shaaaaaaah

anyone has any itinerary suggestions? i'm planning to go for a solo trip to the scandinavia for 14 days in March 2018.

PalenQ

14 days in Scandinavia and Finland - large area for so few days but here's one possible:

Land in Oslo- 2 days
Train to Copenhagen - 3 days
Train to Stockholm - 3 days
Overnight boat to Helsinki - 2 days

But I would say scrub Helsinki and concentrate on Scandinavia.

Trains are great -for lots on them and ferries check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Alternate - fly into Bergen, Norway and do the Norway in a Nutshell Loop - fantastic! and take really scenic train to Oslo- then Copenhagen and Stockholm. Fly out of Stockholm.

dyoll

Scandinavia is a huge area, so in 2 weeks you are not getting more than capital cities.
Norway in a Nutshell can be done between Bergen and Oslo - no need to repeat 1/2 of the train ride.
The overnight ferry to from Oslo to Copenhagen would be better than a long boring train journey
Don't forget that March is basically still winter there. And note that if you are travelling in Easter there are a lot of holidays with shops closed and people often take a full weeks holiday so flights and other transport can be booked up and prices high season.

PalenQ

dyoll is a Norwegian resident I believe so if so a great resource to tap. Yes boat from Oslo to Copenhagen could be sweet.

kja

Scandinavia is delightful and easily seen by solo travelers, but 14 days is not much for the region -- you will need to be selective. I would strongly encourage you to do some research and decide what YOU want to see and experience.

Here's what I recommend: Go to your local library and consult some of the guidebooks that have lots of high-quality color photographs, perhaps the National Geographic, Eyewitness Guide, or Insight Guide. They should help you decide on some priorities. Once you make a decision, then invest in at least one guidebook that is more comprehensive and includes good logistical information, perhaps the Rough Guide, Lonely Planet, or Michelin Green Guide.

Good luck!

PalenQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=norw...w=1536&bih=759

Norway in a Nutshell excursion is awesome - yes can be done as a day from Bergen to Oslo or day trip from either.

https://en.visitbergen.com/things-to...hell-r-p825223

You can take a guided excursion or easily do it on your own!

PalenQ

If also going to Iceland a few days when flying that leaves 7 days or so - concentrate on Norway and perhaps Copenhagen or Copenhagen and Stockholm. Max two countries.

nytraveler

And be aware that March is still very early in the year and can be quite cold. I love Scandinavia but we always go between June and Aug.

dyoll

Norway in a Nutshell is a self guided, no group, route on public transport. You can either buy the pass from FjordTours (still no guide except for a bit of paper with times) or book segments youself. Off-season there may be savings booking yourself if you buy non-refundable minipris train tickets on segment Myrdal - Oslo available 90 days in advance. FjordTours only sell full price refundable tickets for the railway.

PalenQ

thanks for clarifying NIN - some sites seem to advertise group tours but in effect are not - Q- do the various segments need booking of seats? Years ago when we took it we just showed up and got on each (we had railpasses for trains) - so if you buy a pass for NIN does it come with specific times for bus, boat, trains that cannot be changed or can they be used on any bus, boat, train just by showing up?

Thanks to anyone for insights for mine and others' understandings of this totally awesome experience -one of the most extraordinary things I have ever done in decades of European travel - we even say whales!

dyoll

There has been a huge increase in tourism in the last couple of years, and the days when you could just turn up and do the NiN in mid season are long gone. Flåm rail is the bottleneck and it is booked up weeks in advance in July and August for the NiN timetable and most of the day - though you would usually get seats on an evening departure. Off-season now there wouldn't be any problem. Nærøyfjord ferry, Flåm rail and the rail segment Myrdal - Oslo all require booking and valid only for specific departure booked - though again off-season you could buy tickets on the day. In any case doing the NiN as a day trip there is really only one through connection. The trains Bergen - Voss - Myrdal on the NiN timetable are local trains and seats cannot be reserved. Same with bus Voss - Gudvangen. None of these are a problem getting seats.

dyoll

I should perhaps clarify that FjordTours seem to blockbook the Flåm rail and ferry so you may get their NiN pass close to the day of travel. It is only for individual bookings that Flåm rail and the ferry are sold out way in advance. There is now little saving in mid season anyway as cheap rail tickets are not available so my recommendation is just to book the tour through FjordTours (who are just a company under the tourist office) - many people making individual bookings seem to be messing up and finding themselves stranded in the middle of the route.

Deepanjali

If u r going in March. Why don’t u go spend some time in Abisko and Tromso and upwards in Norway, and cover Lofoten .. you will chance upon brilliant sights of Northern Lights during the time.. If I were you I would cover these areas in 14days .. Lofoten is amazing u can easily spend a week there.. and rest u can split between Abisko and somewhere near Tromso

PalenQ

Thanks dyoll - different than several years ago when we went. No reservations needed even in August for any portion. Too bad.