-trip/
Bill says
Hello,
Just bought your Southern Norway Travel Guide and will read but love the website/suggestions. I have 4 kids and getting a rental car in Stavanger (flying from Copenhagen) bc limited rentals that carry six. Any suggestions for an 8 day loop back to Stavanger in August. Time enough to get to the Alesund area? Thanks for any quick suggestions.
Silvia says
It depends how much driving per day your kids are comfortable with, but maybe you could take the Ryfylkle scenic route (perhaps staying at this glamping location on the way:https://www.heartmybackpack.com/hoiland-gard – you can read more about it in the ebook) then drive up to Hardangerfjord and spend a night near Ullensvang, and then drive up to Bergen. You can return to Stavanger the more direct ferry route, which only takes 4.5 hours.
Isis says
Your blog is amazing! Thank you so much for all the information you provide. We’re traveling to Norway in September 🙂
Dave says
Great info and still relevant – many thanks.
I do not drive but I am planning on the Norway in a Nutshell tour by booking my own tickets. Do you know if booking via Fjord tours gives me any advantages in terms of transportation in this case?
Silvia says
No, the tickets are exactly the same regardless of whether you book through a tour or independently. Locals of course always book independently to save money.
Brian Summerfield says
My partner and myself are planning to visit Norway in January. We are flying into Bergen. We want to do the Norway in a nutshell and will book the train bus and ferry ourselves. I would like to ask you is the catamaran from Gudvangen to Flåm running in winter and a better option? I take it that this journey in winter will be a lot less busy.
Grace Goh says
Hi, reading your article has given us options on how to get on this NIN tour, especially if we could save some money.
We will be getting through from Bergen to Oslo in February 2024 and I wonder if you could help with confirming on the below so we could proceed to book the tour on our own.
1. Bergen to Voss & Mydral to Oslo via Train – that would be through the VY website. Is that also for Flam to Mydral ?
2. The connecting bus ride from Voss to Gudvangen – is bus the only option to catch the cruise ?
You mentioned booking from VY site or Skyss. The stops wd be Voss stasjon, Voss to Gudvangen E16, Aurland – this is on Skyss ? You mentioned to take Gudvangen kai as that stops near the cruise – then am I correct that will be via VY website.
3. For the fjord cruise, you mentioned booking from https://www.norwaysbest.com/things-to-do/fjords/fjord-cruise-naeroyfjord/#booknow and during winter, i would think 5.30pm would be too dark ?
I guessing the 12pm slot is good if we follow the time table 🙂
Can you recommend a luggage service that can bring our luggage from Bergen to Oslo ?
Also, we thought of stopping in Voss or Flam – which would you recommend?
Greatly appreciate your reply and also your blog is really informative 🙂
Bruce Burrow says
Hi,Thank you for this excellent discussion.
My partner and I are looking at the 7 day Norway in a Nutshell march 2025 .
That was until i read this – have things changed since you wrote it or situation the same – eg no booked seats on trains , much more expensive vs book all ourselves .
Are hotels close to rail stations ?
Silvia says
Yes, the situation is still the same. You can find hotels in walking distance to the train stations.
Susan says
This is an amazing write up about NIN! Thank you for all of the valuable information. I just started planning a trip about 3 days ago, so am a little confused about whether this route is done in one day or over a couple of days? Seems a lot for one day.
Silvia says
You can do it in one day, but you can also overnight somewhere (like Flåm).