ทางรถไฟ Flam: การลงเขาที่ตื่นเต้นที่สุดของนอร์เวย์

The World's Steepest Standard-Gauge Railway

The Flam Railway — Flåmsbana in Norwegian — is one of the steepest standard-gauge adhesion railways in the world. In just 20 kilometres, the train descends 866 metres from the mountain plateau at Myrdal down to the village of Flam at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, one of the deepest branches of the Sognefjord. The gradient averages 5.5 percent for most of the route — steep enough that the line required specially designed braking systems when it opened in 1940 after 20 years of construction through terrain considered by many engineers to be impassable.

With approximately 800,000 passengers per year, it is one of Norway's most visited tourist attractions, yet the natural drama of the journey — waterfalls, narrow gorges, and sudden cliff-edge views — never feels diminished by the crowds when you are actually on the train.

Construction Through Impossible Terrain

The line was built entirely by hand between 1923 and 1940. Workers drilled 18 of the 20 tunnels using picks and explosives, often suspended on ropes from the cliff faces above. The tunnels account for nearly one-fifth of the total route length and represent some of the most challenging construction work in Norwegian railway history. Several tunnels double back on themselves inside the mountain, creating reversal loops that allow the train to descend within a tight spiral through solid rock — engineering solutions that were already considered extraordinary at the time and remain so today.

The 20-Kilometre Route in Detail

The journey from Myrdal to Flam takes approximately 55 minutes downhill; the uphill journey from Flam to Myrdal takes about 65 minutes. The train makes one significant scheduled stop — at Kjosfossen waterfall — and the highlights of the descent include:

• Reinunga — the highest point just below Myrdal, where the open plateau gives way to the first dramatic valley views and the scale of the descent ahead becomes apparent
• Blomheller — a reversal loop tunnel where the train enters heading south and exits heading north, having turned 180 degrees inside the mountain to lose altitude in a confined space
• Kjosfossen — the scheduled stop of 3 to 4 minutes, where passengers disembark on a small platform to photograph the 93-metre cascade. In summer, performers in traditional red dresses sometimes appear on the rocks near the falls, a theatrical folk-culture addition that draws universal attention and divides opinion among regular visitors
• Berekvam — the midpoint station and the only passing loop on the line, where trains travelling in opposite directions can pass each other on the single-track railway
• Brekkefossen — another impressive waterfall visible from the train on the lower section as the terrain softens toward the fjord floor
• The Aurlandsfjord coming into view as the train enters the valley floor near Flam, the deep blue water framed by the surrounding mountains

The Myrdal Connection and Norway in a Nutshell

Myrdal is not accessible by road — it sits on the Bergen Railway (Bergensbanen), the main line connecting Bergen and Oslo across the Hardangervidda plateau, one of the most scenic railway journeys in Scandinavia in its own right. This junction is the key mechanism that makes the Flam Railway work as part of a broader Norwegian itinerary.

The famous Norway in a Nutshell circuit — offered commercially by Fjord Tours and widely recreated independently by travellers — typically follows this sequence:

1. Train from Bergen or Oslo to Myrdal on the Bergen Railway (approximately 2 hours from Bergen, 5 hours from Oslo)
2. Flam Railway down to Flam village
3. Fjord cruise along the Naeroyfjord or Aurlandsfjord to Gudvangen (a UNESCO World Heritage fjord)
4. Bus over the mountain road to Voss
5. Train from Voss back to Bergen or onward to Oslo

This circuit can be completed in a single long day from Bergen or, more comfortably, split across two days with an overnight in Flam. The independent version — booking each component separately through Norwegian rail, ferry, and bus operators — is typically 15 to 25 percent cheaper than packaged versions while offering the same experience. Bergen itself is worth at least a full day: the Bryggen Wharf (UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Fløibanen funicular, and the fish market make it an ideal start or end point.

Booking the Flam Railway

Tickets can be purchased online at the Flam Railway website (flamsbana.no) or at the stations in Flam and Myrdal. Seats are not allocated — it is first-come, first-served — but buying online in advance is recommended in July and August to guarantee a place. Trains can sell out or have very limited walk-up availability during the peak summer weeks.

As of 2026, a one-way adult ticket costs approximately NOK 430 (around EUR 38 or USD 40). The Eurail and Interrail passes do not cover the Flam Railway — it is operated as a private tourist railway and requires a separate ticket regardless of what rail pass you hold. This surprises many pass holders who do not check coverage in advance.

There are typically 6 to 8 departures per day in each direction during the summer peak from June to August, reducing to around 4 per day from September through May. The Bergen Railway connection from Bergen to Myrdal takes about 2 hours — check timings carefully, as a missed connection at Myrdal means a wait of 1 to 2 hours for the next Flam departure.

Best Season and Conditions

Summer (June to August) is the most popular period. Waterfalls are at full flow from snowmelt, the valley is intensely green, and the long Nordic daylight hours provide beautiful light well into the evening. Kjosfossen is at its most spectacular in June. Trains can be very crowded in July.

Autumn (September to October) brings golden birch forests and fewer tourists. The waterfalls are still running strongly and the lower crowd levels make the journey more contemplative. Mountain colours at this time of year are exceptional.

Winter (November to March) is the most dramatic season for those willing to embrace it. Frozen waterfalls, deep snow on the plateau at Myrdal, and a starkly beautiful fjord landscape at Flam combine for a completely different experience. The railway continues to operate through winter, accommodation in Flam is substantially cheaper, and the village is quiet in a way that is impossible in summer. The Kjosfossen platform stop may be shortened due to icy conditions.

Spring (April to May) sees snowmelt beginning and waterfalls building in power. The mountains are still snow-capped while the valley below is greening. One of the quietest periods of the year, with good availability and the dramatic contrast of snow and new growth.

Practical Tips

• Sit on the right side travelling from Myrdal to Flam (left side going up) for the best view of Kjosfossen waterfall from the platform stop
• Both sides offer good views overall — the valley is narrow enough that neither side is significantly worse than the other for most of the route
• The train has no dining car; bring snacks or provisions from Flam or Myrdal before boarding
• Luggage storage is available in Flam village, useful if continuing directly by ferry without needing bags on the train
• Photography at Kjosfossen: the stop is brief. Have your camera ready before the train halts, as the waterfall comes into view around a bend with little warning

Combining with the West Highland Line

Travellers on a combined Scandinavian and British rail trip often pair the Flam Railway with Scotland's West Highland Line — two of Europe's most dramatic train journeys in contrasting landscape traditions: Norwegian fjord drama versus Scottish highland wilderness. Both reward slow travel and attention to the natural world. The connection is straightforward: Bergen to Newcastle by North Sea ferry, then train south to Glasgow and north on the West Highland Line to Fort William and Mallaig.