Fjords - Bergen to Balestrand via Ferry or via Train/bus/ferry?
Apr 22nd, 2009, 05:32 PM
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Fjords - Bergen to Balestrand via Ferry or via Train/bus/ferry?
We will be in western Norway this summer, traveling with our 3 year old. Consequently, we will want to travel at a somewhat leisurely pace. Please comment on the beginning of our itinerary :
Day 1 - fly from US to Bergen, night in Bergen
Day 2 - either 4 hr ferry Bergen to Balestrand or half of Norway in a Nutshell tour - train to Voss, bus to Gudvangen via Stalheim, ferry to Balestrand, night in Balestrand
Day 3 - Balestrand to Flam, relax/bike around Flam, night in Flam
Day 4 - Flam to Oslo to Ski (where we'll spend 3 nights for a wedding nearby)
If we take the ferry Bergen to Balestrand, we may try to do the loop Balestrand to Gudbangen to Voss to Flam.
Are the Sognefjord, Naeroyfjord and Aurlandsfjord equally beautiful? Should we definitely try to see all 3 or is it just more of the same beauty? Is the bus part a must-see/do (ie is stopping at the Stalheim hotel really that great?)
thanks a bunch!
Julie
Day 1 - fly from US to Bergen, night in Bergen
Day 2 - either 4 hr ferry Bergen to Balestrand or half of Norway in a Nutshell tour - train to Voss, bus to Gudvangen via Stalheim, ferry to Balestrand, night in Balestrand
Day 3 - Balestrand to Flam, relax/bike around Flam, night in Flam
Day 4 - Flam to Oslo to Ski (where we'll spend 3 nights for a wedding nearby)
If we take the ferry Bergen to Balestrand, we may try to do the loop Balestrand to Gudbangen to Voss to Flam.
Are the Sognefjord, Naeroyfjord and Aurlandsfjord equally beautiful? Should we definitely try to see all 3 or is it just more of the same beauty? Is the bus part a must-see/do (ie is stopping at the Stalheim hotel really that great?)
thanks a bunch!
Julie
Apr 22nd, 2009, 05:38 PM
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oooh Julie i am glad you posted
hope you get some responses- although i think i exhausted all the scandy experts when i was finalising details here a few months ago!
thanks to all of you - again!
i am going to see the naeroyfjord cos we are staying in flam
haveheard really good things about it
the rest we will play by ear
we have a car so we will weave in and out of places as we see them i think
it is difficult to decide on what fjords to see - i think we might also be asking people along the way
hope you get some responses- although i think i exhausted all the scandy experts when i was finalising details here a few months ago!
thanks to all of you - again!
i am going to see the naeroyfjord cos we are staying in flam
haveheard really good things about it
the rest we will play by ear
we have a car so we will weave in and out of places as we see them i think
it is difficult to decide on what fjords to see - i think we might also be asking people along the way
May 2nd, 2009, 06:26 PM
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Now I'm contemplating the reverse after the wedding.
Day 1 train Oslo to Flam, night in Flam
Day 2 ferry to Balestrand, night Balestrand
Day 3 ferry Balestrand to Bergen. night in Bergen.
Does Bergen warrant 2 nights?
Again, are we cheating ourselves skipping the Gudvangen, Stalheim, Voss portion of the Nutshell?
thanks
Julie
Day 1 train Oslo to Flam, night in Flam
Day 2 ferry to Balestrand, night Balestrand
Day 3 ferry Balestrand to Bergen. night in Bergen.
Does Bergen warrant 2 nights?
Again, are we cheating ourselves skipping the Gudvangen, Stalheim, Voss portion of the Nutshell?
thanks
Julie
May 2nd, 2009, 07:13 PM
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now I'm thinking
Day 1 train Oslo to flam, night Flam (6 hrs travel)
Day 2 Ferry Flam to Gudvangen, bus back to flam (or reverse?) night in Flam (3 hrs travel)
Day 3 Ferry to Balestrand, night in Balestrand (90 min travel)
Day 4 Express Boat to Bergen
should we combine day 2 and 3?
Day 1 train Oslo to flam, night Flam (6 hrs travel)
Day 2 Ferry Flam to Gudvangen, bus back to flam (or reverse?) night in Flam (3 hrs travel)
Day 3 Ferry to Balestrand, night in Balestrand (90 min travel)
Day 4 Express Boat to Bergen
should we combine day 2 and 3?
May 2nd, 2009, 08:24 PM
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Is there any particular reason why you want to go to Gudvangen?
Gudvangen is just the stopping point of the fjord cruise line, where people disembark and wait for the bus that will take them to Voss via Stalheim.
We stayed overnight at Stalheim, and the view from the hotel was unbelievable. We couldn't decide what photo angle to take. We got there around 6pm, so there's not much activity we did except walk the grounds. In the morning, we went up on a hike for about 3 hours after an early breakfast, and then waited for the bus to Voss which came around noon.
Gudvangen is just the stopping point of the fjord cruise line, where people disembark and wait for the bus that will take them to Voss via Stalheim.
We stayed overnight at Stalheim, and the view from the hotel was unbelievable. We couldn't decide what photo angle to take. We got there around 6pm, so there's not much activity we did except walk the grounds. In the morning, we went up on a hike for about 3 hours after an early breakfast, and then waited for the bus to Voss which came around noon.
May 3rd, 2009, 08:27 AM
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First, a clarification. I am confusing the time. I think we actually left Stalheim Hotel closer to 10 in the morning and arrived Voss around 11. There was another bus at noon, though.
Second, in our experience, the bus will only go to Stalheim if there are people getting off to stay at the hotel. Otherwise, the bus will just continue towards Voss.
With regards to your question, yes, Stalheim was our only overnight stop on the NIN tour.
Second, in our experience, the bus will only go to Stalheim if there are people getting off to stay at the hotel. Otherwise, the bus will just continue towards Voss.
With regards to your question, yes, Stalheim was our only overnight stop on the NIN tour.
May 3rd, 2009, 08:55 AM
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For the latest version I wouln't bother going back to Flam for the night but would stay at the Stalheim. We took a bus/ferry to Balestrand without any problems after spending the night at the Stalheim. The express boat from Balestrand to Bergen is a closed fast boat and you have to stay inside. Don't miss the Naeroyfjord. We thought that was one of the highlights.
Aug 25th, 2009, 04:40 AM
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Our itinerary ended up being perfect - 8:11am train Oslo to Myrdal, train Myrdal to Flam. BTW the 8:11 and 10:33 trains were both completely sold out (we had not booked in advance) and we got on at the last minute by pleading with the conductor. We sat in the cafe car.
We spent 1 night at the Heimly Pension in Flam - best view in town but a 10 min walk (oh woe is me) walk from the train. Food options in Flam were pretty bad. We did have a decent pizza though and were very happy to find a playground right next to where the cruise ships dock - my son made friends with an Italian 4 year old.
The next day we took a bus to Gudvangen (20 min) then the ferry from Gudvangen to Flam. I would HIGHLY recommend going this direction as there were only about 100 people max on our boat - we passed the ferry going from Flam to Gudvangen to Flam and it was PACKED. Then we got our stuff and took the 3:30 ferry from Flam to Balestrand (arrives 4:55). Stayed at the Balestrand Hotel - also an amazing view, really nice owners, clean, would def splurge to get the fjord view over the mountain view. LOVED Balestrand - really lovely town. So glad we got "off the nutshell."
The next day we took the 7:50am ferry to Vik to see the Stave church, back at 11:30 to Balestrand, then at 5pm the 4 hour quick ferry to Bergen. This ferry became packed and they asked people to volunteer to get off and take the bus to Bergen. Stayed in Bergen 2 nights at the Hotel Hordaheimen Best Western, which was very convenient to us getting off the ferry at 9pm with a 2 year old. Hotel was pricey however (as I think most in Bergen are?) and our shower had a nasty acidic smell like it never got truly cleaned.
Overall I would really recommend our itinerary of 1 night in Flam, 1 in Balestrand and 2 in Bergen as a great way to get a taste of the western fjords of Norway.
Oh, and to answer my question, the Naeroyfjord is the most stunning of the 3 I mentioned above in my question from April.
BTW you can go outside on the Balestrand to Bergen boat and the views closer to Bergen are really beautiful.
Julie
We spent 1 night at the Heimly Pension in Flam - best view in town but a 10 min walk (oh woe is me) walk from the train. Food options in Flam were pretty bad. We did have a decent pizza though and were very happy to find a playground right next to where the cruise ships dock - my son made friends with an Italian 4 year old.
The next day we took a bus to Gudvangen (20 min) then the ferry from Gudvangen to Flam. I would HIGHLY recommend going this direction as there were only about 100 people max on our boat - we passed the ferry going from Flam to Gudvangen to Flam and it was PACKED. Then we got our stuff and took the 3:30 ferry from Flam to Balestrand (arrives 4:55). Stayed at the Balestrand Hotel - also an amazing view, really nice owners, clean, would def splurge to get the fjord view over the mountain view. LOVED Balestrand - really lovely town. So glad we got "off the nutshell."
The next day we took the 7:50am ferry to Vik to see the Stave church, back at 11:30 to Balestrand, then at 5pm the 4 hour quick ferry to Bergen. This ferry became packed and they asked people to volunteer to get off and take the bus to Bergen. Stayed in Bergen 2 nights at the Hotel Hordaheimen Best Western, which was very convenient to us getting off the ferry at 9pm with a 2 year old. Hotel was pricey however (as I think most in Bergen are?) and our shower had a nasty acidic smell like it never got truly cleaned.
Overall I would really recommend our itinerary of 1 night in Flam, 1 in Balestrand and 2 in Bergen as a great way to get a taste of the western fjords of Norway.
Oh, and to answer my question, the Naeroyfjord is the most stunning of the 3 I mentioned above in my question from April.
BTW you can go outside on the Balestrand to Bergen boat and the views closer to Bergen are really beautiful.
Julie
Aug 25th, 2009, 05:11 AM
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hey how good is that hotel balestrand? what a view!
i liked flam
we booked heimly but ended up in the marina apartments right near the water - owned by the same people
great position and fantastic new apartments - very spacious
as for food
we went to the all you can eat
and paid a fortune but it was fine
best desserts ever!!!
we liked vik too but boy were the prices ridiculous!
yep agree about the naeroyfjord
we saw a few fjords but this was definitely the most awesome- the way it twists and presents so many interesting angles
i liked flam
we booked heimly but ended up in the marina apartments right near the water - owned by the same people
great position and fantastic new apartments - very spacious
as for food
we went to the all you can eat
and paid a fortune but it was fine
best desserts ever!!!
we liked vik too but boy were the prices ridiculous!
yep agree about the naeroyfjord
we saw a few fjords but this was definitely the most awesome- the way it twists and presents so many interesting angles
