does anyone know if the oslo roundtrip (via voss) in the nutshell tour is available in may? i am checking the train schedules and some say the trains leave oslo at
6:11 and return at 22:30 (N1406/N1407) but they added the note "mid-june to mid-september"..

does the nutshell package require reservations, even if it is for second-class?

alas, what is the cost per ticket? i can't seem to get a straight answer probably b'c here in america, european rail tickets are much higher than what you paid for when you arrive there..

many thanks!

Mikeytoo - I believe the earliest train departing Oslo leaves just after 8AM. Ran into this problem last year - had read a Rick Steeves travel guide that said there was a train departing just after 6am, but found out differently. (actually Bjorn in Oslo-a regular poster on this forum-was the one to point this out-I then contacted the RS travel guide, and when they researched this discrepancy, confirmed their travel guide mistakenly listed the 6am departure-at least for May/early June, when we were traveling). We did the Oslo/Bergen trip in one very long day-arriving back in Oslo about 7am the following morning.

We purchased our tkts in Oslo 2 days before the trip. If memory serves, the tkts were just under $150/pp (non-sleeper). Didn't advance purchase from the US, but it may be cheaper to do so. The staff at the Sentralstation couldn't have been more helpful in explaining in detail about the trip and its cost.

The Nutshell trip is probably one of the best trips we've ever taken and my only regret is doing it in one day-if there's any way you can overnight along the way, do it. The scenery is some of the most pristine, unspoiled, nature at its finest you'll ever see. The trains/boat/bus components of this spectacular trip make for unforgettable memories. ENJOY and take LOTS of film!

I agree with Debs - it really is too long for one day, and an overnight stop in Bergen is highly recommended.
The next morning you can catch a high speed ferry direct from Bergen through the Sognefiord to Flam, from where you rejoin the train to Myrdal and Oslo.
This way you virtually get two (slightly different) Nutshell trips for the price of one, plus an enjoyable evening in Bergen.

Another variant is to spend the night at the Stalheim hotel, where the Nutshell bus stops, and then continue on the next morning to either Bergen or Oslo. We spent the night at the Stalheim (the only guests in the whole hotel when it reopened in May) and had a great time.

thanks to all the replies!
by my calculation, (and also the consensus here, i think), is that if you want to do the fjords justice, you have to spend at least 4 days; in my case i could barely manage an extra day for the nutshell

debs- i think you're right in that oslo round trip via voss is probably not available until mid-june; in all fairness to RS, he has the biggest section on the nutshell than other guides..upon reading the section more closely, he did rectify the oslo roundtrip via voss as running between mid-june to september, so his staff did heed your advice

debs- still got a couple questions:
1. how did you handle the luggage? (i assume there should be lockers in the station? also know of any public garage where i could ditch my car for a day?
2. are all parts of tour coordinated? by that i mean, the connection to boat ride, bus to voss are always there to pick you up to your next stop? the RS passage that troubled me was the one saying to confirm each part of the trip..
3. which part of the trip has alloted time for lunch and dinner? for dinner i assume it would be at bergen..
4. forgive my ignorance, nonsleepers are just upright seats as opposed to sleeper cars with beds, correct?

as RS says, if you go to norway and don't visit the fjords, they should revoke your passport; so 1 day is better than nothing...

sorry about all the questions but any help is greatly appreciated...
mike

Nutshell runs all year! Earliest dep from Oslo is 8.11. During low season there is only one feasible ferry from Flam when coming from Oslo; i.e 15:00, arriving Gudvangen at app 17:00. The "steep" and curved Stalheim road will only be run by the bus when good conditions, i.e May-Sept/Oct, otherways the new road. Stalheim Hotel (www.stalheim.com) is a great hotel with great Great views. Making Oslo-Flam-Voss Oslo is possible, but not advisable.
Good luck with your planning, Mike. I'll respond to your e-mail soon...
Bjorn, Oslo

Mikeytoo - LOL about that suggestion of taking away your passport if you don't visit the fjords when in Norway! And I totally agree that RS offers the most detailed description of the Nutshell trip in his guidebook. Do a keyword search on this site for Norway in a Nutshell and you'll find other, helpful posts that may answer one of more of your questions.

Since we daytripped the Nutshell, we didn't have to worry about checked luggage, so I can't really respond to that question. Our hotel was just a short walk from Oslo Sentralstation, so we didn't have concerns about parking a car either. When you purchase a Nutshell ticket from Oslo/Bergen/Oslo, all components of the trip are included, so you don't have to purchase your Flam train ticket, fjord cruise ticket, etc. Everything's included, which is not only convenient, but a time saver as well. The components of this trip are well timed and run like clockwork, and one blends into the next. You just keep moving, so get your rest on the 5-hr train trip from Oslo to Mrydal, because beyond that, you'll also be moving, with little time in one spot to really stop for any length of time and enjoy your beautiful surroundings. Your lunch stop will be after completion of the spectacular Flam railway trip, where you may have just under 2 hrs to eat, shop, stroll, relax and all of the above before your fjord cruise begins. That's about another 2 hr, then you're immediately bussed to the Stalheim hotel-and what a bus ride awaits you. Talk about hairpin turns! This would be a remarkable place to overnight as previously mentioned. If you continue, your bus will take you to Voss, where you catch a train to Bergen. Another wonderful place to overnight, however, if you plan to return to Oslo that same day (at this point, it'll be approx 9PM), you'll have about 2-1/2 hr to explore Bergen (catch dinner, shop, whatever), before returning to the train and your journey back to Oslo. Hindsite being what it is, I would break up the Nutshell into 2 overnight stops-one in Stalheim, the other in Bergen before returning to Oslo, but not having the luxury of time, it's definitely better to daytrip the Nutshell than to not experience it at all.

And yes, non-sleeper seats are those seats where you fidget endlessly to try and obtain a comfortable position!

One definite plus is that daylight lingers until quite late (in fact, in never really got dark), so even though it'll be late time-wise, daylight awaits you for just about all of your trip.

This is definitely a trip NOT to be missed if at all possible. ENJOY!!

We stayed at the Stalheim Hotel a few years ago and the view down the valley is one not to be missed. The dinner and breakfast were incomparable - fish, shellfish, meats, cheese, desserts, fruits.

In a word - brilliant.

debs-thanks for the elaboration! 2 hrs at bergen ain't that bad..i guess the train leaves around 11/11:30 so we should get back to oslo by 7:00am, right? btw, any recommendations for a quick dinner at bergen?

re: nonsleeper cars- come to think of it 7hrs in your seat is like the transatlantic flight! i sure hope it's more comfortable than the luftansa flight i took a couple yrs ago..maybe the $200-260 quote i see everywhere is for the sleeper cars..

thanks a lot to all the replies...the forum here never disappoints...
mike

Mikeytoo - I remembered when we bought our tickets at the Oslo S, we picked up a beautiful color brochure about the trip - here's a website you might want to look at - www.fjord-tours.com As you'll see, it's quite comprehensive and includes rail schedules. I was curious about the price, so I checked a currency conversion website and found the Oslo/Bergen/Olso trip is just under $182/pp for that oh so uncomfortable non-sleeper. Actually, we rode the Signatur line from Oslo/Mrydal, which is state-of-the-art, however, our return was not on a Signatur, and the upright seats weren't comfy at all. We heard that within a month of our trip, this line was being replaced with a Signatur...great timing on our part.

Since our time was so limited in Bergen, we opted for a very quick meal-ok, force me to say McDonald's-so we'd have time to walk around and see this beautiful city rather than have our time spent in a restaurant. Let's just say that a Value Meal #1 in the States is the same as a Value Meal #1 in Bergen! Had we had more time, we would have explored other eating options, but this worked for us.

ENJOY your trip - it's simply spectacular!!

thanks debs- i don't think 2 hrs would allow us to do any elegant fine dining anyway...plus we're probably be more interested in checking out the scenery

oh yeah about your mickey-dee's comment, i could just see reindeer hamburger with supersized fries behind value meal #1...

Once you hit Bergen, with 2 hrs. to spare, you might immediately head straight down to Bryggen (the wharf, and have a short dinner at Pepes, which will be on your left right at the "U" part of the harbor. If you're worried about timing, there's a taxi stand right in front of Pepe's that will haul you back up the mini hill to the station in no time.

The train is SOMETIMES late leaving the station, but don't count on it, but I'd ask before you leave whether it's on time coming in from Oslo, because you might get an extra 30 min. to an hour.

On luggage, there are GREAT lockers in Oslo S, plenty big to stow your luggage. You put in enough money for 24 hrs. If you're longer than that, it will tell you to put in more money in order to retrieve your luggage. We spent the night in Bergen before returning to Oslo, but we stowed our luggage at the station, then took back packs with a change of clothes, a jacket, and toiletries, and a book, since the train ride is rather long.

Remember, the food is pretty cheap, but the alcohol is VERY expensive!

Surfergirl - Wasn't Pepes great! We ate at the one near the Oslo S twice, and even grabbed a quick meal as we were waiting for our flight to depart Oslo. We were oh-so-close to going to the one in Bergen, but decided against it due to time constraints. The wharf area definitely lends to casually strolling and exloring all there is to offer.

Mike - FYI, Micky D's is about 1/2 block from Pepes - but don't look for giant Golden Arches announcing its presence, but rather a somewhat small Golden Arch sign near the top of this white building. Now, about that reindeer burger ...