Bergen Questions Answered 2018

[ShipsInBergen]

I'll be arriving on 9/3 via the Celebrity Silhouette. One of the excursions they offer is Land and Sea, where you take a boat ride to the Lysefjord and then they drop you off in Bryggen. My question to you is "is the Lysefjord" worth it? It is only a 3.5 hour trip.

 

Also if we go up the funicular can we walk down and see the Troll Forest?

 

Thanks in advance. I love reading your responses.

 

Hei :)

 

The boat trip out to Lysefjord is really lovely. It's not the most dramatic fjord in Norway, but still really charming and beautiful. I don't know the details of the ship excursion, but just to let you know this trip can easily be booked independently (operated by Rødne Fjord Cruises - hope that's okay to mention here, admins?) and will likely save you a bit of money.

 

Taking the funicular up and walking down is no problem. My personal preference is to walk up though and take the funicular down, as you get the satisfaction of the climb (still quite gentle and all on wide paths) plus you can beat the often very long queues to buy tickets at the bottom. There are self-service machines at the top to buy a one-way ticket down, and I've never seen queues at these :)

[pompeii]

Hello, how is the Rodne cruise from Bergen to Mostraumen? We've been to Bergen before and taken the funicular, so I wondered about doing something a little different this time. We'll be there at the end of July on the Pacific Princess from 7am to 5pm. I'm thinking we might take the 10am boat which returns at 2pm, then take the funicular up and walk back down if we have time and the weather permits. Or maybe just wander around town afterward.

[ShipsInBergen]

Hei :)

 

The boat trip out to Lysefjord is really lovely. It's not the most dramatic fjord in Norway, but still really charming and beautiful. I don't know the details of the ship excursion, but just to let you know this trip can easily be booked independently (operated by Rødne Fjord Cruises - hope that's okay to mention here, admins?) and will likely save you a bit of money.

 

Taking the funicular up and walking down is no problem. My personal preference is to walk up though and take the funicular down, as you get the satisfaction of the climb (still quite gentle and all on wide paths) plus you can beat the often very long queues to buy tickets at the bottom. There are self-service machines at the top to buy a one-way ticket down, and I've never seen queues at these :)

 

You'll have to forgive me...I read (and responded to) your message as Osterfjord. I'm just back from the dentist, so maybe I can blame it on the medication wearing off ;p

 

Lysefjord is outside Stavanger, and definitely not within reach of a 3.5 hour boat trip from Bergen. Perhaps they are taking you to some of the smaller fjords around Bergen, one of these may be known as Lysefjord, but I'm not clear on exactly which one this would be!

 

Maybe it's worth asking Celebrity for clarification, or taking a different boat trip booked privately.

[ShipsInBergen]

Hello, how is the Rodne cruise from Bergen to Mostraumen? We've been to Bergen before and taken the funicular, so I wondered about doing something a little different this time. We'll be there at the end of July on the Pacific Princess from 7am to 5pm. I'm thinking we might take the 10am boat which returns at 2pm, then take the funicular up and walk back down if we have time and the weather permits. Or maybe just wander around town afterward.

 

The Rødne cruise to Mostraumen is a great little trip. I took it last year when family were visiting and we all had a great time, so I can definitely recommend it.

 

You should still have time for a quick trip up Fløyen too :)

[2cruisecats]

Hei :)

 

Well the one thing that jumps out at me is that you'll be in Bergen for 17th May, which is the Norwegian national day. This is a really big deal here, with everyone partying (mostly dressed in traditional bunads). There are parades through town and a fantastic (and very busy) atmosphere. It's a really special thing, and my advice would be to set aside the 17th as a day to soak up the party atmosphere and see Bergen at its best!

 

For your other days I would recommend the standard mountain walks and fjord trips on sightseeing boats. If you enjoy art then the Kode galleries are great, and can be a great plan on rainy days.

 

The train to Oslo is lovely. There are places you could add in an overnight stop, but unless you're looking to stay for a couple of days and hike then I'd say you're better just having another day in either Bergen or Oslo :D

 

The 17th sounds like fun! If we were to take 2 days in an overnight stop between Bergen and Oslo (our plans are flexible), do you have a recommendation? We are more into photography than serious hiking.

[pompeii]

The Rødne cruise to Mostraumen is a great little trip. I took it last year when family were visiting and we all had a great time, so I can definitely recommend it.

 

You should still have time for a quick trip up Fløyen too :)

 

Great, thanks for the recommendation. Do you know if these boat trips usually sell out in July? I don't want to get tickets ahead of time until I know what the weather will be like. But I don't want to arrive at the pier and find it sold out either.

 

Also, do you know how long most people take to walk down Mt. Fløyen? Ideally, I'd like to ride up and walk down since we didn't do the walk last time we were there.

[doglover3]

Great, thanks for the recommendation. Do you know if these boat trips usually sell out in July? I don't want to get tickets ahead of time until I know what the weather will be like. But I don't want to arrive at the pier and find it sold out either.

 

Also, do you know how long most people take to walk down Mt. Fløyen? Ideally, I'd like to ride up and walk down since we didn't do the walk last time we were there.

I'd also be interested in how long it takes most people to walk up Mt. Fløyen? If we have the time and the weather is decent, I'd like to give it a try.

[ShipsInBergen]

The 17th sounds like fun! If we were to take 2 days in an overnight stop between Bergen and Oslo (our plans are flexible), do you have a recommendation? We are more into photography than serious hiking.

 

One thing that might be good for you is to break your journey in Myrdal, take the beautiful railway to Flåm and then overnight in Flåm or Aurland, if you haven't already spent time here on your trip. There are wonderful fjords; Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord, plus a really stunning viewing platform 'Stegastein' overlooking Aurlandsfjord. It's also a great area for sightseeing trips on the water, or kayak rental, if that's your bag. Then you could hop back on the train to continue your journey on to Oslo.

[ShipsInBergen]

Great, thanks for the recommendation. Do you know if these boat trips usually sell out in July? I don't want to get tickets ahead of time until I know what the weather will be like. But I don't want to arrive at the pier and find it sold out either.

 

Also, do you know how long most people take to walk down Mt. Fløyen? Ideally, I'd like to ride up and walk down since we didn't do the walk last time we were there.

 

When we did this trip we just bought tikets on the day, no problem. They have a second boat they keep in reserve for overflow on very busy days. so I think it's a safe bet to just see what the weather is doing and decide on the day

 

I'd also be interested in how long it takes most people to walk up Mt. Fløyen? If we have the time and the weather is decent, I'd like to give it a try.

 

The walk up/down Fløyen is a lovely option. I live just at the base of the mountain, and if I head up after work I'm up, down and back home again in around 1hr. That's at a fast-ish walking pace. So let's say 1 hour for either up or down should be a good estimate at a very gentle pace, stopping to rest and taking in the views along the way :)

[doglover3]

The walk up/down Fløyen is a lovely option. I live just at the base of the mountain, and if I head up after work I'm up, down and back home again in around 1hr. That's at a fast-ish walking pace. So let's say 1 hour for either up or down should be a good estimate at a very gentle pace, stopping to rest and taking in the views along the way :)

Thanks for your quick reply. We would want to allow time for rest and photos :), so an hour seems like a good estimate.

[pinkpanther52]

Hi Ships in Bergen :)

 

Can’t wait to visit your city again. :)

 

I am visiting in June this year and unless it is spectacular warm (it was the last time I visited ;)) I plan to go to the Kode art galleries.

 

I plan to be in town all day and having visited the Fish market etc etc before I wondered if a) You had any other suggestions on what to visit for a repeat visitor and b) any suggestions for a nice lunch round the area of Kode or the centre of town that might be a locals “secret”.

 

Thanks Jackie

[Jo and Rob]

We are on Sapphire Princess on 30th August so it is Jekteviksterminalen 2 for the port. Does the free shuttle drop you off at the park with the Bandstand? That's where we've been dropped off before. I don't remember walking from the dock gates.

We've visited twice before and have done the tourist train and the funicular. We are wondering what to do this time. Last time we went canoeing at the top of the funicular which was free so we may do that again. Is there anything you would recommend that we do?

[ShipsInBergen]

Hi Ships in Bergen :)

 

Can’t wait to visit your city again. :)

 

I am visiting in June this year and unless it is spectacular warm (it was the last time I visited ;)) I plan to go to the Kode art galleries.

 

I plan to be in town all day and having visited the Fish market etc etc before I wondered if a) You had any other suggestions on what to visit for a repeat visitor and b) any suggestions for a nice lunch round the area of Kode or the centre of town that might be a locals “secret”.

 

Thanks Jackie

 

Hi Jackie :)

 

I'm joining you in hoping for sunshine, but of course it's good to have a wet weather plan too, and the KODE galleries are a really great option!

 

Re: good lunch spots in the vicinity; My go-to place for a gallery break is called 'Kaffe Chaos'. It's a little independent cafe tucked in a couple of blocks behind the galleries and Grieghallen; certainly not somewhere you could accidentally stumble across. Think cosy, basic and good value. It has great homemade cakes and a simple menu of wraps/toasted sandwiches. It's possible here to have a coffee, toastie and a piece of cake for around 100kr, which is a bargain by local standards. It's quite a polpular place with students, which maybe gives you a good gauge of what to expect :)

 

Another solid optioni is the cafe situated in the KODE 2 gallery; decent standard gallery cafe which is obviously very convenient.

 

If you can't decide what you'd like to eat there's Matbørsen in the city centre. It's in the old Bergen stock exchange, which is a really beautiful old building. You take a table and are presented with a GIGANTIC menu covering several different local restaurants, each of which has a kitchen on-site. So there's definitely something for everyone there.

 

Hope this helps :)

[ShipsInBergen]

We are on Sapphire Princess on 30th August so it is Jekteviksterminalen 2 for the port. Does the free shuttle drop you off at the park with the Bandstand? That's where we've been dropped off before. I don't remember walking from the dock gates.

We've visited twice before and have done the tourist train and the funicular. We are wondering what to do this time. Last time we went canoeing at the top of the funicular which was free so we may do that again. Is there anything you would recommend that we do?

 

Hi Jo and Rob :)

 

I can't give you a definite answer on the shuttle bus drop-off point since I've never used this myself, and reports from cruise passengers seem to vary. Maybe there's someone on these boards with recent experience who can confirm that for you.

 

A good option if the weather is clear for you is to take the cable car up Mt Ulriken. It's a little futher out of the centre than Fløyen but has incredible views. There's a 'blue bus' in town that sells tickets including the ride out there, or you can take a local bus out to the Hospital, walk a few hundred metres to the cable car and buy tickets yourself on the spot :)

[pinkpanther52]

Hi Jackie :)

 

I'm joining you in hoping for sunshine, but of course it's good to have a wet weather plan too, and the KODE galleries are a really great option!

 

Re: good lunch spots in the vicinity; My go-to place for a gallery break is called 'Kaffe Chaos'. It's a little independent cafe tucked in a couple of blocks behind the galleries and Grieghallen; certainly not somewhere you could accidentally stumble across. Think cosy, basic and good value. It has great homemade cakes and a simple menu of wraps/toasted sandwiches. It's possible here to have a coffee, toastie and a piece of cake for around 100kr, which is a bargain by local standards. It's quite a polpular place with students, which maybe gives you a good gauge of what to expect :)

 

Another solid optioni is the cafe situated in the KODE 2 gallery; decent standard gallery cafe which is obviously very convenient.

 

If you can't decide what you'd like to eat there's Matbørsen in the city centre. It's in the old Bergen stock exchange, which is a really beautiful old building. You take a table and are presented with a GIGANTIC menu covering several different local restaurants, each of which has a kitchen on-site. So there's definitely something for everyone there.

 

Hope this helps :)

 

Thanks Ships in Bergen they all sound great. 🙂

[53sunset]

To Ships in Bergen, Thanks for your information, I looked at your website and it looks like The Royal Princess will be docking at Jektevikster(excuse the spelling) The last time we were there we were able to walk into town to a lovely outdoor market that was right by a fish market and local souvenir shops, etc. Will the shuttle take us close to that area? We're not as mobile as we used to be so hoping we could just walk and enjoy the day.

[ShipsInBergen]

To Ships in Bergen, Thanks for your information, I looked at your website and it looks like The Royal Princess will be docking at Jektevikster(excuse the spelling) The last time we were there we were able to walk into town to a lovely outdoor market that was right by a fish market and local souvenir shops, etc. Will the shuttle take us close to that area? We're not as mobile as we used to be so hoping we could just walk and enjoy the day.

 

Hi 53sunset,

 

There seem to be some mixed experiences as to where the shuttle bus from Jektevikseterminalen will drop you off. The 'worst case' is that it leaves you at the entrance to the commercial port. From here, the walk to the fish market area (and the outdoor souvenir market you mentioned) is only around 800m; very similar in distance to the other cruise ship berths, just approaching from the other side of town. So, if your current mobility will allow you to do what you did last time, you should be fine this time too :)

 

Hope you have a great visit to Bergen!

[TayanaLorna]

Using the Bergen Light Rail to visit the Fantoft Stave Church, is it better to walk from the Fantoft or Paradis train station? Looking for closer and less uphill.

[ShipsInBergen]

Using the Bergen Light Rail to visit the Fantoft Stave Church, is it better to walk from the Fantoft or Paradis train station? Looking for closer and less uphill.

 

I would advise walking from the 'Fantoft' Light Rail stop; they're both a similar distance but this route is a little flatter :)

[TayanaLorna]

I would advise walking from the 'Fantoft' Light Rail stop; they're both a similar distance but this route is a little flatter :)

 

Thank you so much!

[londonben]

Is there a number for the local bus to the hospital, for the cable car/walk up Mt Ulriken?

Is it fairly easy to spot the correct stop to get off?

 

Thanks,

Ben.

[ShipsInBergen]

Is there a number for the local bus to the hospital, for the cable car/walk up Mt Ulriken?

Is it fairly easy to spot the correct stop to get off?

 

Thanks,

Ben.

 

The best option is to take the public bus no. 2 or 3 from 'Småstrandgaten M'. This is a bus stop right outside the 'Xhibition' shopping centre in town. You can buy a single ticket for 37nok from the machines at the bus stop.

 

The no.2 & 3 go very regularly throughout the day, so there's no need to check timetables or aim for a specific bus.

 

You need to get off at 'Haukeland Sjukehus N' (10min journey). Spotting the stop is easy, as they have live displays in the bus showing the name of the next stop.

 

When you get off the bus, cross the road via the footbridge, then follow the signs to Ulkriksbanen. After a short stroll you'll be at the cable car station, then just ride up and enjoy the views :)

[londonben]

The best option is to take the public bus no. 2 or 3 from 'Småstrandgaten M'. This is a bus stop right outside the 'Xhibition' shopping centre in town. You can buy a single ticket for 37nok from the machines at the bus stop.

 

The no.2 & 3 go very regularly throughout the day, so there's no need to check timetables or aim for a specific bus.

 

You need to get off at 'Haukeland Sjukehus N' (10min journey). Spotting the stop is easy, as they have live displays in the bus showing the name of the next stop.

 

When you get off the bus, cross the road via the footbridge, then follow the signs to Ulkriksbanen. After a short stroll you'll be at the cable car station, then just ride up and enjoy the views :)

 

Excellent,

Thanks. We have just pulled in and docked.

Now to persuade Linda we need to go as high as we can.

 

Ben.

[pompeii]

The best option is to take the public bus no. 2 or 3 from 'Småstrandgaten M'. This is a bus stop right outside the 'Xhibition' shopping centre in town. You can buy a single ticket for 37nok from the machines at the bus stop.

 

The no.2 & 3 go very regularly throughout the day, so there's no need to check timetables or aim for a specific bus.

 

You need to get off at 'Haukeland Sjukehus N' (10min journey). Spotting the stop is easy, as they have live displays in the bus showing the name of the next stop.

 

When you get off the bus, cross the road via the footbridge, then follow the signs to Ulkriksbanen. After a short stroll you'll be at the cable car station, then just ride up and enjoy the views :)

 

Can the jaunt out to Ulriken and up and back to the city center be easily done in an afternoon? We are in Bergen 7am-5pm on July 30 and I am thinking about taking the 3 hour Rodne boat from Bergen to Mostraumen which leaves at 10am so it should be back at 1pm. Wondering if the cable car would be a good way to fill the afternoon. Depending on weather of course.....

[ShipsInBergen]

Can the jaunt out to Ulriken and up and back to the city center be easily done in an afternoon? We are in Bergen 7am-5pm on July 30 and I am thinking about taking the 3 hour Rodne boat from Bergen to Mostraumen which leaves at 10am so it should be back at 1pm. Wondering if the cable car would be a good way to fill the afternoon. Depending on weather of course.....

 

The short answer is yes, but you could end up cutting things a little fine doing it DIY.

 

It might be worth considering the round-trip package on the 'blue bus' - a slightly weird looking double decker that takes tourists from right by the fish market (where your Rødne tour will drop you) to Ulriken, up the cable car, and back, all in around 2hrs. This could buy you that extra 30mins/1hr to just make the whole thing more comfortable.

 

Another alternative (if you haven't done this before) is to instead take the funicular up Fløyen, which is located right in the city centre, and should leave you with no time pressure at all, plus you'd still get a fantastic view :)