Norway in a Nutshell (NIAN) is a popular tourist expedition departing from Oslo or Bergen. Essentially, the company Fjord Tours books various public transport tickets on your behalf, for you to explore some fjords and railways. There is no guide or leader with you on the route, but there are lots of other tourists so it’s impossible to get lost.
The price you pay NIAN is significantly higher than booking each part of the route directly. If you are entitled to public transport discounts, such as being a student, booking directly could save you even more. This is particularly important as the price of everything else in Norway is high.
I did the Bergen circular route (start and end at Bergen train station). The NIAN price was 2510 nok. However, booking each part directly was only 2025 nok (or 1669 nok for students). This is a saving of 485 to 841 nok per person (about £35 to £60). It’s the exact same experience for a notable discount.
Highlights
The Nærøyfjord cruise, Flåm Railway and stop at Myrdal train station are the best parts of the route. That was the final half of my trip, which made for good sequencing. The sun came out for the train back to Bergen, which was just as a stunning as the Flåm route, so sit on the right hand side if you want the best views.
The low was Voss. There isn’t much to see or do there. It’s a small town with outdoors shops. There is a gondola up the mountain but, compared to the views later on and cost of the gondola, I would skip. Where possible, I’d advise to reduce time in Voss to spend more time on the rest of the tour, in the more beautiful parts. However, if you want to stop for food, Voss has more to offer than all the other stops. Alternatively, take a packed lunch and save yourself even more. There are only a handful of shops at the other stops, so prices are high due to the monopoly.
How to self-book
Firstly, identify which route you want to take. To do this, visit the Norway in a Nutshell website and pick an itinerary. Once you have found your preferred route, save the locations and times then use these websites to book each segment directly:
- Book trains directly with Vy
- Book bus with Norway’s Best
- Book cruise with Norway’s Best
Don’t forget to add any discounts to your train bookings. This will almost double any savings compared to booking with NIAN.
My route
I started in Bergen and looped around, going to Voss, Gudvangen, Flåm and Myrdal, in that order. I used my student card to save 50% on the public trains. Here is a breakdown of the prices:
| Start | End | Adult | Student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen | Voss | 269 nok | 134 nok |
| Voss | Gudvangen | 160 nok | – |
| Gudvangen | Flåm | 640 nok | – |
| Flåm | Myrdal | 513 nok | – |
| Myrdal | Bergen | 404 nok | 222 nok |
| 1986 nok | 1669 nok |
Tips
- Book in advance, especially for summer.
- Book directly to save a small fortune.
- Use student or senior discount on the Vy trains, if eligible.
What to listen to
If you want to learn more about the history of Norway while on this adventure, try this podcast:
Norway from above
I took my drone on a Lithuania, Sweden and Norway trip recently. Enjoy some aerial footage (Norway is from 1 minute 25 seconds):
Leave a Reply