How To Travel From Oslo To Flåm

Flåm is one of Norway's most popular fjord destinations and surprisingly easy to reach from the capital. Here's how to travel from Oslo to Flåm by train, bus, car or plane.

When I first moved to Norway, I lived in Oslo. A few months later, my parents came over from England for their first visit.

Naturally, I showed them the sights of my new home: Holmenkollen, the Opera House and, because I was already thoroughly invested in my new life, a Vålerenga football match.

But where did we go for our first trip outside Oslo? Flåm, of course. Even back then, Flåm was one of the must-do trips in Norway. We took the train across the mountains, changed at Myrdal and descended to the fjord on the famous Flåm Railway.

My mum still talks about that trip today. Fast forward 15 years and, if anything, demand for Flåm has only increased.

These days I speak to travellers from around the world on my Norway travel consulting calls, and I'd estimate Flåm comes up in at least half of them.

Sometimes people are desperate to include it. Sometimes they have booked it because they've heard they should. And quite often, they are thoroughly confused about how to get there and exactly what this thing called Norway in a Nutshell actually is. So, let's clear all that up.

Where Is Flåm?

Flåm is a small village at the innermost end of the Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the mighty Sognefjord.

On a map, it can look surprisingly remote. Huge mountains surround the village and there is no conventional mainline railway running along the fjord. Yet Flåm is actually one of the easiest fjord destinations to reach from Oslo without a car.

That's largely thanks to one extraordinary piece of railway engineering. The Flåm Railway connects the village with Myrdal, a mountain station on the main Oslo to Bergen railway.

That means reaching Flåm from central Oslo requires just one change of train.

Oslo To Flåm By Train

For most first-time visitors to Norway, the train is the option I recommend. The journey begins at Oslo Central Station on the Bergen Line.

For approximately five hours, the train travels west from Oslo through increasingly dramatic scenery, eventually climbing high into the Norwegian mountains.

You leave the train at Myrdal, almost 870 metres above sea level. Don't continue towards Bergen! At Myrdal, you change onto the Flåm Railway, known in Norwegian as the Flåmsbana.

The railway descends approximately 20 kilometres from Myrdal to Flåm in about one hour, dropping from the high mountains almost all the way to sea level. It's one of the great railway journeys of Norway.

The train winds through the narrow Flåmsdalen valley past waterfalls, mountain farms, rivers and steep mountainsides. There's even a short stop at the powerful Kjosfossen waterfall along the way.

Eventually the landscape opens up and the train pulls into tiny Flåm station, just a few steps from the fjord. Depending on the connection at Myrdal, the complete journey from Oslo generally takes somewhere around six to eight hours.

Tickets are available for the complete Oslo–Myrdal–Flåm journey, so you don't need to treat the two trains as completely separate journeys.

The Bergen Line and Flåm Railway both operate throughout the year, although there are considerably more Flåm Railway departures during the main summer season.

If you're travelling during summer, I strongly recommend booking in advance with En Tur. The Flåm Railway is one of Norway's most popular tourist attractions and some departures can become extremely busy.

The Journey Is Part Of The Experience

Six or seven hours might sound like a long time simply to get from Oslo to Flåm. But this is one of those occasions in Norway when the journey really is part of the trip.

The Bergen Line crosses some wonderful mountain scenery on its way towards Myrdal, including the exposed landscape around Finse and the Hardangervidda mountain plateau.

Then you get the complete contrast of the Flåm Railway, dropping from the barren high mountains into an increasingly green valley before finally reaching the fjord.

If possible, I would take a daytime train rather than trying to use the Bergen Line's overnight service. You are coming all this way to see Norway, after all.

What Is Norway In A Nutshell?

This is where a lot of confusion starts. Norway in a Nutshell is not a special train. It isn't a guided tour, either.

Norway in a Nutshell is the name of a self-guided travel package sold by Fjord Tours. Essentially, you are buying a collection of transport tickets assembled into a convenient itinerary.

The classic version combines: The Bergen Railway between Oslo and Myrdal, the Flåm Railway between Myrdal and Flåm, a sightseeing cruise through the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen, a bus from Gudvangen to Voss, and finally the railway between Voss and Bergen.

You can travel in the opposite direction too, and you can start or finish in various places along the route. You can also break the journey by spending a night—or several nights—in Flåm or elsewhere.

That's really all Norway in a Nutshell is. There isn't a guide accompanying you from Oslo. You don't board a special Norway in a Nutshell train. The Flåm Railway is the same Flåm Railway that independent travellers use.

What you're paying for is the convenience of having the different parts of the itinerary brought together into one package, with the connections organised for you. For many international visitors, that's genuinely useful.

Planning Norwegian public transport can be intimidating when you're trying to coordinate trains, buses and ferries in places you've never heard of before. Norway in a Nutshell removes much of that work.

But you don't need Norway in a Nutshell simply to travel from Oslo to Flåm. If Flåm is your destination, you can simply buy an Oslo–Flåm railway ticket and change at Myrdal.

Likewise, independent travellers can put together the wider itinerary themselves by buying the individual train, ferry and bus tickets.

Whether that's worth doing depends on how much you enjoy travel planning and whether any saving is worth the additional organisation.

Should You Stay Overnight In Flåm?

I would, yes, absolutely. It's possible to rush through Flåm as part of a long sightseeing itinerary, and thousands of people do exactly that. But it's not my preferred way to experience the place.

During summer days, Flåm can become exceptionally busy. Cruise ship passengers mix with railway passengers, coach tours and people travelling on Norway in a Nutshell.

Then, towards the end of the afternoon, something wonderful happens. People leave. Cruise ships sail away. Tour groups move on. Railway passengers continue their journeys. Flåm becomes a very different place.

Staying overnight gives you time to walk beside the fjord, explore farther along the valley and enjoy the surroundings without constantly thinking about your next connection.

It also gives you time for one of the other highlights of the area: a cruise through the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord. For that reason, if your itinerary allows it, I'd much rather spend a night in Flåm than attempt to squeeze everything into one frantic day.

Can You Visit Flåm As A Day Trip From Oslo?

Technically, perhaps. Would I recommend it? No. With the train journey taking around six hours each way, you would spend the overwhelming majority of your day travelling and very little time actually in Flåm.

That's especially unnecessary given that there are much better ways to incorporate Flåm into a Norway itinerary. One option is to travel Oslo–Flåm, spend the night, and return to Oslo the following day. But an even better option for many visitors is to continue to Bergen.

Oslo To Bergen Via Flåm

This is where the classic Norway in a Nutshell itinerary makes a lot of sense. Instead of returning from Flåm to Myrdal and continuing west on the railway, you can leave Flåm by boat.

The fjord cruise travels along the Aurlandsfjord and into the narrow Nærøyfjord before reaching Gudvangen. From Gudvangen, continue by bus to Voss and then by train to Bergen.

You've effectively turned a journey between Norway's two biggest cities into one of the country's great sightseeing itineraries. I particularly like doing this over two or three days rather than trying to squeeze everything into one.

For example, travel from Oslo to Flåm on day one and spend the night beside the fjord. The following morning you have some time in Flåm before taking the fjord cruise to Gudvangen and continuing towards Bergen.

It is much more relaxed, and you actually get to experience Flåm rather than simply changing from one form of transport to another.

Bus From Oslo To Flåm

Travelling by bus is also possible, although schedules are much more variable than the railway. Vy operates long-distance services across this part of Norway, and depending on the season and date there may be direct or connecting journeys between Oslo and Flåm.

A journey of roughly six to seven hours is typical when a suitable connection is available. Always check the timetable for your specific travel date rather than assuming a particular service runs every day.

For most first-time international visitors, though, I would still choose the railway. If you've come all the way to Norway and you're planning to visit Flåm, skipping the Flåm Railway seems a shame.

The bus becomes more interesting for repeat visitors or anyone deliberately trying to create a different route around the country.

Driving From Oslo To Flåm

Having a car gives you considerably more flexibility. Flåm is approximately 310km from Oslo by road. Pure driving time can be under five hours in good conditions, but realistically I would allow considerably longer.

This is Norway. You will want coffee. You will want lunch. You will see somewhere beautiful and decide to stop. Road conditions, traffic and weather can also influence journey times.

Depending on your chosen route and current road conditions, the drive takes you across the mountains before eventually joining the E16 towards Aurland and Flåm.

One of the final stages can take you through the extraordinary Lærdal Tunnel, the 24.5km road tunnel connecting Lærdal with Aurland.

Driving is my preferred option if Flåm forms part of a longer road trip around the fjords. It lets you explore places such as Aurland, the Stegastein viewpoint and other parts of the Sognefjord region on your own schedule.

But if you're simply travelling Oslo–Flåm–Bergen, I wouldn't rent a car purely for the journey. The railway and fjord connections are part of the experience.

Flying From Oslo To Flåm

There is no airport in Flåm. The nearest practical airport is Sogndal Airport, served by Widerøe with direct flights from Oslo Airport. From there, however, you still need onward ground transportation to reach Flåm.

That makes flying surprisingly unattractive if you're beginning your journey in central Oslo.

By the time you've travelled to Oslo Airport, allowed time for the flight and dealt with the onward journey from Sogndal, you've lost much of the supposed advantage of flying.

There is one situation where I would consider it. If you're flying into Oslo Airport from overseas and immediately continuing to the Sognefjord region, a connecting flight to Sogndal could work well as part of a wider itinerary.

For a straightforward Oslo city centre to Flåm journey, take the train.

My Recommended Oslo To Flåm Itinerary

If you've never visited this part of Norway before, I would keep things simple. Take the daytime Bergen Line from Oslo to Myrdal. Change onto the Flåm Railway and ride down to the fjord. Then stay overnight in Flåm.

Give yourself time to enjoy the village and surrounding landscape rather than immediately rushing onwards.

The following day, take the fjord cruise from Flåm through the Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen. From there, either continue towards Bergen by bus and train or explore more of the fjord region.

You can book that entire itinerary as Norway in a Nutshell if you value convenience. Or you can book the individual pieces yourself. Neither option gives you a more authentic journey. You're travelling through exactly the same landscape.

Is Flåm Still Worth Visiting?

After 15 years in Norway, this is another question I'm asked surprisingly often. Flåm is certainly far busier than it was when I first took my parents there.

It isn't an undiscovered fjord village. On a sunny summer day with a large cruise ship alongside, nobody is going to mistake it for one. But places become popular for a reason.

The railway remains spectacular. The Aurlandsfjord remains beautiful. The neighbouring Nærøyfjord remains one of the most dramatic landscapes in Norway.

And after travelling all over this country for well over a decade, I can still understand why my mum remembers that first trip so fondly. I do too. Perhaps that's why I'm not surprised that, 15 years later, I'm still talking about Flåm almost every week.

Need help working out how Flåm fits into your Norway itinerary? I offer one-to-one Norway travel consulting calls, helping visitors plan realistic routes around the country based on their interests, time and budget.