The Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana)
Twisting tunnels winding in and out of the mountain are manifestations of the most daring and skilful engineering in Norwegian railway history. The Flåm Railway between Flåm and Myrdal is one of the world’s steepest railway lines.
When the Bergen Railway Line (Bergensbanen) between Oslo and Bergen was opened in 1909, a branch line to the Sognefjord was lacking to connect a transport route to the fjord. Work started on the Flåm Railway in 1923 and it took 20 years to complete it.
Stations/stops
| Station |
Altitude |
Myrdal |
Flåm |
| Myrdal |
866 m |
0.00 km |
20.20 km |
| Vatnahalsen |
811 |
1.13 |
19.07 |
| Reinunga |
767 |
2.20 |
18.00 |
| Kjosfoss |
670 |
4.40 |
15.80 |
| Kårdal * |
557 |
6.34 |
13.86 |
| Blomheller |
458 |
8.40 |
11.80 |
| Berekvam |
345 |
10.51 |
9.69 |
| Dalsbotn |
200 |
13.90 |
6.30 |
| Håreina |
48 |
17.21 |
2.99 |
| Lunden |
16 |
18.60 |
1.60 |
| Flåm |
2 |
20.20 |
0.00 |
The initial passenger estimation for Flåmsbana was 22 000 travellers annually (1915). Today more than 500 000 passengers enjoy this railway line between mountains and fjords.
The fjord village of Flåm has witnessed a dramatic development in the last 10–15 years. The venerable Fretheim Hotel has been expanded, and additional accommodation has been built in Flåm, including bed & breakfasts, apartments and camping facilities. Naturally, there is also a selection of restaurants and cafés. The sightseeing boat on the famous Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen runs year round, while there are express boats to Bergen from May to September. In 1999 a new cruise terminal was opened, which can receive all types of vessels, from express boats to the large cruise ships. In 2007, 128 cruise vessels called at Flåm.
Main Article: Train to Bergen
Bergen Railway Line
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