Myrdal

Understand

Flåm sits at the south end of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the great Sognefjord. Flåm is also the end station for the Flåm railway, the only railway in Sogn og Fjordane and connection to the Bergen railway between Oslo and Bergen. Thanks to the railway and the sightseeing boat to Gudvangen (as well as a large number of cruise ships), Flåm has become one of the most visited places in the Western Fjords. These deep fjords allow the largest cruise ships to enter. Nærøydalen and Flåmsdalen valleys are home to several impressive waterfalls, including some of the tallest in Norway.

Villages

Flåm is the end station for Flåmsbana and a good starting point for a cruise to Nærøyfjord, an arm of Sognefjord, and designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. Flåm sits at the mouth of Flåm valley that runs from the high plateau at Myrdal station to the fjord. 1 Aurland (Aurlandsvangen). Aurland, or more correctly Aurlandsvangen, is the municipal centre, with a notable little masonry church. Aurlandsvangen sits at the mouth of Aurlandsdalen (Aurland valley). The middle part of the valley is occupied by Vassbygdevatnet lake. Beyond Vassbygdi settlment Aurland valley has only foot paths and is a popular hiking trail. (updated Jun 2019) 2 Undredal. Undredal is inhabited by 100 people and 500 goats. Undredal is a small pretty village. There you will also find Undredal stave church, built in 1147. It only seats 40 people and is Norway's smallest church. Undredal is 16 km (10 mi) from Flåm. With car follow E16 towards Gudvangen, turn right after the first tunnel. Undredal is also accessible by the ferry between Flåm and Gudvangen. (updated Jun 2019) 3 Gudvangen. Gudvangen is a village at the end of famous Nærøyfjord, a World Heritage Site. The Nærøydalen valley runs from Gudvangen to Stalheim viewpoint. The area is home to a number of great waterfalls, among the tallest in the world. Road E16 runs through the village. (updated Jun 2019)

Getting there

By plane There is a small airport in Sogndal. The closest international airport flights is Bergen airport. Oslo airport, Gardermoen is some 5-6 hours driving.

By car Flåm is on the European route 16, and could be reached along this from Bergen in 2 hr 45 min. Driving from Oslo would require 5 hr 30 min. Flåm can be reached from Geilo in Buskerud on route 50. In summer this is also the quickest connection from Oslo. In winter, the route 50 can be closed due to bad weather conditions.

By bus Seven daily departures from Bergen, Sogndal and Lærdal.

By boat

Flåm is Norway's fourth largest cruise port, with about 175 cruise ship calls annually, bringing hundreds of thousand visitors to the tiny town. Flåm has space for one cruise ship to dock at its pier; others would tender to the central pier. A catamaran route links Flåm with Bergen and other villages along the Sognefjord. This is a great way to see the fjord. Departures once daily between 1 May and 30 September. There is also a car ferry which goes from Flåm to Gudvangen (kr 665 for a car and its driver).

By rail The famous Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana) from Myrdal, a station on the main Oslo-Bergen line, is in itself a major tourist attraction. Many travellers continue onwards with a scenic cruise through the fjord itself to Gudvangen, from where you can catch a bus back to the mainline. This roundtrip is known as Norway in a nutshell.

1 Myrdal Station (Myrdal stasjon). The Oslo-Bergen railway is operated by the Norwegian State Railways. If you buy your ticket online well in advance, fares may be as low as kr. 199 for a one-way ticket. For an additional fee of kr. 90 you may upgrade your ticket to NSB Komfort, the equivalent of first class, with better seats, free coffee and tea, power supply and a more quiet spot in the train. There should be a special car accessible for people using a wheelchair on all trains between Oslo and Bergen. A reservation is recommended. The train staff will assist you to get

Getting around

Walking is a good option since Flåm near the fjord is very compact. The rest of Flåm near the fjord can easily be covered by foot. More of the village is located a few miles up the river, along the route of the Flåmbana. The railway and bicycle are good options in the Flåm valley between Flåm village and Myrdal station. The upper part of Flåm valley and Myrdal station is not available by car, and caravans/motorhomes can only drive in the lowest part of the valley. The local road in Flåm valley is dead end and there is little traffic. Until the church the valley floor is flat and barely above sea level. A good place to start is at the Flåm Railway Station and Visitor Center (Flåm Turistinformasjon), where one can pick up a map of the village, browse a large gift shop, and buy tickets for boat, train, and bus sightseeing tours/rides. They also have wifi (must purchase vouchers) and washrooms. Aurland is also a compact village that can be covered on foot. Stegastein viewpoint is a long walk steep uphill. Aurland valley from the village to the lake is flat and easy, but to Vassbygdi better use car or bus. Gudvangen is a very small village only 200 meter across. Nærøydalen valley is largely flat and easy, but traffic can be fast. About 10 km to Stalheim. Bus, car or cycle are the options between Flåm and Aurland. Undredal is accessed through a 5 km tunnel from Flåm (12 km tunnel from Gudvangen), and hiking and cycling to Undredal is not possible from Flåm or Gudvangen. The European route E16 highway passes by Flåm and Aurland. Heading west, E16 enters the Gudvanga Tunnel on its way to the village of Gudvangen, located at the end of the narrow Nærøyfjord where the Nærøydalselvi river empties into the Nærøyfjord.

See

1 Flåm railway (Flåmsbana), ☏ +47 57632100, fax: +47 57632350, [email protected]. This railway climbs from sea level to 866 m (2841 ft) in 20 km (12 mi), making it the third steepest normal railway in the world. The railway is an engineering achievement. Several switchbacks are needed to climb the steep valley, one tight switchback is inside a tunnel. One tunnel, known as the Shelf, has a "window" allowing view from within. The switchback system at one point creates 3 or 4 levels of rail stacked up. The rail was opened in 1940 after 17 years of construction. Tunnels were largely built by hand and 1000 metres required 10 years of labour. With 5.5% gradient it is one of the steepest rail tracks in the world. View of high mountains and waterfalls through the gorge-like valley. A power station was built at the waterfall to provide electricity for the trains. Single ticket: Adults: kr 300, Children: kr 150, kr 210 for holder of Eurail and InterRail; Return ticket: Adults: kr 400, Children: kr 300.

2 Flåm railway museum (Flåmsbana Museet) (near the train station/visitor center, opposite pier 1), ☏ +47 57632310, fax: +47 57632311. 1 May-20 May: 09:00-19:00, 21 May-30 Sep: 09:00-20:00, 1 Oct-30 Apr: 13:30-15:00. Museum telling about the Flåm railroad and how it was constructed. Exhib