Flamsbana - Norway's Mountain Railway

Flamsbana – Norway’s Mountain Railway

By Beyonder Experiences Norway 0 Comments

Panoramic view of Norways Mountain Railway

As Indians, all of us have our share of stories when it comes to train journeys. Call it the DDLJ effect or the Mere Sapno Ki Rani memories, trains have always held a magical place in our hearts. The mountain trains like the Himalayan Queen of Shimla or the Toy train of Darjeeling or Ooty have their own share of romantic tales.

Mountain trains are all-the-more special because of the surround sound of nature and the beautiful landscape that accompanies a traveller throughout the journey. Let’s take you through a ride on a pretty green train in a picturesque part of Norway – The Flamsbana.

The Flåm Railway which runs between Myrdal and Flåm in Norway was recognized as one of the world’s 25 most beautiful train rides by The Society of International Railway Travelers. The Lonely Planet Traveller called it “the world’s best train ride”. And for anyone visiting Norway, the Flam mountain railway is a must-do experience.

In this hour-long ride, one is transported up a steep slope from a deep valley to the high mountain plateau. The journey traverses a route with beautiful waterfalls, 20 tunnels and steep rocky cliffs. Try imagining the scenery that flashes past the train window – deep blue fjords, lush green meadows, neatly painted red clapboard houses, snow-sprinkled mountains… Isn’t that a perfect setting for romance?

Flamsbana - Norways Mountain Railway

The train ride from Myrdal runs through a forest first and then passes by the Reinungvatnet mountain lake. The track then starts to descend steeply and disappears into the first of many tunnels before stopping at the Kjosfossen waterfall. Don’t forget to click pictures at the Kjosfossen waterfall.

Moreover, the train travels at a slow speed of less than 40 km/hr which is ideal for viewing the marvellous and stunning landscapes of the Norwegian countryside from the train’s windows. Then there is the Hulder or Huldra (Ulda in Sami folklore), who many claim to have seen dancing on a rock (far away from the viewpoint). Huldra is a mythical forest creature from Norwegian folklore brought to life by actors from the Norwegian Ballet School.

While everyone talks about the beauty of Flamsbana, this 20 km train ride took almost 20 years to build and it is one of the steepest railways. With no heavy machinery to help the workers back then, each tunnel had to be dug out by hand.

The large windows offer great views of the Norwegian countryside, fjords and the mountains. Although the duration of the train ride is just 1 hour, it captures the essence of Norway beautifully. The last stop of the ride, Flam is a cute village where you can spend some time interacting with the locals.

If you are a romantic at heart, you can hope to find your Raj or Simran (or both) on this train journey. Even if you don’t find love on this train you will definitely fall in love with Norway.

(Compiled by Mehakk Negi)

How to reach Flamsbana?

By Train

Flamsbana starts from Myrdal. One can reach Myrdal from Bergen or Oslo by train and change the line for the mountain train

Bergen and Oslo are connected with all major cities via flight.

By Cruise

One can also reach Flam via cruise and take the Flamsbana from Flam to Myrdal.

Best time to experience the Flamsbana?

This train ride is clearly season neutral. Whether it is winter, autumn, summer or spring, Flamsbana will always be amazing. So, get set go for this mountain train journey any time of the year.