Getting around Norway

Entur is the national journey planner: every train, bus, ferry and city transport system in one search. When in doubt about how to get anywhere in Norway, start there.

The long lines are part of the trip: Bergensbanen (Oslo–Bergen, around seven hours over the mountain plateau) and Raumabanen (the branch down to Åndalsnes) are scenic enough to plan around. Tickets get much cheaper booked weeks ahead, and summer window seats on the famous routes genuinely sell out.

There is no rail line to Ålesund (bus or fly from the Raumabanen) and none to Tromsø — the network stops at Bodø.

Domestic flying is normal here, not a luxury — the country is long. Oslo–Tromsø is roughly two hours, and for the Arctic it's effectively the only sensible option. Booked ahead, a domestic flight often costs less than the train.

The Hurtigruten (and its competitor Havila) runs the Bergen–Kirkenes coastal route daily, calling at Ålesund and Tromsø among many stops. Short hops work as scenic transport — Ålesund to Trondheim overnight, say — without booking a full cruise. Book cabins ahead in summer.

For the four cities in this guide: no. They're walkable, and the connections between them are covered above. A car earns its keep only if you want small fjord villages and trailheads on your own schedule — in which case note that distances are much longer than the map suggests, mountain roads are slow, and ferries and tolls add up.