Rauma Railway - Golden Train - Andalsnes - Bjorli

[WesternLancer]

Part of the line is missing after a landslide.

Thanks - I'll report back when in the area. I'll have spare time now to investigate the station area etc in Andalsnes!

Any suggestions on other things to do in the town for a day are welcome from anyone who has any ideas.

 

[Gloster]

banenor.no says that the estimated date of reopening is 31 August. It is a landslide at Verma.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Thanks - I'll report back when in the area. I'll have spare time now to investigate the station area etc in Andalsnes!

Any suggestions on other things to do in the town for a day are welcome from anyone who has any ideas.

Andalsnes is not much of a place - you could catch the bus to Molde (includes ferry midway) or Alesund. Alesund is the more attractive but a longer ride. There is also the famous Trollstigen Pass - buses run over it in high summer.

 

[WesternLancer]

banenor.no says that the estimated date of reopening is 31 August. It is a landslide at Verma.

Thanks - the timing is bad luck for us. Info appreciated

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jul 2025 ==

Andalsnes is not much of a place - you could catch the bus to Molde (includes ferry midway) or Alesund. Alesund is the more attractive but a longer ride. There is also the famous Trollstigen Pass - buses run over it in high summer.

Thanks - sounds like some interesting potential ideas. Have visited Alesund before and indeed v attractive

will have a look at times - with it being a cruise it's obv necessary to get back to the starting point in Andalsnes in good time to re-board the cruise ship for onwards travel. So it is required to do a there and back journey on any option taken from Andalsnes

 

[nwales58]

Where is the cruise parked for the day, Molde or Andalsnes? and what are your start/end times?

Trollstigen - Andalsnes-Geiranger and back is spectacular but takes 0900-1615 and is surprisingly expensive (I had this area prepared for a trip that was partly destroyed by track melting north of Trondheim). Otherwise, the main bus routes radiating from Molde, also Hutigbåt and ferries, all take you through good scenery and better value than a cruise excursion.

 

[WesternLancer]

Where is the cruise parked for the day, Molde or Andalsnes? and what are your start/end times?

Trollstigen - Andalsnes-Geiranger and back is spectacular but takes 0900-1615 and is surprisingly expensive (I had this area prepared for a trip that was partly destroyed by track melting north of Trondheim). Otherwise, the main bus routes radiating from Molde, also Hutigbåt and ferries, all take you through good scenery and better value than a cruise excursion.

Thanks. I think cruise ship will anchor in Andalsnes. Times not known to me yet beyond departure ‘late afternoon’ which in my experience can be back on board c4pm. Might arrive c8am at a guess.

 

[185]

I did Dombas - Åndalsnes - bus to Ålesund some years ago, in early spring. Was a new NSB DMU but the spectacular scenery, waterfalls and views of the Troll-wall (trollvegen) were magnificent. The bus ride on to Ålesund was equally stunning.

Train was mostly empty, off season and the guard from NSB told me I'd picked the wrong time of year as everything usually goes wrong - they seem to get many problems at the end of winter with ice melting, rocks moving and incidents - he said it's morelike the Traumabanen.

 

[WesternLancer]

I did Dombas - Åndalsnes - bus to Ålesund some years ago, in early spring. Was a new NSB DMU but the spectacular scenery, waterfalls and views of the Troll-wall (trollvegen) were magnificent. The bus ride on to Ålesund was equally stunning.

Train was mostly empty, off season and the guard from NSB told me I'd picked the wrong time of year as everything usually goes wrong - they seem to get many problems at the end of winter with ice melting, rocks moving and incidents - he said it's morelike the Traumabanen.

I’m really frustrated by this line closure as the chance to ride the line was a highlight for me. But these things happen.

 

[nwales58]

Thanks. I think cruise ship will anchor in Andalsnes. Times not known to me yet beyond departure ‘late afternoon’ which in my experience can be back on board c4pm. Might arrive c8am at a guess.

From Andalsnes your options are limited.

Rauma RRBs, around 0900 towards Dombås getting back 1345.

Vybuss Geiranger as above.

420 to Molde and back is frequent, every 1-2hours, takes 90 minutes each way. You can get back at 1355 or 1555.

Or a circuit around the fjord using 482 at 0930 to Vestnes from where the 100 to Molde (and Kristiansund) is hourly, most of that is on the ferry from Furneset. 1425 from Molde gets you back 1555.

Entur is the national journey planner, play with it and see what you can do. Also sells tickets for most operators and regional zonal fares. If over 67 it’s usually half price.

 

[WesternLancer]

From Andalsnes your options are limited.

Rauma RRBs, around 0900 towards Dombås getting back 1345.

Vybuss Geiranger as above.

420 to Molde and back is frequent, every 1-2hours, takes 90 minutes each way. You can get back at 1355 or 1555.

Or a circuit around the fjord using 482 at 0930 to Vestnes from where the 100 to Molde (and Kristiansund) is hourly, most of that is on the ferry from Furneset. 1425 from Molde gets you back 1555.

Entur is the national journey planner, play with it and see what you can do. Also sells tickets for most operators and regional zonal fares. If over 67 it’s usually half price.

Thanks. This is extremely helpful. Much appreciated

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jul 2025 ==

I will report back more fully but suffice to say 5 carriages of Golden Train refurbished carriages plus loco and generator wagon parked in sidings at Andalsnes station as well as SJ Nord dmu. Both going nowhere due to blocked line until end of August.

Train looks smart and worth riding when it’s back in operation.

 

[Mag_seven]

Thanks. This is extremely helpful. Much appreciated

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jul 2025 ==

I will report back more fully but suffice to say 5 carriages of Golden Train refurbished carriages plus loco and generator wagon parked in sidings at Andalsnes station as well as SJ Nord dmu. Both going nowhere due to blocked line until end of August.

Train looks smart and worth riding when it’s back in operation.

Thread reopened for an update from @Gordon

 

[WesternLancer]

Thread reopened for an update from @Gordon

Reminds me I never reported back! So I look forward to the update but will post some pictures I took of the train in the sidings in July 2025

It wasn't possible to get that close to the train in the sidings at the station so these were taken with my mobile from the platform and the trackside road. But it should give an idea of the type of rolling stock.
It wasn't possible to get close enough to get images of the interior carriage layout.

I also have some other pictures of the railway carriage parked at the station which is converted to a chapel which is interesting to visit.

 

[Gordon]

My nephew rode the train the other day. It was hauled by the Nordic Refinance MZ and the stock was the set of ex-DB coaches. They are marked Bpmz and ownership is D-TMAS.

He is still in Norway (on a mainly normals holiday) but I'll ask him if he got the loco number or a close up picture.

 

[WesternLancer]

My nephew rode the train the other day. It was hauled by the Nordic Refinance MZ and the stock was the set of ex-DB coaches. They are marked Bpmz and ownership is D-TMAS.

He is still in Norway (on a mainly normals holiday) but I'll ask him if he got the loco number or a close up picture.

Thanks - that will be interesting to hear about.
A basic description or image of the interior layout of the trains would probably be helpful - when i was trying to plan my trip which was with friends people wanted to know if we would be at groups of 4 seats, tables or airline etc and if all seats had decent window alignment - that sort of thing.

Some pics of the station for general context - which shows how close it is to the cruise ship quay if you arrive that way - as I did.

There is no ticket office for trains / public transport there but there was a ticket vending machine IIRC.

However The Golden Train operation had a small retail unit inside the station with staff selling tourist stuff but also I would think Golden Trains tickets, had the train been operating.

One of the usual service trains was also parked in the sidings. Bus replacement services for the service trains were departing from immediately outside the station building at the time due to the line blockage. As pictured.

 

[Gordon]

I've received some pix and info from my nephew which I will work on later today. In the meantime, a couple of basics:

1. Loco was 1461 (displaying its provenance with 'DSB' on the axle box!)
2. On my nephew's trip - only two coaches were used, one reserved for Hurtigruten ship pax, one for 'independent bookings' as he had made
3. Seats are a mix of fours and airline (not reversible) but randomly aligned with windows
4. Mostly Brits on board apparently