Norway's railway lines cross mountain plateaus, hug fjord edges, and climb gradients that challenge engineering logic. The railway network connects Norway's major cities through some of Europe's most dramatic terrain. These aren't just transport – they're attractions themselves, combining practical travel with genuine scenic value.

The major scenic routes

Flåm Railway

Twenty kilometers of track descending 865 vertical meters from Myrdal to Flåm. The Flåm Railway ranks among the world's steepest standard gauge railways, with most of the descent happening through hand-carved tunnels built between 1923 and 1940.

The route showcases engineering ambition — 80% of the track runs through tunnels, with 20 curved inside the mountain itself. Windows frame waterfalls, valleys, and mountain farms during the hour-long journey. The train stops at Kjosfossen waterfall for photographs.

This line connects with the Bergen Railway at Myrdal and fjord ferries at Flåm, making it central to Western Norway itineraries. It runs year-round with different seasonal landscapes.

Bergen Railway (Bergen Line)

Oslo to Bergen covers Norway's longest railway distance — seven hours crossing the Hardangervidda plateau at 1,237 meters above sea level. Europe's highest railway line runs through terrain where tree line ends and mountain plateau begins.

Winter transforms the route into Arctic landscape with snow-covered expanses. Summer brings wildflowers and grazing sheep. The railway passes through 182 tunnels, with some stations functioning primarily as passing points in otherwise empty wilderness.

Finse station sits highest at 1,222 meters, where polar explorers Amundsen and Scott tested equipment before Antarctic expeditions. The area served as the filming location for ice planet Hoth in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Rauma Railway

The Rauma Railway connects Dombås to Åndalsnes through Romsdalen valley, following the Rauma river past vertical rock faces. The line descends from mountain plateau to fjord level, with sections built along cliff edges where the valley narrows.

Verma station sits beneath 1,000-meter walls. The route passes Trollveggen (Troll Wall) — Europe's tallest vertical rock face at 1,000 meters. Kylling Bridge spans the gorge 76 meters above the river.

Construction between 1921 and 1924 required drilling through avalanche-prone slopes and building across active waterways. The route operates primarily May through September due to winter avalanche risk, though some services run year-round.

Dovre Railway

Oslo to Trondheim via Dombås crosses Dovrefjell mountain range where Norway's last wild reindeer herds roam. The line climbs to 1,026 meters at Hjerkinn, passing through landscapes that shift from agricultural valleys to alpine wilderness.

The route dates to 1921, replacing older track that crossed even higher terrain. Modern trains cover the 553 kilometers in about seven hours. Dombås functions as a junction where the Rauma Railway branches west toward Åndalsnes and the coast.

Nordland Railway

Bodø represents Norway's northern railway terminus, reached via the Nordland Line from Trondheim. The journey crosses the Arctic Circle at 66°34'N, marked by a stone globe monument where trains pause for photographs.

The route runs 729 kilometers through ten hours of shifting landscapes — fjords, islands, mountains, and coastal farms. North of the Arctic Circle, summer brings midnight sun while winter offers chances to spot the Northern Lights from moving trains.

Construction progressed slowly through remote terrain, with the final section to Bodø completed in 1962. The line connects with ferry services to Lofoten and Hurtigruten coastal cruises at multiple ports.

Combining railways with other travel

Most travelers combine scenic railways with other transport modes.

Our train tour packages extend this concept across multiple days, combining scenic railways with accommodation in strategic locations. The Grand Fjord Tour uses three different railway routes alongside fjord cruises.

Bergen functions as the western railway hub, connecting to Oslo via the Bergen Railway and to fjord connections at Flåm and Voss. Oslo anchors the eastern network with connections to Trondheim, Bergen, and regional lines.

For more comprehensive guidance on train travel logistics, booking, and route planning, see our train travel guide. For detailed information on specific scenic routes, explore our six scenic train journeys guide.

Practical considerations

Norwegian trains run on time. Connections matter when combining multiple routes — miss one train and your entire day shifts. We build realistic connection times into our packages based on years of actual travel experience.

Seat reservations are mandatory on most long-distance trains, particularly in summer. Booking ahead secures window seats and prevents sold-out surprises. Some routes like the Flåm Railway see heavy tourist traffic mid-day during peak season.

The journey matters as much as the destination on these routes. Travelers focused solely on reaching the next city might prefer flying — but then they miss seeing why Norway looks the way it does. Railways reveal the landscape's scale and difficulty in ways that flying erases.

Planning your railway journey

Summer brings maximum daylight for viewing landscapes, though trains fill quickly. Winter creates dramatic snow-covered scenery but limits some routes and reduces daylight viewing hours. Check our seasonal timing guide for month-specific details.

Most scenic railways operate year-round except the Rauma Railway, which faces seasonal avalanche restrictions. The Flåm Railway maintains summer and winter schedules with different departure frequencies.

Our self-guided tour packages include pre-booked train tickets, reservations, and coordination with other transport modes. This removes the complexity of booking multiple Norwegian rail services, ferry connections, and hotel transfers independently.

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