Fjords - Oslo to Fjords in One Day or Day in a Half?
 

Hello! I am going to Oslo for work and would really like to be able to see the Fjords while I am there.

Here's the catch:
At the earliest I can leave Oslo is either Friday afternoon and then I need to return by Saturday evening. (I have a 7:30 am flight on Sunday from Oslo)

A. Is there anyway I can either see the fjords in one day (on Saturday- all day with my return back to Oslo late Saturday)
-or-
B. Is there a way to leave for the fjords Friday afternoon - spend the night some where on the route and then continue all day Saturday but return to Oslo late Saturday evening.

I tried the Norway in a Nutshell - is it possible to do a day trip which includes the fjords or to do option B?

Any ideas? Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

You probably can't do the standard one day roundtrip Norway in a Nutshell since I don't think the overnight train will get you back into Oslo in time for your flight. I have never tried to do this but I bet you could leave Oslo late in the day and travel by train to Geilo or Finse and continue on in the morning to Flam and complete the Norway in a nutshell from there. I know there are multiple time options for all of the transportation and you can buy all or just part of the trip. You might also consider returning from Voss to Oslo rather than continuing on to Bergen before you return. The trip from Voss to Bergen is pretty but the train from Myrdal to Flam and the boat from Flam are the best parts in my mind. Take a look at nsb.no for train schedule info

I'm sorry -- I don't understand your question. Does the Nutshell trip not work for some reason?

I looked at the schedules here:

http://www.norwaynutshell.com/visartikkel.asp?art=96

You can do a roundtrip from Oslo via Voss and be back at 10:30 in the evening.

The Nutshell trip includes a cruise between Flam and Gudvangen.

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I am visiting Oslo next week so my travel would be next Friday or Saturday (the 2nd or 3rd) It sounds like it is an option and possibly even do it all in one day if I did the Voss option that 30something suggested for Norway in a Nutshell.

My next question would be is it worth it (will I be exhausted and do I get to see alot as part of this day trip) or should I spend my time in Oslo instead and just plan on doing the Fjords the next time I am in Norway and plan to spend more time at the Fjords? What would you do if you were me? Explore Oslo more and the surroundings or go see the Fjords on Saturday via Voss?

Thank you again for all your input - it has helped alot!

You CAN do it; it WILL be worth it; and I personally don't think you'll be exhausted because you will be spending substantial time on the train resting after you do the Flam to Gudvangen part. Yes, it's a long day, but it's mostly sitting and looking at incredible scenery.

Norway in a Nutshell is just that and is a fantastic thing to do... it will be a long day, with a lot of off and on trains, buses and boats, but it is a wonderful experience and a lot of fun. We did it from Bergen on the suggestion of my mother and sister who did it from Oslo. Well worth it!

When I went to Norway in May, I was in Oslo for a night and then I did the Nutshell trip between Oslo and Bergen. Then I stayed in Bergen for two nights.

I can't say as to whether you should skip the Nutshell and spend your extra day in Oslo. I found it pleasant based on the few hours I spent there, but since I was in Copenhagen and Stockholm prior to Oslo, I wasn't too disappointed about skipping some of the attractions (like the museums on Bogdoy (sp?), the Vieglund Park, the Munch museum, etc.).

If you're in early enough that Friday, you can even squeeze in a museum or two.

I got in quite late and I went for dinner at the cafe for the Grand Hotel, right next to the Parliament (Stortinget).

I sat next to a Norwegian couple who joked that that was the best thing in Oslo. But after dinner I had time for the waterfront at Aker Brygge.

It depends on how long your business trip is, but while you are in Oslo for work, you could always find time to swing by the Frognerparken for a stroll after work, and/or go to Aker Brygge (the old port) which has outdoor pubs, etc. Personally, I find Oslo a bit boring compared to say Bergen or Stockholm or Copenhagen, but everyone has their own taste. If you are more interested in scenery than museums, go do the Norway in a Nutshell, that is, if the weather cooperates!

Looking at your question again, you could always head out to Bergen on Friday night (Bergen is lovely and has nice food and beautiful scenery including walks above the city - I forgot the name of the mountain above the funicular, but you probably wouldn't have time to go up there.) Then start NIN from there... but it might be easier in some ways to just do the one-day marathon on Saturday.

If not, stay put in Oslo and enjoy yourself there, and go see the Fjord-lands the next time you are in Norway.

It's not a bad suggestion, trvlgrl. I also thought that the original poster could fly to Bergen and do the Nutshell trip from there (say r/t to Bergen and fly to Oslo, or one-way Bergen/Oslo).

I don't think that this will be much less taxing in terms of Oslo/Oslo Nutshell though.

But Bergen may have more variety. It'll be a lot of traveling on a limited schedule, so I didn't suggest it in the end.

I really liked Detravellers suggestion going to Finse on Friday. I think it would be a great way of waking up on Saturday. Finse is an amazing place and you don't have to start the day as early. Just enjoy the scenery. The hotel there is http://www.finse1222.no/Engelsk/ I would check if it is vacant. Leave your work clothes at a locker at Oslo S and travel with only a minimum.

Finse has the highest rail station or something -- defined one way or another -- in Scandinavia, maybe? I can't imagine that it's for all of Europe, as there must be competitors in Switzerland.

But there was some announcement to this effect when we passed Finse, and I took some photos.

It did seem quite stunning.