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Norway’s Fjords & Railways

 
4.3 stars(79 reviews)
Duration
7 days
From per person
Sold out
Tour code
25FNS
Mobility Rating 2
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Explore cultural Oslo and delightful Bergen on a fantastic and scenic rail adventure across Norway's highlands before embarking on a stunning fjord cruise

Uncover elegant Oslo and the charming port of Bergen on guided tours of Norway's two largest cities.

Encounter jaw-dropping landscapes on a train journey along the Bergen Railway, basking in the beauty of this gorgeous country's natural wonders as they roll by your window.

Stop to view amazing waterfalls as you travel on the Flåm Railway, one of the world's most revered railways, before setting off on a cruise of two of the country's most spectacular fjords.

Unforgettable Experiences

See fantastic scenery and rushing waterfalls on the iconic Flåm Railway
See fantastic scenery and rushing waterfalls on the iconic Flåm Railway
Travel on one of the world’s most beautiful railways taking in the scenery of soaring mountains and tumultuous waterfalls, including a stop in front of the Kjosfossen waterfall.
Journey on the Bergen Railway, northern Europe’s highest rail route
Journey on the Bergen Railway, northern Europe’s highest rail route
Experience an incredible train ride through Norwegian wilderness on the Bergen Railway, passing rushing rivers and awe-inspiring scenery, such as the dramatic setting for the ice planet of Hoth in Star Wars.
Enjoy a fjord cruise amid rugged scenery
Enjoy a fjord cruise amid rugged scenery
See stunning fjords the best way possible, on an amazing cruise along Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, immersing yourself in the untamed panoramas of Norway’s wild and rugged landscape.
Discover the timeless charms of Oslo, Norway’s capital city
Discover the timeless charms of Oslo, Norway’s capital city
Get to know Oslo on a guided tour of its main sights, including its incredible opera house, with its marble and white granite exterior, and angled roof which visitors are encouraged to walk on for great views across Oslofjord.
Take a guided tour of Bergen and its famous waterfront
Take a guided tour of Bergen and its famous waterfront
Walk among the brightly-painted wooden buildings and cobbled streets of Bryggen, Bergen’s colourful waterfront – a UNESCO World Heritage site – and be transported back in time.

What’s included on the tour?

Itinerary

DAY1Arrival in Norway’s dynamic capital, Oslo

You meet your Tour Manager and fellow travellers at London Heathrow for a direct flight to Norway. Arriving at Oslo airport, you transfer by train to the centre of this fascinating capital. Your 3-Star hotel is near Oslo Central train station and, after checking in, you have free time to relax before your group enjoys a three-course dinner together at a local restaurant.

This innovative green city is regularly praised for its modern architecture and, with a centre that is becoming increasingly car-free with more large green spaces, it is pioneering a new future for our cities.

Includes
  • Dinner
DAY2Guided tour of Oslo’s historic, modern and cultural buildings

After breakfast there is a guided walking tour of the Norwegian capital. The tour starts at the modern Opera House, whose angled exterior is covered with marble and white granite, like a glacier rising from the water. People are encouraged to walk on the building's sloped roof when the weather is fine, which has some of the best views across Oslofjord. You also view the grand buildings of Oslo's premier street, Karl Johans Gate.

You see the Parliament building and the National Theatre, then the road rises up to the Royal Palace in its vast parkland. This grand palace is the official residence of Norway's monarch. The tour also takes in the Akershus Fortress, a medieval castle with two piercing spires.

With a free afternoon, you may be keen to take a short ferry ride over to the Fram Museum, to view a 19th-century ship used for polar exploration. Alternatively, maybe visit the famous painting 'The Scream' at the modernist Edvard Munch Museum.  The evening you are free to dine independently, and there is a good variety of places to eat in this great city.

Includes
  • Breakfast
DAY3Free day to explore the many sights of Oslo

You have a full free day to yourself, to discover Oslo at your own pace. As a historic and cultural city, there are many museums, including the open-air Norsk Folk Museum where you can see a collection of buildings from all across Norway - from medieval times to the modern age. One of the highlights here is the remarkable Gol Stave Church, an impressive wooden structure dating from between 1157 and 1216.

You might enjoy a gentle cruise around Oslofjord. Stretching almost into the city centre, this idyllic bay contains narrow sounds and a maze of islands dotted with small summer houses. Or visit the oldest remaining district of Oslo, Kvadraturen. Once the Renaissance town of King Christian IV of Denmark, only a few of the 17th-century buildings remain, the best of which can be seen around Christiana Torv. 

Scandinavian cuisine has become popular across Europe so tonight you might like to sample some new Nordic cuisine, fresh seafood or treat yourself to a traditional Norwegian dinner at the oldest restaurant in Oslo, the Engebret Café near Christiana Torv.  

Includes
  • Breakfast
DAY4A wonderful trip on the magical Bergen Railway

A highlight of your holiday awaits today as your group arrives at Oslo Central station for a jaw-dropping journey through stunning landscapes. The Bergen Railway is the highest in northern Europe and delivers phenomenal views of the country's untamed scenery.

Nature is the star on this comfortable train ride, and you may spot wildlife such as arctic foxes, snow owls and wild reindeer as you relax and enjoy the views from your seats. The route heads inland through forested areas before reaching the mirror-like Krøderfjorden, then ascends around Flå. The landscape changes dramatically as it passes Gol, where a replica of its medieval stave church now stands.

The summit of the route is isolated Finse, where arctic explorers once spent time training for their expeditions. It may be possible to see the majestic Hardangerjøkulen Glacier from here. After the Finse tunnel, the route winds its way to Voss and into Bergen.

On arrival, you check in to your central hotel you have a free evening to relax, explore this characterful city and maybe sample some of Bergen's fresh seafood.

Includes
  • Breakfast
DAY5Exploring Bergen, ‘capital of the fjords’, on a guided tour

Your group is taken on a sightseeing tour of this wonderful city today. Founded in the 11th century and formerly the Norwegian capital, Bergen was once Europe's largest 'wooden' city. You visit the Bryggen Waterfront, once the centre of the old Hanseatic port and a European trading hub. The brightly-painted buildings and cobbled streets are a World Heritage site.

After the tour, you stop for a three-course lunch, then your afternoon is free to continue at your own pace. You could visit the Bryggens Museum to view archaeological finds and the world's largest collection of runic inscriptions, or maybe take a ride on the Fløibanen funicular for spectacular views across Bergen from the top of Mount Fløyen. With countless scenic islands visible, you can get a great sense of why Bergen is called the 'capital of the fjords'.

As a City of Gastronomy, Bergen has no shortage of excellent restaurants for you to choose from this evening. Local dishes range from persetorsk (a traditional fish dish) to reindeer meat.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch
DAY6The fantastic Flåm Railway and fjord cruise

Today is another unforgettable experience - a journey on one of the most beautiful railway journeys in the world. The full-day excursion begins as you travel along the Bergen Railway to the mountain station of Myrdal, where you board the Flåm Railway for a jaw-dropping journey.

One of the world's steepest standard-gauge railways, the route winds down through verdant valleys and breathtaking scenery, to the waterside town of Flåm. On this scenic journey of around an hour, the train stops at the cascading Kjosfossen waterfall, passing craggy mountains and fast-flowing rivers. We reach the small picturesque town of Flåm, cradled by mountains, where you are free to explore or grab some lunch.

This afternoon, you take a fjord cruise through the majestic Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord. You sail into a monumental landscape where pretty villages are dwarfed by nature, towering peaks and crashing waterfalls line the route to Gudvangen. This wild arm of the wider Sognefjord is utterly spellbinding and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. From the village of Gudvangen, you return to Bergen by coach and enjoy a three-course dinner at a traditional hotel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
DAY7Homeward bound

You say goodbye to beautiful Bergen this morning as your group and Tour Manager transfer to Bergen airport, returning to London Heathrow via Oslo.

On your flight home you can begin to recall the amazing scenery and charming towns you have witnessed on this Norwegian adventure. From stylish Oslo to colourful Bergen and the incredible journeys in between, this rugged Scandinavian country impresses with its warm welcome and stunning landscapes. At Heathrow, you bid farewell to your fellow travellers and Tour Manager with whom you have shared these unforgettable experiences.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Discoveries collection

Our Discoveries range offers everything you need at a great price so you can travel with confidence. It provides comfortable, locally run accommodation*, standard rail or economy flights and expert-led group tours. You'll be in groups with an average of 30-35 travellers and a maximum of 40. *where available

Departure times

Travel timings in your Holiday Confirmation are provisional and are subject to change. We will confirm your travel times in your final itinerary around 10-14 days before your departure. Eurostar or Flight times will be confirmed to you approximately 30-50 days before departure.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

Thon Hotel Orion, Bergen
Thon Hotel Orion, Bergen
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Comfort Hotel Grand Central, Oslo
Comfort Hotel Grand Central, Oslo
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Trains

More information on the different trains that are used on this tour.

Bergen Railway

Widely regarded as one of the greatest railway journeys in the world, this high-altitude trip through southern Norway links the old Hanseatic city of Bergen and the Norwegian capital, Oslo. The harsh climate experienced in this part of the world has produced a landscape that is breathtaking and wild, and the Bergen Railway enables us to soak up the spectacular views whilst relaxing in warm, comfortable carriages.

Flåm Railway

A branch line of the Bergen Railway, the scenic Flåm Railway takes passengers on a wonderful 12.5 mile (20km) journey up one of the steepest railway lines in the world. On its journey from Flåm, located at the innermost corner of the Aurlandsfjord, the train negotiates horseshoe curves, twists, turns and 20 tunnels - 18 of which were drilled by hand.

Enhance your holiday

Flight upgrades

Flight upgrades are available. For information regarding the types of upgrades offered by the various airlines we use, call our expert team for details.

Flight upgrades
London Hotels

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

Read more

We can book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. If you require a quote for single occupancy at any of the hotels, please contact us on 01904 734 805.

London hotels
UK rail connections

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

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We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.

UK train tickets
Door to door luggage service

Enjoy hassle-free travel with our return door-to-door luggage transfer service from only £199 per bag.

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The service includes one 20kg bag per person which will be collected from your home before you depart and will be ready and waiting for you at your first destination hotel. Your bag will also be delivered back to your home address on your return.

If your tour involves an overnight stay enroute, you'll need to travel with an overnight bag as your luggage will be delivered direct to your first destination hotel. The luggage service is not available where you are flying to or from your destination and you will need to take your own luggage with you on the flight.

Reviews

4.3 stars4.3 / 5 · 79 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (41)
  2. 4 stars
    (22)
  3. 3 stars
    (11)
  4. 2 stars
    (5)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Mrs Sturgess

5 stars

Submitted 30/Sep

Excellent holiday, wonderful hotels & great company.Norway was so special

Collected by Trustpilot

S Thomas

5 stars

Submitted 25/Sep

Great overview of Norway's greatest cities - well led and presented, even if wet weather dampened the group down! The railway journeys and fjord cruise were excellent, and both cities have wonderful attractions. We returned home wanting to find out and see more.

Collected by Trustpilot

Jean Riches

5 stars

Submitted 23/Sep

Excellent

Collected by Trustpilot

M Palmer

5 stars

Submitted 4/Sep

Absolutely incredible holiday and would highly recommend.

from Great Rail Journeys
Hi Mr Palmer, Thank you for your review and for recommending Great Rail Journeys, I'm delighted that your Norway holiday was a memorable experience. Best wishes, Richard
1 comment

Collected by Trustpilot

Edwin Davidson

5 stars

Submitted 2/Sep

Wonderful scenery.

from Great Rail Journeys
Hi Edwin, Thank you for your review. I'm delighted that you enjoyed the beautiful scenery that Norway has to offer! Best wishes, Richard
1 comment

Collected by Trustpilot

Justine Jewell

5 stars

Submitted 28/Aug

Fantastic holiday, well organised and we were looked after . 10/10

from Great Rail Journeys
Hi Justine, Thank you for your review. I'm delighted that you had such an enjoyable holiday to Norway and that you were well looked after while on tour with us! Best wishes, Richard
1 comment

Collected by Trustpilot

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