Fjord Country
Oslo, then the Bergen Railway through the mountains, a fjord cruise, two nights in Bergen, and an optional flight to Lofoten.
At a Glance
All Norway, one direction. Oslo for a day and a half, then onto the Bergen Railway — a 4.5-hour train that climbs through the Hardangervidda plateau. At Myrdal, switch to the Flåm Railway for a 1-hour descent through tunnels and waterfalls to the fjord village of Flåm. From there, a fjord cruise on the Nærøyfjord. Then Bergen for two nights. Optional: a short flight to Lofoten in the Arctic for the final two days.
Day-by-Day
Day 1 · Sat Aug 22 · Oslo — Arrival
Austin pair arrives via Frankfurt or Amsterdam (about 12–13h). London pair flies direct from LHR, 2h10m. Meeting point: Oslo.
Walk the Aker Brygge waterfront, get dinner, early night.
Day 2 · Sun Aug 23 · Oslo — Full Day
Morning: Vigeland Sculpture Park — 80 acres, 212 figures, free. Allow 1.5 hours.
Then Munch Museum at Bjørvika. Walk across the Opera House roof at some point.
Afternoon: Grünerløkka neighbourhood for lunch at Mathallen food hall, then a wander.
Early night — the train tomorrow leaves around 8am.
Day 3 · Mon Aug 24 · Bergen Railway — Oslo to Flåm
The Bergen Railway departs Oslo around 08:00. The train climbs from city into open highland tundra — the Hardangervidda plateau, the largest in northern Europe. Reindeer, snow on peaks even in August, long open views.
At Myrdal (~13:00), switch to the Flåm Railway: a 20km descent that drops 866 metres in one hour through 20 tunnels, past waterfalls, down to Flåm on the fjord.
Arrive Flåm ~14:30. Walk the village, eat locally.
Day 4 · Tue Aug 25 · Nærøyfjord Cruise
Board the electric boat in Flåm for the Nærøyfjord cruise — 2 hours through the narrowest fjord in Europe. Cliffs 1800m high on each side, waterfalls, small farms on ledges above the water. Seals.
Back to Flåm by mid-afternoon. Optional: rent bikes and ride the Rallarvegen road along the Aurlandsfjord.
Evening: dinner in Flåm or take the short boat to Undredal.
Day 5 · Wed Aug 26 · Flåm to Bergen
Train or bus along the Sognefjord to Bergen, arriving mid-morning.
Bergen: the Bryggen UNESCO wharf — several centuries of Hanseatic wooden merchant buildings along the harbour. Walk through it, go into the Hanseatic Museum. Bergen Fish Market for lunch (fish soup, shrimp, king crab).
Fløibanen funicular up to Mount Fløyen — 6 minutes, good views over the city and fjord. Walk back down through the forest if you want (45 min).
Day 6 · Thu Aug 27 · Bergen — Day Trip
Morning: Lysøen Island — bus south of Bergen, then a short boat ride to the island home of 19th-century violinist Ole Bull. Walking paths through birch forest. Half-day.
Afternoon back in Bergen. Browse the city, eat well.
Day 7 · Fri Aug 28 · Bergen → Lofoten
Fly Widerøe, Bergen → Svolvær or Leknes, about 1.5 hours.
Stay in Hamnøy or Reine — the red fishing cottages (rorbuer) on stilts above the water are the reason to come. Afternoon hike or walk along the water. Light at this latitude in late August lasts until 10–11pm.
Day 8 · Sat Aug 29 · Lofoten Departure
Morning: Reinebringen hike if energy allows — 1–1.5 hours up, good views from the ridge. Then pack and fly Lofoten → Oslo for connections home. Austin pair continues OSL → Frankfurt → AUS. London pair OSL → LHR.
Don’t Miss
Getting There
From Austin (AUS): Fly into Oslo (OSL) via Frankfurt or Amsterdam. One stop, about 12–13 hours. Book in advance.
From London (LHR): Direct to Oslo, 2h10m. British Airways, SAS, Norwegian all run the route daily.
Bergen Railway: Book via vy.no, up to 90 days ahead. Trains fill up in summer. Window seat is important — both sides have good views at different points.
Lofoten: Widerøe flies Bergen–Svolvær and Bergen–Leknes. About 1.5 hours, multiple daily. Book early.
Pick this if
You want to actually be in the landscape rather than looking at it from a city. The train and fjord combination is hard to replicate anywhere else. Lofoten in late August is quiet but still has good light and hikeable trails.
Skip this if
The pace is demanding — a train, a cruise, two city stays, and a domestic flight in 7 nights. Less time to slow down. Not ideal if the group prefers a more relaxed rhythm or wants nightlife as a priority.