The Flåm Railway

The Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana) winds its way from Myrdal to Flåm, 865 metres below, nestled in the innermost corner of the Aurlandfjord.

Each year, this exciting stretch of railway attracts people from all corners of the world, making the Flåm Railway one of Norway's major and most spectacular tourist attractions.

Cascading waterfalls

The train journey provides some of Norway's wildest and most magnificent scenery. On the 20-kilometre long train ride you can see rivers that cut through deep ravines, waterfalls cascade down the side of steep, snow-capped mountains and mountain farms that cling dizzily to sheer slopes.

The Flåm Railway is one of the world's steepest railway lines on normal gauge. The gradient is 55/1000 on almost 80% of the line. The twisting tunnels that spiral in and out of the mountain are manifestations of the most daring and skilful engineering in Norwegian railway history.

At the foot of the mountains you can enjoy the natural beauty of the Flåm Valley and admire the majestic Aurlandfjord, a branch of Norway's longest fjord, the Sognefjord.

Time of travel

A trip on the Flåm Railway is just as stunning in winter as in summer. Indeed you should try both if you get the chance, as the landscape changes so dramatically with each season it makes for a radically different experience.

If you are travelling in winter remember that days are short this time of year, so make sure your trip is scheduled during daylight hours (typically 9 am to 4 pm). Earlier or later than that and part of your journey will be in the dark, which means you may miss out on the magnificent scenery along the way.

The trip between Myrdal and Flåm takes about one hour.