The Flam Railway is not just known as the most beautiful train ride in Norway, but one of the best in the entire world! The journey on the Flamsbana takes you winding through the mountains from Flam to Myrdal. When combined with the Myrdal to Flam bike ride through the lush valley it makes for the ultimate day for any adventure lover. Come check out our experience along with tips for exploring this scenic part of Norway.
About the Flam Railway & Rallarvegen
Also known as the Flamsbana, the Flam Railway is one of the most popular things to do in the country. The train goes from the town of Flam Norway up into the small mountain village of Myrdal. If you can believe it, the Myrdal stop actually connects with trains from Oslo, Bergen, and other places in Norway!
After the one-hour ride, you can take the train back to Flam, or rent bikes and cruise back to town. If you enjoy mountain biking then we highly recommend the Rallarvegen trail. Whatever you decide, you’re sure to have a fun day on the Flamsbana.
→ Planning a Trip to Norway: 10 Step Easy to Follow Travel Guide
Buying Tickets for the Flamsbana
The first thing you’ll want to do is lock in your Flam to Myrdal train time. Specifically, in the warmer summer months, the Flam Railway will sell out fast!
For this reason, you’ll want to book your tickets and time slot as soon as you know your dates. You can also buy them at the ticket office in Flam on the day of with the risk of it being sold out.
If you’re planning the Myrdal to Flam bike you’ll want to book the one-way train ticket and not pay for the round-trip fair. Once you have your Flamsbana tickets make sure to reserve your bike rental. We booked ours through Café Rallaren in Myrdal which was great because we didn’t have to mess with bringing them on the train.
Don’t worry though! You can pick up your bikes at any time of the day between 9:00 & 17:00. This means you’re able to take your time at the top in Myrdal and return them whenever you get to the bottom back in Flam before 18:30.
→ Book Your Flam to Myrdal Train Tickets
→ Book Your Myrdal to Flam One Way Bike Rentals
5 Tips For Boarding the Flam Railway
Arrive Early: Be ready to line up when they open the gates! You’ll want to be one of the first on the train.
Where to Sit: Sit on the right side. This is the most important of our tips for the Flamsbana. There will be views all over but the best are from the right side of the Flam Railway.
Open Windows: Some of the seats have windows that actually open. If you want some fresh air or pictures without the glass, grab one of these.
Kjosfossen Falls: Halfway through the ride, you will exit the train for 5 minutes for a look at the Kjosfossen Waterfall. Make sure you experience this.
Getting to Myrdal: When arriving at Myrdal you’ll have to get off momentarily even if you’re taking it back. Otherwise, you can go pick up your bicycle for the Myrdal to Flam bike ride.
Our Train From Flam Norway to Myrdal
We arrived at the train station early and grabbed some food and coffee from the Flam bakery. The busy cafe ended up being a great spot for takeaway sandwiches as we waited for the train.
As we mentioned in our tips section above, we got our tickets in advance online and were the first to line up for the train. This ensured we got the first seats on the right side for amazing views en route to the top.
The ride takes less than one hour to complete. Along the way, it will climb 864 meters, pass through 20 tunnels, and make a stop at the giant Kjosfossen Falls.
Picking Up Our Bicycles in Myrdal
After an amazing train ride, it was time to head back to Flam Norway. The Myrdal to Flam bike ride is incredible and we recommend it to anyone who wants to see this special area in an active way. Just know you do need some level of experience to ride bikes here.
The small cafe where we rented the bikes from is directly on the platform. So after giving our confirmation code we picked up the bikes and we were off!
Online we had to reserve what size bike we wanted to take but the staff was great at making sure everyone had something they were comfortable with.
Before leaving, make sure to take a photo on your phone of the drop-off location. It is right next to where you got on the train in Flam. That is one of the best parts about renting the bike from the cafe. When you’re done you just leave it at the bottom.
What to Expect on Myrdal to Flam Bike Ride
The trail starts out with a series of over 20 steep switchbacks. Hands down, this was the most challenging part of the ride. The first half of the trail after this is bumpy, but the 2nd section is all pavement so you can cruise your way to the bottom.
If you don’t mind skipping the steep beginning there is another option for adventurous travelers. You can actually take the Flam Zip line down to a goat farm at the bottom of the valley! From here, you will pick up your bikes and start your ride at a different location.
The Rallarvegen trail took us 3+ hours which was full of epic photo stops and scenic viewpoints. Almost all of the ride is downhill with only a few small uphills. We didn’t let the rain stop us and the misty weather made for a completely unique landscape.
The Myrdal to Flam bike ride was easily one of the top highlights of our trip to Norway. Not only was it a fun way to experience the nature of Flam, but riding through the massive valley was such a different perspective than we got from the train.
Have any questions about the Flam Railway or want to share your own tips from the Myrdal to Flam bike ride? Let us know in the comments below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
Where in the world are we? Follow our daily adventures on Instagram @nothingfamiliar!
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More Norway Tips
- 12 Best Tips To Know Before Exploring the Norway Fjords
- Best Clothes for Norway: What to Pack & Wear On Your Holiday
- Norway Itinerary: Amazing 7 Day Fjord Road Trip from Oslo
- Geiranger Fjord Guide: 10 Helpful Things to Know Before Your Visit
- 9 Important Things to Know Before Renting a Car in Norway
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Norway Travel Planning
Flights: We always find deals using Skyscanner and Kayak. That’s how we got flights from Italy to Prague for under $40 USD!
Rental Car: We use Discover Cars when abroad. It is especially popular to rent a car and spend one week cruising between the Fjords.
Accommodation: Compare competitive sites for hotels such as Booking.com and Agoda. Also, Hostelworld should be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget.
Tours: Check out Get Your Guide for activities all over Norway. You can book everything from an Oslo pass for museums and transportation to a Bergen Fjord tour and even take a famous Tromsø Aurora Borealis Tour!
Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without being covered. We’ve been using SafetyWing for the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.
Packing Lists: Here’s all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists! Including electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!
We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
I’m traveling as a solo female. Is this comfortable to do alone you think? Seems from previous comments it was trafficked enough with people/bikes/hikers.
Author
Yes, a lot of people on the trail including families with kids. Most of Norway is very safe from our experience.
Could you please provide information on waiting onboard of the train at Flam station? is the waiting spot same for one-way (from Flam to Myrdal) and round-trip tickets or in separate spots? we have a young girl who doesn’t like the bike riding from Myrdal to Flam will take the train back to Flam and rest of our family will ride bike back to Flam. We prefer her sit with us on the way to Myrdal.
We are really enjoy your travel artic and information shared,
Thanks,
Julia
Author
Yes, it’s the same spot for either ticket! The bike rental spot we used was right next to the train stop in Myrdal so it should work out perfectly. Hope you have a great trip!
Hi, Great article, thanks for the information! I wanted to know if the trail is safe for riding in the early days of March. Also, is there any local shop which has rental bikes in that month?
Author
Thanks for reading Manthan! We’re not sure about the trail in March. The bike shop we rented from (Cafe Rallaren) is only open from June to September so that seems doubtful. Let us know if you find anything to the contrary though!
Hi, Great blog.
A quick question. We’re casual bikers and in our 70’s. Booked the Flam train through our cruise ship and on the return journey back to Flam, we stop at Berekvam and pick up bikes there to bike the rest of the way to Flam. I’m assuming that Berekvam to Flam is an easier section, smooth bike paths and no switchback over rough terrain? Any comments?
Thanks so much
Author
Hi Carol!
Yes, the entire route starting at Berekvan will be much easier. Most (if not all) from our memory is on the paved road coasting downhill and flattens out once you get closer to Flam. It’s a beautiful ride! Hope you enjoy your trip (-:
I see you have a link to the bike rentals from Café Rallaren (whom it appears is a very safety-conscience vendor to rent a bike from). I am very confident with renting a bike from them, however, to get ahead of the morning crowds, I was considering renting a bike from the zipline company (whom I intend to use so I don’t have to do the switchbacks) and also so I can get off the train just before Myrdal and save all that time with the crowds up there. But there is such little information available from them online. (And it says they have limited bikes available.) Do you have any information about them? Or should I just go with Cafe Ralleren as there is so much more information and high reviews about them?
Author
Hi Teresa & Scott!
If you are going to do the zipline we recommend using that company as well to rent the bikes from. The reason for this is that they’ll have the bikes waiting at the bottom of the zipline for you! They provide an all in one program for the train, bike, and zipline that you book together.
While we didn’t use this company ourselves, we passed them on our bike ride and we thought it was set up really well. Seems like the perfect way to still experience everything and avoid the switchbacks at the beginning of the bike trail.
Sorry we don’t have more information besides that, but we recommend you email them directly. It looks like their website is updated for the 2024 season already. Have fun!
Thanks for this sharing this adventure! I’m planning to take my family to Norway next summer and the train is definitely on the to do list. But I didnt know you could get back by bike. Is it doable for a 8 years old? Our daughter is used to cycling, but in the NL we’ve got no terrain to practice that kinda ride 😉
Author
Probably not for that young. There is a very steep part going downhill at the beginning which you could walk if you’re not comfortable. A lot of it is on the road, but other bikers will be going at high speeds around you.
We recommend reaching out to the Café Rallaren bike rental shop and getting some additional advice from them though! Hope you have a great trip (-:
Thank you for this article! My husband and I did this trip last month based on your recommendation and other vloggers on YouTube. This was by far one of the best excursions we’ve ever done! We did it all on our own from the cruise ship. Even in the pouring rain it was so majestic! Cafe Rallaren made this experience so easy and convenient. Pro tip: do not try to stop your bike on the wet wooden bridges 😆 iykyk
Hello. We are want to know if you rent bikes on the 1st of October that we are taking the train from Flam to myrdal and would love to bike back.
Author
Hi! We don’t rent the bikes from here you’ll want to go to the official website to book. The link is inside the article (-:
Hello! Thanks for the tips! I am a bit curious on the 20 hairpin turns on the bike down as I’m traveling with my mom. Do you ride on the road and are their cars passing you? Is it pavement or loose rock? I’m just wondering how hard it is! Maybe we will play it safe and do the zip line down to the flat area if it’s too sketchy! Thanks, Kate
Author
On that top part there is no cars at all. It’s a tight gravel road with only hikers and mountain bikes. It is easy enough to walk this part if you don’t think you can ride down it. Hope that helps!
Hi Kate! It’s like loose gravel. You can totally walk it with your bike and take in the views. I made my husband stop at nearly every turn for pictures 🤣 We did ride the brakes a lot on the way down, but it wasn’t as bad as we thought it was going to be. There were some ATV’s on the road going back and forth. (I think they were helping with the zip lining as it goes right above the trail.) We were worried we were going to get lost, but it’s literally one way and one road down. So, so easy! You will not regret doing this trip!
Hi Brigitte and Jake,
Thanks a lot for the super helpful info! I’m considering whether to rent bikes and you may have convinced me to do so, but I’m just a little conscious of time – my friend and I are driving over from Bergen in the morning, aiming to take the Flamsbana around 11:30am. That means we’ll reach Myrdal around 12:30. When we get back to Flam, we were also planning on doing the 2-hour cruise on the Naeroyfjord to Gudvangan (latest departure time 16:35). Do you think we’ll have time to do all of this if we rent bikes rather than taking the train back? With a bit of time for lunch as well of course 😀
How long did it take you to cycle back to Flam?
Thanks a lot,
Oliver
Author
Hi Oliver,
I believe the bike ride from Myrdal to Flam took us around two hours. This was with photo stops and breaks to take in the scenery. Sounds like you should more than enough time for the fjord cruise after!
Have a great trip to Norway (-:
– Brigitte & Jake
Hi Oliver!
Did you have enough time? I’m having the same doubts because I arrive to Myrdal at 9.30 and want to take a tour at 13.30…
Thanks a lot!
Can you tour Norway without a car? Can you get around just by train?
Author
Yes! There are some travelers who do a mix of trains and ferries through the Fjords. The most popular train ride in Norway is called “Norway in a nutshell”! Hope that helps. 🙂
It helps.
I’m going in June, 223. I like the freedom of having a car.
In your opinion, would you suggest renting a car or trying to do everything by train/Bus/Ferry?
Author
Hi Mark! We loved having a car. We actually wrote an article about our itinerary that you can check out. Personally, a car was worth it so we had the freedom to go where we wanted. It really depends on your travel style!
Can you take your own bike on this train or do you have to rent one. I will have my own bike when I visit Norway next July.
Author
Hi Mark! Yes, you can bring your own bike on the train! When you purchase your ticket just make sure to buy a one-way ride and add on a bicycle! Have fun!