The Dovre Railway
The Dovre Railway runs 548 kilometers from Oslo to Trondheim, over the Dovrefjell mountains and through the Gudbrandsdalen valley. The trip takes about 6.5 to 7 hours.
Take a seat in Oslo and get off in Trondheim, with the whole of southern Norway behind you. See a diverse range of landscapes. From Lake Mjøsa's shimmering water, the Gudbrandsdalen valley's traditional farms, and the mighty Dovrefjell mountains with musk oxen and reindeer.
Written by
The Fjord Tours team
3 min readUpdated: Sep 8, 2026
Quick facts
Dovre Railway at a glance
- Name: Dovre Railway (Dovrebanen in Norwegian)
- Route: Oslo–Trondheim
- Distance: 548 km
- Journey time: about 6.5–7 hours
- Highest point: Hjerkinn, 1024 meters above sea level
- Connects to: The Rauma Railway at Dombås; the Nordland Railway at Trondheim
- Opened: 1921 (the Dombås–Trondheim stretch)
- Operator: SJ Norway
Source: SJ Norway
The route and highlights
From Oslo, the train follows Mjøsa, Norway's largest lake, past Hamar and into Gudbrandsdalen valley. This valley has been an important route between east and west in Norway long before the train arrived; you can still see that history in the farms you pass along the way.
You'll pass Lillehammer, which hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics. It’s also home to Hunderfossen amusement park, which is a favorite among families with children.
At Dombås, 659 meters above sea level, the climb into the mountain begins. The journey continues over Fokstumyra Nature Reserve and up to Hjerkinn, which is the highest point of the line at 1024 meters above sea level, in the heart of Dovrefjell National Park. Around 200 wild musk oxen roam Hjerkinn and Kongsvoll, a herd imported from Greenland in the 1930s.
Kongsvoll station is also located right next to the historic Kongsvold Mountain Lodge, which still welcomes guests today, just as it did over 100 years ago.
After Hjerkinn, the landscape shifts. The train begins its descent towards Trondheim through the narrow Drivdalen Valley, past the winter sports resort Oppdal, before rolling into Trondheim via Støren.
The Dovre Railway is the backbone of Norway’s railway network. At Dombås, you can change trains to the Rauma Railway. In Trondheim, the Nordland Railway takes you further north to Bodø.
Stops on the Dovre Railway
Lillehammer and Dombås are the most natural stops along the route. In Lillehammer, museums and Olympic history await. Dombås is the starting point for hiking in Dovrefjell, and for changing trains to the Rauma Railway.
Dovre Railway and connecting railways
The Dovre Railway connects to many other railways and destinations across Norway.
At Dombås, you change to the Rauma Railway. This route continues west through Romsdalen to Åndalsnes, past the steep Trollveggen mountain wall and the Kylling Bridge.
In Trondheim, you can connect to the Nordland Railway, which takes you north towards the Arctic Circle and Bodø.
You can also connect to the Røros Railway, the historic line to the UNESCO-listed mining town of Røros, which branches south of Trondheim.
History of the Dovre Railway
The Dovre Railway and the Bergen Railway are Norway's 2 major mountain crossings by train, but it’s only the Dovre Railway that connects Oslo with Trondheim.
Construction took over 70 years. The first section, between Dombås and Støren, opened in 1921, the same year that the rest of the line was connected to make a single line between Oslo and Trondheim.
In 2021, train operator SJ Norway celebrated the line's 100th anniversary. In other words, the Dovre Railway has been connecting Eastern Norway and Trøndelag for over a century.
How do you travel on the Dovre Railway?
The Dovre Railway has several daily departures:
- Day trains for those who want to see the landscape
- A night train with sleeping compartments for those who would rather spend the journey sleeping.
Vy and SJ Norway operate both services.
Tours including the Dovre Railway
These tours include the Dovre Railway. Combine scenic train journeys with exploring the fjords, coast, and charming towns.
With Norway in a Nutshell®
2027 bookings open
Cultural cities & scenic trains
Cities and Coastal Cruise
-
Trondheim, Oslo and Bergen round trip
-
From 4 days
-
Available year-round
-
Start from Oslo or Bergen
From 11931 NOK
Explore coast, fjords and alpine views
Geirangerfjord in a Nutshell™
-
Journey through coastal nature, spectacular fjords and alpine mountains
-
From 2 days
-
Available June – September
-
Start from Oslo, Bergen or Ålesund
From 3337 NOK
With Norway in a Nutshell®
Explore beyond the highlights
Geirangerfjord and Norway in a Nutshell®
-
See Norway's coast, famous fjords and scenic mountains
-
From 3 days
-
Available June – September
-
Start from Oslo or Bergen
From 8459 NOK
With Norway in a Nutshell®
2027 bookings open
Cultural cities & scenic trains
Cities and Coastal Cruise
-
Trondheim, Oslo and Bergen round trip
-
From 4 days
-
Available year-round
-
Start from Oslo or Bergen
From 11931 NOK
Explore coast, fjords and alpine views
Geirangerfjord in a Nutshell™
-
Journey through coastal nature, spectacular fjords and alpine mountains
-
From 2 days
-
Available June – September
-
Start from Oslo, Bergen or Ålesund
From 3337 NOK
With Norway in a Nutshell®
Explore beyond the highlights
Geirangerfjord and Norway in a Nutshell®
-
See Norway's coast, famous fjords and scenic mountains
-
From 3 days
-
Available June – September
-
Start from Oslo or Bergen
From 8459 NOK
Questions about the Dovre Railway
Discover all of Norway’s railways
The Flåm Railway
The Flåm Railway takes you from a bare mountain station at Myrdal, 867 meters up, down to the fjord village of Flåm in under 1 hour. In between: 20 tunnels, a waterfall, and farms clinging to slopes. It’s one of the steepest railways in the world with normal passenger service, and it opened in 1940.
In this guide, we cover the route, stops, the best side to sit on, how to get there, and when the trip is at its best.
The Rauma Railway
The Rauma Railway (Raumabanen) runs 114.2 kilometers from Dombås to Åndalsnes in about 1 hour and 40 minutes, past the steep Trollveggen mountain wall and Kylling Bridge.
The stretch is one of Norway's wildest and most photographed train journeys, and is known far beyond Norway's borders, thanks to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It was also on this track that 50 tons of Norwegian gold were transported to avoid it falling into wrong hands during World War II.
In this guide, we will tell you all about the route, the most famous destinations, and how to travel, including the Golden Train as a separate optional experience.
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.
The Dovre Railway
The Dovre Railway runs 548 kilometers from Oslo to Trondheim, over the Dovrefjell mountains and through the Gudbrandsdalen valley. The trip takes about 6.5 to 7 hours.
Take a seat in Oslo and get off in Trondheim, with the whole of southern Norway behind you. See a diverse range of landscapes. From Lake Mjøsa's shimmering water, the Gudbrandsdalen valley's traditional farms, and the mighty Dovrefjell mountains with musk oxen and reindeer.
The Røros Railway
The Røros Railway runs between Hamar and Trondheim, through Østerdalen and past Røros, a journey of about 431 kilometers that takes around 6 hours. The line opened in 1877 and is Norway's oldest inter-regional railway line, and it takes you where no other train does: through the wilderness of Østerdalen to the mining town of Røros, with its beautiful wooden buildings.
The Flåm Railway
The Flåm Railway takes you from a bare mountain station at Myrdal, 867 meters up, down to the fjord village of Flåm in under 1 hour. In between: 20 tunnels, a waterfall, and farms clinging to slopes. It’s one of the steepest railways in the world with normal passenger service, and it opened in 1940.
In this guide, we cover the route, stops, the best side to sit on, how to get there, and when the trip is at its best.
The Rauma Railway
The Rauma Railway (Raumabanen) runs 114.2 kilometers from Dombås to Åndalsnes in about 1 hour and 40 minutes, past the steep Trollveggen mountain wall and Kylling Bridge.
The stretch is one of Norway's wildest and most photographed train journeys, and is known far beyond Norway's borders, thanks to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It was also on this track that 50 tons of Norwegian gold were transported to avoid it falling into wrong hands during World War II.
In this guide, we will tell you all about the route, the most famous destinations, and how to travel, including the Golden Train as a separate optional experience.
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.
The Dovre Railway
The Dovre Railway runs 548 kilometers from Oslo to Trondheim, over the Dovrefjell mountains and through the Gudbrandsdalen valley. The trip takes about 6.5 to 7 hours.
Take a seat in Oslo and get off in Trondheim, with the whole of southern Norway behind you. See a diverse range of landscapes. From Lake Mjøsa's shimmering water, the Gudbrandsdalen valley's traditional farms, and the mighty Dovrefjell mountains with musk oxen and reindeer.
The Røros Railway
The Røros Railway runs between Hamar and Trondheim, through Østerdalen and past Røros, a journey of about 431 kilometers that takes around 6 hours. The line opened in 1877 and is Norway's oldest inter-regional railway line, and it takes you where no other train does: through the wilderness of Østerdalen to the mining town of Røros, with its beautiful wooden buildings.