Oslo to Bergen - July 5, 2023 - Day 4


After another delicious breakfast, we left the hotel and walked to the nearby train station to board the train for Bergen.  The train left at 12:07 PM...this is where Glitch #2 is encountered (see below).  

The 7 hour train ride (Bergensbanen) crosses the mountains, passing glaciers and fjords. It is one of the highest trains in Europe (Switzerland has a higher one...thanks Richard) and is considered one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. 




We reached an altitude of 1222 m (4009 ft) at Finse and went through ~`180 tunnels.

There are 4 to 5 trains per day (depending on the time of the year) and they travel 365 days a year. In the winter, they have a snow plow on the front.

We had stops along the way...there can be up to 22 stops but they bypass stations if there are no passengers getting on and off.

We stopped at the town of Dale (known for its sweaters) and at Voss (known for its bottled water).

I will post a bunch of pictures below but unfortunately I didn't have my polarizing filter and taking pictures through the window of a moving train results in some reflection and some blurring.  Thus, my photos do not do justice to the spectacular scenery.

GLACIER







We finally got to the ship (Viking Saturn) at 7:30 PM.  Our stateroom is very spacious and this is a brand new ship (maiden voyage was in May).  After resolving Glitch #2, we headed to dinner and then to bed.

Glitch #2 - We had been given our schedule when we reached the hotel in Oslo.  We had noticed that we were scheduled for the noon train and thus did not arrive in Bergen until 7:06 PM...unfortunately this was not until more than 30 minutes after our first scheduled excursion.  Needless to say, we were frustrated that Viking hadn't put us on the earlier train.  However, after 3 phone calls, Viking added a note to our record indicating we would miss our excursion.  Given our previous experience getting money refunded from Viking, we were worried.  But, I am happy to say we that when we reached the ship, they had already rescheduled our excursion.

Comments

Rich Williams said…
When the Viking ships were still docked in Oslo Harbor (August 1968), I spent 3 night in Oslo seeing many of the same sites before boarding the same train to Bergen and enjoying the same views of the mountains and glaciers. Thank you for bringing back all those wonderful memories.
July 6, 2023 at 12:01 PM
Richard Herrmann said…
Christine and I travelled with this train from Bergen to Oslo in July 2011. Your pictures bring back all these memories.
Being Swiss and living in Klosters (next to Davos) I have to make a correction: The highest elevation for a European train ride is in Switzerland with the train station of Ospizio Bernina at 2253 m. The Bernina Express runs from St. Moritz (1822 m) to Tirano (441 m).
July 8, 2023 at 4:33 AM
Connie Benz said…
Thanks Richard...I made the correction!!
July 10, 2023 at 1:52 AM
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