Norway -- Nutshell tour and Stavanger
 

I will be going to Norway for work at the end of September and want to tack on a handful of days to do some traveling on my own. I plan to fly into Oslo, take the Norway in a Nutshell tour to end up in Bergen (one way), then either take a ferry or bus from Bergen to Stavanger. I was hoping to get some realistic feedback on:

1) Would one full day in Oslo be enough? I would then get on the NIN tour the next morning.
2) What NIN tour do I choose? I was hoping to stay overnight and split it into a two day trip, but there are so many options. Suggestions on where to stay, too? I heard Falm is overrated.
3) Once I arrive in Bergen from the tour, would an overnight stay be enough or should I save the entire next day after I arrive to explore?
4) Thoughts on taking a ferry or bus from Bergen to Stavanger? I've read a lot about taking the bus and making a pit stop in Haugesund.
5) Once in Stavanger, I plan to hike to Preacher's Pulpit, but will the time of year have an impact on doing so? I haven't seen any forums with trips in the fall.
6) After my conference I will take a train back to Oslo to fly back to the states.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Most people could easily fill several days in Oslo - check http://www.visitoslo.com and decide what you want to do - with only one day you'll will have to be highly selective or you will end up spending all your time travelling between sites with only enough time to check them off on the list.
End of September is already out of season and Flåm will be relatively quiet and offers the most choice of accommodation - arrive late and leave early! Personally I'd rather have the extra night in Oslo or Bergen.
You can save money by booking minipris tickets from Oslo to Flåm on https://www.nsb.no/en/ and then paying the rest of the journey as you go - no need to book with Fjord tours.
Most people would want a whole day in Bergen - 2 nights!
There is no longer a direct ferry link to Stavanger - the bus crosses a couple of short ferry rides.
There are still bus tours to the start point for Preikestolen in September http://www.ryfylke.com/en/Travel-inf...Preikestolen-/
However weather might be against you - you need to be properly equipped for hiking in wet weather and check the forecast before departure.
You can save a day for site seeing and a hotel night by taking night sleeper train to Oslo.
Note that the week in end September/ start October is half term holiday in Norway and transport can be busier than usual that week.

I do not think that staying overnight in the middle of the NIN itinerary is necessary. We purchased the NIN ticket in Oslo. My impression is that this ticket is simply a compilation of the individual tickets needed for the various modes of transportation (train, ferry, bus) on the itinerary.

I would reserve a full day for Bergen.

There is a ferry/bus trip that will take you from Stavanger to Preikestolen until the end of September. Our friends took it (we drove) and found it very easy to do:

http://www.visitnorway.com/us/product/?pid=128110

Sorry missed the info from Dyoll.

Thank you so much for the information, everyone!

I will not be heart broken if I don't to Preikestolen, but it may be a last minute decision depending on the weather. I would just hate to visit and not at least try it.

And the info about the NIN tour is awesome -- it seemed like they were just doing the leg work of booking the transportation, but I wasn't sure if the tour was something exceptional and that's why it is so popular. And if I can just make my own travel arrangements, I may be able to do another day in Oslo like you recommend.

Another random question. I will be in Stavanger for four days; Do you have any suggestions for restaurants to visit? I am all about trying new things, but will be working most of the day.

So I wanted to post what my itinerary ended up being. Some of it ended up being a little on-the-go decisions, but it all ended up being amazing in the end.

DAY 1: I flew into Stavanger and took a taxi to the train station (it is very easy to get a taxi and they all take credit cards so no need to hit the ATM in the airport before you venture out). I had quite a bit of time in between my flight and my night train so I locked my bag in a locker (the big ones are about 40 NOK), put my rain coat on and ventured out to the harbor. There are quite a few stores, restaurants and bars so if it wasn't pouring down rain I would've had plenty to keep me busy. There is also Old Stavanger behind the harbor that is very cool to walk through. Before getting on my train, I had dinner at the fish market right in the middle of the harbor. It was pretty delicious!

I took the 10:20 train from Stavanger to Oslo with a sleeper cabin. I must admit that after flying and wandering around Stavanger for two days straight, the sleeper cabin was a great decision. (You could also just fly to Oslo, but I have never taken a train so I wanted to get that experience.)

NOTE: If you want to book your train ticket beforehand from the states, you need to call and book it because their online system doesn't work with American credit cards.

https://www.nsb.no/ <--- train website

Day 2: I arrived in Oslo, the following morning around 8 a.m. I checked into my hotel and then instantly went out exploring. I took the ferry from the harbor to Bygdoy and hot the Viking Ship Museum and the Museum of Cultural History. By the time I got to the Fram and Kin-tiki Museums I was exhausted so I opted to just wait for the next ferry and go back to the city. All of those Museums are within walking distance of each other though. If you aren't very mobile, you may want to consider not walking. Also, you can easily spend an entire day visiting these museums.

Day 3: The second and last day in Oslo, I walked down Karl Johans Gate and visited all the shops that had tents out in the sidewalks. It was cool to see all the people out and about enjoying their Saturday morning. Then I went to the National Museum, stopped for lunch then headed to Frogner Park.

Day 4: On Sunday I took the Norway in a Nutshell tour from Oslo to Bergen. Disclaimer: you can definitely do this tour on your own without booking through NIN, but since I was traveling alone, I wanted to have the security of having a pre-set schedule. You can also make it a two-day tour, but I only had time for one.

This was by far the best part of my trip. the tour gives you the opportunity to see so much of Norway and it is all beautiful. And when I say beautiful, I mean it. The train ride to Myrdal is nothing too special, but once you get there, every little moment is fantastic. The one thing I didn't know was that once you get on the bus to Voss from Gundvagen, you go down a very steep and windy road -- so if you're afraid of heights beware!

The tour takes about 13 hours so by the time I got to Bergen I was ready to get to my hotel and relax.

Day 5: I walked through the harbor to the funicular to Mt. Floyen. I only bought a one-way ticket so I could walk back down the mountain through the park. Then I took some time to walk through Bryggen and check out the little stores (there's lots of shooping to do in Bergen!). I'd say this was probably the day I didn't plan for anything and just wandered. It was still a great day.

Day 6: I had to be back in Stavanger on this day for work, so I took the advice from some other travelers and booked a bus to get back. It was a great way to see another part of the country (you take two ferry's and go through a lot of tunnels), but if you were in a hurry, I'd definitely choose a different mode of transportation.

http://www.nor-way.no/ <--- Bus website

Hopefully this can help other plan their travels!

Re.: if you were in a hurry, I'd definitely choose a different mode of transport.
There isn't much that would get you there quicker than the 5 hour bus journey. By the time you've added on time for airport transfers (and costs) at both ends and the usual waiting time for check-in and security you won't have saved much time and missed out on the views. Buses are also more frequent than flights so easier to fit into your timetable, and since there is no need to book -much more flexible in case of delays or other unexpected changes in plan - miss a bus, just take th next one. Try that with a cheap flight ticket!

Sorry - I should have begun with "Thanks for a great trip report" - I am sure your first hand account will be appreciated by many travellers. As you found out it's not difficult to fill several days in these cities.

Thanks. Bookmarking.