Norway > Sogn og Fjordane > Flam and the Flam Railway
Flam and the Flam Railway
N 60°51.839', E 7°6.982'
2018-06-29
Our rating: 7.80
Overall rating: - Rate this place - 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
100% tourist town: half of the territory - parking, the second half - shops, restaurants and public spaces. In the afternoon several huge tourist liners stop here and thousands of tourists spread everywhere. You can walk, eat in the restaurant or climb the nearest hill and look at the fjord from above. These photos were taken from the drone, but the view from the hill is also nice, it is visible on the picture.
Flam ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam ©Yuriy Buriak
We arrived here in the morning and walked in the town without tourists.
Flam ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam ©Yuriy Buriak
The prices in restaurants are very high (Norwegian). If you want to save money, take a pizza with you and eat on the shore of the fjord. There is also a supermarket.
Flam ©Yuriy Buriak
The main entertainment in the town is the famous Flåmsbana railway, built between 1924 and 1939. Such a miracle can be built only in a country with unlimited cash reserves, as the population of Flåm is less than 500 people and they could not recoup the construction. Tourism in those years simply did not exist. Now, of course, this is a profitable business and the main source of income for Flom. The road has the highest elevation angle among ordinary trains, the height difference is 866 meters on a 20-kilometer line. We took the very first morning train.
Flam Railway ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam Railway ©Yuriy Buriak
On the way up train stops near the Kjosfossen waterfall, 225 meters high. It is equipped with generators, which produce electricity for the railroad.
Kjosfossen Waterfall ©Yuriy Buriak
The end point of the route is a Myrdal station, where you can catch a train to Bergen or Oslo. We reached the Vatnahalsen station and went on foot back (you can go back also from the last stop). On the official website (https://www.visitflam.com/flamsbana/experience-flamsbana/ ) you can only buy return tickets for 49 EUR. On the website of Norwegian Railways (https://www.nsb.no/en/ ) you can buy one way tickets, a bit cheaper. A good option would be to rent bicycles and take them on the train (for an additional fee) and then cycle back. But this option did not suit us, as the rent is rather expensive and it works only from 9 or 10 in the morning. If the weather is good and you have 3-4 hours, then it is better to walk back on foot, as the places are very beautiful. Alternatively you can rent bicycles and ride through the valley without a train. There is still a completely free option - just go on foot. You can turn back anywhere, the maximum trail to the start of the climb is about 30 km in both directions. It is impossible to get lost - one valley, one river, one road.Attention! If you are a budget tourist and plan to go only by train there and return, then we do not recommend it. Like most of these trains - it will be lost money. The ideal option is to climb up on the train and return on foot or by bike. Vatnahalsen Station
Flam Railway ©Yuriy Buriak
Vatnahalsen stastion ©Yuriy Buriak
View of the valley from the station
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
The steep road to the valley
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
A lot of waterfalls on the way
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
You can even get here by car, though the access only for local residents.
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Bridge and waterfall under it. Some boy from a noble family disappeared here a hundred years ago.
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Beauty on the way back to Flåm
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Flam valley ©Yuriy Buriak
Water can be taken from the rivers, but no food on the way, so take some sandwiches or snacks with you. Regarding the overnight stay - there are several expensive hotels in Flåm. We stopped at Aurland Apple Farm (booking.com ), 11 kilometers from the city. This is a budget place with a kitchen and a parking. Getting there: there is a lot of parking space, check here N 60 51.856 E 7 06.759 . You can get to Flåm by bus from Bergen, Sogndal or Lærdal (https://www.nor-way.no/en-US ). The upper Myrdal station can be reached by train from either Bergen or Oslo (https://www.nsb.no/en/ ).
Tags, Norway: fjord , interesting transport , mountains Tags, all countries: fjord , interesting transport , mountains
- Rate this place -
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help
Our rating - 7.80
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help
Visitor's rating - 0.00
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - Can be reached only by car 4 - A small town with a poor public transport 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - - 2 - - 3 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 4 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 5 - Interfere with foreign objects 6 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 7 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 8 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 9 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 10 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help