Norway in a Nutshell® with kids: a family travel guide
Thinking about bringing the kids on Norway in a Nutshell®? A full day of train, boat, and bus might sound like a lot to take on with little ones, but the trip itself is the fun part. With a little preparation, it makes for a wonderful family day out.
To show you how it works, our product manager Kristin and her 5-year-old traveled on the Bergen roundtrip version. What follows are their real experiences: the highlights, a few surprises, and our advice.
By: The Fjord Tours team
10 min readUpdated: Aug 17, 2026
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In short: It went far better than expected. Between the trains, the fjord boats, and the mountain roads, there's something new to see around every bend, which is exactly the kind of day young children love.
There are multiple ways to travel Norway in a Nutshell®, for example, as a round trip from Bergen or the full journey between Oslo and Bergen. Kristin traveled the Bergen round trip, so most of this guide describes that, but the tips apply to all versions. Wherever the Oslo version differs in a big way, we've made sure to flag it.
Is Norway in a Nutshell® suitable for children?
Yes, it's a great trip for families. The one thing to plan for is that children have to sit for stretches of time, and that's easier at some ages than others.
The good news is that most young children are fascinated by vehicles, so the mix of trains, boats, and buses works in your favor. Kristin's five-year-old lit up at each new mode of transport, and every transfer kept the day feeling fresh.
The best age to travel with children
Your children’s age changes what the day feels like for both you and your child.
- Babies and pram-age (under 1): Surprisingly manageable. While you can bring strollers on the tour, we recommend a carrier since this makes feeding, naps, and moving around much easier; a sleeping baby can simply stay put as you move from train to boat.
- Ages 1–3: This age group is a bit more challenging, but still doable. Toddlers are the hardest to keep entertained with limited patience and unlimited energy. At this age, we’d recommend adding an overnight stop to break up the day. If that’s not possible for you, bring entertainment and book the early departure so you’re back in your hotel room before bedtime.
- Ages 4–5 and up: We build our test trip around this age. Children at this age can follow a story, play a game, look out of the window with curiosity, and feel proud of "completing" the journey.
How to time your day to avoid meltdowns
To match the tour to your child’s bedtime, we recommend booking the early departure.
If you take the 07:00 departure from Bergen, you're back around dinner time. Kristin found that was ideal for them; in time for an early dinner and a normal bedtime.
There's a hidden bonus here: breakfast on the train takes care of the first half hour of entertainment.
One day or an overnight trip?
The full-day trip is long but achievable. We did it in a day, and it worked.
That said, if your budget and schedule allow, we'd recommend adding an overnight stop in Flåm, especially with younger children. It turns a packed day into two relaxed days.
You can see all departure times, prices, and overnight options on the Norway in a Nutshell ® booking page.
What to expect on each leg, with kids
Below is the trip through a child's eyes. For the full route, times, and prices, see the Norway in a Nutshell® tour page.
Bergen to Myrdal or Voss (train)
The train is likely to be the longest single leg of the day. This is a good time to launch your entertainment kit, so pack some activities to keep the kids occupied.
The Flåm Railway
This is typically the most fun leg for children.
You can open the windows as the train moves, which was a huge hit for us. We talked about it being one of the steepest railway lines in the world, watched the tracks far below in the valley we were heading into, and listened to the brakes squealing in the tunnels.
The stop at the waterfall, with the hulder (a figure from Norwegian folklore) appearing among the rocks, was fun and kept spirits high.
The fjord cruise
The fjord cruise is very child-friendly. The boat has around 400 meters of open deck that effectively becomes a step-free running track with gentle ups and downs and high railings, so children can move around freely and safely.
The timing helps too: the cruise usually falls in the middle of the day, the perfect moment to break up all that sitting with a good run-around. Even on a busy day it worked well. Our tester was happily occupied, and we could stay outside taking in the scenery.
There's also a good selection of ice cream and other kid-friendly snacks on board, and the operator has even made a Lego replica of the boat, which came in handy later.
The one set of stairs is inside, up to the second floor. If you'd rather avoid them, you can reach the open deck straight from the first floor.
Gudvangen to Voss (bus)
The 1-hour bus ride proved to be the most challenging, but still fun with some entertainment. There was enough time to store strollers and big luggage items in the compartment, before we boarded the bus.
Everyone stayed seated and belted the whole way; the road is winding, so it's easy to feel carsick if your child is already prone to that.
Come prepared: have your most absorbing sit-still activity ready, keep a bag on your lap just in case, and consider motion-sickness remedies suited to your child's age.
Voss to Bergen (train)
The last train leg felt like winding down, as we were on our way back to Bergen.
By now, children are usually pleased with themselves and starting to tire out. This is where that Lego boat earned its place: we found a seat with a table (there aren't many, so grab one if you can) and built Lego the whole way back to Bergen.
Keeping children entertained on the journey
- Norwegian folktales to listen to. We tried a simple audiobook of classic Norwegian fairy tales by Asbjørnsen and Moe, and it went down well. Stories of the hulder and the Vikings connect directly to what children see along the route.
- Spotting games. "Find the green Norway in a Nutshell® signs" along the route, also known as variation on the classic I-spy game. Or give everyone a color to count cars on the road between Gudvangen and Voss.
- A quiz about Norway and the things you'll pass on the route.
- Folktale films. There are English-language Norwegian folktales on YouTube worth queuing up in advance.
- Pokémon GO. There are a few Pokémon to catch out on the fjords!
Where to let children run in Flåm
Flåm is where restless legs can run around.
- The harbor area is car-free and is a lovely space with restaurants, a local bakery, and souvenir shops.
- Flåm Fjord Farm is one of our favorite experiences to add to your tour. The charming farm is a 10-minute walk from the village center, so it’s walkable even for small feet. No cars are allowed on the farm, so kids can run around freely while parents enjoy the relaxing atmosphere. Kids can pet animals, try the fjord-view swing, and taste the delicious waffles and their homemade ice cream.
- The playground out on the point behind Flåmsbrygga is a good spot, with benches for parents.
What to pack for the journey with children
Here’s what we recommend bringing to keep you and the kids comfortable:
- Layers: Norwegian weather changes quickly, even in summer
- An extra set of clothing for the kids, especially if they’re a fan of running around puddles. There are toilets accessible throughout the journey for a quick change of clothing.
- Motion-sickness remedies for the bus
- Your entertainment kit: bingo, a sticker book, downloaded audio, a small building toy
- Snacks and a refillable water bottle
- A baby carrier as well as (or instead of) a pram. A carrier is easier on train aisles and boats. All transport legs have space to store your carrier/prams and other luggage.
Food along the route
It’s easy to buy food along the Norway in a Nutshell® route. That said, we always recommend bringing some snacks and drinks in your backpack, just in case.
The easiest location to buy snacks is on the fjord cruise. They have everything from croissants, sandwiches, ice cream, traditional Norwegian sweet treats, and even hot dogs.
If you’re traveling the Norway in a Nutshell® route between Oslo and Bergen, you will also find a bistro carriage on the Bergen Railway. This bistro carriage serves snacks, and cold and warm dishes.
You can also stop to eat in the villages you pass, if time allows. Voss, Flåm and Gudvangen all have restaurants.
A couple of spots we love in Flåm:
- Flåm Bakery is our favorite for hot chocolates and their homemade cinnamon buns. The bakery is right next to where the fjord cruise arrives or departs.
- We also recommend adding a visit to Fjord Farm to your tour. They serve locally produced dishes and delicious homemade waffles with ice cream.
Toilet breaks and baby changing rooms
We found that the toilets were easy to access the entire way. In nearly all cases you'll find baby-changing facilities in the toilets themselves, not always in a separate room.
- Transport: The trains, fjord cruises and the Flåm Railway have toilets onboard. The bus between Gudvangen and Voss doesn’t have a toilet available.
- Train stations: Bergen Railway Station, Voss Station, and Myrdal Station also have toilets. If you’re traveling from Oslo, you’ll also find toilets there.
- Villages: Flåm’s visitor center has toilets. You can also find toilets in Gudvangen.
Kid-friendly activities to add to your tour
Add extra days to your Norway in a Nutshell® experience to slow down the pace and turn a great trip into an unforgettable family vacation. You can add some wonderful activities right when you book. A few of our favorites:
- Flåm — Fjord Farm. A farm a short walk from the village, where kids can meet the animals, try the fjord-view swing, and taste homemade waffles and ice cream.
- Flåm — the zip line. One of the longest in the region, and a real thrill for confident older children and teens.
- Gudvangen — Viking Village. Step back in time to see how the Vikings lived and worked.
- Voss — family rafting. An adventure for families ready for something more active.
- Bergen — Aquarium. Take the family to the city’s aquarium to get close to sea lions, penguins, and other sea animals.
Ready to go?
Feeling confident in traveling Norway with kids? Have a look at the full tour page to see the route details, highlights, and all booking options.
