Flåm is a tiny village at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, and it is one of the most visited places in Norway. Most people who arrive there from Oslo come the same way: on the Bergen Line up into the mountains, then down to the fjord on the Flåm Railway.
There is no direct train from Oslo to Flåm. You always change at Myrdal, a mountain station with no road access, and that one change is what makes the trip both a little confusing to plan and genuinely memorable.
Here is how the journey works, how long it takes and what to book before you go.
The route in one paragraph
You take a long-distance Vy train on the Bergen Line from Oslo Central Station (Oslo S) to Myrdal. At Myrdal you step across the platform onto the Flåm Railway, known in Norwegian as Flåmsbana, which runs about 20 km down the valley to Flåm.
The Bergen Line part takes roughly four hours forty minutes to five hours, depending on the departure. The Flåm Railway takes about an hour. Allow for a connection at Myrdal, and a realistic door-to-door day from Oslo S to Flåm is six to seven hours.
Getting from Oslo Airport to Oslo S first
If you are flying into Gardermoen and heading straight for the fjords, remember that the Bergen Line starts in Oslo, not at the airport. You first need to get to Oslo S, which takes around 20 minutes on Flytoget or a little longer on Vy’s regional trains.
Our guide to Oslo Airport to the city centre compares the options. The short version is that both trains get you there quickly, and Vy is usually the cheaper of the two.
The first Bergen Line departures leave Oslo early in the morning, so an evening arrival and a night in Oslo often works better than trying to land and connect on the same day. Planning a tight same-day connection from a long-haul flight is asking for stress.
The Bergen Line from Oslo to Myrdal
The Bergen Line is one of the great railway journeys in Europe. Between Oslo and Myrdal it passes Drammen, Hønefoss and the Hallingdal valley before climbing onto the Hardangervidda plateau.
The highest point on the line is 1,237 metres above sea level, near Finse. In winter this stretch is a white, treeless landscape. In summer it is lakes, bare rock and late snow patches, and both are worth staying awake for.
Vy runs six to seven departures a day on the full Oslo–Bergen route, and most of them stop at Myrdal. Weekday and weekend patterns differ, and timetables change twice a year, so always check the current departures in the Vy app or on Entur before you travel.
Seat reservation is part of the ticket on these long-distance trains. If you want a quieter carriage and a little more space, Vy also sells a Vy Plus upgrade on many departures.
Myrdal: the change that confuses people
Myrdal sits 867 metres above sea level, and you cannot drive there. It exists because this is where the Flåm Railway meets the Bergen Line, so you will see a crowd of people with cameras and suitcases getting off together.
The Flåm Railway train usually waits on the opposite side of the platform. Connections are timed to work with the Bergen Line, but they are separate trains, so a delay on the mainline can mean a wait for the next Flåm departure.
There is no ticket office or ticket machine at Myrdal. Buy everything in advance, either as one journey from Oslo S to Flåm or as separate tickets if you want to stop along the way.
The Flåm Railway: what to expect
The Flåm Railway drops from Myrdal to Flåm, which lies just 2 metres above sea level. Most of the line has a gradient of 5.5 per cent, which makes it one of the steepest standard-gauge railways in the world.
The line took from 1923 to 1940 to build. It has 20 tunnels, 18 of them dug by hand, and one of them makes a 180-degree turn inside the mountain.
The train stops for about five minutes at Kjosfossen, a big waterfall right beside the track, so everyone can step out for photos. After that, the valley opens up with steep farms, rivers and the old Flåm Church before you roll into the village by the fjord.
The ride takes about an hour and the trains run every day of the year. There are many more departures in the summer season than in winter, when the line runs a reduced timetable that connects with Bergen Line trains.
Tickets and prices
For a trip from Oslo, the simplest option is to search Oslo S to Flåm on Vy or Entur. That way you get both legs on one booking and the connection at Myrdal is planned for you.
Flåm Railway tickets are tied to a specific departure. A single adult ticket starts from NOK 399, children aged 6 to 17 pay half, and dogs travel free. Bicycles need a reserved space.
Tickets are normally released around 120 days before departure. Summer departures sell out, so if you are travelling between June and August, book as soon as your dates are fixed.
Holders of Eurail or Interrail passes with an active travel day get a discount on ordinary single tickets on the Flåm Railway. The Bergen Line itself still needs a seat reservation.
Oslo to Flåm to Bergen in one day
Many travellers do not want to go back to Oslo at all. A popular plan is to go Oslo to Flåm to Bergen, ending up on the west coast and flying home from there.
From Flåm you can take a fjord cruise through the narrow Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen, then a bus to Voss and a train on to Bergen. This combination is sold as a package under the name Norway in a Nutshell, or you can book the legs yourself.
Another simple option is to ride the Flåm Railway back up to Myrdal and continue west on the Bergen Line towards Voss and Bergen. If you end the trip in Bergen, our guide to Bergen Airport and getting to the city covers the transfer to Flesland for your flight out.
If you are still deciding between the train and a flight for the Oslo–Bergen part, Oslo to Bergen: plane, train, bus or car compared lays out the trade-offs.
Flåm to Oslo: the trip back
Going from Flåm back to Oslo is simply the same journey in reverse. You ride the Flåm Railway up to Myrdal, then join an eastbound Bergen Line train towards Oslo S.
Check the connection carefully when you book. The last useful departures from Flåm in the afternoon have to match the remaining Bergen Line trains, and there are fewer to choose from outside summer.
If you have an early flight from Gardermoen the next morning, it is usually wiser to spend the night in Oslo than to take a late or overnight connection and hope it runs on time.
Other ways to get from Oslo to Flåm
The train is the classic choice, but it is not the only one. By car, Oslo to Flåm takes around five to six hours on the E16, including the Lærdal Tunnel, which at 24.5 km is the longest road tunnel in the world.
Long-distance coaches also run towards Sogn via Lærdal, though they need more planning and connections. Entur’s journey planner is the best place to see what runs on your date.
You can also fly. Widerøe flies from Oslo to Sogndal, and from there it is a drive of about an hour and a half to Flåm. That rarely beats the train on total time, but it can help on a tight schedule.
Practical tips for the day
Do not worry too much about which side of the Flåm Railway to sit on. Both sides have good moments, and the Kjosfossen stop gives everyone a proper look.
Pack light if you can. There are luggage lockers next to Flåm station and the visitor centre, where you can store bags for up to three days while you explore.
Bring layers, even in summer. Myrdal and the high plateau can be cold and windy when Flåm is mild, and in winter it is properly cold up there.
Finally, keep an eye on the timetable on the day. Mountain railways are well run in Norway, but weather and track work can still change plans, and a quick check in the app before you leave Oslo saves a long wait at Myrdal.
