Ride the steep Flåm Railway to the fjords
Descend 866 metres from the windswept Hardangervidda mountain plateau down to the emerald shores of Aurlandsfjord on one of the world's steepest standard-gauge adhesion railways.
At a glance
May to October for roaring snowmelt waterfalls and lush green valleys; December to March brings frozen icefalls
Early morning departure from Myrdal or Flåm before cruise ship tour groups arrive
1 hour one-way; 2 to 3 hours return or full day combined with an electric fjord cruise to Gudvangen
Historic steep mountain railway journey · Electric train travel
Easy
Advance booking recommended
Why ride the Flåmsbana?
Carved by hand through sheer rock walls between 1923 and 1940, the 20-kilometre Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana) is widely recognized as a masterpiece of European railway engineering. Without cogwheels or racks, the electric locomotives navigate a continuous 1:18 gradient (5.5 percent incline), negotiating 20 tunnels that spiral inside the mountain massif to gain and lose altitude safely.
The journey is a rapid cross-section of Norway's dramatic elevation zones: you depart the stark, treeless alpine snowfields of Myrdal at 866 metres above sea level, thunder past the spray of roaring waterfalls, cross foaming turquoise glacial rivers, and glide through quiet farming hamlets before arriving at the placid, glassy tide of Aurlandsfjord.
The railway descent step by step
Board at the high-mountain junction of Myrdal
Step onto the vintage green carriages at Myrdal station, securing a window seat as the twin electric engines power up for the steep descent.
Pause for photos at the thundering Kjosfossen falls
Step out onto the wooden observation deck during a five-minute photo stop directly beside the spray of Kjosfossen waterfall, listening to the roar of glacial meltwater.
Arrive at the peaceful waters of Aurlandsfjord
Glide past the white wooden 1670 Flåm church and lush apple orchards before pulling up to the harbour pier where ferries sail down the UNESCO-protected Nærøyfjord.
Plan your experience
When to go
Trains run year-round. Late spring (May and June) brings peak snowmelt, when waterfalls roar at maximum volume. September and October offer vibrant golden autumn birch foliage across the gorge walls. Winter trains pass through frozen ice caverns.
Getting there
Take the mainline Bergen Line train from either Oslo Central (approx. 5 hours) or Bergen (approx. 2 hours) to Myrdal station. The Flåmsbana departs from the opposite track on the same platform with coordinated transfer times.
Booking & permits
Book tickets in advance via Vy (vy.no) or Norway in a Nutshell. Seat reservations guarantee boarding, but carriage seats are unassigned; board promptly at Myrdal or Flåm to secure your preferred window side.
What to bring
- Camera with wide-angle lens for capturing deep ravine vistas and vertical cliff walls
- Waterproof or windproof jacket for the five-minute outdoor photo stop at misty Kjosfossen
- Comfortable shoes for walking around Flåm village and the Aurlandsfjord waterfront
Before you go
- Both sides of the train offer spectacular viewpoints: the right side descending from Myrdal provides direct views of Kjosfossen, while the left side reveals deep canyon panoramas in the lower valley.
- Combine the railway journey with the quiet zero-emission electric catamaran cruise through the narrow UNESCO World Heritage Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen.
Official information
Always verify permits, seasonal weather conditions and access directly with public authorities:
Official portal for timetable information, engineering history, and direct ticket bookings.
Official tour coordinating seamless train, fjord cruise, and scenic bus connections between Oslo and Bergen.
Ways to experience it
Ride the train down from Myrdal to Flåm, or rent mountain bikes at Myrdal to cycle the thrilling 21-hairpin Rallarvegen trail down the valley floor.
Join a comprehensive fjord excursion linking the Flåm Railway with an electric fjord safari RIB boat into Nærøyfjord and the Stegastein viewpoint.
Certified providers & operators
Vy (Norwegian State Railways)
Scheduled passenger train operations between Oslo, Myrdal & Bergen
Official national railway operator of Norway
Flåm Utvikling AS
Flåmsbana operations, audio guides & railway museum
Dedicated operating company for the Flåm Railway line