Europe’s Top Adventure This Summer time: This Record-Breaking Train Runs Through Stunning Landscapes
Whether it is Athens, Paris, or discovering the one welcoming place in Spain these days, Europe is all the time calling our title once we’re able to money in our PTO.
But maintain off on making journey plans for a second! A brand new report claims there is a record-breaking practice that is undoubtedly Europe’s prime summer season journey.
You could be shocked to find it isn’t France, Greece, Spain, or any of essentially the most notable names you’d consider; it is really a shocking journey by way of Scandinavia’s beautiful landscapes that noticed a file of passengers left gobsmacked in 2024.
I wasn’t certainly one of them final yr, however I’ve skilled it in earlier years, and I can attest: the Oslo-Bergen Railway has caught in my thoughts’s eye as certainly one of my prime journey reminiscences, and it is going to be for you too.
Just keep away from burritos in Norway…You’ll thank me later.
81.9 Million Journeys — But This One Is Norway’s Best!
Oslo. One of Europe’s most underrated capitals.
I’ve had the pleasure of visiting 3 instances and it has been a blast each time regardless of the bruised checking account afterward.
While I needed to sacrifice $8 Red Bulls for caffeine headache withdrawals, total, Norway is actually phenomenal from its welcoming locals, charming folklore, Hogwarts-esque practice stations, and most luxurious fjords, one thing so stunning it does not appear potential to be actual; a real “pinch me” second.
Unless you are already in Scandinavia, your best entry level shall be Oslo, a metropolis with 3 direct connections from the U.S by way of highly-respected Scandinavian Airlines or low-cost provider Norse Atlantic Airways, presumably the largest bag police airline on Earth (you should definitely pack correctly!).
Having been to Oslo a handful of instances, as a lot as I benefit from the distinctive tradition, vibrant waterfronts, and world-renowned artwork reveals, it is best served by a brief keep, which makes a visit throughout Norway’s astounding surroundings and postcard villages much more attractive.
A file 81.9 million rail journeys transpired throughout Norway in 2024, however there is not any doubt the Oslo-Bergen Railway (additionally known as “Bergensbanen” if you wish to attempt your hand at Norse) is just not solely the most well-liked, however globally famend as the last word summertime thrill.
There are a complete of 12 stops between Oslo and Bergen, the gateway to Norway’s well-known fjords. While it might be tempting to remain put in your window seat the entire journey, do not sleep on the in-between.
Norway’s Postcard Villages
After departing from Oslo, the primary cease is Drammen, a scenic riverside stopping level earlier than the true journey begins.
The subsequent stretch escapes town bustle of crowded plazas, line-out-the-door museums, and unending troll statues, traversing village after village for hours earlier than finally ending up in a what seems like a Lord of the Rings movie set.
Among the various charming stops alongside the way in which, these 3 are notably notable:
Flå: Home to Bjørneparken (Bear Park), this small village nestled within the inexperienced Hallingdal valley is the last word vacation spot for wildlife lovers who can stand up shut and private with foxes, bears, wolves, moose, and extra!
Finse: Reaching Finse is the head of the journey — actually. Sitting over 4,000 ft excessive, Finse provides a winter wonderland setting within the midst of summer season with snow-capped mountains in an unlimited expanse of uncooked, untouched wilderness.
Voss: Ever paid for overpriced glass bottles of water with “Voss” slapped on the label? Well, you’ve got reached its namesake! Voss provides a treasure trove of actions for thrill-seekers, for which you’ll be able to refuel with, you guessed it, Voss water. This tiny village is Norway’s “adrenaline capital” with towering waterfalls, white-water rapids, skydiving, snowboarding, and something that will get your blood pumping.
Bergen: Norway’s Heaven On Earth
There are practically 200 international locations on our stunning planet. I’ve solely checked off about 40 to date, however when individuals ask me for recommendation on the place to go in Europe, Bergen is all the time a prime hidden gem I like to recommend, irrespective of the season.
When I visited, it was throughout the throes of winter, and each aforementioned village and past was a Hallmark film with gleaming white snow blankets and winter wonderland magic.
Come summer season, Bergen and the encompassing area tackle an entire new vibe, however much more vivid and plush.
If you are not accustomed to fjords, Merriam-Webster defines them as “a narrow inlet of the sea between cliffs or steep slopes,” which sounds method much less enthralling than it’s in actual life.
While I’m not a non secular man, it is arduous to not query whether or not Bergen’s fjords weren’t meticulously designed. They are a residing masterpiece carved by millennia of ice and water, forming awe-inspiring cliffs, valleys, and pristine waterways.
But it isn’t simply the fjords exterior of city, the townscape is an enthralling vacation spot itself with a picturesque most important plaza that places life into perspective how small we’re amongst the staggering peaks.
Ticket costs fluctuate day after day. Purchase tickets for the roughly 6-hour journey here.
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