Oslo and Bergen are Norway's two major cities, and the train between them is one of Europe's great rail journeys. The Bergen Railway crosses the Hardangervidda mountain plateau at 1,222 metres, passes through the Flam valley connection point, and covers landscapes that no other train journey in Europe quite replicates. The cities at either end are both worth your time and together they make the strongest Norway itinerary available.

Why This Combination Works

Oslo is a capital city with world-class museums, a waterfront that has been transformed in the last decade, and a confident Norwegian urban culture. Bergen is smaller, older, and defined by its relationship with the sea: the Bryggen Wharf, seven surrounding mountains, and a compact centre that's among the most atmospheric in Scandinavia. The Bergen Railway ties the two together in a way that makes the journey itself part of the trip rather than just a transfer.

For a 7-day trip: 3 nights Oslo, 4 nights Bergen. Bergen benefits from an extra night to take the Flam Railway day trip (Flam, Myrdal, Gudvangen) and to walk at least one of the local mountain trails. For a 5-day trip: 2 nights Oslo, 3 nights Bergen. Oslo's main sites are walkable and manageable in 2 full days.

Getting Between the Cities

The Bergen Railway (Bergensbanen) runs Oslo Sentralstasjon to Bergen station in around 7 hours. Multiple departures daily. Book through Vy (the Norwegian rail operator) at vy.no. Advance tickets start from around 199-299 NOK (17-25 euros); standard fares are 400-600 NOK. Buy early: the cheap seats sell out weeks in advance on summer weekends. The train goes over the Hardangervidda in daylight and the scenery between Finse and Myrdal is the most spectacular section. Sit on the right side travelling westbound for the best views. Flying (Oslo to Bergen takes 45 minutes) is faster and sometimes cheaper, but you miss the entire point. Take the train.

Which City to Visit First

Start in Oslo. Norwegian flights arrive into Oslo Gardermoen more frequently, Oslo is the more complex city to orientate yourself in, and travelling west to Bergen for the final leg gives the trip a natural direction toward the coast. Finishing in Bergen with its harbour and the mountains at your back is a strong ending.

What Each City Adds to the Trip

Oslo

Oslo delivers the Viking Ship Museum (currently in a new National Museum of the Vikings, due to reopen), the Fram Museum (Amundsen and Nansen's actual polar expedition ships), the Nobel Peace Centre, and the Munch Museum on Bjorvika waterfront. The Bygdoy peninsula concentrates several of these in one area. The Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen waterfront districts are good for an evening. Oslo is expensive even by Scandinavian standards, so budget accordingly.

Bergen

Bergen is defined by Bryggen, the row of colourful Hanseatic wooden warehouses on the wharf, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The fish market, Fisketorget, is the tourist-facing version of Bergen's seafood culture; for the real thing, eat at one of the restaurants behind it. Mount Floyen is accessible by funicular from the centre and gives views over the city in under 10 minutes. The Flam Railway, accessed via a branch line connection at Myrdal on the Bergen Railway, is one of the steepest standard-gauge railways in the world and worth a full day trip.