Geiranger - Route to reach there from Andalsnes / Alesund in May
 

Can anyone help me plan the itinerary along with timings. I am planning to visit Norway on the 9th of May 07. Reaching Andalsnes by train at around 14.00 hours on 10th of May. I want to know if the bus via Trollegen to Geiranger( part of Golden route by Fjord Tours which is operational between 15th June and 15th September,as per their brouchers) runs on 10th May. OR If I go to Alesund to spend the night. Can someone tell me the way to reach either Hellesylt or Geiranger( I guess there is a bus and another conection by bus and ferry via Linge) for the Fjord ferry and then onwards to Balestrand or Flam by bus. There are Busexpress buses, but the connections are not clear or frequent. Where should I break my journey to spend the night. I have 2 to 3 days for this sector before I move on to Bergen.

Unfortunately Trollstigen road is often closed for rock slides or occasional snow in May and they don't start running the bus route until it's safe.

Instead I suggest takeing the railbus to Ålesund and stay there for a couple of nights and do a daytrip to Hellesylt and Geiranger. At 9 you take Hurtigruten steamer past Hellesylt to Geiranger arriving 13:30. Spend some hours in Geiranger and return to Ålesund in evening by bus via the Eagle road and Linge.

From Ålesund take the direct long distance bus via Volda to Flåm or Bergen.

Thanks a lot Helen for your valuable info. as this is not available even in the Norway Lonely Planet or any other guide book.
Is the Hurtigruten available only till Geiranger or one has to book right till Bergen. Do you have some more info. on the rote via Linge and Route to Flam from Hellesylt, as I wouldn't like to back track to Alesund. Can you suggest some nice place en route Flam to break for a night.
Do you think this route is worth the travel with my wife and two daughters of 10 & 12 OR shall I only go to Flam Bergen region, which is more relaxed.
Please let me know. Your answer is eagerly awaited. Regards.

Going to this area is worth it, but will involve quite some travel time. I would highly suggest you reconsider taking the train/bus from Oslo to Ålesund. It would be much better flying straight to ‘Fjord country in Ålesund’ letting you have more time in Ålesund and definitely feel less stressed. It’s not difficult getting fairly cheap one-way tickets between Oslo and Ålesund this far ahead. It would probably be cheaper than going by train and bus for 8 hours.

It’s definitely easier to ‘only’ travel the Sognefjord area. It’s beautiful there too, maybe not quite as wild as further north but more than enough. I don’t think you will know the difference if you haven’t been to both areas. If doing this I suggest taking the catamaran boat from Flåm and staying at Balestrand for two nights, doing a daytrip into the Fjærland fjord with the car-ferry before going on to Bergen. It’s nice to rent bikes in Fjærland, or join the tour to the Fjærland Glacier and museum. Having more freedom of travel, you could instead rent a car in Voss or Bergen, but make sure to stay a couple of nights along a fjord away from Bergen.

A lot of info is coming your way. Ålesund-Geiranger area is my favourite holiday spot and I visit the area a couple of days every summer on car holiday and over the years I’ve picked up on useful information.

Hurtigruten coming from Bergen makes a detour from Ålesund (April 15th through summer) to Geiranger before returning back to Ålesund on it's way north. You can get off at Geiranger, you only need a port to port ticket, cost is 299, - from Ålesund. No need to book far ahead for such a short distance, but online booking is possible. http://www.hurtigruten.com/en/default.aspx?side_id=421

If going by bus to Geiranger, 2 choices:
1. Bus from Ålesund to Hellesylt, ferry to Geiranger and return by ferry back to Hellesylt.
Ålesund-Hellesylt-Stryn: http://www.ruteinfo.net/ruter-f1/t/15-221.htm
Ferry: http://fjord1.no/filesystem/2006/11/...4_low_3323.pdf
2. You could also take the bus between Ålesund, Linge and Geiranger, but according to the winter timetables the first bus arrives at 4 p.m.
Ålesund-Geiranger: http://www.ruteinfo.net/ruter-f1/r/15-241.htm
Geiranger-Ålesund: http://www.ruteinfo.net/ruter-f1/t/15-241.htm

If not backtracking to Ålesund or Hellesylt, I suggest taking a taxi from Geiranger to Langevatn and connect with the long distance bus to Stryn/Måløy. Stay the night at Stryn, making next day a little shorter travel wise. The road up from Geiranger is magnificent. I personally prefer the mountain road, but it depends on how much money you want to get rid of. Book the taxi at: http://www.geirangertaxi.no/index_eng.htm
It’s the only taxi company in the village. Cost for the Taxi is 520, - for 4 people.
Make sure that the taxi makes a stop at Flydalsjuvet (the viewpoint above Geiranger, where most pictures are taken) It only takes a minute to stop and take some of those nice pictures.

Maybe it ended with too much info, but you asked for it :-)

Hi folks - and in particular, Helen, I too am trying to figure out how to visit fjord country in four days in late May. I hope I'm not too off-topic by posting additional questions outside the posted topic, but I am trying to plan my trip around Alesund/Aandalsnes/Geiranger.

I fly into Copenhagen at 6 AM on Saturday May 26 and fly out of Copenhagen on Tuesday June 5. I can spend four of those days in Norway.

Here are my specific questions:

1) I was hoping to find a night train between Copenhagen and Oslo - do you know of any? I was planning on getting a scanrail pass and would prefer to avoid DFDS Seaways night ferry from CPH to OSL as it's expensive and time consuming. I may just fly from CPH to OSL and start my journey from there.

2) I'm keen on taking the Raumabanen line/bus from either Trondheim/Oslo to Alesund. Is it better through Trondheim or Oslo? If I do that, should I bother with Norway in a Nutshell? Or is one of those journeys enough? Or would the Nutshell be a better journey?

3) Of these cities, I can see two. Which two? Cities are: Oslo, Bergen, Alesund, and Trondheim. I am leaning on concentrating on Alesund and Trondheim this time and then heading over to Stockholm. For this trip, I am more interested in seeing fjord Norway than city Norway - I do not have the budget for museums, restaurants and hotels - I'd like to see as much scenery as possible without getting exhausted.

4) What's the weather like in late May/early June? Is there a very strong chance of rain? Cold is OK, I live in Boston, but if it's probably going to rain constantly, might as well stick to the cities.

Another thing I was thinking about was flying from CPH to Trondheim, either spending a day and night in Trondheim, then taking the bus/rail to Alesund, spend a day in Alesund, then take the bus to Hellesyt, then Balestrand, spend the night in Balestrand, then take the ferry to Flam and then rejoin the Nutshell towards Oslo, then heading on towards Stockholm. Feasible? Ridiculous? What do you think?

HI Puttakka --we also are traveling to the fjords this summer and boy the planning is tough. If it helps, there is a nonstop flight on KLM from either Amsterdam or CPH. I think we paid $30 each.

Helen --you must live in Fjord country as your advise is really fantastic. I sure would appreciate your input. We are flying into Aleund and spending 2 nights there. Should we ferry to Geiranger and Balestrand or rent a car and drive? We were thinking of 2 nights in Alesund, 1 in Geiranger, 1 in Balestrand and 1 in Bergen. We definitely want to get to Gudvangen too. Not crazy about so many 1 nighters. Sure would appreciate your help.

danen5.

Puttakka no longer is on Fodor's and Helen has not participated since 2007.

whoops--my bad. Michael - I have read your trip report but sure would appreciate if you could stream line this route decision on Alesund to Geiger to Balestrand to Bergen for us!
thanks.

It's pretty straightforward, as there are not that many roads in fjord country. But you can use www.viamichelin.com to start in Alesund and end in Bergen, giving Geiranger and Balestrand as in-between points.

BUT - is it worth the extra mileage to take the troll road? Or, what about the Atlantic road? AND- where could we troll the Fjords at night?
ALSO - I am looking for hotel suggestions in Bergen, in the historic Bryggen area. thanks!

Geiranger is definitely worth a stop and a local cruise of the fjord, and it is on the coast. If you have the time and are physically fit, the tour boat stops at the base of one of the cliffs which has a trail to a historic farmstead from which there is a trail back to the town.

<i> and it is on the coast.</i>

correction: It is <b>not</b> on the coast.