The Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana)
ExpensiveSteep 20-kilometre alpine descent
One of the world's steepest standard-gauge railway journeys, descending past the thundering Kjosfossen waterfall.
Flåm StationLandmarkRail
Flåm & Aurlandsfjord, Norway
Ideal: 1–3 daysBest: May–SepPrice: Expensive
In 60 seconds
Flåm & Aurlandsfjord in 60 seconds
Nestled at the head of the Aurlandsfjord, Flåm is the terminus of the legendary Flåmsbana railway, descending 866 metres through roaring waterfalls and sheer canyons. Electric silent catamarans glide from here into the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord, past goat-farming hamlets and cliffside stave churches.
FjordRailCulture
Best for
- Nature
- Hiking
- History
Known for
- Flåm Railway
- Aurlandsfjord
- Nærøyfjord
- Stegastein viewpoint
Skip if
You dislike cruise transit hubs or seek a bustling metropolitan nightlife scene.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Flåm & Aurlandsfjord fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Nærøyfjord Electric Fjord Cruise
ExpensiveSilent electric cruise through UNESCO gorge
A zero-emission hybrid vessel cruising the narrowest fjord in Europe between Flåm and the Viking port of Gudvangen.
Flåm QuayBoatFjord
Stegastein Viewpoint
Timber-clad bridge cantilevered 650 metres high
A dramatic 30-metre pine-laminated lookout projecting out over Aurlandsfjord with an open glass end wall.
AurlandArchitectureFree
Eat
Where to eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
More places to eat
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Ægir BryggeriPub
ExpensiveDragon-style wood tavern with craft beers
A soaring nine-metre-high timber hall with an open central fireplace serving Viking-inspired tasting boards and house-brewed ales.
Flåm SentrumCraft beerLocal
Flåmstova Restaurant
ModerateTraditional Norwegian country buffet and mains
A comfortable rustic restaurant in Flåmsbrygga offering local venison sausages, fjord salmon and hot vegetable soups.
FlåmsbryggaBuffetHearty
Restaurant Arven
Very expensiveHistoric hotel dining facing fjord mountains
Panoramic floor-to-ceiling fjord views paired with local western Norway lamb, mountain trout and seasonal garden vegetables.
Fretheim HotelFjord viewGame
Flåm Bakery (Flåm Bakeri)
InexpensiveArtisanal sourdough and cinnamon pastries
An artisanal bakery right by the railway docks crafting sourdough loaves, sandwiches and warm cardamom rolls.
Flåm StationBakeryPastries
Beyond the obvious
Hidden gems
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Undredal Fjord Village & Stave Church
Tiny hamlet famed for brown goat cheese
A road-accessible fjord settlement of 80 people housing Scandinavia's smallest stave church and artisanal goat creameries.
UndredalCheeseHistoric
Otternes Bygdetun
18th-century preserved hillside farmstead
A cluster of 27 timber farm buildings perched high on the fjord slope that illustrates pre-industrial agricultural life.
AurlandsvangenHeritageHistoric
After dark
Bars & nightlife
Ægir Peisestove
ModerateCosy hearthside ale tastings
Fur-lined timber armchairs around an open log fire, ideal for sampling regional single-hop IPAs and dark winter porters.
FlåmsbryggaBeerCosy
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Flåm Quayside
Rail terminus and electric ferry dock
The picturesque meeting point where mountain trains, passenger catamarans and fjord kayaks converge.
Aurlandsvangen
Tranquil fjord farming village
A serene village along Aurlandsfjord famous for handcrafted leather shoes, church history and organic farms.
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Flåm Harbour
ExpensiveWaterside hotels & cottages
Most convenient for early train departures and seamless connections to morning fjord ferries.
TransitWaterfront
Aurlandsvangen
ExpensivePeaceful village retreats
Restful fjord-edge guest houses removed from daytime rail passenger bustle.
Fjord viewsQuiet
Practical
Know before you go
- Rail connection
- Flåmsbana connects with the Oslo-Bergen main railway line at the high mountain junction of Myrdal.
- Advance booking
- Peak summer train seats and catamaran tickets sell out weeks ahead; secure reservations before travelling.
- Ferry loop
- Connecting shuttle buses run continuously between Gudvangen and Flåm to complete round-trip cruise itineraries.
- Driving warning
- The steep mountain hairpin road to Stegastein is narrow; exercise caution when yielding to oncoming vehicles.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- 1340
Underdal Stave Church is consecrated as one of the smallest functioning medieval stave churches in Scandinavia.
- 1923
Construction begins on the Flåm Railway, taking 20 years to tunnel through mountain gorges by hand.
- 2005
Nærøyfjord is inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage list for its exceptional natural fjord beauty.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Gudvangen & Viking Valley
Living Viking village at Nærøyfjord head
Authentic historical living village and launch site for sea kayaking through the sheerest fjord canyon.
20 min by bus or cruiseFjordViking
Borgund Stave Church
12th-century dark timber stave church
The best-preserved medieval stave church in Norway with intricate dragon-head gables and carved portals.
45 min by car/busArchitectureMedieval