4 travel routes from Oslo to Bergen

Norway’s two largest cities, Oslo and Bergen, are only a day trip away. The journey takes you through some of the country’s most scenic landscapes. Along the way, you can enjoy incredible nature, whether hiking in the mountains or stopping at scenic points. 

No matter which route you take and whether you’re driving or taking the train, there’s always a Thon hotel to spend the night along the way. We have 16 hotels in Oslo to choose from and four hotelsin Bergen. All our hotels include a free and extensive breakfast buffet to give you the very best start to an adventure-filled holiday.

Here are four different travel routes for a trip between Oslo and Bergen, all of which offer memorable experiences along the way:

Take the train - Bergen Line

The Bergen Line is considered one of Europe’s most beautiful train journeys and is a great choice for those who want to travel comfortably and experience a lot along the way. The railway route between Oslo and Bergen opened in 1909 and is Northern Europe’s highest railway line.

The tour takes six to seven hours and takes you through a varied and magnificent landscape. On the way, the train crosses the Hardangervidda National Park and Hardangervidda plateau, Europe’s largest mountain plateau, situated at 1,237 metres above sea level. The numerous tunnels testify to how demanding it was to build these railway lines - and offer you views of mountains, valleys and open landscapes.

From the Oslo S central railway station, the train stops in Drammen and Hønefoss before continuing towards Hallingdal. In Flå, you can get off to visit Bjørneparken, where you can get close to bears, wolves, lynx, moose and reindeer. The train also passes Nesbyen and Gol, where you can see a replica of a stave church from the 1200s.

Geilo is a natural stop for those who love mountains and outdoor activities before the journey continues across Hardangervidda. The area has a rich wildlife and birdlife and is home to Europe’s largest wild reindeer herd.

Finse is the highest point on the Bergen Line, at 1,222 metres above sea level. It has a long history as a destination and was also used the location of the planet Hoth in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. There are plenty of opportunities for hiking and nature experiences here.

From Myrdal, you can take a detour on the Flåm Line, a 20-kilometre train ride down to Flåm by the Aurlandsfjord. This is one of Norway’s most famous train routes, with steep gradients and impressive engineering works. Myrdal is also a good starting point for cycling along Rallarvegen, the old construction road from the time when the Bergen Line was built.

Next, head down to Voss, famous for both outdoor activities and extreme sports. Here you can take a gondola up the mountain or visit Norway’s largest wind tunnel.

The final leg of the journey runs from Voss to Bergen, with a travel time of around one hour and 15 minutes. The train ends in the middle of the city centre. Bergen offers history, city life and famous sights such as Bryggen, Fisketorget and Fløibanen - and is a great end to a memorable train journey from east to west.

By car: The road across Hardangervidda

Route: Oslo - Gol - Geilo - Eidfjord - Voss - Bergen

This is one of Norway’s most popular scenic routes and there is so much beautiful landscape to see along the way that we recommend stopping several times. The route takes just over seven hours to drive without stopping. 

If you have children with you, you should spend an afternoon at Bjørneparken in Flå. Here you can see bears, wolves, lynx, moose and reindeer up close and even help feed the animals. Thon Hotel Bjørneparken is only a short walk away from Bjørneparken, located right next door.

Flå is located at the beginning of Hallingdal, one of the largest valleys in Eastern Norway, and is known for its beautiful nature and strong traditions in terms of food, folk music and folk art. 

Continue along national road 7 and stop for coffee at one of the charming cafés in Ål or spend the night at Thon Hotel Hallingdal. The journey continues towards Geilo, which is a very popular destination for all those who love the mountains and outdoor activities.

The mountain landscape on Hardangervidda can take anyone's breath away and is a beautiful sight no matter the season. Here you can go hiking, fishing and cycling, or simply stop for a short while to enjoy the wonderful mountain air.

From Hardangervidda, the journey continues towards the fjords and after an hour and a half of driving, you reach Eidfjord. You should definitely stop here and experience the spectacular forces of the Vøringsfossen, which has a drop of 182 metres. If you have children with you, you can take a 20-minute detour to Mikkelparken in Kinsarvik.

The next step is the spectacular Hardanger Bridge. At 1,380 metres, it is one of the world’s longest hanging bridges and offers fantastic views of the Hardangerfjord as you drive over it.

The fastest route to Bergen from Hardanger Bridge goes through Voss, known as the adrenaline capital of Norway. Here you can take a gondola up to Hangurstoppen at 808 metres or stroll the picturesque streets of the city centre. 

If you have extra time, you can drive along the fjord through the beautiful town of Norheimsund. We recommend a night of historic splendour at Thon Hotel Sandven. The hotel dates back to 1857 and is picturesquely located by the fjord and has its own beach area. Steindalsfossen is also worth a visit while in Norheimsund. The waterfall has a drop of 50 metres and there is a path you can take behind the waterfall.

By car: Via Aurlandsfjellet 

Route: Oslo - Gol - Hemsedal - Lærdal - Aurland - Flåm - Gudvangen - Bergen

This route takes about as long as the journey over Hardangervidda, but offers more variety and lots of interesting stops. You drive across mountains and through valleys and fjord landscapes, with several well-known sights along the way.

Around 2 1/2 hours from Oslo, you arrive in Gol, where you can see a copy of a stave church from the 1200s. You then take national road 52 across Hemsedalsfjellet, often referred to as the Scandinavian Alps, before heading down towards Lærdal and Borgund stave church. The church from the 1100s is Norway’s best-preserved stave church and a popular stop when driving to Western Norway.

In Lærdal, you can stroll around Lærdalsøyri and stroll along the historic wooden houses and boutiques before continuing to the Lærdal Tunnel. At 24.5 kilometres in length, it is the world’s longest road tunnel, known for its unique lighting that makes driving more pleasant.

On the way to Flåm, we recommend stopping at the Stegastein viewpoint, which extends 30 metres out from the mountain side, 650 metres above the Aurlandsfjord. Once in Flåm, you can take a break and go on either a fjord cruise along Nærøyfjord or a train ride on the Flåm Line up to Myrdal.

The journey then continues to Gudvangen, where you can visit the Viking village of Njardarheimen before continuing to Voss. From here, it takes around an hour and a half to Bergen.

By car: Via Haukeli and Hardangerfjord

Route: Oslo - Seljord - Haukeligrend - Odda - Jondal - Nordheimsund - Bergen

The Haukeli route takes around eight hours and takes you through the lush, green areas of Telemark and Hardanger. The journey includes lakes, waterfalls, mountain passes and fjord landscapes - with plenty of opportunities for stops along the way.

West of Oslo is the city of Kongsberg, known for its silver mines and distinctive church with Gloger organ. The journey continues to Telemark and Heddal stave church, Norway’s largest stave church from the 1200s. If you have lots of time, you can take a detour to the Telemark Canal or stop at Seljordsvannet.

Haukelifjell offers open landscapes and great hiking opportunities before you arrive at Røldal, where the Røldal stave church is still in use. Further along national road 13, you pass several famous waterfalls, including Låtefossen, before reaching Odda and Folgefonna, the country’s third largest glacier.

From Odda, the journey continues to Jondal and the ferry across the Hardangerfjord to Tørvikbygd. From here, you drive along the fjord to Nordheimsund, a great place to spend the night at Thon Hotel Sandven. From here, it’s around an hour and 20 minutes to Bergen.