Flam options

Our cruise ship will be in Flam from 7AM- 7PM in July.

We are seriously considering the Flam train but a bit disappointed that it is such a quick round trip. We would love to incorporate some hiking ...perhaps hike down from Myrdal? Has anyone done this or have any advice about this? Can you walk down the bike route..thought about bike rental and still in deliberation about that.

What other hiking opportunities might be in Flam if we decide to do the round trip train tour?

Part of us hesitate to book the train in the event of inclement weather, with clouds taking over the views.

Any thoughts or can you share your experiences?

Thank you

Our cruise ship will be in Flam from 7AM- 7PM in July. We are seriously considering the Flam train but a bit disappointed that it is such a quick round trip. We would love to incorporate some hiking ...perhaps hike down from Myrdal? Has anyone done this or have any advice about this? Can you walk down the bike route..thought about bike rental and still in deliberation about that. What other hiking opportunities might be in Flam if we decide to do the round trip train tour? Part of us hesitate to book the train in the event of inclement weather, with clouds taking over the views. Any thoughts or can you share your experiences? Thank you

Several quick items of "good news". First, you are going to be doing the Flam rail "adventure" AND that you will be there in July. That month tends to have the best weather odds for being in much of Norway. The Flam rail trip is great fun with much to see and enjoy. Being in that port 7 am to 7 pm, also, gives you decent flexibility and timing for these varied scenic areas.

When we did our trip up there, we had decent amount of time for walk, mini-hiking around in several directions from the hotel/train stop, seeing inside the hotel, etc. As I re-call, we were fairly flexible for our timing before going back down. Clearly, that does not mean that will apply for all visitors, including with your trip. Check more on your specific cruise ship options, varied tours offered, etc.

Below are a few of my photo sample to help build excitement for visiting in this wonderful part of Norway and offer a sampling of the views up there.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 177,779 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

From our early July 2010 visit to the highly-rated Sognerfjord, here are some added details and sights from Flam, riding the railroad there, etc. This includes several views from the train going up and back, the view at the hotel deck of the nearby mountains, etc.::

Here’s the Vatnahalsen Hotell that we did during our morning visit to Flam, riding the railroad there, etc. Note their spelling for Hotell. Below is also the interior for the small, charming hotel and dining place.:

Our cruise ship will be in Flam from 7AM- 7PM in July.

 

We are seriously considering the Flam train but a bit disappointed that it is such a quick round trip. We would love to incorporate some hiking ...perhaps hike down from Myrdal? Has anyone done this or have any advice about this? Can you walk down the bike route..thought about bike rental and still in deliberation about that.

 

What other hiking opportunities might be in Flam if we decide to do the round trip train tour?

 

Part of us hesitate to book the train in the event of inclement weather, with clouds taking over the views.

 

 

Any thoughts or can you share your experiences?

 

Thank you

You have many options for touring and hiking in Flåm.

You could hike to Otternes farm and I know there are guided hikes to Skjerdal and Leim.

The track to Otternes farm will take about 1 hr each way.

https://www.google.no/maps/dir/Fl%C3%A5m/Otternes+Bygdetun,+Aurland/@60.8697822,7.1147983,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x463e13cfcfc357c3:0x33286ff6aad510c5!2m2!1d7.1154339!2d60.8611638!1m5!1m1!1s0x463e117cda7c8419:0x1f6128cfdc3b39b0!2m2!1d7.148913!2d60.875598!3e2

You could also do a tour to the stunning (one of the most beautiful fjords in Norway) the Nærøyfjord.

http://www.fjordsafari.com/summer-activities.html

pictures from Otternes farm

(Flåm is the little settlement you see at the end of the fjord)

Thanks, Terry and Lars!

Perfect solution...hike to Otternes Farm first thing in the morning and take the Flam train in the afternoon. I have printed out the map to the farm.:)

Lars, after researching more about the Nærøyfjord, my DH is now leading towards the fjord safari , rather than the railway, since Nærøyfjord is a UNESCO site. It looks stunning in the photos...I know this is totally subjective but as a local would you yourself do the Nærøyfjord tour or the railway?

Has anyone (readers) done the Nærøyfjord safari?

Lars, after researching more about the Nærøyfjord, my DH is now leading towards the fjord safari , rather than the railway, since Nærøyfjord is a UNESCO site. It looks stunning in the photos...I know this is totally subjective but as a local would you yourself do the Nærøyfjord tour or the railway?

 

Has anyone (readers) done the Nærøyfjord safari?

Have you looked at the Norway in a Nutshell website? We did a land vacation in Norway, staying in Voss and doing day trips from there. One of those daytrips was the Norway in a Nut experience. That's a seven-hour day trip that includes all of the following: the Bergen Railway, the Flåm Railway, the Aurlandsfjord, the narrow Nærøyfjord and the steep hairpin bends of Stalheimskleiva (May-September).

Since you'll already be in Flam, you would probably delete the Bergen Railway portion of the trip. If doing "everything" appeals to you, I recommend you contact the Norway in a Nutshell organization to see if/how you could customize your trip.

The trip runs daily all year.

Have you looked at the Norway in a Nutshell website? We did a land vacation in Norway, staying in Voss and doing day trips from there. One of those daytrips was the Norway in a Nut experience. That's a seven-hour day trip that includes all of the following: the Bergen Railway, the Flåm Railway, the Aurlandsfjord, the narrow Nærøyfjord and the steep hairpin bends of Stalheimskleiva (May-September).

 

Since you'll already be in Flam, you would probably delete the Bergen Railway portion of the trip. If doing "everything" appeals to you, I recommend you contact the Norway in a Nutshell organization to see if/how you could customize your trip.

 

The trip runs daily all year.

Thank you for the suggestion..that is a jam packed day! It looks like this company books with the same fjord safari company. will look further but if we do a hike in the morning and tour in the afternoon we probably would do just the one tour.

Lars, after researching more about the Nærøyfjord, my DH is now leading towards the fjord safari , rather than the railway, since Nærøyfjord is a UNESCO site. It looks stunning in the photos...I know this is totally subjective but as a local would you yourself do the Nærøyfjord tour or the railway?

 

Has anyone (readers) done the Nærøyfjord safari?

IMO the Nærøyfjord is among the most beautiful in Norway so I would suggest you do the Fjord Safari.

The nature is breathtaking - even more so then the Flåm railway. The fjord is very narrow so it makes the mountains look even taller.

The railway journey is also an experiance. But, how wonderful will the experiance be if you dont get a scenic seat. The train can be so full that you might end up with a seat where the window faces the mountain and not the scenic nature.

Its not easy to choose the better of two "pearls".

The perfect option would be to be able to do both.:)

IMO the Nærøyfjord is among the most beautiful in Norway so I would suggest you do the Fjord Safari.

The nature is breathtaking - even more so then the Flåm railway. The fjord is very narrow so it makes the mountains look even taller.

 

 

The railway journey is also an experiance. But, how wonderful will the experiance be if you dont get a scenic seat. The train can be so full that you might end up with a seat where the window faces the mountain and not the scenic nature.

 

Its not easy to choose the better of two "pearls".

The perfect option would be to be able to do both.:)

I agree...who knows, maybe we will do both!

How far from cruise ship dock to the flam railway. I am trying to

figure out what train to book. Thank you.

How far from cruise ship dock to the flam railway. I am trying to figure out what train to book. Thank you.

Not far away, assuming your ship is being docked, not tendered. Much depends for how many ships will be in this port on this day of your visit to Flam, when your ship arrives, etc. See a couple of my pictures below to illustrate this location, its distances to the tracks, etc.

Are you taking a ship tour . . . or . . . planning to walk up, independently, to buy or get a ticket you had booked ahead?? Depending on timing and how busy will be the port on your day, there could "delay" in quickly getting those tickets.

This is a small village!! That offers advantages, but it is not set-up to handle, super quickly, thousands and thousands of people all at one time.

Added questions or needs?

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 177,881 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Arriving at Flam, our Captain is right there directing this docking process. You can see here some of the fjord mountains, waterfalls in the background. This town is fairly small with the rail trip being the main attraction and activity here.:

Here is a closer picture from our ship showing the rail/ticketing station and then the cars on the train tracks. It's all right there and nearby. Not a long walk! And, flat, too.:

How far from cruise ship dock to the flam railway. I am trying to

figure out what train to book. Thank you.

The station is less than a 5 min. stroll off the ship. You'll see it while docking. If you can get a group together from your roll call, you can reserve tickets and be assigned a car. If not in a group or on a ship excursion, I don't know if they presell tickets. Unless it's different now. The line for people buying tickets on the day was HUGE. I think our trip around 10:00 was the busiest.

FYI..the Flam train does presell tickets at their online site.https://www.visitflam.com

FYI..the Flam train does presell tickets at their online site.https://www.visitflam.com

... and they do sell out. We'll be there on June 9th of this year and every available option that works with our port times is sold out. I think the ship still has their excursion available but the price is crazy high compared to booking direct. I'm glad I booked early (though not early enough as I didn't get my "ideal" time).

FYI..the Flam train does presell tickets at their online site.https://www.visitflam.com

Good to know. Thank you for sharing that. But yes, as others said it should be done as soon as you book a cruise. So many were disappointed on our ship. By the time they wanted to book, even the ship was sold out. A disappointing day.

Note that if you are arriving that early on it is on a weekday then you can get off the ship with one of the first tenders and buy train tickets. That won't work on weekends or on ships arriving much after the train ticket office opens at 8 AM.

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When you buy train tickets online, are you assigned seats? Or is it a first come, first serve method of getting window seats for the railway?

When you buy train tickets online, are you assigned seats? Or is it a first come, first serve method of getting window seats for the railway?

it's a first come, first serve - however, you can move around the carrige.

really doen't matter which side of the train

3lTc1Wts_uA

"Make friends" with someone on the other side of the aisle. Agree to switch sides. The train goes up and comes down without turning . So if you can go up on one side and down the other, you'll be good.;) Easier than trying to take pics over other's heads.

You'll be assigned a car number only. Some cars are reserved for group reservations and excursions.

just returned from Norway cruise and a lady on our roll call organised private excursion for 30 people on 12.20 and 1.35 Flam trains

we were on coach 8 out of 12 and this was ideal as our coach was directly opposite the waterfall viewing platform for the 5 minute stop and the dancing "maiden"

a lot of the coaches would have been stopped in the dark tunnel as the platform is only a couple hundred feet wide-there certainly weren't a whole trains worth of people on that platform!

the much more expensive ship tour included a stop at the hotel near top for waffles and to enjoy the spectacular views-well it was snow and ice up there and low cloud obscured any possibility of a view-there were a lot of cold wet and miserable people on that platform only too glad to get back onto the train!

So.....just to be clear, is there a "better" side of the train to sit on for scenery viewing?

For example...when facing the front of the train, do you recommend the left or right side?

I've read some that say it doesn't matter, but somewhere others posted that they preferred one over the other for picture taking. I just can't find the other threads.

THANK YOU!

So.....just to be clear, is there a "better" side of the train to sit on for scenery viewing?

For example...when facing the front of the train, do you recommend the left or right side?

 

I've read some that say it doesn't matter, but somewhere others posted that they preferred one over the other for picture taking. I just can't find the other threads.

I'm one of the people saying 'doesn't matter' - I was sitting at the right side of the train facing front when leaving Flåm - see my video in post #18

So.....just to be clear, is there a "better" side of the train to sit on for scenery viewing?

For example...when facing the front of the train, do you recommend the left or right side?

 

I've read some that say it doesn't matter, but somewhere others posted that they preferred one over the other for picture taking. I just can't find the other threads.

 

THANK YOU!

I would certainly say right side - and yes I was on the left! The meanie people across the way didn't even offer to swap! :(

I'm one of the people saying 'doesn't matter' - I was sitting at the right side of the train facing front when leaving Flåm - see my video in post #18

THANK YOU!

We're doing the "Nutshell" Tour from Oslo next week!

Can't wait!

I would certainly say right side - and yes I was on the left! The meanie people across the way didn't even offer to swap! :(

THANK YOU!

We'll make a point to get on the "right side" when we board during the "Norway in a Nutshell" Tour we are taking next week!

Appreciate it!