Visiting Norway in May
Sep 20th, 2018, 09:57 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Visiting Norway in May
Just beginning to plan a holiday in Norway for May next year. We prefer slow exploration away from crowds. We are planning 4 to 5 weeks.
1. Is self drive a good option or does the driver miss out on all the lovely scenery because of windy, difficult roads? Rail travel sounds popular.
2. How does Oslo to Bergen, to Flam, to Alesund, to Trondheim, to Oslo sound? Is it possible to do this easily by rail ?
Are there enough things to do in each place to warrant a 7 night stay? In other words can you do day trips/cruises on nearby fiords and easy scenic walks?
3. Is the famous Flam rail journey a good idea? Train back to Myrdal from Bergen then change for Flam I think. Doable with luggage or is this a daytrip from Bergen? Can you book and reserve seats ? Self catering accommodation looks restricted in Flam and if we had a car we could stay in nearby towns - may be a more affordable option too?
Well that's a start. Eagerly awaiting your ideas.
1. Is self drive a good option or does the driver miss out on all the lovely scenery because of windy, difficult roads? Rail travel sounds popular.
2. How does Oslo to Bergen, to Flam, to Alesund, to Trondheim, to Oslo sound? Is it possible to do this easily by rail ?
Are there enough things to do in each place to warrant a 7 night stay? In other words can you do day trips/cruises on nearby fiords and easy scenic walks?
3. Is the famous Flam rail journey a good idea? Train back to Myrdal from Bergen then change for Flam I think. Doable with luggage or is this a daytrip from Bergen? Can you book and reserve seats ? Self catering accommodation looks restricted in Flam and if we had a car we could stay in nearby towns - may be a more affordable option too?
Well that's a start. Eagerly awaiting your ideas.
Sep 21st, 2018, 04:41 AM
#2
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 49,521
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We took a number of transit options like coach, train and boat and enjoyed being able to sit back and enjoy the scenery which is spectacular. I enjoyed the boat rides up the fjords more than the land travels.
NOTE: - The 17th of May is Norway's national independence day with lots of parades and celebrating and is really a fun time if you are in a larger city like Oslo or Bergen.
And May could have lots of rain.
As far as crowds Norway is a small country population wise. Oslo is the largest city with only about 700,000 and Bergen the second largest with a population under 300,000.
NOTE: - The 17th of May is Norway's national independence day with lots of parades and celebrating and is really a fun time if you are in a larger city like Oslo or Bergen.
And May could have lots of rain.
As far as crowds Norway is a small country population wise. Oslo is the largest city with only about 700,000 and Bergen the second largest with a population under 300,000.
Last edited by nanabee; Sep 21st, 2018 at 04:57 AM.
Sep 21st, 2018, 07:54 AM
#5
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,987
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You may want to take a look at my trip report in which we drove from Bergen to Trondheim. We also did the NIN from Oslo to Bergen, which I feel is unnecessary if you will be driving in the fjord area unless you are a train buff.
To whet your appetite: https://flic.kr/s/aHsjpdzmt7
To whet your appetite: https://flic.kr/s/aHsjpdzmt7
Sep 21st, 2018, 01:08 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2. How does Oslo to Bergen, to Flam, to Alesund, to Trondheim, to Oslo sound? Is it possible to do this easily by rail ? >
Most of it - I think boat to Alesund and bus to Trondheim rest by scenic trains. If Flam Railway worth it? IMO YES -- train stops at a waterfall and folks get out and look and is a prodigious feat of mountain railway engineering - could take it up to falls and back to Flam or en route Oslo to Bergen take it down to fjord and boats and bus to Voss (Norway in Nutshell itinerary) and train to Bergen. Book trains well in advance for discounts - www.seat61.com has loads on doing that - general info trains and where to go with them www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts.
Most of it - I think boat to Alesund and bus to Trondheim rest by scenic trains. If Flam Railway worth it? IMO YES -- train stops at a waterfall and folks get out and look and is a prodigious feat of mountain railway engineering - could take it up to falls and back to Flam or en route Oslo to Bergen take it down to fjord and boats and bus to Voss (Norway in Nutshell itinerary) and train to Bergen. Book trains well in advance for discounts - www.seat61.com has loads on doing that - general info trains and where to go with them www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts.
Sep 21st, 2018, 03:25 PM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you all for your help so far. I have given it a bit more thought and here is a bit more detail.
My husband and I like to stop in one place and use it as a base , staying in apartment accommodation where we self-cater and have the use of a washing machine. From this base we like to explore the surrounding area at leisure giving ourselves downtime between busy days.
This is Plan 1.
* arrive Copenhagen stay 4 nights
* move on to Oslo stay 5(ish) nights, maybe 7 - need to research daytrips
* train to Bergen stay 7 nights ( Flam NIN from here ?) explore area maybe some easy walks (down not up where possible !!)
* move to Alesund ( by ferry ?) stay 7 nights - explore more fiords from here )
* move to Trondheim - don't know how, not keen on buses - stay 4+ nights maybe 7 need to research what there is to see from here
* train to Oslo
How does that sound? With that time we may be able to juggle weather for activities and not be worn out when we go home needing a holiday !
My husband and I like to stop in one place and use it as a base , staying in apartment accommodation where we self-cater and have the use of a washing machine. From this base we like to explore the surrounding area at leisure giving ourselves downtime between busy days.
This is Plan 1.
* arrive Copenhagen stay 4 nights
* move on to Oslo stay 5(ish) nights, maybe 7 - need to research daytrips
* train to Bergen stay 7 nights ( Flam NIN from here ?) explore area maybe some easy walks (down not up where possible !!)
* move to Alesund ( by ferry ?) stay 7 nights - explore more fiords from here )
* move to Trondheim - don't know how, not keen on buses - stay 4+ nights maybe 7 need to research what there is to see from here
* train to Oslo
How does that sound? With that time we may be able to juggle weather for activities and not be worn out when we go home needing a holiday !
Sep 21st, 2018, 03:44 PM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sounds fantastic - I was in Trondheim once and seemed nice but nor much around but scrubland but kind of hazy!
Maybe the Hurtigutren ships along coast would be awesome way to go to Trondheim slowly - part cruise ship if you want all that stuff and part of boats for public transport along coast for locals and anyone - did not look at prices or schedules but check that out! There may be some place a reasonable distance from Alesund to the train line Oslo-Trondheim.
https://www.fjordtravel.no/tour-crui...igruten-ships/
Cheers!
Maybe the Hurtigutren ships along coast would be awesome way to go to Trondheim slowly - part cruise ship if you want all that stuff and part of boats for public transport along coast for locals and anyone - did not look at prices or schedules but check that out! There may be some place a reasonable distance from Alesund to the train line Oslo-Trondheim.
https://www.fjordtravel.no/tour-crui...igruten-ships/
Cheers!
Sep 21st, 2018, 09:42 PM
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks PaienQ.
On further discussion with my husband after looking at a few videos on Youtube we are considering driving.
If so we would do something like this:-
* fly into Oslo - stay 7 nights. Pick up hire car
* drive to Bergen - stay 7 nights - can do the Flam rail /NIN thing from there as a daytrip I think
* drive to Voss -stay 4 nights
* drive to Balestrand - 4 nights
* drive to Volda - 4 nights
* drive to Alesund - 7 nights
* drive to Lillehammer - 3 nights
* drive to Oslo - overnight . Return car
* to Copenhagen -no idea how- 7 nights
Home
This drive would have us use a lot of ferries to cross fiords/ lakes that we come across along the way. Do you need to book on these or just line up to make the crossing? I do not think I can plan ahead in such detail to book for a time as we will, I'm sure, be stopping a lot along the road to take photos etc. the whole area sounds/ looks wonderful.
We like the independence that a car would give us plus the ability to explore small villages around our bases.
We have been looking at a few videos about Norway and are getting very enthusiastic about a holiday in Norway and there seem to be options to stay in apartments ( with Air B&B ) for a reasonable amount if I act soon so I need to get my head around it all. It is going to be a very steep learning curve as before this I had never heard of many of these places.
Many thanks to all for their advice. Please keep it coming.
On further discussion with my husband after looking at a few videos on Youtube we are considering driving.
If so we would do something like this:-
* fly into Oslo - stay 7 nights. Pick up hire car
* drive to Bergen - stay 7 nights - can do the Flam rail /NIN thing from there as a daytrip I think
* drive to Voss -stay 4 nights
* drive to Balestrand - 4 nights
* drive to Volda - 4 nights
* drive to Alesund - 7 nights
* drive to Lillehammer - 3 nights
* drive to Oslo - overnight . Return car
* to Copenhagen -no idea how- 7 nights
Home
This drive would have us use a lot of ferries to cross fiords/ lakes that we come across along the way. Do you need to book on these or just line up to make the crossing? I do not think I can plan ahead in such detail to book for a time as we will, I'm sure, be stopping a lot along the road to take photos etc. the whole area sounds/ looks wonderful.
We like the independence that a car would give us plus the ability to explore small villages around our bases.
We have been looking at a few videos about Norway and are getting very enthusiastic about a holiday in Norway and there seem to be options to stay in apartments ( with Air B&B ) for a reasonable amount if I act soon so I need to get my head around it all. It is going to be a very steep learning curve as before this I had never heard of many of these places.
Many thanks to all for their advice. Please keep it coming.
Sep 21st, 2018, 09:57 PM
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Michael
Your photos are terrific and have excited me more than ever. I will try to find your trip report and have a look at the route you drove. Perhaps you can answer the question about incidental ferries along the way ??
Thanks
Your photos are terrific and have excited me more than ever. I will try to find your trip report and have a look at the route you drove. Perhaps you can answer the question about incidental ferries along the way ??
Thanks
Sep 21st, 2018, 10:01 PM
#13
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,987
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ferries are frequent on all road crossings.
Sep 21st, 2018, 11:40 PM
#14
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,825
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks PaienQ.
On further discussion with my husband after looking at a few videos on Youtube we are considering driving.
If so we would do something like this:-
* fly into Oslo - stay 7 nights. Pick up hire car
* drive to Bergen - stay 7 nights - can do the Flam rail /NIN thing from there as a daytrip I think
* drive to Voss -stay 4 nights
* drive to Balestrand - 4 nights
* drive to Volda - 4 nights
* drive to Alesund - 7 nights
* drive to Lillehammer - 3 nights
* drive to Oslo - overnight . Return car
* to Copenhagen -no idea how- 7 nights
Home
This drive would have us use a lot of ferries to cross fiords/ lakes that we come across along the way. Do you need to book on these or just line up to make the crossing? I do not think I can plan ahead in such detail to book for a time as we will, I'm sure, be stopping a lot along the road to take photos etc. the whole area sounds/ looks wonderful.
We like the independence that a car would give us plus the ability to explore small villages around our bases.
We have been looking at a few videos about Norway and are getting very enthusiastic about a holiday in Norway and there seem to be options to stay in apartments ( with Air B&B ) for a reasonable amount if I act soon so I need to get my head around it all. It is going to be a very steep learning curve as before this I had never heard of many of these places.
Many thanks to all for their advice. Please keep it coming.
On further discussion with my husband after looking at a few videos on Youtube we are considering driving.
If so we would do something like this:-
* fly into Oslo - stay 7 nights. Pick up hire car
* drive to Bergen - stay 7 nights - can do the Flam rail /NIN thing from there as a daytrip I think
* drive to Voss -stay 4 nights
* drive to Balestrand - 4 nights
* drive to Volda - 4 nights
* drive to Alesund - 7 nights
* drive to Lillehammer - 3 nights
* drive to Oslo - overnight . Return car
* to Copenhagen -no idea how- 7 nights
Home
This drive would have us use a lot of ferries to cross fiords/ lakes that we come across along the way. Do you need to book on these or just line up to make the crossing? I do not think I can plan ahead in such detail to book for a time as we will, I'm sure, be stopping a lot along the road to take photos etc. the whole area sounds/ looks wonderful.
We like the independence that a car would give us plus the ability to explore small villages around our bases.
We have been looking at a few videos about Norway and are getting very enthusiastic about a holiday in Norway and there seem to be options to stay in apartments ( with Air B&B ) for a reasonable amount if I act soon so I need to get my head around it all. It is going to be a very steep learning curve as before this I had never heard of many of these places.
Many thanks to all for their advice. Please keep it coming.
Sep 22nd, 2018, 12:08 PM
#16
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,971
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My grandparents all came from Norway, so I grew up hearing stories about the country, and looked forward to seeing the things I learned about. Sadly I've only been to Oslo, but found more than enough to keep me busy. Wherever you are on May 17th there will be a children's parade, so don't worry if you can't see the big ones in Oslo or Bergen. I walked or used public transport in Oslo, so can't help with advice about driving.
Here are my Oslo Flickr albums:
Here are my Oslo Flickr albums:
