We both love train travel. One of us even had model trains when young (we’ll leave you to guess which one). So when we heard that the Flåm train, one of the most beautiful train rides in the world was just a few hours away, we couldn’t resist. Throw in the most impressive fjords in Norway and a trip to Bergen, and the choice was easy.
The railway, the Flåmsbana, connects the town of Flåm, which is on the coast of the Aurlands fjord, with the town of Myrdal, which is on the Oslo-to-Bergen railway line. We had a few moments to explore Myrdal, before catching the Flåm train. The views down the valley of the houses nestled among the mountains were stunning.
The Myrdal plateau is 2800 feet (866 metres) above sea-level, while Flåm is 6½ feet (2 metres) above sea-level. So quite the vertical drop (or rise, depending on which way you are going: we were going down). The trip is 12½ miles (20.2 kilometres) long and takes about an hour. So the railroad is not what you would call fast. And there’s a good reason for that. The train basically has to go down the side of a mountain! (The steepest grade is 1:18 for you train nerds.) It’s only about 6 miles as the crow flies from Myrdal to Flåm. But in order to accommodate the vertical drop, the railway is twice that length. It took twenty years to build, and was officially opened on 1 August 1940. The initial trains were steam, electric replacing them in 1944.
There are a lot of switchbacks (including a 180° turn entirely within a tunnel). This means that you sometimes get to see the same sight from several different angles. Since we went from high to low, we saw breathtakingly sheer drops in the first part of the trip and spectacular rises toward the end. From the top, you can even see the train tracks that you’ll eventually get to, though they seem a long way off.
You can see a number of waterfalls high up in the mountains. And the train stops at the Kjos Waterfall, where you can stand on a platform very near the falls. Everyone gets wet. There is also a woman high up near the waterfall itself, dancing to some traditional music. We think she must have been one of the spooky water spirits who traditionally lure villagers to their deaths. We’re happy to say that this was the only kitschy moment in the trip (and we made it back on the train safely: whew!). We made a short video so we could share this moment with you.
Eventually you arrive at the town of Flåm and as you come into it, there is a fantastic view of the water and the Aurlands fjord. Flåm itself was lovely too, but that’s a matter for another post. For now, we’ll just note that the Flåm railway certainly lived up to its billing, and has made us keen to search out some other great railway rides.
