OSLO - BERGEN - NSB

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Foto: Rolf M. Sørensen 

OSLO - BERGEN 

The Bergen Railway

THE BERGEN RAILWAY WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED IN A CEREMONY AT VOSS ON 27 

NOVEMBER 1909 BY KING HAAKON. THE KING HELD AN ENTHUSIASTIC INAUGURATION 

SPEECH, DESCRIBING THE NEW RAILWAY LINE BETWEEN OSLO AND BERGEN AS “OUR 

GENERATION’S MASTERPIECE”. 

WHILE THE LINE WAS BEING PLANNED NORWAY WAS STILL IN A UNION WITH SWEDEN, 

AND FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE UNITED 

MONARCHY TO IMPROVE TRANSPORT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MAJOR CITIES. 

NORWAY’S CAPITAL, WHICH WAS CALLED KRISTIANIA UNTIL ITS NAME WAS CHANGED 

TO OSLO IN 1925, WAS TO BE THE HUB OF THE NORWEGIAN RAIL NETWORK, WITH 

CONNECTIONS TO NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. 

The Bergen Railway 

– a brief history 

P 

lanning a railway across 

the Hardangervidda 

mountain range was no small 

task. At one point, more precisely 

at Taugevatn, the line is 

1,301 metres above sea level, 

making the Bergen Railway 

the highest and most challenging 

line in northern 

Europe. Time and again, the 

railway workers faced the 

power of nature. At one time, 

in order to keep the trains running, 

the line had 27 kilometres 

of snow sheds to protect 

it from snowdrifts, 60 kilometres 

of snow screens and 184 

tunnels in addition to 55 stations. 

The workers who built the 

Bergen Railway … 

A railway builder was known 

as a “rallar”, equivalent to the 

English “navvy”. The word “rallar” 

originally meant someone 

who pushed a trolley or 

wheelbarrow. More than a 

thousand navvies could be 

working on the line at any one 

time. In fact, during the busiest 

construction period, the number 

of workers totalled 2,200. 

Over the entire project period, 

some 15,000 workers were 

employed to build the Bergen 

Railway. 

The primitive camps where 

the workers lived were a paradise 

for lice and it was a daily 

battle to keep these vermin at 

bay. Some believed that snuff 

in the bedclothes would keep 

the lice away, while others 

carefully heated dynamite and 

rubbed it on their skin. 

Battling the weather 

The Bergen Railway is subject 

to some of the most extreme 

weather of any European railway. 

In order to keep the 

tracks open, the snow must be 

cleared continuously throughout 

the winter. Today, diesel 

engines fitted with rotary 

snowploughs are used to clear 

the tracks. A cascade of snow 

is flung up to 40 metres into 

the air. You can imagine how 

difficult this job was in the 

early 20th century, when the 

rotary ploughs were powered 

by steam. The steam-powered 

plough was in still in use well 

into the 1970s. It is not unusual 

to see 4–5 metre deep 

snowdrifts in places such as 

Finse after a blizzard. In 1913, 

the snow was piled 8 metres 

high on the track at Finse! 

The Bergen Railway is one of 

Europe’s most popular lines 

with more than half a million 

passengers passing through 

Finse every year.The trains are 

among NSB’s most modern so 

just relax and enjoy the journey 

and admire the spectacular 

views.You can enjoy a meal in 

the restaurant car, let the children 

play in the family car or 

just lean back and let your mind 

wander while the Norwegian 

countryside flies by. Doesn’t it 

sound tempting? 

2 3

Foto: Svein Ulvund 

4 

Try it and you 

are guaranteed a 

fascinating journey! 

Travelling makes you hungry and food always tastes great on the train. 

Some passengers prefer to bring their own food and drink, while others 

want to try the refreshments served on the train. Most of Norway’s regional 

railways serve refreshments either in a restaurant car (NSB MENY Kafé) 

or have a snack machine (NSB MENY Automat). 

5

Where does 

the Bergen Railway go? 

THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A STRANGE QUESTION AS THE BERGEN RAILWAY 

OBVIOUSLY RUNS BETWEEN OSLO AND BERGEN. THAT IS CORRECT, 

BUT IN FACT, THE BERGEN RAILWAY IS COMPRISED OF SEVERAL 

LINES THAT WERE ONCE INDEPENDENT RAILWAY COMPA- 

NIES. THE FIRST STRETCH OF LINE BETWEEN OSLO S 

STATION AND DRAMMEN IS THE DRAMMEN RAILWAY, 

WHILE THE NEXT DISTANCE FROM DRAMMEN TO 

HØNEFOSS IS THE RANDSFJORD RAILWAY. THE 

BERGEN RAILWAY ACTUALLY STARTS AT 

HØNEFOSS BUT IT DOES NOT RUN ALL THE 

WAY TO BERGEN BUT ONLY TO VOSS. 

THE LAST STRETCH OF LINE, FROM 

VOSS TO BERGEN, IS IN ACTUAL 

FACT CALLED THE VOSS 

RAILWAY. ALTHOUGH IT 

DOESN’T MATTER IN 

PRACTICE, IT IS AN 

INTERESTING 

CURIOSITY. 

Foto: (gutt på tog) Øivind Haug Foto: (Tog i vindu) Rolf M. Sørensen 

A 

s the train departs from 

Oslo S station, you leave 

behind a pulsating city with all 

the attractions you’d expect of a 

capital.The landscape changes 

between urban and rural until 

you reach some of wildest 

nature accessible by train anywhere 

in the world. Some of the 

station buildings along the 

route have a unique architectur- 

Bergen 

Stavanger 

Voss 

Myrdal 

Flåm 

al style and are worth a closer 

look. 

The journey takes you through 

some of eastern Norway’s most 

fertile agricultural areas before 

you reach the valley of 

Hallingdal. As you pass lake 

Krøderen you can enjoy the 

magnificent views of the mountain 

of Norefjell.The train continues 

to Gol where it begins its 

Finse 

Geilo 

Gol 

Nesbyen 

Drammen 

Hønefoss 

Oslo 

ascent into the mountains. Once 

the train passes Geilo the terrain 

becomes more mountainous. 

The railway line climbs more 

than 1,000 metres over a distance 

of just under 100 kilometres. 

Once you reach the top of the 

mountain the beautiful landscape 

will take your breath 

away. It is a truly unforgettable 

experience! 

After passing the highest point 

of any railway in northern 

Europe, the train begins its 

descent. Once you reach Myrdal 

you are in western Norway. 

Other places of interest on the 

journey are the Gravehalsen 

tunnel, the beautiful valley of 

Raundalen,Voss, Dale and Arna, 

before the train pulls into the 

old Hanseatic city of Bergen, the 

capital of western Norway. 

You can refer to this brochure 

during your journey for brief 

descriptions of stations and 

sights along the Bergen Railway. 

NSB wishes you a nice trip! 

6 7

Oslo S 

Oslo, also known as “the Tiger 

city”, is the capital of Norway 

and home to around half a 

million people. It is a bustling 

city with plenty of opportunities 

for cultural experiences 

and leisure pursuits in all seasons. 

Oslo Sentralstasjon (Oslo S) is 

Norway’s biggest railway station. 

It has been modernised 

in recent years and in addition 

to traditional railway services 

the station has a choice of 

shops and restaurants. There 

has been station on this site 

since Norway’s first railway, 

between Kristiania (later Oslo) 

and Eidsvoll, opened in 1854. 

The station’s name was 

changed from Oslo Ø (east) to 

Oslo S in 1981. The station was 

extended with new platforms 

and a new concourse in 1999. 

Altitude 3 metres above sea level 

Distance from Oslo 0.0 km 

Distance from Bergen 471.2 km 

The Oslo tunnel 

Length 3.6 km. Opened in 

1980. 

Skøyen 

This is an elevated station, 

built in connection with the 

dual track project. The characteristic 

platform building is in 

the colouristic style. 




Lysaker 

NSB trains only stop for boarding 

passengers at this station. 

The plan is to increase the 

number of platforms at the 

station to four. Located near 

Oslo’s former airport of 

Fornebu, which has now 

become an IT business park 

for companies such as Telenor 

etc. Lysaker is also a seaport. 




Sandvika 

Here the Drammen Railway 

splits into two lines: a new 

track with a non-stop connection 

to Asker through two new 

tunnels and the old track, 

which serves the suburbs 

between Oslo and Asker. 




Foto: Giulio Bolognese/VisitOslo 

Asker 

Most NSB trains stop for boarding 

at Asker.The station was 

extensively refurbished in connection 

with the new dual track 

from Sandvika.The Spikkestad 

line branches off at Asker. Just 

before Asker station, on the 

right, you can see Skaugum, the 

residence of the Norwegian 

Crown Prince and Princess. 




Lieråsen tunnel 

Length 10.7 km. The tunnel 

was opened in 1973. 

Bridges across the river 

Drammenselva 

These are the longest railway 

bridges in Norway, measuring 

340 and 451 metres respectively. 

They replaced the old 

bridges in 1996. 

Drammen 

The station opened in 1866 in 

connection with the completion 

of the Randsfjord Railway 

between Drammen and 

Randsfjord. On the left as you 

approach Drammen you can 

see Norway’s biggest port for 

car imports.The city of Drammen 

has a population of 50,000, or 

100,000 including the surrounding 

districts. Drammen has a 

connection to the Vestfold 

Railway. Bragernes torg, the 

city’s main square, is the biggest 

in northern Europe. It has undergone 

extensive renovation in 

recent years and in 2005 was 

awarded a prize for urban renewal 

and development.After 

Drammen, the train travels 

through Nedre Eiker and Øvre 

Eiker. In the past, various industries 

were situated on the river, 

and some of the old buildings 

remain. 




Gulskogen 

The station is a brick building 

in the new baroque style with 

corner pilasters and a hip roof. 

The nearby Gulskogen manor 

is a part of Drammen museum. 

The manor was built as a country 

respite in 1804 and has one 

of Norway’s most well-preserved 

classical gardens. The 

manor has a 265-metre long 

lime tree avenue and the country’s 

only preserved maze 

made from hazel trees. 



Distance from Bergen 416 km 

Hokksund stasjon 



of the Randsfjord Railway. 

The station is a stop for NSB 

trains on the Bergen Railway 

and the line serving the south 

coast of Norway, as well as 

local trains. At this point, the 

river is just 1 metre above sea 

level which means small ships 

can sail as far as Hokksund. In 

1961 a whale was spotted in 

the river here. The south coast 

train line branches off to the 

left at Hokksund. 




8 9

Vikersund 




The station is similar to the 

one in Asker. It has been 

extended and partly refurbished. 

Part of the original roof 

overhang remains intact, as 

does the station interior. 

As you approach Vikersund 

station you can see the giant 

ski jump on the right. The 

record jump is 219 metres, set 

by the Austrian Roland Müller 

in 2004. Vikersund is also well 

known for the psychiatric hospital 

Modum Bads 

Nervesanatorium and the 

Krøder vintage railway. 

Altitude 67,1 metres above sea level 



Hønefoss 




The present building dates 

back to the opening of the 

Bergen Railway in 1909. Since 

the late 1980s, most trains go 

via Drammen rather than Roa. 

Although the distance via 

Drammen is 23 km longer, the 

travel time is the about the 

same. 

Hønefoss has been a centre for 

trade and industry since the 

17th century. The town and 

the waterfall after which it was 

named are on the right as you 

approach the station. The 216metre 

stone arch bridge for 

the Roa–Hønefoss train line is 

also on the right. If you keep 

looking right, a couple of minutes 

after the train leaves the 

station you can see the Iron 

Age site of Hringariki, designated 

as Buskerud county’s 

Millennium Site. The longhouse 

at Hringariki is a replica 

of what experts believe these 

dwellings looked like. 




Sokna 

Sokna station was built in 

1910 in the art nouveau style 

first used at Flikkeid station on 

the Flekkefjord Railway. 

Sokna, along with Nesbyen, is 

famous for being one of the 

coldest places in Norway in 

winter and one of the warmest 

in summer. 




Haversting tunnel 

This 2,300-metre tunnel was 

the second-longest on the 

Bergen Railway in 1909. 

Ørgenvika 

Look out of the left window 

and enjoy the magnificent 

view of the Norefjell mountain 

and lake Krøderen. Norefjell is 

a popular winter sports resort. 

During the 1952 Winter 

Olympics in Oslo, many of the 

competitions took place here. 




Gulsvik 

Gulsvik station was completed 

in 1908 and built in the socalled 

“Sirnes style”, found on 

the Bergen Railway, 

Egersund–Flekkefjord line and 

Arendal–Åmli line. The original 

lay-out has been preserved: 

the ground floor had a large 

waiting room and a ticket 

office as well as a telegraph 

room, luggage locker room 

and a staircase in the back. The 

station had a restaurant until 

1935. The grounds with the 

station building and the surrounding 

park form an important 

part of local heritage and 

railway history. The train now 

enters the valley of Hallingdal. 

The road tunnel on your left, 

known as the gateway to 

Hallingdal, was a rail tunnel 

until the new track was laid in 

1972. 




Flå 

Flå station was completed in 

1907 and has been preserved 

in its original form. The station 

is 1 km from the centre of Flå 

and is unstaffed. It is included 

in the preservation plan for 

railway buildings drawn up by 

the Norwegian state railway 

company, NSB. Flå has the 

biggest timber industry in the 

valley of Hallingdal and is just 

a short distance away from 

Vassfaret bear park. 


Distance from Oslo 152 km 


Nedre Hallingdal 

The terrain in lower Hallingdal 

is challenging and the track 

twists and turns and passes 

through several short tunnels. 

The river is on the left all the 

time. 

10 11

Austvoll water tower 

Austvoll is one of the smaller 

stations on the Bergen 

Railway. It was built with a 

waiting room and ticket office 

but plans for a freight building 

were dropped. The most interesting 

building at Austvoll is 

the water tower, constructed 

from unpolished brick and rich 

in detail. This is the only water 

tower left on the Bergen 

Railway. It was selected as one 

of Flå municipality’s cultural 

monuments in 1997 and is 

also included in NSB’s preservation 

plan. 

Nesbyen 

Nesbyen station was opened 

in 1907 and the entire original 

complex has been preserved. 

The station is unstaffed. Nesbyen, 

along with Sokna, is one 

of the coldest places in the 

county of Buskerud in winter 

and one of the warmest in 

summer. In the summer of 

1970, the temperature reached 

a record 35.6 degrees Centigrade. 

Nesbyen is an alpine ski 

resort with bus connections to 

Tunhovd and Myking. 

Svenkerud 

Svenkerud bridge is where the 

Bergen Railway crosses the 

river Hallingdalselva. The 

bridge was blown up during 

Foto: Nesbyen turist- og næringsservice 

Foto: Nesbyen turist- og næringsservice 




the war in 1940. Before it was 

rebuilt, a temporary bridge 

was built by the Germans further 

downriver and named 

von Falkenhorst Brücke. The 

present bridge is built of concrete. 

Gol 

Gol station opened in 1907. 

Gol has bus and road connections 

to Fagernes, Hemsedal 

and Sogn. 

Gol is one of the best winter 

sports resorts in the Nordic 

region and is also known for 

the power plant Heimsil II. 




Ål 

Ål station opened in 1907. It 

was once one of the main stations 

in Hallingdal and a base 

for engine maintenance, train 

catering etc. The region’s main 

industries are agriculture and 

forestry, fur production and 

tourism. Ål is a meeting point 

for east and westbound trains 

on the Bergen Railway. 




Sangerlia 

At this point the track 

becomes significantly steeper 

and the train begins its ascent 

into the mountains. Look right 

for a great view of the valley. 

Geilo 

Geilo station was opened in 

1907. In summer, there are corresponding 

bus services to 

Numedal and 

Odda/Hardanger. Geilo was 

built in the so-called Flikkeid, 

or art noveau, style but has 

since been extensively refurbished. 

Geilo is one of 

Norway’s largest winter sports 

resorts and is also known for 

its iron and metal industry, 

with production of scythes, 

knives and tools. 

12 13 





Foto: Ål Turistkontor/Bård Svardal Foto: Geilo Turistservice

Ustaoset 

Ustaoset station opened in 

1912.The opening of the 

Bergen Railway in 1909 was 

instrumental in the growth of 

holiday homes at Ustaoset and 

the area remains one of the 

country’s main locations for 

holiday residences with over 

700 cottages. Many of NSB’s 

trains stop at Ustaoset, which is 

an unstaffed station. 

Ustaoset is the most easterly of 

the stations on the 100 km 

long track across the mountains.This 

is where the east and 

westbound tracks were joined 

at the opening of the railway 

line in 1907. However, due to 

problems with keeping the line 

open in winter, the official 

opening of the Bergen Railway 

was delayed until 1909. 

Foto: Njål Svingheim 

Before the event of the railway, 

there were only a few summer 

farms at Ustaoset. 



Distance from 207 km 

Hallingskarvet 

Look out of the window on 

your right for a glimpse of the 

impressive Hallingskarvet, a 

1,993-metre high mountain 

range. The highest peak is 

Folarskardnuten. 

Haugastøl 

Haugastøl station, which 

opened in 1908, is the starting 

point for Rallarvegen, the old 

navvies’road, named after the 

workers who built the railway. 

The road is popular with cyclists 

in the summer season. Every 

year, around 20,000 people take 

cycling trips along Rallarvegen. 

Haugastøl is a listed building 

because it is the only station 

with a ground floor built from 

stone. The station was originally 

going to be called Nygard after 

the mountain farm that was on 

the site before the railway 

arrived. Haugastøl is a popular 

location for holiday cottages. 

The terrain is excellent for walking, 

with many hikers heading 

for Hallingskarvet and 

Raggsteindalen. Some NSB 

trains stop here. At Haugastøl 

there is a road barrier, which is 

frequently lowered to close the 

road to car traffic during winter 

storms. From Haugastøl, the 

Bergen Railway begins its final 

climb up towards Finse. 


Distance from 275.6 km 

Distance from 196 km 




Nygard 

This was once the site of 

Norway’s highest mountain 

farm. It is on your left just a 

couple of minutes after 

Haugastøl station. Today, 

Nygard is a holiday resort. 

Gråskallen tunnel 

This is a new tunnel that was 

built in 1999. It is 2.7 km long. 

There are track-switching 

points inside the tunnel. The 

tunnel marks the start of a 

new 25 km section of track 

through the most weatherexposed 

part of the mountain 

crossing. 

Hardangerjøkulen 

This is a large glacier 1,876 

metres above sea level, visible 

on the left. A very popular destination 

for hikers. In summer, 

there are courses in glacier 

walking as well as guided 

walks, departing from Finse. 

Lengthmen’s cottages 

Every 5 km along the moun- 

tain section of the line you will 

notice the lengthmen’s cottages. 

This is where the lengthmen 

lived with their families 

until 1967, when track maintenance 

operations were centralised 

at Finse station. 

Fagernut on the old railway 

line at Taugevatn was the 

highest worker residence in 

Norway at 1,320 metres above 

sea level. Today, the cottage is 

a part of the Rallar (navvies) 

museum. 

14 15


Finse 

Finse station was opened in 

1908 and is the highest station 

on the Bergen Railway. The 

station was a critical point for 

snow clearing in winter. In the 

old days a steam-powered 

rotary snowplough, 

FINSE 1222 

engines used for pushing 

trains and other track-clearing 

equipment were all based at 

Finse. The steam-powered 

rotary plough survived until 

1975. Finse was the base for 

snow clearing until the Finse 

tunnel opened in 1993. Today, 

snow clearing is handled 

from 

Geilo and Myrdal and staffing 

at Finse has subsequently 

been significantly reduced. 

Finse and Haugastøl stations 

were originally built in the 

same architectural style, with 

one and half storeys. 

But Finse’s growing importance 

led to an extension of 

the station building to 2 

storeys. 

The large buildings that used 

to house snow-clearing and 

maintenance equipment 

have been demolished but 

the old engine hall has been 

preserved and converted into 

a museum. 

A small community developed 

at Finse due to the 

large number of staff needed 

for track maintenance, station 

operations and snow clearing. 

Many families lived here 

permanently and Finse even 

had its own primary 

school. Today, most of these 

activities have been closed or 

scaled down and many of the 

railway buildings at Finse 

have been sold. Instead, Finse 

has become a holiday destination, 

where people come 

for cycling, hiking and glacier 

walking. 

Did you know that Finse once 

boasted a large ice skating 

rink? The hotel built the ice 

rink for its guests and the 

famous ice skating champion 

Sonja Henie frequently 

used it for training. 

During the war the ice rink 

was bombed by British 

planes. The British knew that 

the German occupation 

forces used Finse for testing 

of airplane engines in arctic 

conditions. 

Along the Bergen Railway 

there are natural adventures 

to suit everyone. Choices 

range from relaxing in your 

train seat and admiring the 

view to cycling or hiking in 

the mountains. Many people 

travel to Finse on 17 May 

every year to celebrate 

Norway’s national day on the 

glacier Hardangerjøkulen. 




16 17

Rallarvegen – the navvies’ road – a spectacular experience … 

This high up in the mountains 

you get a strong sense of the 

challenges facing the navvies. 

Before they could start laying 

the railtrack, they had to build 

a road through difficult terrain 

to transport people and materials 

to the construction site. 

The navvies built many miles 

of road for works traffic. Part of 

this road has been preserved 

as a walking and cycling path. 

It is known as Rallarvegen – 

the navvies’ road – and runs 

alongside the railtrack from 

Haugastøl in the county of 

Buskerud to Flåm in the county 

of Sogn & Fjordane. Around 

20,000 cyclists come here 

between July and September 

every year. 

Most people set out from 

Finse and cycle the 57 km distance 

to Flåm. The highest 

point on the journey is 1,343 

metres above sea level. Cycling 

through this fantastic landscape 

is a unique experience. 

The terrain is varied, ranging 

from gradual climbs to steep 

descents past thundering 

waterfalls. No wonder 

Rallarvegen has become one 

of Norway’s most popular 

cycle routes. 

Fotos: Svein Ulvund 

18 19

Finse tunnel 

This tunnel is 10.6 km and was 

the longest on the Bergen 

Railway when it was completed 

in 1993. Just like Gråskallen, 

this tunnel also has trackswitching 

points. The tunnel 

replaced the line via 

Taugevatn, which at 1,302 

metres had proved a very challenging 

and weather-exposed 

section. Most of the old line 

was covered by snow sheds to 

protect it from snowdrifts. 

The highest point on the 

Bergen Railway 

This is 1,237 metres above sea 

level and is inside the Finse 

tunnel. 

Lågheller 

At this point the new track 

merges with the old line, which 

can be seen on the right. 

Hallingskeid 

The first station at Hallingskeid 

was opened in 1908. The present 

station is unstaffed and 

has no road connection. It is 

covered by a snow shed. The 

original station had a separate 

waiting room for ladies and 

the waiting room had been 

consecrated so that Christian 

ceremonies could be held 

here. Both Finse and 

Hallingskeid stations had baptism 

fonts in case babies had 

to be christened in the mountains. 

The new station at 

Hallingskeid was built in 1960. 

The Norwegian tourism association 

has a self-catering tourist 

cabin at Hallingskeid. On the 

left you can see Grøndalen 

with its many old summer 

farms. 




Snow sheds 

Along the most weatherexposed 

sections of the line 

the train passes through 

wooden snow sheds built to 

protect the track from snowdrifts. 

Kleiva bridge 

This is a stone arch bridge 

built across the Kleivagjelet 

ravine and waterfall. On the 

right you can see Rallarvegen 

– the navvies’ road –, which 

runs alongside the ravine. 

Seltuftberg and Reinunga 

tunnels 

Two of a number of tunnels on 

this stretch of track. Between 

the tunnels on the right you 

can catch brief glimpses of the 

lakes Seltuftvatnet and 

Reinungavatnet in the valley 

below. This section of track 

was extremely challenging to 

build and in some places the 

navvies had to be lowered to 

the construction sites by rope. 

Vatnahalsen 

You can see the hotel on the 

right.The area also has many 

cottages and an alpine skiing 

slope. 

Myrdalsleite 

This is an opening in the tunnel 

wall on the right with 

breathtaking views of the 

Flåm valley. 

Myrdal 

Myrdal station opened in 1908 

and is one of the most beautiful 

and impressive buildings 

on the Bergen Railway. Like 

many of the other mountain 

stations, Myrdal has a ground 

floor built from stone, because 

it was easier to transport stone 

than timber in the mountains. 

Before the station was built, 

there was a summer farm on 

this site. Many Norwegian and 

Italian railway builders were 

involved in the construction 

work here. 

Myrdal station is at the eastern 

end of the 5.3 km Gravehalsen 

tunnel. The station serves both 

the Bergen Railway and the 

scenic Flåm Railway in the 

county of Sogn & Fjordane. 

The Flåm Railway has ten daily 

services in each direction during 

the summer season and 

four in winter. Local train services 

from Bergen and Voss 

terminate at Myrdal. There is 

no road connection to Myrdal. 




20 21 

Foto: Njål Svingheim


22 

The Flåm Railway 

Let’s make a brief stop at 

Myrdal before we continue 

our journey. If you are looking 

for a unique train adventure 

you must experience the scenic 

Flåm Railway from Myrdal 

to Flåm. 

The train descends down the 

steep mountainside to the 

bottom of the Flåm valley. In 

order to build the line, the 

workers had to drill loop tunnels 

through the mountain. 

The train descends through 

sharp curves on a gradient of 

one metre to 18, with a total 

drop of 865 metres over a distance 

of 20 km. 

Eighteen of the 20 tunnels on 

the Flåm Railway were drilled 

manually. In order to avoid 

sections prone to landslides 

the line crosses the river and 

valley floor three times. Rather 

than building train bridges 

across the river, the river was 

channelled into a tunnel 

under the railway line. 

The Flåm Railway was a major 

feat of engineering. Work on 

the 20 km line began in 1923 

and took 18 years. The line 

opened for normal traffic in 

October 1941. 

Today the Flåm Railway is 

operated by the tourism 

development company Flåm 

Utvikling A/S. The railway is 

also a central feature in the 

“Norway in a nutshell” 

roundtrip, which has been 

organised since 1960 and 

comprises the Bergen Railway, 

the Flåm Railway, a cruise on 

the Sognefjord as well as a 

coach trip from Gudvangen. In 

2003, the tour won an honorary 

prize for its long-lasting 

success. 

Gravehalsen tunnel 

This 5,311 metre tunnel was 

the longest on the Bergen 

Railway when it was opened 

in 1909. 

Raundalen valley 

Look left to admire the view 

when the train descends into 

the beautiful valley of 

Raundalen on the way to Voss. 

Mjølfjell 

This station is located in an 

area with many holiday cottages. 

Norway’s first youth 

hostel was built here in 1940. 




Ygre 

This is the original Nesttun 

station, which was later 

moved to this spot. The station 

is easily recognisable 

because of the characteristic 

roof overhang above the platform. 

The station has been 

closed down. The building is 

identical to Tistedal station in 

the county of Østfold. 


23

Foto: Inge Draugsvoll 

Voss 

Voss station was opened in 1883 

when the Voss Railway was completed. 

The original timber station 

was built in the traditional 

Swiss style. The building was 

later moved to Dale. 

The new station was built in the 

art nouveau style. It had a granite 

foundation with an exterior 

of polished brick. In the centre of 

the building there was a large 

waiting room for passengers 

travelling 3rd class. The “posher” 

2nd class travellers had a smaller, 

separate waiting room with toilets 

for ladies and gentlemen. 

Voss is a major winter sports 

resort and popular with tourists. 

It boasts one of Norway’s largest 

alpine ski slopes and a cable car. 

Voss is also a centre of education. 

The author Ludvig Holberg 

was once a private teacher in 

Voss. 




24 25 

Foto: Gaute Helland 

The Voss–Bergen line 

The Voss Railway between 

Voss and Bergen was originally 

a narrow-gauge railway, which 

was opened in 1883. The track 

has been rerouted many times 

because of the risk of landslides. 

New, longer tunnels 

have been built to avoid such 

areas and to increase the 

speed of the trains. There is 

still a comprehensive landslide 

warning system in place to 

ensure safety. The E 16 highway 

runs along part of the old 

rail route.

Kvalsåsen tunnel 

This 5 km tunnel was opened 

in 1990. 

Evanger 

On your right you can see the 

lake Evangervatnet. 




Hernes tunnel 

The 3.3 km tunnel was opened 

in 1962. 

Trollkona tunnel 

An 8 km tunnel which was 

opened in 1987. 

Dale 

Dale station was opened in 

1883 in connection with the 

completion of the Voss 

Railway. NSB’s night trains as 

well as some regional trains 

and local trains stop here. The 

current station building was 

originally at Voss, while the 

original Dale station building 

has been moved to 

Reimegrend. 

Dale is home to the knitwear 

and knitting yarns factory Dale 

Fabrikker. It is also the administrative 

centre for the municipality 

of Vaksdal. 




Stanghelle 

The Bergen Railway now 

reaches the western 

Norwegian fjords. On your left 

you can see Osterfjord and 

Osterøy. 




Vaksdal 

Vaksdal station was opened in 

1883 following the completion 

of the Voss Railway. NSB’s 

night trains as well as local 

services stop here. 

The main attraction is the old 

mill Vaksdal Mølle. 




Hananipa tunnel 


in 1970. 

26 27 

Foto: Svein Ulvund

Foto: Bergen Tourist Board/Robin Strand 

Foto: Pål Hoff 

Trengereid 

An old station from the original 

Voss Railway situated on 

the fjord surrounded by towering 

mountains. 




Arnanipa tunnel 

Length 2.2 km. The tunnel was 

opened in 1964. 

Arna 

A busy hub for local traffic. All 

NSB trains stop here 




Ulriken tunnel 


in 1964, replacing the old track 

via Nesttun. There are plans for 

another single track tunnel in 

addition to the existing one. 

Once the train exits the 

Ulriken tunnel you are in the 

centre of Bergen. On your left 

you can see the lake Store 

Lungegårdsvann, while the 

Fløyfjellet mountain is on your 

right. 

28 29

Bergen 

The present Bergen station 

was opened in 1913. The original 

station was located at Lille 

Lungegårdsvann, but a decision 

was made to relocate it to 

the eastern side of Store 

Lungegårdsvann. 

Bergen station is typical of 

early 20th century European 

railway stations, with a large 

concourse built in a medieval 

architectural style with 

exposed arches on the façade. 

Other Norwegian stations 

built in this style were the Oslo 

East station in 1882, Oslo West 

station in 1872 and 

Trondheim’s first station in 

1864. Bergen is the only one of 

these original stations still in 

operation. 

Bergen is Norway’s secondlargest 

city. It was originally an 

old Hanseatic city and is 

known as the capital of western 

Norway. The city was 

founded in 1070. 

Bergen has a beautiful setting 

on the fjord surrounded by 

mountains. It is famous for its 

annual music festival, the traditional 

fish market and the 

historical buildings in the old 

harbour area,“Bryggen”. 

Altitude 3,9 metres above sea level 




30 31 

Foto: Bergen Reiselivslag/Paul Smit/IMAGO

OSLO - BERGEN - NSB

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