Oslo to Bergen (train) Pre-Extension question

[nikitty]

6 hours ago, janetcbl said:

To me the most impressive part is the Myrdal to Flam trip as you descend from over 800 metres to sea level. 

 

 

 

6 hours ago, janetcbl said:

To me the most impressive part is the Myrdal to Flam trip as you descend from over 800 metres to sea level. 

 

 

Is that something I would miss if I took the ferry? 

There are two options offered from Oslo to Bergen. Not sure which one is better? The 2nd option (on the right - with the fjord cruise first) is more expensive.

 

Is it just the same as the first but with the additional ferry?

Sorry still confused and can't quite envision how this works.

(Also, apologies for double quoting you. Not sure how that happened and I can't delete it when I edit it.)  😂

Edited Thursday at 06:45 AM by nikitty

[nikitty]

3 hours ago, CurlerRob said:

 

Apologies if I misunderstand the details of your trip, but it sounds like your cruise begins in Bergen on Aug 31?

 

Given your mother's mobility challenges, have you considered flying to Bergen instead of Oslo  in advance of departure and touring from there? It would avoid you worrying about luggage and there are a number of options that might suit your purposes - one of which is a full-day tour that incorporates train and ferry.

 

It's easy to be confused by the NiaN references. "Norway in a Nutshell" is not a company, it is the name of a customizable tour offered by a company called Fjord Tours (and perhaps others). You can look at the various Nutshell tours on the website you posted much earlier ( https://www.fjordtours.com/en ). Scroll down and you'll see a number of "Nutshell" tours to various locations.

 

One of them is called the "Sognefjord in a Nutshell" tour, which incorporates train travel from Bergen to Myrdal to Flam (the most scenic portions of the rail trip) followed by a ferry cruise from Flam back to Bergen though the Aurlandsfjord and Songnefjord (which, in my view, is far more scenic than the admittedly beautiful train routes).

 

Here is a screenshot of the tour if you follow the booking links:

 

 

It's a long day, but will have less stress for your mother in terms of walking/stairs, etc.

 

Alternatively, there is a 1/2 day fjord cruise from Bergen.

https://www.fjordtours.com/en/norway/tours/bergen-mostraumen-roundtrip . While the scenery is not as dramatic as the nutshell day, it's still quite good and would be easy to handle for your mother.

 

Hope this helps a bit and does not add to the planning angst! Here's one teaser for the Sognefjord. 🍺🥌

 

 

 

Thank you! This would be a great option!  However, we have to reticket as our travel agent didn't tell us that Viking would be ticketing soon and in order to change flights after, you'd have to pay a fee.  Since we have to eat that cost, when I looked into flying into Oslo or Bergen, it cost an additional $300 pp to fly into for Bergen, so I thought if we flew to Oslo, we'd get the opportunity to visit a different city, and save a little money that could go towards our train tour.

By the sounds of it, Bergen still would probably be the least stressful. I didn't really consider that option as I thought the train was going one way from Oslo to Bergen or vice versa, if that makes sense.  If we came in the day before to Bergen, not sure if Viking will still do transfers to our hotel from the airport and then from the hotel to the ship the next day. If so, it would most likely be worth it.

This does add to the planning angst but in the very best way so thank you! 😂

 

 

[amelia3171]

Hi, nikitty. I hope this doesn't add to your dilemma, but I travel with someone with mild mobility issues, so this is my tuppence worth.

 

I would worry that your mum is tired from the international flight, and getting on and off trains, buses and ferries might be challenging and leave her exhausted at the start of the cruise. 

 

We have not done the Norway in a Nutshell. Our last Viking cruise ended in Bergen. We took the direct train from Bergen to Oslo using the porter service to transfer our luggage. Separately, we took the half-day fjord cruise from Bergen.

 

We are doing Viking Homelands next April. We fly into Oslo two days before we get onto the ship. We are staying the night in Olso at a hotel a few minutes walk from the train station, the Thon Hotel Terminus. There is an excellent train from the airport to Oslo railway station.

 

The following day, we will have the porter service collect our bags from the hotel and take them to our hotel in Bergen. We will take the train from Oslo to Bergen at approximately midday, arriving in Bergen at around seven.

 

I understand you only have one night between arriving in Oslo and boarding the ship. There is an earlier train that would get you into Bergen mid-afternoon. It is easy to get a taxi from the Bergen train station to the ship; it costs us about $20. You would have to check with the porter service if they can drop your bags at the ship porterservice.no. They collected ours from the ship on our earlier trip. We found they replied to queries by email very promptly. 

 

The train ride is lovely; I don't think the video does it justice. You can book the train ninety days in advance on the vy.no website. You can reserve specific seats.

 

We did the half-day fyord cruise from Bergen. It is about a slow fifteen / twenty-minute walk from the ship to the rodne.no boat. There are relatively easy steps if you want to be on the outside upper decks but the lower, inside cabin is very accessible. 

 

 

 

 

[2cruisecats]

Nikitty, 

If you cannot get the 2 day scenic train or decide it is too much for your mother, the Oslo-Bergen direct has some gorgeous scenery.  It is several hours & does stop at towns along the way to allow people on & off at their destinations.  No time really for you to get off & wander.

 

A day or two in Oslo after flying from Canada is a nice relaxing intro to Norway. You can take the train from the airport to the train station or a taxi to your hotel but that is an expensive ride. (We have done both -- with luggage after a long flight I prefer the taxi even with the cost.) There are several nice hotels near the Oslo train station and you can easily tour from this area.  Even a day in Bergen would be great addition to your cruise. Both are lovely cities to visit and relax.

 

If you do go early to Bergen, get a hotel close to the dock. There are a couple within a 10 minute walk -- a Radisson & the Clarion next door are the closet if I remember correctly. And the bus from the airport stops between them. We have stayed at the Clarion and my wonderful hubby got the bags to the ship while I slowly wandered behind dragging my carry-on. (I'm not always totally mobile due to an old injury -- I choose my walking challenges carefully).

 

Enjoy Norway and your cruise. 

 

Edited Thursday at 03:11 PM by 2cruisecats

[janetcbl]

9 hours ago, nikitty said:

 

Is that something I would miss if I took the ferry? 

There are two options offered from Oslo to Bergen. Not sure which one is better? The 2nd option (on the right - with the fjord cruise first) is more expensive.

 

Is it just the same as the first but with the additional ferry?

Sorry still confused and can't quite envision how this works.

(Also, apologies for double quoting you. Not sure how that happened and I can't delete it when I edit it.)  😂

IMO it is all beautiful. You really can’t go wrong whichever option you choose. It is up to you, considering time, price, etc. I couldn’t choose the “best” part…it is all good, even in a sleet storm one February (as I once experienced).

[Peregrina651]

6 hours ago, amelia3171 said:

There is an excellent train from the airport to Oslo railway station.

 

Yes, but you have deal with all of your luggage plus the steps on and off the train. Look into the bus or Uber or a private car/limo.

 

6 hours ago, amelia3171 said:

a few minutes walk from the train station, the Thon Hotel Terminus.

 

Thon Opera is adjacent to the Central Train station as well -- and from the airport train can be accessed without going into the terminal proper. You will have to go thru the terminal to get to the Bergen-Oslo train, but it is equally as close and mostly undercover -- if you exit from the second floor of the hotel (else you have to walk around the hotel and up the stairs).

 

7 hours ago, amelia3171 said:

I understand you only have one night between arriving in Oslo and boarding the ship. There is an earlier train that would get you into Bergen mid-afternoon.

 

All things considered, if you have only one night before boarding the ship, I would nixe the idea of seeing Flam. It is an arduous one-day adventure and you will arrive at the ship exhausted. Take the train directly to Bergen.  As you are not on a Viking extension, you will have to get yourselves to the ship from the Bergen train station.

 

Regardless, pay for luggage transfer (which will be at 6am at your hotel).  It is enough to get yourselves on and off the train without having to worry about suitcases and where to put them on the train (there is no room at your feet and there is limited space in the cars).

 

[Capt_BJ]

There are two hotels in Flam.

 

Actually more than 2

 

 

we stayed at Heimly Guesthouse .... 22 rooms, breakfast and dinner included

 

https://www.norwaysbest.com/accommodation--restaurants/heimly-guesthouse/

 

 

FLAM is a sleepy place once the cruise ship departs and the day visitors mostly leave . . 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 09:03 PM by Capt_BJ

[Capt_BJ]

a couple of notes that I hope help ....

 

- there is a ferry from Bergen to Flam.. travel time is 5:40

 

- Norway in a Nutshell has a bunch of options but can be a one (long day) of Bergen to Voss to Flam Myrdal back to Bergen. Or as I have done Bergen Voss Flam Myrdal Oslo. We did a night in Flam. The Bergen to Oslo train is a full day.

 

- the Flam train is not just a tourist attraction, but also local transportation. It makes a few stops for pass' ... these are not intended as tourist stops. There is ONE tourist stop at the waterfall. You are not 'required' to get off 

 

 

- the Flam train and the Oslo Bergen train stop at the same station in Myrdal. It is small with one platform and a track to either side .... there is a small snack bar and a small assortment of souvies.

 

- when we did Bergen Voss Flam Oslo we carried our bags <one rolling each and backpaks> .... the bus and ferry and trains all had provision for luggage. Easier to let someone else do that? YES but we managed.

 

Last time we did it (18) the Bergen train had both assigned seats and open seats .... they were not in sep' cars. Not unusual to board mid stream and find someone in your 'assigned seat' but IME regular riders knew what was up and when told 'you are in my seat', immediately moved. The train was not oversold ... we did assigned seats twice .... booked on our own.

Edited Thursday at 09:45 PM by Capt_BJ

[nikitty]

9 hours ago, 2cruisecats said:

Nikitty, 

If you cannot get the 2 day scenic train or decide it is too much for your mother, the Oslo-Bergen direct has some gorgeous scenery.  It is several hours & does stop at towns along the way to allow people on & off at their destinations.  No time really for you to get off & wander.

 

A day or two in Oslo after flying from Canada is a nice relaxing intro to Norway. You can take the train from the airport to the train station or a taxi to your hotel but that is an expensive ride. (We have done both -- with luggage after a long flight I prefer the taxi even with the cost.) There are several nice hotels near the Oslo train station and you can easily tour from this area.  Even a day in Bergen would be great addition to your cruise. Both are lovely cities to visit and relax.

 

If you do go early to Bergen, get a hotel close to the dock. There are a couple within a 10 minute walk -- a Radisson & the Clarion next door are the closet if I remember correctly. And the bus from the airport stops between them. We have stayed at the Clarion and my wonderful hubby got the bags to the ship while I slowly wandered behind dragging my carry-on. (I'm not always totally mobile due to an old injury -- I choose my walking challenges carefully).

 

Enjoy Norway and your cruise. 

 

 

Thank you!  I think Oslo would be a great addition. And thank you for letting us know about the expensive trip from the airport  as that's great information.

I think Bergen might be easier but it really depends on air tickets and how much it will cost to fly into either city as Viking Air is doing the booking for us. They are closed today for July 4th so will have to find out tomorrow - and book as well.  

PS. Your hubby sounds like a keeper! 🤣

[nikitty]

14 hours ago, amelia3171 said:

Hi, nikitty. I hope this doesn't add to your dilemma, but I travel with someone with mild mobility issues, so this is my tuppence worth.

 

I would worry that your mum is tired from the international flight, and getting on and off trains, buses and ferries might be challenging and leave her exhausted at the start of the cruise. 

 

We have not done the Norway in a Nutshell. Our last Viking cruise ended in Bergen. We took the direct train from Bergen to Oslo using the porter service to transfer our luggage. Separately, we took the half-day fjord cruise from Bergen.

 

We are doing Viking Homelands next April. We fly into Oslo two days before we get onto the ship. We are staying the night in Olso at a hotel a few minutes walk from the train station, the Thon Hotel Terminus. There is an excellent train from the airport to Oslo railway station.

 

The following day, we will have the porter service collect our bags from the hotel and take them to our hotel in Bergen. We will take the train from Oslo to Bergen at approximately midday, arriving in Bergen at around seven.

 

I understand you only have one night between arriving in Oslo and boarding the ship. There is an earlier train that would get you into Bergen mid-afternoon. It is easy to get a taxi from the Bergen train station to the ship; it costs us about $20. You would have to check with the porter service if they can drop your bags at the ship porterservice.no. They collected ours from the ship on our earlier trip. We found they replied to queries by email very promptly. 

 

The train ride is lovely; I don't think the video does it justice. You can book the train ninety days in advance on the vy.no website. You can reserve specific seats.

 

We did the half-day fyord cruise from Bergen. It is about a slow fifteen / twenty-minute walk from the ship to the rodne.no boat. There are relatively easy steps if you want to be on the outside upper decks but the lower, inside cabin is very accessible. 

 

 

 

 

This sounds like a great option.  Do you think it would be more convenient to just book a hotel in Bergen the night before the cruise instead of staying in Flam?  Not having our bags and having the porter service take it to...(not sure??) concerns me a bit.
 

[nikitty]

  

 

 

3 hours ago, Capt_BJ said:

a couple of notes that I hope help ....

 

- there is a ferry from Bergen to Flam.. travel time is 5:40

 

- Norway in a Nutshell has a bunch of options but can be a one (long day) of Bergen to Voss to Flam Myrdal back to Bergen. Or as I have done Bergen Voss Flam Myrdal Oslo. We did a night in Flam. The Bergen to Oslo train is a full day.

 

- the Flam train and the Oslo Bergen train stop at the same station in Myrdal. It is small with one platform and a track to either side .... there is a small snack bar and a small assortment of souvies.

 

- when we did Bergen Voss Flam Oslo we carried our bags <one rolling each and backpaks> .... the bus and ferry and trains all had provision for luggage. Easier to let someone else do that? YES but we managed.

 

Last time we did it (18) the Bergen train had both assigned seats and open seats .... they were not in sep' cars. Not unusual to board mid stream and find someone in your 'assigned seat' but IME regular riders knew what was up and when told 'you are in my seat', immediately moved. The train was not oversold ... we did assigned seats twice .... booked on our own.

 

Thank you for all the detailed info!  I appreciate the info about your Flam hotel as well as all the information about the train/ferry details. My mom prefers bigger hotels so not sure if she'd like the 22 room option, although I think it looks lovely.

It sounds like you have done it more than once so that speaks volumes as to how good this excursion is!
 

Thanks to everyone else who offered advice too! 

I am feeling a little overwhelmed and stressed as I have to book our air tickets tomorrow and still unsure the best options for us.

The arrangements for train/ferry travel can be done a little later but I have to book our air tickets tomorrow so trying to figure out what is best. This includes how many days to book, where to stay, and hotels.

By the sounds of it, one night in Oslo after flying in doesn't sound like enough so I would either need a stop in Flam, or to book two nights (possibly in Bergen) and have one day to relax, the next day to do the train, and the day after to board the ship.  

I have to see what the cost is to fly into either place as that might be a factor, as prices might have changed since Tuesday, but at that time, the cost of going to Bergen was $600 more for the differential.  Oslo was the same price which is strange.  

I have not spoken to Viking about if we were to fly into Bergen two days earlier (without their pre-cruise extension) if they would do a transfer but I am assuming not.
 

[nikitty]

Also, not sure this is even an option because it says there is only one spot left for the Bergen pre cruise extension (and we are 2 people) but do you think it would be worth it to grab that?

The hotel that is listed is called the Bergen Børs Hotel. It's apx $450 a night.  (The precruise extension is $999 per person.)

Has anyone stayed at this hotel?

Any other recommendations for great hotels in Bergen?  Thanks cruisecats for the suggestions re: Oslo!

 

7 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Yes, but you have deal with all of your luggage plus the steps on and off the train. Look into the bus or Uber or a private car/limo.

 

 

Thon Opera is adjacent to the Central Train station as well -- and from the airport train can be accessed without going into the terminal proper. You will have to go thru the terminal to get to the Bergen-Oslo train, but it is equally as close and mostly undercover -- if you exit from the second floor of the hotel (else you have to walk around the hotel and up the stairs).

 

 

All things considered, if you have only one night before boarding the ship, I would nixe the idea of seeing Flam. It is an arduous one-day adventure and you will arrive at the ship exhausted. Take the train directly to Bergen.  As you are not on a Viking extension, you will have to get yourselves to the ship from the Bergen train station.

 

Regardless, pay for luggage transfer (which will be at 6am at your hotel).  It is enough to get yourselves on and off the train without having to worry about suitcases and where to put them on the train (there is no room at your feet and there is limited space in the cars).

 

I think two nights is a better way to go to incorporate the train ride and I will definitely use that service if we start in Oslo!

An arduous one day adventure is not what I am aiming for. 😂

I heard Thon Opera mentioned a few times and thought it was an opera house. I checked it out and it looks super cool!  My mom loves modern hotels with cool art, etc.




 

[dd57]

1 hour ago, nikitty said:

Also, not sure this is even an option because it says there is only one spot left for the Bergen pre cruise extension (and we are 2 people) but do you think it would be worth it to grab that?

The hotel that is listed is called the Bergen Børs Hotel. It's apx $450 a night.  (The precruise extension is $999 per person.)

Has anyone stayed at this hotel?

Any other recommendations for great hotels in Bergen?  Thanks cruisecats for the suggestions re: Oslo!

 

I think two nights is a better way to go to incorporate the train ride and I will definitely use that service if we start in Oslo!

An arduous one day adventure is not what I am aiming for. 😂

I heard Thon Opera mentioned a few times and thought it was an opera house. I checked it out and it looks super cool!  My mom loves modern hotels with cool art, etc.




 

We stayed at the Bergen Bors last year. Very nice hotel in a historic building with an incredible breakfast buffet.  Very close to many restaurant options with a flat easy walk.  It is a very short ride to where the ship docks.

 

Some of the rooms have a few stairs between them and the elevator.  If you decide to stay there I would contact the hotel and ask for a room with no stairs between it and the elevator.

Edited Friday at 03:06 AM by dd57

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, nikitty said:

I have not spoken to Viking about if we were to fly into Bergen two days earlier (without their pre-cruise extension) if they would do a transfer but I am assuming not.

 

I will save you a call. Transfers are available only from the airport to the ship on boarding day except if you are on a Viking pre-cruise extension. Arriving early without a pre-cruise extension is called a "deviation" and in that case there are no transfers.

 

IMHO, a deviation is worth it even if I have to arrange transportation from the hotel to the ship just so that I get a day or two to get over the travel and the jetlag.

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, nikitty said:

I heard Thon Opera mentioned a few times and thought it was an opera house. I checked it out and it looks super cool!  My mom loves modern hotels with cool art, etc.

 

No, but the Opera House is just an easy block away. We were there for three nights in May. Lovely hotel and well situated for using the train station and evening strolls on level ground.

[nikitty]

4 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

I will save you a call. Transfers are available only from the airport to the ship on boarding day except if you are on a Viking pre-cruise extension. Arriving early without a pre-cruise extension is called a "deviation" and in that case there are no transfers.

 

IMHO, a deviation is worth it even if I have to arrange transportation from the hotel to the ship just so that I get a day or two to get over the travel and the jetlag.

 

Thank you! That is very useful information.  Do you think it's worth it to do the Bergen pre-cruise extension or not really? That way at least we would get all our transfers taken care of. I looked at the cost of the hotel. About $450 a night. The pre-cruise extension is $999 per person (in CAD) Not sure it's worth double the price.  

 

4 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

No, but the Opera House is just an easy block away. We were there for three nights in May. Lovely hotel and well situated for using the train station and evening strolls on level ground.

Well at least I have the hotel sorted for either Oslo or Bergen thanks to the info in this thread! 🤠

 

Thank you!

[nikitty]

5 hours ago, dd57 said:

We stayed at the Bergen Bors last year. Very nice hotel in a historic building with an incredible breakfast buffet.  Very close to many restaurant options with a flat easy walk.  It is a very short ride to where the ship docks.

 

Some of the rooms have a few stairs between them and the elevator.  If you decide to stay there I would contact the hotel and ask for a room with no stairs between it and the elevator.

I was looking at this earlier and it looks very nice. The breakfast buffet is always a plus. I stayed at the Scandic Nordic in Trondheim for work and remember it to be incredible so I'd love to check out the Bergen Bors to see if it would give it a run for their money.  🤣 

That is really useful info about the stairs as I would not think about stairs, but I do remember a hotel in Voss that I stayed in and it did have weird, very narrow stairs which would not work for my mom so I definitely need to ask these questions if we sought out another hotel.

For the Norway in a nutshell, I am reading a lot of info with people saying to book on their own as it's all public transportation - just more expensive.  Is the downside in this scenario making a mistake and ending up in the wrong spot? 

I did notice on the website here that it says this isn't recommended for limited mobility:

https://www.hurtigruten.com/en/extras/programmes/norway-in-a-nutshell

I sent them an email describing my mom's walking ability and am hoping they will reply later today. If they say it's not a good idea, I suppose that will settle the matter once and for all.

Right now, if our cruise leaves on the 31st, I'm factoring in a hotel stay for two nights prior. This can either be split up in Oslo and then Flam (or Bergen) or all Bergen.  I will have to make a decision later today based on the cost of the air differential that Viking quotes me.
 

[Capt_BJ]

Thon is sort of the Holiday Inn of Norway ... there are several Thon properties within a few blocks of the Oslo train station.

 

Our first cruise visit to Bergen (had visited by air/train b4) the cruise ended in Bergen and we stayed a couple of nights at the Bergen Harbor Hotel which is between the fish market and funicular station, about 1/2 mile from the pier Viking uses.

 

Our recent visit we were leaving on Viking from Bergen and flying into Bergen ... we stayed at the Radisson Blu (arrived day before)  as we knew the shuttle from the airport had its last stop right in front of that property and the pier (for Viking) about 650 yards ...

 

Bergen fish market 

[Cienfuegos]

The Thon Opera hotel in Oslo is one location mentioned earlier. It is a hundred meters (at most) from the train station entrance.

 

On the subject of train cars, union craft rules may require adding an additional conductor for an additional car. He or she would be paid for the empty return trip back to base.  And there may be an issue of the cost to add a car to a scheduled train. Cleaning, switching in an additional car, adding another cafe car attendant, etc. So, chartering an extra car may not be as easy as it first seems.

[nikitty]

5 hours ago, Capt_BJ said:

Thon is sort of the Holiday Inn of Norway ... there are several Thon properties within a few blocks of the Oslo train station.

 

Our first cruise visit to Bergen (had visited by air/train b4) the cruise ended in Bergen and we stayed a couple of nights at the Bergen Harbor Hotel which is between the fish market and funicular station, about 1/2 mile from the pier Viking uses.

 

Our recent visit we were leaving on Viking from Bergen and flying into Bergen ... we stayed at the Radisson Blu (arrived day before)  as we knew the shuttle from the airport had its last stop right in front of that property and the pier (for Viking) about 650 yards ...

 

Bergen fish market 

Thanks for the info. I haven't heard of Thon. I've only stayed in Scandic properties for the most part but that was for work.

I love your photo! 

[PRH]

We stayed at the Thon Hotel in Bergen within sight of the ship.  We walked with our luggage but certainly a very quick ride from the hotel to the ship.

[CruiserFromMaine]

We’re looking into a Viking cruise next summer leaving from Bergen, so this has all been very helpful. 
 

@PRH—i see you’re from Scarborough, we live in South Portland. Practically neighbors!

[nikitty]

6 hours ago, CruiserFromMaine said:

We’re looking into a Viking cruise next summer leaving from Bergen, so this has all been very helpful. 
 

@PRH—i see you’re from Scarborough, we live in South Portland. Practically neighbors!

 

That's exciting!  Lots to look forward to!

I'm in Scarborough too but in Canada. (East Toronto.) 😂 

I have more details about what I decided on thanks to everyone's helpful info but am not 100% done so will share soon after I've ironed out a few more wrinkles. 😆