A village of 350 people at the head of Aurlandsfjord that happens to sit at the junction of Norway's most famous railway, its best fjord crossing and a 640-metre viewing platform.
Flåm Railway
20.2 km, 863 m climb
Journey time
55–60 min each way
Gradient
1:18 over 80% of line
Tunnels
20 (18 hand-dug)
Stegastein
650 m above the fjord
The railway
Twenty kilometres of solved problem
The Flåmsbana opened in 1940 after sixteen years of construction. It links the fjord village of Flåm with Myrdal station at 867 metres on the Bergen Line, climbing 863 metres in 20 kilometres — one of the steepest adhesion railways in the world, requiring five independent braking systems on every carriage. Eighteen of its twenty tunnels were dug by hand, at an average of about one metre per man-month.
The train stops for five minutes at Kjosfossen waterfall, where in summer a performer in red appears on the rocks singing an old Norwegian legend. It is unashamedly theatrical, and everyone photographs it. The genuinely striking sections are the Nåli tunnel with its hairpin inside the mountain, and the view back down the Flåm valley from the upper reaches.
Practical notes for the ride
Sit on the left going up from Flåm for the valley and waterfall views; swap sides on the way down.
Trains run year-round, roughly 4–5 daily in winter and up to 10 in summer. Book online in July and August.
A single fare is around NOK 450; return about NOK 650. Rail passes give a discount but not free travel.
The best combination is train up to Myrdal and cycle down the Rallarvegen navvies' road (mid-July to September, bike hire in Flåm).
Kjosfossen, the scheduled photo stop on the Flåm Railway.
Beyond the train
Stegastein viewpoint. A 30-metre steel-and-pine platform cantilevered 650 m above Aurlandsfjord, with a glass end wall that curves down into the void. Reached by a narrow road or a shuttle bus from Flåm.
Nærøyfjord ferry. The two-hour electric crossing to Gudvangen — arguably the best thing in the region. See the fjord file.
Undredal. Twenty minutes away, with a 1147 stave church seating forty people and a famous brown goat cheese.
Ægir Brewery. A timber hall modelled on a stave church, serving tasting flights and a Viking-themed set menu.
Brekkefossen. A steep 45-minute walk from the village to a waterfall with a view back over the whole valley. Free and rarely crowded.
Staying the night
Flåm is a day-trip destination for thousands of cruise passengers, which means it empties completely after 17:00. That is the argument for sleeping here: the fjord at 21:00 in June, with the last ferry gone, is a different place. Options range from the historic Fretheim Hotel to cabins up the valley at Flåm Camping. Book ahead from May to September.
Questions we get asked
Is the Flåm Railway worth the price?
If you value engineering and scenery equally, yes. If you only want a fjord view, the Nærøyfjord ferry gives more for less. Most travellers do both as a loop.
What is "Norway in a Nutshell"?
A packaged combination of the Bergen Line, Flåm Railway, Nærøyfjord ferry and Voss bus. You can book each leg independently for slightly less and with more flexibility.
Can I visit Flåm in winter?
Yes. The railway runs all year, the valley is snow-covered and quiet, and hotel rates fall by half. The Stegastein road may close temporarily after heavy snow.
ContinueRelated files
Guide
Scenic Railways
How Flåm fits into the Bergen, Rauma and Nordland lines.
