Flåmsbana: Europe's Steepest Railway Through the Fjords of Western Norway
From Myrdal to Flåm in 20 kilometres and 863 metres of descent: the steepest standard-gauge railway in the world, through waterfalls and Viking villages.
The Flåmsbana is not exactly a secret — about a million people ride it every year — but it is so different from any other European railway that it deserves a place of its own. And above all, those who take it often do it wrong: they arrive in Flåm on a cruise ship, rush up and down, and leave without having understood anything. The right way to do the Flåmsbana is different.
Europe's steepest railway
The line was built between 1923 and 1940 to connect the village of Flåm, at the head of the Sognefjord, with the Myrdal station on the Bergen Railway. The 20 kilometres of track drop 863 metres at a maximum gradient of 5.5 per cent, the steepest of any normal (non-rack) railway in Europe. The train descends slowly between rock walls that plunge into the Nærøyfjord, a UNESCO site, and stops at the Kjosfossen waterfall — a 93-metre vertical drop — where in summer a dancer in a red dress appears on the rock in a piece of theatre that sounds kitsch but has become part of the place's mythology.
How to do it the right way
The key is to take the train from Myrdal down to Flåm and then not go straight back up. Stay in Flåm for at least one night — the village is tiny but the hostel and the campsite are excellent and not expensive by Norwegian standards — and explore the Nærøyfjord by kayak or boat the next morning. A train-only ticket costs about 39 euros for an adult (2025). Those arriving from Bergen can buy the Norway in a Nutshell package, which includes train plus boat plus bus, but it is more expensive and more crowded.
The right season and the villages along the way
The best months are May and June, when the waterfalls are at their strongest from snowmelt and the fjords are still uncrowded. September is the autumn alternative, with the foliage turning colour. Along the line there are very few stations: Berekvam, halfway, is accessible only by the train and has a handful of inhabitants. Myrdal, at the top, is merely a transfer station with no village. The entire experience lasts less than an hour, but you carry it with you for years.
Practical info
When is the best time to visit Flåmsbana?
The recommended time is May, June, July, August and September, when it is less crowded.
Is Flåmsbana crowded?
Flåmsbana is a not very crowded destination compared with the more touristy ones.
Where is Flåmsbana?
Flåmsbana is located in Flåm.
