Norway's Trains Can Take You Through Scandinavia and Across the Arctic Circle
26.02.2024 - 20:12
/ matadornetwork.com
Traveling by train in Europe is as easy as pie. You can go across France in half a day, you can get from London to Amsterdam in just four hours, or even travel between Austria and Hungary for less than $10. Even in Scandinavia, the rail network is extensive, providing rail transport to and from large cities, small towns, neighboring countries, and even in the far reaches of the Arctic.
Traveling around Norway by train is very easy. The Norwegian rail network is extensive and covers large swathes of the country, from Kristiansand in the south to Bodø in the north. There are even trains that travel from the Norwegian town of Narvik, located within the Arctic Circle, to the Arctic town of Kiruna in Sweden.
There are several rail carriers operating in Norway:
There are multiple direct trains per day running between Oslo, Norway, and Stockholm, Sweden, some operated by Vy (previously NSB), the national Norwegian railway company, other operated by SJ, the Swedish national railway company. The direct journey between the two cities takes between 5.25 hours to 5.75 hours. You can book your train trip between Oslo and Stockholm either via Vy or SJ’s websites.
There are also buses running between the two cities. Bus trips are also bookable via Vy’s website.
The train journey between Oslo and Stockholm isn’t the most scenic ride you can take in either Norway or Sweden; nevertheless, you will get to see lovely landscapes along the way, including lakes (especially Lake Vänern, the largest lake in the European Union), forests, farmlands, as well as traditional Scandinavian wooden houses scattered about. While the ride exceeds five hours, it is a pleasant one that’s worth taking if you have the time.
There is no direct train between Oslo, Norway, and Copenhagen, Denmark; however, you can take the train between the two cities via Sweden if you’re comfortable making at least one connection during your trip. The journey between the two cities usually takes between eight and 8.5 hours. This trip is bookable via SJ’s website. (Some trips between Copenhagen and Oslo can also involve one bus journey in combination with one train journey — be careful upon booking.)
There are also direct ferries between Oslo and Copenhagen with DFDS Seaways. Ferry journeys between the two cities take between 17.5 and 19 hours and are very affordable. You cab book your ferry trip between the two cities on DFDS’s website or on Direct Ferries.
The train ride from Oslo to Bergen, AKA the Bergen Line or the Bergen Railway, is considered to be one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. On this journey, the train crosses the Hardangervidda plateau, Europe’s largest high mountain plateau, and stops at Finse, Europe’s highest train station,