Taking the Bergensbanen Train from Oslo to Bergen (and Flåm Detour)

Stretching 496 kilometres from Oslo Central Station (Oslo S) across the roof of southern Norway to Bergen on the western fjords, the Bergen Line (Bergensbanen) is the highest mainline railway in Northern Europe and one of the great train journeys of the world. In roughly 6 hours 30 minutes to 7 hours, the train climbs from the green valleys of Hallingdal right above the Arctic-like treeline onto the treeless glacier-carved plateau of Hardangervidda National Park (reaching 1,222 metres elevation at Finse, where the Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back ice planet Hoth scenes were filmed) before descending through mountain tunnels and lakeside gorges to the North Sea coast.

Option A vs Option B: Direct Train or the "Norway in a Nutshell" Flåm Detour?

• Option A: Direct Vy Train from Oslo S to Bergen (6.5 to 7 hours): four daytime departures (plus an overnight sleeper train) run year-round directly from Oslo S to Bergen station. Take one of the morning departures (such as the ~early in the morning or ~around midday train) so you cross the high mountain plateau between Geilo, Finse and Myrdal in full daylight. Book your ticket directly on the official Vy.no website or Vy app up to 90 days in advance to snag discounted Minipris (Lowfare) seats; upgrade to Vy Pluss (Plus) in Carriage 1 for wider reclining seats and free freshly brewed coffee and tea.
• Option B: The Myrdal, Flåm, Nærøyfjord Detour (Full Day, 11 to 13 hours): at the high mountain junction of Myrdal station (866 metres above sea level, 4.5 hours from Oslo), you can step across the platform onto the historic green carriages of the Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana), which drops 864 metres down a 1-in-18 gradient past the roaring Kjosfossen waterfall to the village of Flåm at the head of the Aurlandsfjord. From Flåm, board an electric panoramic ferry through the narrow UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen, take a 50-minute bus to Voss, and hop back onto the regional train for the final hour into Bergen. You can book all four tickets independently on Vy.no and Norway's Best, or as a single bundled package.

Which side of the train has the best views?

As you face forward travelling west from Oslo to Bergen, book a window seat on the left-hand side of the carriage for the finest views across the Hallingdal lakes, the Hardangerjøkulen glacier dome opposite Finse and the deep gorges descending toward Voss.