Flaam Railway - best way to go??

[cunardcruiser]

I am soon going on a fjord trip on the QM2 which goes to Flaam. Apparently the train journey is not to be missed, but cunard doesn't have an exclusive excursion for this as I guess you can just buy a ticket at the station.

A couple of excursions seem to mention the railway as part of an excursion. Does this mean you go by coach somewhere for a while and then have a one way trip on the train?

I think this would appeal to me as I would imagine there would be lots of queuing in the morning for the train.

Any tips / advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

thanks

david

[carlmm]

Your guess is correct: Some of the excusions combine the Flaam railway with a coach tour and sometimes another railway part.

Without a tour you can just go to the station and buy a return ticket. If it is a busy day you will be advised of the time you can take the train.

[Kindlychap]

I am soon going on a fjord trip on the QM2 which goes to Flaam. Apparently the train journey is not to be missed, but cunard doesn't have an exclusive excursion for this as I guess you can just buy a ticket at the station.

A couple of excursions seem to mention the railway as part of an excursion. Does this mean you go by coach somewhere for a while and then have a one way trip on the train?

I think this would appeal to me as I would imagine there would be lots of queuing in the morning for the train.

Any tips / advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

thanks

david

 

 

The railway is truly spectacular.

 

It doesn't matter one iota which side of the train you sit - the views switch from side to side.

 

DO NOT MISS IT!

 

Matthew

[Dorchester]

When visiting Flaam a trip on the railway is a MUST!

 

Unfortunately, on our last visit, my Wife and I were a little late getting ashore, and by the time that we arrived at the train booking office, the only tickets left were for an afternoon round trip that would arrive back at Flaam literally minutes prior to our sailing time. Not wishing to (literally) miss the boat, we decided not to risk it. (Better to miss the train than miss the boat!).

 

We may have been particularly unfortunate, as there were several parties of school children there that day, whose schools had obviously made advanced bulk bookings.

 

My advice would therefore be to get ashore as soon as possible and make a bee line for the booking office in order to ensure getting a ticket.

 

David.

[transat_jon]

Flam is a very scienic port, nice to visit.

 

You can take one of the Cunard excursions or just go down to the station and buy a return ticket yourself. See the railway website at : http://www.flaamsbana.no/eng/Index.html.

 

On the excursions they tend to cram you into the trains but it also means you are surrounded by people you know. If travelling on your own, there is likely to be more space on the later trains that are not used for the excursions. If the weather is good, there is a chance of the trains being packed with day trippers though.

 

I have a few Flam photos on the web at http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/pic77/qe2_jul06/qe2_05.htm.

[Karanja]

I am soon going on a fjord trip on the QM2 which goes to Flaam. Apparently the train journey is not to be missed, but cunard doesn't have an exclusive excursion for this as I guess you can just buy a ticket at the station.

A couple of excursions seem to mention the railway as part of an excursion. Does this mean you go by coach somewhere for a while and then have a one way trip on the train?

I think this would appeal to me as I would imagine there would be lots of queuing in the morning for the train.

Any tips / advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

thanks

david

 

David

Book the train in advance as if there are several ships in or a lot of landlubber tourists about, the trains you want to take may be sold out.

 

One neat thing to do that I did last summer was to take the train up to Myrdal or the station before that and walk back down about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way and then get back on the train there. The walk is easy (downhill) and outstandingly beautiful and you can take shots of the passing trains. The reason not to walk all the way back is that the path eventually becomes a road.

Ted

[hampshirelad]

Would be interested to know how Karanga booked the rail tickets in advance. There does not seem to be a working facility on the web site for bookings.

 

Many thanks

[cunardcruiser]

Thanks Ted, the walk sounds like a great idea. I didn't think you could book tickets in advance. Please advise if you know different.

 

cheers

david

[Normandie-BCN]

In the web I only found a booking service for groups which is under construction, but nothing to advance booking for individuals.

[caddie1]

Does anyone know how far the station is from the docks?

Is it walking distance?

[Normandie-BCN]

From 100 to 300 meters. Very near.

[Oslo Dutch]

In 2005 I was on a QE2 cruise to the Norwegian Fjords and for Flåm I arranged my own excursion

 

We were in Bergen a couple of days before and bought train tickets from Flåm to Voss. Once we arrive in Voss we had a delightfull lunch at the Fleismann Hotel. And from Voss we took the regular buss back to Flåm via Gudvangen.

 

A great day. for train tickets look up

 

http://www.nsb.no

 

They also have this trip called Norway in a nutshell at http://www.fjordtours.no

 

 

The fare is extremely cheap compared what Cunard will charge you. And I felt it was great to do it on my own

 

Reint

[Oslo Dutch]

In 2005 I was on a QE2 cruise to the Norwegian Fjords and for Flåm I arranged my own excursion

 

We were in Bergen a couple of days before and bought train tickets from Flåm to Voss. Once we arrive in Voss we had a delightfull lunch at the Fleismann Hotel. And from Voss we took the regular buss back to Flåm via Gudvangen.

 

A great day. for train tickets look up

 

www.nsb.no

 

They also have this trip called Norway in a nutshell at www.fjordtours.no

 

 

The fare is extremely cheap compared what Cunard will charge you. And I felt it was great to do it on my own

 

Reint

[caddie1]

Just went on the NSB site to see about pre-booking tickets, the total cost for 2 adults came to 760NOK. I printed the prices and timetable earlier from

http://www.flaamsbana.no and it says 290NOK each for return ticket.

This seems a big difference.

[Kindlychap]

Just went on the NSB site to see about pre-booking tickets, the total cost for 2 adults came to 760NOK. I printed the prices and timetable earlier from

www.flaamsbana.no and it says 290NOK each for return ticket.

This seems a big difference.

 

The Flaam Railway is privately owned, and in effect a preserved railway. It is not part of Norwegian Railways. This may well explain the difference.

 

In any event, it is a matter for you of course. Pay more, and have a lie in. Or no lie in, and rush off the ship to get to the ticket office early.

 

Each to his own!

 

Matthew

[transat_jon]

Does anyone know how far the station is from the docks?

Is it walking distance?

Close enough for you?

Click pictures:

From railway station to ship .

View of the extensive port

[spinnaker]

I emailed the railway to ask about advance bookings. This was their reply:

 

Dear Matt,

We don’t take reservations of groups less than ten persons. I recommend you to be at our ticket office in good time before departure buy tickets.

Med vennlig hilsen - Best regards

Sindre

Flamsbana - The Flam Railway

[BettyBoop3850]

Hi Question for those who have done the railway before. I will be on the QM2 in june for the Norwegian cruise. I booked most of my excursions already but was debating about the Flamm railway since it goes around alot of hairpin curves. My question is when on the train can you feel that you are on these curse or see that you are on the curves. I am traveling with someone and we are both a bit hesitant about the roads. Also for this reason not doing any excursions in Geiranger. Any help appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Kindlychap]

Hi Question for those who have done the railway before. I will be on the QM2 in june for the Norwegian cruise. I booked most of my excursions already but was debating about the Flamm railway since it goes around alot of hairpin curves. My question is when on the train can you feel that you are on these curse or see that you are on the curves. I am traveling with someone and we are both a bit hesitant about the roads. Also for this reason not doing any excursions in Geiranger. Any help appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Railways don't do hairpins. They can't......

 

However, there are occasions when you can see the track you have just travelled over.

 

I can't imagine that anyone would find the movement unpleasant in any way whatsoever.

 

It is certainly nothing like a hairpin bend on a road.

 

Matthew

[BettyBoop3850]

Thank you Kindlychap for your response it was very helpful. the reason I asked is because of the following taken from the excursion discription "The road ascends the steep hills in 21 narrow hairpin bends with a beautiful waterfall next to it."

[Kindlychap]

Thank you Kindlychap for your response it was very helpful. the reason I asked is because of the following taken from the excursion discription "The road ascends the steep hills in 21 narrow hairpin bends with a beautiful waterfall next to it."

 

Ah!

 

That's the Cunard one?

 

That isn't the same as going up and down on the railway. There is a coach involved in that one, as far as I'm aware.

 

I can't remember the precise details, but it was quite expensive and all day - so we decided to do the railway independently. I'd do that again if I were in Flaam.

 

Matthew

[cunardcruiser]

OK, rather that get up early and queue up and possibly not get a ticket, I am going to pay the extra and book it from nsa.no. You have to specify exactly which train you want to be on, so my question is: How long do I want to be in Myrdal? What is there to do there?

 

thanks in advance

 

david

[Kindlychap]

OK, rather that get up early and queue up and possibly not get a ticket, I am going to pay the extra and book it from nsa.no. You have to specify exactly which train you want to be on, so my question is: How long do I want to be in Myrdal? What is there to do there?

 

thanks in advance

 

david

 

Unless you're a walker, effectively nothing. We have both times come straight back down.

 

The advantage of that is you keep your seat too.

 

Matthew

[31cruiser]

We are doing the Grand Norway Cruise on 6/10 and in our shore excursion information we have already booked the Flam railroad tour. It is FLI-G. It dosen't have any coach trip just the train. Hope this helps you.

[Kindlychap]

We are doing the Grand Norway Cruise on 6/10 and in our shore excursion information we have already booked the Flam railroad tour. It is FLI-G. It dosen't have any coach trip just the train. Hope this helps you.

 

You're paying a $20 premium per person as part of that $79 fare you are paying to Cunard, to have Cunard book for you, hector you on board and ensure you don't have the freedom to sit where you want. And you miss the last part of the railway.

 

Not good value if you ask me.

 

However, your call.

 

Matthew