Is the train from Oslo to Bergen worth it?

Yes, the train from Oslo to Bergen is worth it if you want the journey itself to be part of your trip. Crossing the Hardangervidda by train shows you a side of Norway you cannot see from a plane or car. The Bergen Railway is regularly ranked among the world’s most scenic train journeys, and it is worth the extra hours if you have time.

Where are the best seats on the Bergen Railway, and which side should I sit on?

The best seats on the Bergen Railway are less about the left or right side and more about watching the scenery change along the route. Both sides have good views at different points, from forests and valleys to mountains and fjord landscapes. For the widest views, the bistro car is often the best place, with large windows and space to look out wherever you are sitting.

Is there a direct train between Oslo and Bergen?

Yes, there are direct departures between Oslo and Bergen with no changes. You can also break the trip yourself at stops like Geilo, Myrdal, Finse or Voss, depending on how you book.

How long does the train from Oslo to Bergen take?

The train from Oslo to Bergen takes between 6.5 and 7.5 hours, depending on the departure and season. The Bergen Railway usually runs a little slower in winter through the most exposed parts of the Hardangervidda mountain plateau.

Is there a night train between Oslo and Bergen?

Yes, there is a night train between Oslo and Bergen. It has sleeper cabins, so you can sleep through most of the journey and wake up ready to explore. Most night trains depart around 23:00 and arrive around 06:30.

The Bergen Railway: Oslo to Bergen by train

The Bergen Railway (Bergensbanen) runs between Norway’s 2 largest cities, and for many people it’s the Norwegian train journey. In 7 hours, you go from the forests around Oslo up to the Hardangervidda mountain plateau and on to the West Coast and Bergen.

Written by

The Fjord Tours team

6 min readUpdated: Sep 11, 2026

The Bergen Railway - passing Voss - Norway

The railway was one of Norway’s greatest engineering feats when it opened in 1909. The train passes as many as 180 tunnels over the course of the 471-kilometer journey, and meets the Flåm Railway at Myrdal.

In this guide, we share all the tips we gathered over 40+ years of operating on this railway. From journey highlights and departures to the best seats and where to break the trip if you want to stop along the way.

Quick facts

Bergen Railway at a glance

Name: Bergen Railway (Bergensbanen in Norwegian)
Route: Oslo to Bergen
Distance: 471.25 km
Journey time: 6.5–7.5 hours
Highest point: Finse, over 1200 meters, the highest on the Norwegian network
Crosses: The Hardangervidda, Northern Europe’s largest mountain plateau
Change here: Myrdal, for the Flåm Railway
Operator: Vy
Opened: 1909
Recognition: Named one of Europe's best train journeys by Lonely Planet

Source: Vy / Bane NOR.

Illustrated map of the Bergen Railway route and its stops between Oslo and Bergen. — Map of the Bergen Railway

Route and highlights

From Oslo, the train goes through green valleys and small station towns before it starts to climb. After a few hours, the trees thin out and you reach the Hardangervidda: an open, treeless plateau covered in snow. You can see one of Norway’s best-known glaciers, the Hardangerjøkulen, along the way.

Finse is the most famous stop on this stretch. At 1222 meters, it’s so high and bare that it doubled as the ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. There is no road to Finse; you can only reach it by train or on foot.

After Finse, the line drops west, past Myrdal (where the Flåm Railway branches down to the fjord), then past Voss to Bergen. The scenery turns greener the closer you get to the coast.

That whole change from eastern forest, snow-covered plateau, western fjords, all in one ride is why the Bergen Railway is counted among the world’s great scenic railways.

To keep the line running through winter, long stretches are covered by snow enclosures that protect the track from snow; a detail that’s easy to miss from inside a warm carriage.

The scenic Bergen Railway between Oslo-Bergen, Norway

Where to stop along the way

Most travelers ride straight through, but the Bergen Railway is easy to break up. There are 4 stops that are especially worth it.

Myrdal

Change here for the Flåm Railway down to the fjord. You’ll see high mountains on the way in, fjords on the way down. Myrdal is one of the most popular stops on the Bergen Railway.

Finse

Stop in Finse for close-up mountain views. There are short hikes straight from the station in summer, and a real stillness, since the only way to get here is by train. In winter, Finse is a starting point for long ski trips across the plateau.

Geilo

Geilo is a well-known mountain resort with plenty to do outside the ski season, too: hiking, climbing and cycling in summer, and pools with slides for children.

Voss

Voss is a small town famous for skiing and extreme sports, and a natural last stop before Bergen. A cable car right by the station takes you straight up into the mountains for the view.

The Bergen Railway over the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in wintertime

Which side should you sit on?

Which side you sit on matters less than you might think. The scenery changes the whole way, from forest to mountain and back, so both sides give good views on different parts of the route.

If you want to photograph the Finse section, watch both sides of the train windows. The train passes mountain lakes on one side and steep walls on the other. You’ll know when you’ve reached Finse when your eyes have to adjust to the bright white landscapes right as you exit a long tunnel.

Our real tip: visit the bistro car, with windows made for exactly this kind of ride.

Scenery with a cinnamon bun is hard to beat!

Voss Railway passing by Romslo on its way from Bergen to Voss

Traveling with family on the Bergen Railway

The Bergen Railway has family carriages with more room and a play area, which makes the long ride easier for small children. But for children, the ride is often as much the point as the fjord at the end. Many children find the shift from farmland to snow-covered mountains just as exciting as the fjord itself, and the bistro car is a good place to stretch legs on a long day.

Are you traveling on Norway in a Norway®? Read our guide on traveling with children.

Journey time and departures

The Bergen Railway runs several times a day each way, with day trains and one night train with sleeper cabins.

Day trains suit people who want to watch the scenery; the night train suits people who would rather sleep and arrive rested. Either way, the trip takes about the same, 6.5 to 7.5 hours, with some change by season and number of stops. Winter runs a little slower, since the train eases through the most exposed parts of the plateau.

There are more departures in summer than in midwinter, so check the current timetable close to your travel date, especially in spring and autumn.

The Bergen Railway has a bistro car for food and drink, space for luggage, and power sockets at most seats. The train has Wi-Fi, but it can drop out in the high mountains or in tunnels.

Close-up of Bergensbanen train traveling through scenic snowy mountain landscape.

Bergen Railway tickets and prices

Most train tickets in Norway follow the same pricing: the cheapest tickets sell first, and prices go up as a departure fills. When you book Bergen Railway tickets, the earlier you book, the less you usually pay.

When you book train tickets from Oslo to Bergen, you can usually choose between standard class and a comfort class. Comfort class costs more, but you get a bigger seat, more legroom, free coffee and tea, and a quieter car.

If you're traveling on to the fjords, you can also book the whole route as 1 trip. On our tours, we plan all your tickets and connections, so you don't need to book each part yourself.

Oslo to Bergen: Train or plane?

Choosing between the train and plane from Oslo to Bergen depends on how much time you have, which is why we say the honest trade-off is time. The flight between Oslo and Bergen takes under an hour; the train takes over 6 hours. But what you get in return is non-stop views of the Norwegian countryside that you don’t get from the air.

Besides the views, you also avoid the stress of flying. The train skips the security queues, check-in, and trips to the airport, since both stations sit right in the city center.

Choosing the train over a plane is also a more sustainable option. The train runs on renewable electricity across the whole line, so it carries a far smaller footprint than flying. For most people who take the train, the day itself is part of the trip. To learn more about how we work with sustainable travel, read our commitment to sustainability.