The Bergen Railway: Is It Really the World's Most Scenic Train?
- The Bergen Railway (Bergensbanen) runs Oslo to Bergen in about 6.5 hours, crossing the Hardangervidda plateau at 1,222 meters — the highest point on any Norwegian mainline.
- Sit on the right side (facing forward) heading from Oslo to Bergen for the best plateau and fjord views.
- Snow is visible on the plateau well into summer — this isn't a winter-only scenic route.
- Standard second class costs roughly 500–900 NOK depending on how far ahead you book; the view is identical to first class.
- Myrdal station is the connection point for the Flåm Railway — a common add-on, not a separate trip.
What the claim is actually about
"World's most scenic train" gets applied to a lot of routes, so it's worth being specific about what the Bergen Railway actually delivers. It's not one dramatic moment — it's six and a half hours of continuously changing terrain: forest and lake country out of Oslo, a climb into treeless alpine plateau with snow patches that survive the summer, then a descent through narrow valleys into the fjord country around Bergen. Few routes anywhere sustain that much variety over a single journey without a long flat or repetitive stretch in the middle.
People usually compare it to Switzerland's Glacier Express or the train to Machu Picchu — both spectacular, both purpose-built tourist trains running once or twice a day at a matching premium fare. The Bergen Railway carries commuters, students, and cargo alongside the tourists. You buy a normal intercity ticket, and the plateau just happens to be on the way.
The route, section by section
Heading from Oslo to Bergen, the right side of the train gets the better views across most of this — including the plateau crossing and the descent into the western valleys.
The Flåm Railway add-on
About 4 hours into the Oslo–Bergen journey, the train stops at Myrdal, a remote junction with no road access. This is the transfer point for the Flåm Railway, a separate steep branch line that drops nearly 900 meters over 20km down to the village of Flåm on the Aurlandsfjord — one of the steepest standard-gauge railways in the world, with waterfalls close enough to the track to feel the spray.
Most visitors treat this as a package: ride the Bergen Railway to Myrdal, detour down to Flåm, then either continue toward Bergen by boat through the Aurlandsfjord and Sognefjord or return to the main line and continue directly to Bergen. The full "Norway in a Nutshell" routing is built entirely around this junction.
Cost and booking
Standard second-class tickets are typically in the 500–900 NOK range for the full Oslo–Bergen journey — check Vy's current fares, since pricing moves with demand. Vy uses yield pricing, so a ticket booked months out costs meaningfully less than one bought the day before. First class adds a wider seat and a quieter carriage; it does not add a better window or a different route.
- A window seat is the whole point — arrive early enough at the platform to claim one on the correct side
- Food for the journey — the onboard offering is limited, and Myrdal has almost nothing if you're not stopping there
- A charged camera or phone — the plateau crossing alone justifies more photos than people expect to take on a train
- Book the specific train, not just the route, well ahead in summer
- Decide on the Flåm detour before booking, not on the day — it requires a separate ticket and changes your Bergen arrival time
- Winter journeys can face weather delays on the plateau — build in a buffer if you have a tight connection in Bergen