nancyz

I have been searching these boards for help planning our trip from Sep 3 to 13. I have found sooo much help. I am now a dedicated fodors fan! My big question to all of you experienced Norway travlers is this: We plan to spend 2 or 3 nights in Oslo depending on how long it will takeus to see the fjords before flying out of Bergen. I think we should take the Norway in a Nutshell, spend the night at the Stalheim if we can, then go to Bergen rent a car and head to Balestrand or Sogndel. Would that be too long of a day? Spend 2 nights there then drive to Geiranger, do ferry, then drive to Roisheim, 1 night,then to Alesund, 1 or 2 nights? Can we ferry a rental back to Bergen or drop it off? I'm unsure of any other places to pick up or drop off rental cars. I would like to pick one up in Voss rather than go all the way to Bergen, then backtrack. Recommendations for quaint accommodations with great views would be greatly appreciated. Is it necessary to make reservations for the ferries in Sept?

Marija

I don't know if it's possible to rent a car in Balestrand, but I do know that it's easy to get from the Stalheim to Balestrand using a bus/ferry combo. If you're going to Bergen just to pick up the car, you might look for other places. Have a great time. You'll love Norway.

Peteralan

Hi Nancyz...I envy you .In all my travels Norway stands out in my mind for magnificent scenery.I am a bit confused..you said flying out of Bergen but then said renting a car from Bergen. I really hope you didn't mean flying out TO Bergen!Rather than do this I would strongly suggest you do two days in Oslo rather than three and use the extra day on the train from Oslo to Bergen. Of all the beautiful scenery in Norway what I renember most is that day trip.Of course I may have completely misunderstood you. Have a great time and I'm sure you will.

nancyz

Wow! Thanks for the speedy replies!Sorry Peteralan, I wasn't clear about my plan: Oslo to Stalheim, go to Bergen to pick up car, see fjords,backto Bergen to fly out. Thinking about the Strand Hotel for Bergen. Any thoughts about that? Will be gone Friday till Tuesday,will check as soon as I get home. Thanks so much.

helen

Having a car in Bergen is really a hassle (otherwise renting in Voss is good due to less traffic). Your plan sounded fine until... to Geiranger continue to Roisheim and then to Aalesund. This would be backtracking. If going to Roisheim then it is perhaps better to go to Balestrand or Sogndal, Walaker Hotel in Solvorn half an hour from Sogndal has a quaint and scenic location. Then continue crossing Sognefjell mountain road (high mountain area and very beautiful) to Roisheim before getting to Lom, where you turn left onto Strynefjell road going to Geiranger. From Geiranger continue to Aalesund by ferry to Hellesylt. Going from Roisheim to Aalesund in a day is possible. Aalesund is a lovely town, I made a short visit there 2 days ago.

Bjorn

Hi.
In yor case I'd drop the Nutshell, i.e I'd arrange it individually. My plan would be: Stay in Oslo, go directly to Voss by train, pick up the rental and go to Stalheim for overnighting. Then make your "Grand Circle" by car (which of cause includes both Flam and Aurland and also gives you options for fjord cruises), and at last return your car in Voss and get to Bergen with a local train. Stay there for a day(or 2) before taking the shuttle bus to the airport.
Dropping the Flam rail might be an idea, and instead visit the tiny village Underdal at the seafront between Stalheim and Flam, and also go Aurland-Lardal over the mountain. Slim road, very nice and magnificent fjord views above Flam.
Bjorn, Oslo

Bjorn

Ooops, sorry. Last sentence of course should read '.... above Aurland.'
Bjorn

nancyz

Thanks Helen and Bjorn for your very helpful insight. Bjorn, I have read your helpful hints to many other Norway travelers, but hadnt't seen any from you in the past several months. I'm very happy to have had a reply from you! Of course it may just be my searching skills aren't very good yet. I'm new to this board. I am very excited about this trip and don't want to miss anything! I'm already sorry we won't be there longer. I truly appreciate the value of this board! I will have to post all of my travel hints from now on.
A few more questions:
1. Wondering if we will be rushed,and should skip Aalesund and spend more time in fjords...or should we stay only 1 night in Bergen. Decisions, decisions!!
2.Is it possible to catch ferries easily without reservations and are there frequent crossings or do you need to plan way ahead?
3.Does anyone know if cars can be rented in Voss?
4.About how long would it take to drive from Voss to Sogndal? From Sogndal to Lom? (just to give me an idea of distances)

Any other helpful tips will be much appreciated!!! Thanks

Bjorn

Hi Nancy. You are right, I have not been on the board quite as regulary as before, and I still cannot promise daily visits.
Yes, Voss has ca rental offices.
Voss- Sogndal depends on your route. However, Bergen-Ovre Ardal(where my twin brother lives) is done by car in 2.5-3 hours.
Very few distances needs ferries anymore. However, the alternatives may be tunnelled roads for some stretches. Get yourself some good Cappelen's maps.
Why drop Alesund? It is, after all, in the outskirts of the Fjord county. However, planning for a more eastbound excursion to avoid the common longlasting dusk and gray wheather in the fjords might be an alternative.
And last, you also might try contacting me at [email protected]
Good luck with planning!
Bjorn, Oslo

nancyz

Thanks so much, Bjorn. I ordered a map easily over the net, which I'm sure will help me out a lot. I've always planned our itineraries, but this trip is definitely my biggest challenge. The narrow roads sound so scary...are they that bad?
Would any one know if we can ferry from Geiranger to Alesund, have a long enough break to see the town then go on to Bergen? Then maybe we could pick up a car in Voss and drop it in Alesund, be able so see everything and save time by not backtracking. Or would it be better to take the train from Oslo to Otta or Andalsnes and start from there?
Well thanks again for any input.

Bjorn

The "narrow" roads are not at all bad. May be curvy, though. I guess the biggest challenge is driving cars with manual shifts if automatics are what you are used to. Automatics cost more, I think.
Regular ferries Geiranger-Alesund? I'm not sure, but for sure Geiranger-Hellesylt is trafficed by frequent car ferries, and from Hellesylt buses easily get you to Alesund.
When going in Sept, observe that the famous Trollstig road between Geiranger and Andalsnes is closed for yearly maintenance. But the Geiranger-Langvann-Lom will be open, and also the Lom-Roysheim-Sognefjell mountain-Sognefjord(Luster).
Droppin a rental in other places than where you pick it up normally involves relatively high fees. Howevever, if you have the guts and time to check around, you might get the car for free, i.e you can offer yourself as a car returnal driver and drive cars back to their origins. But of course it takes lots of planning and luck and alternative plans to accomplish such transport.
Backtracking? No, I do not think you will run into that if sticking to the "Voss plan". From Stalheim, take over the Vikafjell mountain to reach a short ferry crossing to get to Balestrand. Then Sogndal-Fjarland-Briksdal glacier-Stryn-Alesund (maybe with a ferry detour Hellesylt-Geiranger). Then to Andalsnes-up the beautiful Rosdal valley to Dombås-downwards the Gudbrand valley to Otta and then to Lom etc. Or a shorter return from Alesund (Geiranger-Lom). All ending at Voss. Possible backtracking only will be Alesund-Hellesylt and som short strtches in the Flam-Gudvangen-Voss area. These areas are so nice that any doubeling will be an advantage, and most propably weather will not be doubled.
So much for now. I wish you still good planning luck.
See you.
Bjorn

nancyz

Excellent plan Bjorn!You are an angel! I will start working on the car reservations tomorrow... I hope we can get an automatic to drive...good to know about the Troll road, I would never have known about it being closed. I should be receiving my map in a few days, and am trying to make a few hotel reservations. Do you have any suggestions for Oslo? We like smaller hotels and bed and breakfasts, in order to meet the local people, preferably with a view, and fairly convenient to the train station.
If you don't mind, when I'm finished I will trouble you one more time to see if you approve of my final plans! I can hardly wait...I am now praying for blue skies!!! Although that may be too much to ask for!!
You must also let me know if you ever come to the New Orleans, Louisiana, USA area and I will help you plan your trip.
Nancy