Making the most of Flam Aurlandsfjord
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Tiny, beautiful Flåm lies at the innermost end of Aurlandsfjord, a branch of Sognefjord, which is 204 kilometers long and reaches 1308 meters deep.
Steep mountain sides, deep valleys and thundering waterfalls surround Flåm, making it a distinctive nature experience.
Large cruise ships are a familiar daily sight in spring and summer. From Flåm Port and the fjord boats, it is only a short walk to the Flåm Railway.
At times ships use their tenders to bring passengers ashore, so reaching the train station takes longer.
Kai means Docked; Anker means Anchored.
The Flåm Railway, more than 65 years old, is widely regarded as one of the world's most remarkable rail journeys. It climbs nearly 900 meters from fjord to mountaintop, with a one in 18 gradient, a spiral mountain tunnel and dramatic scenery. The train pauses about 10 minutes at the waterfall in both directions for photographs from the platform. For a same-day return, photograph it on the down trip, as everyone gets off on the way up. Advanced reservation is recommended.
A private branch of the Bergensbanen railway, the Flåm Railway has 9-10 daily high-season departures from May to September and 4-5 daily departures for the rest of the year. Cruise ships offer the excursion, but station tickets are straightforward to buy independently. Tours run first thing in the morning, yet after 2pm the made rush has passed; allow 3 hours for delays and you can travel independently on the same train in another carriage. Cruise-tour carriages can be packed. Views depend on weather, and morning fog can occur, so book any trip…
Visit the free Flåmsbana Museum in Flåm to learn the history of this 20 kilometers stretch of railway. A small reasonably priced gift shop sits at the front, followed by displays of rooms, a toy train collection and large full-scale real trains. Do not overlook it.
Check whether other ships are in port that day. If they are, purchase train tickets in advance at another port such as Oslo or join a ship-organized tour, as this train sells out quickly.
The rest of the village is compact and easy to cover on foot. Shops and restaurants cluster around the train station, and a COOP supermarket with good pricing, plus a beach and pier, are near the caravan site.
Getting around
RallarToget is a charming road train, taking a sightseeing circuit through the beautiful village of Flåm.
Public busses and ferries offer a range of scenic tours around the surrounding area.
Norway in a Nutshell combines ferry, bus and trains for a spectacular day out.
Bikes can be hired from the tourist office.
RIB motor boat tours are bookable by the pier near the caravan site.
Several mountain walking trails are available, with free route maps from the tourist information office.
Money
Norway's currency is the Norwegian crown (Norske krone), shortened to kr; one 1/100th krone is an øre. 1.00 EUR = about 9 NOK. Norway is among the world's most expensive countries!
Norwegian ATMs are called Minibank.
Almost all stores take major credit cards, including Mastercard and Visa. Bring your passport/driver's license, as identification is required for credit-card use.
Staying connected
Norwegian is Norway's official language and is close to the other two mutually intelligible Scandinavian languages; English widely spoken.
The train station has an Internet cafe. Most public libraries provide free public internet access. WiFi is available in many places (not free).
Opening Hours and
Norway's opening hours have improved, although many small stores close early on Saturday, typically 1 PM or 3 PM, and nearly everything shuts on Sundays. Door signs such as "9-21 (9-18)" mean 9 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 6 PM Saturday.