Rail Trip to Lofoten in Norway

[TravellingPhil]

So after the (mostly) succesfull European rail adventures we've been embarking on over the past year, we're thinking of making our most ambitious one yet this October.

We want to travel all the way to Narvik in Norway by train where we will then hire a car to explore Lofoten. (We accept that we may have to catch a bus to a car hire point where we can drop it off again...which might mean a slog all the way to the ferry terminal at Moskenes at the end of the islands. That's going to take a bit of a logistical discussion between my wife and I!)

Getting there, we'll go via Hamburg, Copenhagen and Stockholm and then the sleeper train to Narvik.

We have several options for coming home and was wondering if anyone here has any opinions or experiences.

The first option is to simply come back the way we came...but possibly utilising the sleeper between Stockholm and Hamburg. But that would also mean picking up and dropping off a hire car at Narvik...which would be simple and save a lot of costs.

However, I'm quite interested in taking the ferry from Moskenes to Bodo and taking the train all the way to Oslo, changing at Trondheim. Is the scenery worth the day train on this route or will the sleeper trains be ok without missing much? I orginally thought about the ferry from Kristiansand to Emshaven in Holland but have found out that it no longer sails to Emshaven but to Emden on the German side, making rail connections more difficult. I see there is an Oslo to Kiel overnight ferry so that might be an option.

I was also considerinng taking the Hurtigruten ferry from Slovaer in Lofoten to Bergen..but I fear that route might add a bit too much time to the trip with the need to get back to Oslo.

We really want to avoid flying, but if we have to, we were thinking of making the most of it and taking Hurtigruten the other way to Kirkenes at the top of Norway and flying home from there.

We have 16 nights to complete this trip. I fancy seeing Miniature Wunderland in Hamburg (I'm 44...I don't care..I want to see it! ) and I quite fancy a day in Stockholm on the way too. I reckon with good planning we can get 3 days on Lofoten.

Do you think we are biting more off than we can chew with a trip like this? Should we just give in and fly?

What route would you take?

Has anyone been to this part of the World by train and recommend anything?

As far as tickets go, I know interrail might be an option. I'm also rail staff so have FIP/Coupon facilities (Standard Class) but occasionally, it's actually worth going for First Class public fares on certain routes as they can be really cheap (e.g. last year, we got fom Paris to Milan on TGV for around 60 Euros each in first class...well worth paying the bit more than it would've cost for a reservation fee with our FIPs in Standard). I don't think Norway is part of FIP anyway. (Please correct me if I'm wrong)

Taking a train all the way to the Arctic Circle from home is a bit of a bucket list item for me. As wonderful as they look, we don't fancy doing one of those Norweigan cruises from Southampton or something. We love finding our own way to get to places!

 

[Watershed]

The line between Oslo, Trondheim and Bodo is very scenic for almost its entire length. That being said, it is 'same'-y to a degree, so if you're doing at least some of the journey at a time when you'll have daylight, I suppose you wouldn't be missing out totally. Perhaps best to go before the clocks change, to maximise daylight hours.

I think flying is inevitable if you want to get in as much as possible in Scandinavia; due to the long distances and slow rail/road links, there is generally a good choice of flights. That being said, on a 16 day trip you may be able to do it all by rail. I find I don't get a particularly good night's sleep on most sleepers, but of course your experience may vary.

I've not been on all the Scandinavian rail lines, but from experience I would say that the line from Oslo to Bergen - and in particular the Flåm railway - is exceptional, as well as the initial section of the line from Narvik towards the Swedish border, which climbs up next to the Ofotfjord.

During the summer season, the Inland line (Inlandsbanan) also has daily passenger services operating between Gällivare and Ostersund, and Ostersund and Mora. The scenery is very pleasant, even if not spectacular for the most part, but it's well worth doing as it is truly unique; the train stops in the middle of nowhere several times en-route to allow people to take pictures and eat at trackside restaurants! We were also welcome to sit and take pictures in the back cab

The FIP arrangements in Scandinavia make our ticketing start to look sane! FIP stopped being valid Sweden in the early 2000s after SJ pulled out of the scheme. Meanwhile they have always been valid in Norway on the state operator, Vy (previously known as NSB) - except on the Norwegian section of the Narvik line, as services were SJ operated.

Following SJ winning some Norwegian franchise tenders, and Vy winning some Swedish franchise tenders, you now have the bizarre situation where FIP facilities are valid on SJ services in Norway, but not on Vy services on the Narvik line, even within Norway!

 

[matt]

Another recommendation for the Bergen line and the Flåm railway. The Trondheim to Oslo line is pretty good too. I did the Kiel to Oslo ferry a month or so ago and thats a good way of travelling between Germany and Norway. It's a good way of getting back to Hamburg as you can get a train from Kiel to Hamburg very easily.

 

[Segedunum]

Bodø is a pleasant line. The staff will announce when you've crossed the Arctic Circle and parts feel truly "wild". Plus it has some decent diesel haulage that you won't get elsewhere in Scandinavia!

The line between Bergen and Oslo is truly spectacular in places. It's a beautiful run and I very much enjoyed it. It was rather strange seeing snow in August.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Your plans sound excellent but I would caution you on your choice of time of year. In October Narvik & Lofoten areas only get a few hours of daylight each day which will seriously impair your enjoyment of the spectacular scenery, and, even further south e.g. Oslo /Bergen you are probably looking at only around 8 or 9 hours daylight (depending on the time of the month). When I visited Tromso which is only about 100 miles further north, I was told there the sun does not rise between 1st November and 1st February each year. I would seriously recommend you consider re-scheduling for early summer when e.g. in June you would enjoy 24 hour daylight and in all probability better weather too. May or July would also be good options. Our Nordic members such as @jamesontheroad will I am sure be able to advise more accurately than I on the prospects of daylight in October..

I have taken the Hurtigruten from Bodo to Svolvaer (n summer) and the Lofoten Wall is a spectacular sight as you approach from the sea. All the rail lines in Norway have great and often spectacular scenery, my personal favourites being Oslo Bergen, the Andalsnes branch and the Nordland line to Bodo - plus the opportunity to visit Hell near Trondheim!

I would also highly recommend Miniature Wonderland, whilst I have a friend who speaks very highly of the Oslo Kiel ferry.

I hope you find this helpful.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Yes, the pièce de résistance of Norwegian railways is the Bergen line and the branch down to Flåm. Oslo to Trondheim is also good along Lake Mjøsa
and then over the wild Dovrefjell moors. The branch to Åndalsnes is also spectacular, with a spiral tunnel en-route. You can get the Hurtigruten Åndalsnes to Bergen to make a nice itinerary Trohndheim - Dombås - Åndalsnes - Bergen - Oslo. As a cheapskate I took the bus instead of the Hurtigruten!

The Stavanger line is rather pedestrian (literally and figuratively) being largely away from the coast, in pleasant but unspectacular country. It is very slow - parts were formerly narrow gauge. Trondheim to Bodø is an attractive line, but if time is short the sleeper is useful. The crowded day train can get a bit wearing in summer with a 9hr journey time. Narvik to the Swedish border is spectacular - when I first travelled this line in the '80s there were still the remains of German warships in the fjord.

You can, of course, go Oslo - Göteborg - Malmö - Copenhagen and then on to Hamburg by train, although the service is rather thin. Another option is to take the ferry Larvik (south of Oslo) to Hirtshals at the tip of Denmark and travel by train through Jutland down to Hamburg.

FIP is valid on all services in Norway (not just Vy (NSB)), but not on the Flåm branch or Flytoget airport services (Oslo).

 

[30907]

It is many years since I did the bus trip from Narvik to Fauske/Bødo, and I believe the road has been upgraded somewhat, but it is spectacular with a couple of longish ferry sections.

 

[The exile]

Does the bus connection still run from Narvik to Bodo /Fauske? That way you can have the simple car hire return and the Norwegian line south.

Beaten to it, I see! It’s also many years since I was up that way (1991), but once seen, never forgotten.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Yes, I omitted the Flam branch from my favourites, I sometimes travelled on the sleeper from Oslo, making sure to leave my bed at Myrdal at 05.00 to enjoy the descent to Flam.
And as noted the Narvik Fauske bus trip - which does still run - the European Rail timetable is a good planning tool, including listing bus and sea routes.

Noting an error in a previous post, the Hurtigruten serves Alesund but not Andalsnes, the two are linked by bus. ,

 

[TravellingPhil]

Thank you everyone for your brilliant suggestions. I have indeed beeing thinking about the Bergen and Flam lines. However, I think that would be too much for this trip. That area alone warrants it's own holiday. Hopefully, the rumours of the Newcastle to Bergen ferry returning are true which would make that a superb non flying holiday. I do have future plans to see southern Norway as it's own holiday though. In fact reading your suggestions, it looks like there could be lots to go back for! The more I go into Europe, the more my list of things I want to see grows!

With regards to daylight, we would be in Lofoten around the 7th to 9th October. According to a quick google search, daylight hours are 07:30 to 18:00 in Svolaer (Lofoten's main town) for then, so it won't be too bad. I can see it sharply falls off a cliff later in October, so our timing, I think, will be just on the side of it being worthwhile. I would love to see the Northern Lights there too. Plenty of night time, but gloomy weather which I read is common for those parts in October might scupper that!

I love planning rail trips off my own back...but this one is my biggest challenge yet. It does seem very doable though.

Also need to decide if I want to use soe coupons on the ferry from Harwich to start the journey from Rotterdam or spend some Eurostar points that I've accumlated and start the journey from Brussels. Either way would spend either a night at sea or a night in Belgium. (I know you can get to Hamburg in a day from London...but with DBs current performance, I think I would rather be on the continent and ready to go rather than start from home).

 

[Watershed]

It is many years since I did the bus trip from Narvik to Fauske/Bødo, and I believe the road has been upgraded somewhat, but it is spectacular with a couple of longish ferry sections.

There's now just the one ferry involved, about an hour's crossing IIRC. Many bridges and tunnels and in fact the journey is almost worth doing in its own right!

Does the bus connection still run from Narvik to Bodo /Fauske? That way you can have the simple car hire return and the Norwegian line south.

Beaten to it, I see! It’s also many years since I was up that way (1991), but once seen, never forgotten.

There's still a bus between Narvik and Bødo - though in fact it isn't actually a through service. You have to change from one bus to the adjacent one at Bognes, the southern ferry terminal, as the Narvik bus runs on a different ferry to/from Lofoten. It's a guaranteed connection, naturally!


If you are going to/from the south by train, it's best to change at Fauske. You're not missing out on much if you avoid the double back to Bødo and the timings are based on connections at Fauske.

 

[jamesontheroad]

I was told there the sun does not rise between 1st November and 1st February each year. I would seriously recommend you consider re-scheduling for early summer when e.g. in June you would enjoy 24 hour daylight and in all probability better weather too. May or July would also be good options. Our Nordic members such as @jamesontheroad will I am sure be able to advise more accurately than I on the prospects of daylight in October.

Thanks for the nudge @Cheshire Scot Mrs Ontheroad and I (based in Sweden at 64°N) have actually been noodling around the idea of a road trip later this summer to finally see the Lofotten Islands.

A good website to use for calculating sunrise and sunset times is timeanddate.com - here’s the page showing sunrise and sunset for Narvik in October.

Sunrise and sunset times in Narvik, October 2023

Calculations of sunrise and sunset in Narvik – Norway for October 2023. Generic astronomy calculator to calculate times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset for many cities, with daylight saving time and time zones taken in account.

www.timeanddate.com

October is not actually terrible - its only slightly more than halfway between the summer and winter solstices, so there is still a chunk of daylight to enjoy the scenery. But you will notice the rapid shortening of the days. Every single day will be eight minutes shorter than the last.

If it were my trip, I’d travel to Narvik as planned, and then rent a car to travel the length of the Lofoten Islands, before taking the car on the ferry to Bodø and paying a one-way surcharge to return it there. Hertz, Avis and Sixt all have offices in both cities, and will be familiar to renting cars to tourists doing it one-way. Rent-A-Wreck are big in Norway and Sweden, but their franchise model might not allow for one-ways. Worth asking. You will also get a more "interesting" car, usually 5-8 years old, than one of the more expensive chains.

(Car hire will be expensive, so if you’ve got any discount vouchers, frequent flyer points, etc now is the time to use them.)

Then it’s train Bodø - Trondheim and Trondheim - Oslo. It would be a diversion but a worthwhile one to Bergen or even just Flam, but remember that branch is not included in Interrail. Even in surly October weather it can be spectacular.

The new ferry from Kristiansand to Emden in Germany does indeed sail to the Netherlands and Germany at different times of the year, and there’s only one ship so it’s not daily. But Emden isn’t terrible: most European ferry terminals are now a bus or taxi ride away from train stations.

I don’t think anyone bas mentioned the DFDS Ferry from Oslo to Frederikshavn in north-eastern Denmark. (You can also sail to Frederikshavn from Gothenburg). From there you have an interesting rail route down the (admittedly flat) spine of Denmark. The journey begins on the small independent operator Nordjyske Jernbaner to Aalborg.

Sticking to trains the whole way, Oslo - Gothenburg is unknown to me, but not very frequent and now served by regional trains instead of the older and more comfortable intercity trains. Gothenburg is lovely, and the Volvo museum is worth a trip if you like things on wheels. From Gothenburg you can sail overnight with Stena Line to Kiel. Continue to Malmö and you can retrace your steps (perhaps on the SJ Euronight, instead of DSB’s daytime trains from Copenhagen) or you can sail under the Great Belt Bridge by taking a Finnlines ferry overnight to Travemünde. That ferry saved my bacon when I missed the last Hamburg-Copenhagen train a few years ago on my way to northern Sweden.

Ask me anything about the above. Have fun planning.

 

[JB_B]

We're currently using the last few days of our Interrail passes to do a quick loop round Scandinavia from/to Hook of Holland. We reached Svolvær on Sunday but sadly only had time for one night. From what we could see from the boat in (from Bodø) and the bus out (to Narvik), the Lofoten islands are definitely worth a longer visit.

(Olso-Trondheim-Bodø and Narvik-Kiruna certainly worthwhile - As was Oulu-Kuopio. It's 30+ years since I did Bergen and Flåm - that was scenic but really just a bit of blur now.)

 

[30907]

You could do the Lofoten route by bus rather than hire car, but probably not in a single day for comfort!

 

[TravellingPhil]

Thank you again for the further suggestions.

You could do the Lofoten route by bus rather than hire car, but probably not in a single day for comfort!

We might end up using that bus to reach a more useable car hire point. I noticed that picking up at Evenes airport and dropping off in Svolaer dramatically reduces the price than picking up in Narvik itself. The bus stops at Evenes too. So that looks like a good option.

I noticed that bookings are actually open now for the Stockholm to Narvik sleeper (I'm guessing timetables were finalised this week), so I've got that booked now as I feel that would be one of the more tricky ones for availability. Seeing it's a bit of a pinch point for the trip too. Most of the other legs there are various options but this bit I felt I should book while I can. And only a few extra krona for fully refundable, so no pressure if any of the other legs prove difficult to book.

Super impressed with the VY website and App. We've got a private sleeping compartment. There's no 1st class compartments with en suite on this route (unless changing from a different sleeper train at Boden), but we're not bothered. The train still looks pretty comfortable.

So, I have a point to piece the rest of the trip around now.

Certainly looking forward to it, October might not be the best time for weather to be heading that way...but I somehow think that won't ruin our enjoyment too much.

 

[TravellingPhil]

I have everything booked to Narvik with no issues.

Coming back, looks like line is closed between Trondheim and Oslo that week. We don’t particularly want a long bus journey, so spending an extra day on Lofoten and then speeding back on two successive sleeper trains as far as Hamburg has now become our preferred option. Cuts hire car and hotel costs as we won’t have to stay in expensive cities coming back.

We’ll do southern Norway on it’s own another time.

Looking forward to it….this is our biggest one yet so we’ll see how we get on!

 

[30907]

I have everything booked to Narvik with no issues.

Coming back, looks like line is closed between Trondheim and Oslo that week.

Both routes?

 

[TravellingPhil]

Both routes?

Not sure to be honest. It just says Eidsvoll to Lillehammer will be closed. Not sure if that affects the other route. Hard to tell from a map!

Which company runs the second route? Can SJ Nord divert along the other route?

It’s a tough one to call. Do I bag places on the sleeper trains while I can or wait out and see what happens with the track works?

 

[ac6000cw]

When I visited Tromso which is only about 100 miles further north, I was told there the sun does not rise between 1st November and 1st February each year.

Just a quick comment - having spent 2 weeks cruising on Hurtigruten from Bergen to Kirkenes and return in the middle of January, just because the sun doesn't rise above the horizon it doesn't mean it's actually dark during the day.

It's just that you don't get any direct sunlight, and the light levels are lower (it's winter after all!). On the other hand you get some fabulous and long-lasting sunrises and sunsets....

A couple of (straight out of camera) photos of the yard and station taken early morning at Trondheim (which is far enough south to have about 5-7 hours between sunrise and sunset in January).

 

[Segedunum]

Not sure to be honest. It just says Eidsvoll to Lillehammer will be closed. Not sure if that affects the other route. Hard to tell from a map!

Which company runs the second route? Can SJ Nord divert along the other route?

It’s a tough one to call. Do I bag places on the sleeper trains while I can or wait out and see what happens with the track works?

These closures seem to have been going on for ages. This was happening for extended periods when I went to Norway in Summer 2020!

They're both SJ Nord services. Though Oslo services don't divert - as IIRC the route via Røros isn't electrified.

As for this closure, it's happening on the south end of the route, and solely affects Oslo to Trondheim trains.

If you were to use the other route, you'd just bail on/off the bus at Hamar - that's where the Røros line services start. They're just Bombardier Talent units though, albeit well-specced.

If its reassuring - bus replacement is very very efficient in Norway. Every gets off the train and you go, pretty much.

 

[takno]

These closures seem to have been going on for ages. This was happening for extended periods when I went to Norway in Summer 2020!

They're both SJ Nord services. Though Oslo services don't divert - as IIRC the route via Røros isn't electrified.

As for this closure, it's happening on the south end of the route, and solely affects Oslo to Trondheim trains.

If you were to use the other route, you'd just bail on/off the bus at Hamar - that's where the Røros line services start. They're just Bombardier Talent units though, albeit well-specced.

If its reassuring - bus replacement is very very efficient in Norway. Every gets off the train and you go, pretty much.

They're doing a pretty substantial upgrade of the line. This replacement bridge https://www.google.com/maps/place/Minnesund+jernbanebru/@60.3979589,11.2365869,1018m was nearing done in early October, so they might be getting round to connecting that up, but overall once that's complete it looks like the line from Eidsvoll halfway to Hamar is completely new, including doubling, straightening and running across a big new bridge and through an even bigger tunnel.

 

[TravellingPhil]

Thanks for the information! Sounds like a pretty big project. A pain for me, but good to see Norway investing in it's infrastructure.

Hamar to Oslo looks like it might only take an hour to an hour and a half on a bus, that's not too bad. The journey planner is now showing nothing at all so they're obviously still organising arrangements.

Back into planning discussions with my wife.

 

[TravellingPhil]

Very sorry, another question has cropped up.

Looks like we're going with the sleeper trains option back to Hamburg. However, the 1st class fares from Hamburg to Brussels on our return make it worthwhile buying the public fare (especially considering we would've just spent two consective nights on sleeper trains!). However, I'm getting charged for seat reservations, I thought these were included on with 1st class fares on ICE trains?

 

[Watershed]

Very sorry, another question has cropped up.

Looks like we're going with the sleeper trains option back to Hamburg. However, the 1st class fares from Hamburg to Brussels on our return make it worthwhile buying the public fare (especially considering we would've just spent two consective nights on sleeper trains!). However, I'm getting charged for seat reservations, I thought these were included on with 1st class fares on ICE trains?

ICE reservations can be obtained for free if you use the ÖBB site, enter an Interrail pass for each passenger, and then select tickets (note, not reservations).

 

[TravellingPhil]

ICE reservations can be obtained for free if you use the ÖBB site, enter an Interrail pass for each passenger, and then select tickets (note, not reservations).

Thank you.

Tried it, but will only let me reserve the section from Cologne to Brussels. Must be something to do with Interrail quota on the Hamburg to Cologne leg.

Still unsure why the reservation fee is there when trying to book a 1st class ticket, I thought they were included with 1st Class fares on DB. Maybe it something to do with that route. Think I'll just have to swallow it. Still getting a good rate.

 

[30907]

Still unsure why the reservation fee is there when trying to book a 1st class ticket, I thought they were included with 1st Class fares on DB.

That has just changed or is about to
You can book reservation-only online via DB.

 

[TravellingPhil]

Hi,

So just revisiting this as trains from Trondheim to Oslo for the 2nd week in October are now in the booking window.

As predicted, there is a rail replacement bus from Lillehammer to Oslo due to track works...now confirmed. However, the booking engine is allowing you to book the regional service from Lillehammer to Oslo (RE10 to Asker). From what I can see, this uses the same route as the F6 service from Trondheim and looking at maps, there are no alternative routes. Any idea how this works? It's not showing any replacement bus for the RE10 service at all. If you book Trondheim to Oslo, the RE10 isn't mentioned at all, just the change onto the bus...only when you enter Lillehammer does the RE10 service show.

Hope that makes sense!

 

[takno]

Hi,

So just revisiting this as trains from Trondheim to Oslo for the 2nd week in October are now in the booking window.

As predicted, there is a rail replacement bus from Lillehammer to Oslo due to track works...now confirmed. However, the booking engine is allowing you to book the regional service from Lillehammer to Oslo (RE10 to Asker). From what I can see, this uses the same route as the F6 service from Trondheim and looking at maps, there are no alternative routes. Any idea how this works? It's not showing any replacement bus for the RE10 service at all. If you book Trondheim to Oslo, the RE10 isn't mentioned at all, just the change onto the bus...only when you enter Lillehammer does the RE10 service show.

Hope that makes sense!

I would assume that the RE10 will be bus replacement as well, but possibly only from Hamar to Eidsvoll with trains either end or something like that.

 

[CS2447]

Hi,

So just revisiting this as trains from Trondheim to Oslo for the 2nd week in October are now in the booking window.

As predicted, there is a rail replacement bus from Lillehammer to Oslo due to track works...now confirmed. However, the booking engine is allowing you to book the regional service from Lillehammer to Oslo (RE10 to Asker). From what I can see, this uses the same route as the F6 service from Trondheim and looking at maps, there are no alternative routes. Any idea how this works? It's not showing any replacement bus for the RE10 service at all. If you book Trondheim to Oslo, the RE10 isn't mentioned at all, just the change onto the bus...only when you enter Lillehammer does the RE10 service show.

Hope that makes sense!

Looks like Bus replacement just to Lillehammer when i searched this Fri for F6 and RE10 Bus code is VY710 for later train connection

 

[takno]

Looks like Bus replacement just to Lillehammer when i searched this Fri for F6 and RE10 Bus code is VY710 for later train connection

In addition to the planned engineering work, a bridge has collapsed north of Lillehammer. There have also been substantial issues with flooding further south, but that isn't causing too many issues just now. Looks like you can either get the bus to Lillehammer for the connection or do a slow regional-only train connection at Hamar right now. SJ Nord have been talking about running the night train via Røros, but I don't think there's any potential for running the day trains along that route.

I decided to do a bit of a tour around southern Sweden and Norway instead this year. It's a pity but this year's epic rain has caused too many issues on this route and the issues last month on the Swedish routes to the north - at this point it feels like trying to make the journey is eating up capacity for people who need to make the journey.