And as someone who does road trips in Norway at least once a year, I would suggest to also definitely drive from Oslo to Bergen in Summers. This is perhaps also one of the most beautiful road journeys of the world you can do.
@@prasantabandyopadhyay2210 please search for Oslo to Bergen road. or Hardangarvida by road. I personally rarely make videos of my trips but probably others might have posted.
The seats have the writing "Velkommen" and "Nyt reisen" which simply means "Welcome. Enjoy your journey." The old NSB used to have this seat fabric on all their seats during their later years before they got split up. Not my favourite aesthetically, but it's a nice message at least! :)
You seem to just about have missed our new station board. The station screen shown at around 2:20 has just been upgraded to the world’s biggest LED wall train information display. Pretty neat thing
We took the Bergensbanen from Oslo to Bergen on Dec.12th of last year. Like you, this journey was very special to us because we have lived in South Florida for over 40 years and never see or experience snow. But last year, we spent ALL of December in Scandinavia and romped through tons of it. As to our journey on the Bergensbanen... We opted to ride first class and were thrilled that the car was more than half-empty (very quiet) for most of the journey, and we were able to easily move around for great photos of the views on both sides of the car. We also enjoyed the endless supply of complimentary hot beverages and snacks offered in first class as we sped through a very snowy winter wonderland, gazing upon the truly incredible, stunning scenery outside our windows.
I do prefer the Rauma Railway myself, it has much of the same scenery as Flåmsbana, but only have a couple of tunnels so you can se the whole journey. It crosses several spectacular bridges.
I am from Oslo, but went to a school in Voss (where the gondola is) for a year, so I took this train back home every holiday. I often went with friends and it was quite a good time. I also take this train whenever I go to my cabin in the mountains :) I believe I also read somewhere that the locomotive used on Bergensbanen (El 18) is actually armored above the driver's seat! It's to protect in case of an avalanche or rocks falling. Norske Tog, the company responsible for buying trains in Norway, has also recently ordered new EMU's to be used on Bergensbanen from 2026. They're being produced by Stadler.
I thought these trains looked somewhat familiar (mainly the seats)! They are made by the same company some of DBs (Deutsche Bahn) trains are made by, Stadler!
@@lajawi. Most of the trains running in Norway is made by Stadler, so I guess you can say we have a great relationship with them. They're all FLIRT-trains, most are electric, but some are actually hybrid-versions running in mid-to-northern Norway
Another channel called railcowgirl does cab rides along this route, Its spectacular, she is based at Voss and used to drive these trains but now drives freight
I've only trtaveled on this train in the summer and I agree it's amazing. You had a bargain price too! I would love to do this in the winter and this inspires me. The freezing snow on the windows shows how well insulated the carriage is.
So beautiful and scenic! I guess I also have to plan a winter trip from Oslo to Bergen! And 27.50€ is a real bargain here! The Norwegian Train operator knows how to keep the country rollin‘!
Pretty impressive all round. That family carriage with the kids play area looks amazing for kids and parents. Can't believe I've never seen anyone do that before. Such a great idea. The scenery also looks very impressive at the end. Right up there with some of the best routes in Switzerland. Also, those locos are probably my favourite electric locos in the world (at least the SBB ones anyway). Definitely one for the bucket list!
16:04 Last spring I travelled on the Flåmsbana to Myrdal and there I took this same train back to Oslo. Yes, the Flåmsbana is a spectacular scenic route, but the Bergen route you showed here is not far behind despite being less known. So don't worry, if you enjoyed this Oslo-Bergen trip you are not missing anything too badly. I'd say that every railway route in Norway is a marvel on its own, so whatever you choose you are guaranteed to have a great experience. Norway is a country straight out of a fairytale. And I agree with you that these standard seats were some of the most comfortable I've ever been on.
As a local - I just wish it was a bit speedier. I travel to Oslo for work every month or so - and always take the sleeper train. The return journey is a bit of a slog though, at least in winter - when you're stuck staring into a dark void for ~7 hours - and the novelty has worn a bit thin :)
If anyone is considering this train ride, do it in spring time! April/May, the changing scenery from spring in the low lands and still plenty pf snow(but more sunshine :) ) in the mountains is in my mind the most beautiful scenery for the ride
She still does: youtube.com/@RailCowGirl. She used to drive passenger trains, also on the Flåm line, but now is on freight trains. All seasons and weather. A month ago, she had to stop the train to clear the windscreen and headlights from sticky snow. She has occasional "live" streams in English. (Not from the moving train...)
I’ve seen a few train vids and this chap’s are by far the best. It’s not all about him in the vid, he does a little intro at the start, then the rest is about the train and the views, not the presenter showboating/showing off. Keep up the brilliant work, m8. 👏😀👍
"Rakes" rather than "trainsets" is music to my Indian ears! The next time you're in India, you should try out the Vistadome coaches on some trains that ply between Bengaluru and Mangaluru. These are dome cars with swivelling chairs and large windows (and windows on the roof as well). There's also an observation space at the back. The train gives you fantastic views of the rainforests of the Western Ghats mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Vistadome service is booked as an "Executive Chair Class" (ECC) ticket on 16515 Karwar Express, 16575 Gomateshwara Express or 16539 Mangaluru Jn. Weekly Express. Do take care to book this service from Bengaluru to Mangaluru to get the best views of the track and the many tunnels, as the observation car faces the locomotive on the reverse journey and is a bit of a let-down. There is no meal service, only some vending machines that deplete quickly. Hawkers mostly don't enter the ECC coaches either. So you should probably get your food at a station with a long stop. Of course, if I'm free when you're around, I'd be more than happy to accompany you - I'm a Bengaluru local and can speak Kannada.
Wahey, got the Hoth reference in there, felt sure you wouldn't let us down. When I travelled this route (also in winter, part of a ski holiday trip) there also was a pet carriage with pet owners sat next to their pets in their carriage boxes. Remember the kids' playspace carriage well and the seats in the cafebar that sensibly face out of the window. The waiting room at the mountain station we got on at after our ski trip was nicer than my home at the time - well-stocked library, roaring fire, comfy armchair, fleecy rug.
The carriages are refurbished since new but also notice how good the carriages are for being built in 1980 by a norwegian company Strømmens Værksted next to oslo, they also used to make locos and trams aswell.
I’ve a friend who hails from Bergen and has always told me to visit via the route you took, he also said to bring plenty of money as it’s an expensive place to visit, super post
nordic express ... well it stays pretty much in southern Norway, not even reaching Trondheim which is somewhat in central Norway. The Nortland Line which starts in Trondheim and heads up north, across the arctic circle, would be more of a nordic express in my opinion
Nice journey overall, I will keep that in mind 🙂 The seats are the same as the original ones on Germany's ICE 3 train sets from 20 years ago, I prefer them to the ones that now became the standard since introduction of ICE 4, that got a lot of criticism.
Almost no train routes are as breathtaking and majestic as Vy's Bergensbanen, which is surprisingly cheap for a 7+ hour train ride to some of Norway's most incredible scenery. The fact that it's a lifeline for small communities inaccessible by road shows how important Norway's rail network is, though sometimes it is not cheap. On the topic of films (not your speciality, though) I also think that George Lucas' _Star Wars_ were a logistical and creative marvel, as they have a strong emphasis on location in representing the intergalactic universe the film series took place. Makes me wonder how they executed this in the first place. Sadly, they (and Disney, in general) aren't doing great right now... Nearly 100K subscribers. You're almost there... 📈
Beautiful journey through the mountains, reminds me of when my father and I road on Amtrak's "Empire Builder" over Marias Pass back in '09 during "Spring Break".
Incredible. I absolutely love Scandinavia and love snow. Norway is a perfect country, feels like they live 15 years in the future. Can't wait to take this train! Thinking of moving to either Norway or Sweden, at least for a couple of years. Greetings from Berlin.
15 years in the future? LOL! I've been living in Norway for over 10 years. It's shit generally. The food. The weather. The job opportunities. The cost of living. The lack of social interaction. The xenophobia. Norway is so backward looking. It was voted one of the worst places to live for expats last year, in the international expat survey. It ranked bottom, 53rd out of 54 surveyed countries. Unless you want to clean toilets for Norwegians and get treated like a leper, you might wish to re-evaluate your plans.
Very enjoyable video with beautiful scenery and sights. As I watched I could not help but remember the pastor of a church I used to attend who was Norwegian. It was easy to tell as he spoke with an accent! Thank You!!
i did this route in the summer a good few years ago ... flew into Gardermoen, bus to Hønefoss station (not sure if this still runs), train to Myrdal, Flåm railway down to the bottom, overnight in a B&B, back up to Myrdal the next day, and on to Bergen ... awesome trip
My friend is a traindriver on these lines, she often posts her trips in all weather's, some a lot worse conditions as this was....absolutely stunning scenery what ever time of year you travel... Nice to see the prices in the video, cheers
The sick bag is usually for those who had Altitude Sickness or Motion Sickness. There are quite a few people do get altitude sickness as the train ascends or descends. Also, for those who has gastric.
Took this train in March of this year, with a window seat on the left side. So much to see, don’t think I left my seat for the entire journey - not even to the toilet! Brought my own drinks and snacks so no need for the cafe car.
Omg this is so beautiful the train 10\10 i like it oslo that ks where my train is going to from gremany and to denmark and to Sweden and to oslo and back to Copenhagen
What an amazing trip and I may slip it onto my bucket list. The carriages maybe warm, as you mentioned, but the colour scheme and lack of carpet did not make it seem cosy!
In Finland we used to have the same lazy 2+2 seating layout in first class (with slightly more leg room than in standard class). Happily they spent a bit more money on different seats a few years ago and changed them to larger seats in 2+1 layout. Here in Finland the end couplers of the trains are heated as well as the doors/steps. Otherwise the units stuck together in the winter and could not be split when the train divided into two.
I am from Switzerland and i travelled on this beautiful line June 24 2023. The ride was phantastic and the weather was very good, mostly sunny. I was very impressed and i want travel on other norwegian train lines, e.g Oslo - Trondheim - Bodo.
I did this trip a few years ago and while the scenery we did see was wonderful, from Finse onwards the train spent too much time in snowsheds and tunnels. I realise these are all necessary for the line to operate especially in winter, but it left me felling somewhat disappointed at the end of the journey. I estimate that between Voss and Bergen the train spends about 50% of its journey in tunnels. There are more scenic lines in Switzerland.
Great video, thanks. I did this journey in Oct 2022 and must say I found the carriages to be a bit dark and crowded, almost claustrophobic, especially with the fairly small and too spaced out windows. Given the wonderful scenery, I think they are missing an opportunity for a more panoramic viewing experience, like the Bernina Express in Switzerland. I recently took the train from Kolasin to Virpazar in Montenegro, and altho the carriages were old and gross, the scenery was among the best I've ever seen from a train, especially from the back window. Cheers!
This planet that we live on is also a part of Heaven. Its just beautiful. We c its true beauty thru the diff countries of the World. Absolutely Magnificent.
one trip idd reccomend too is the trip from trondheim to bodø, it is som 700km long and you get so enjoy the views and allso the breathraking diesel locomotive DI4 and 5 Series passenger wagons, i will be driving that train on the 1 of january, actually
The moquette is a bit outdated to be honest. I believe it is from 2009/2010(?) and could have been more colourful 😅 It was to my applied to my surprise on seats on the newest Class 76 bimodal Stadler Flirts, only a couple of years old. Features some random words and quotes like "nyt reisen" = "have a pleasant journey"
Thank you for a great video from my "home route"! I really enjoy taking the train over to Oslo and back and I think you should do this trip at LEAST three times, probably four: winter, spring, summer and autmn (the latter is my favorite, amazing colours in september-october). I agree these trains are nice, however the carriages are now 40+ years old and even if they are refurbished and well maintained they are becomming rather unrelieble. Frequently long distance trains are replaced by Stadler Flirt EMU's meant for regional services. They lack most of the amenities you find in the class 7 carriages. El 18/class 7-trains are going to be replaced, as you probably know, by new Stadler FlirtNex trains (the new class 77) in a few years. I am a bit sceptical to this. NSB (now Vy) tried running long distance trains on the Bergen Line with EMU's (class 73), but went back to loco-hauled trains because of a series of incidents with the relatively light weigt EMU's in snowy conditions. The heavy, strong and reliable El 18 can probably serve this route well for another 15-20 years, I would have felt safer with one of them hauling new carriages ("class 8").
You missed out big style on Flam, i did it Bergen Oslo with a night in Flam, similar conditions, its worth the extra for first for the drinks which i did on the Trondheim to Bodo line, i paid on the day and it cost me 150 quid from memory including a return to Flam for second class, as you say book early it saves a fortune.
Biejoetiefoel! Thx so much, my wife and me are planning to go on this train later this year in summer so this video contains a lot of useful information. (maybe take a look at the last time stamp text, it says 'Bean' ;-)
In the first carriage, in Pluss you get an electrical outlet at every seat. A must if you want to bring along electronic devices for work or for entertainment. This is the only place on the train you can do so. Wi-Fi is sketchy at best.
Loved this video, I’m actually looking into a lil trip to Norway right now and I might confided this route. I noticed you were using some different kind of metric in this video compared to your other videos. Maybe it’s just me but if this was intentional please let me know, I really liked it
