Oslo to Bergen Train: Scenic Guide + Family Tips

As you’d imagine, Norway’s mountain and coastal scenery is spectacular, and I can’t think of a better way to explore Norway with kids than by train. The more we researched getting from Oslo to Bergen, the more we realized the Oslo to Bergen train was the right choice for our family. At about 7 hours, the journey may sound long with two small kids, but Norwegians do it right; comfortable seats, kid-friendly spaces, and views that make the ride fly by.

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Oslo to Bergen Railway Family Car

When I say that the Norwegians do this scenic train journey right, I’m specifically referring to their family train cars.

Vy’s family carriage on the Oslo – Bergen Line includes a playroom, nearby seating for adults, changing tables and dedicated space for strollers. You can request Family seats during booking, and if you indicate you’re bringing a stroller, you’ll be placed in the Family carriage automatically.

We were thoroughly impressed with the playroom they had. The playroom not only had books, toys and a TV, it also had a loft area that kids could climb one of the two ladders and climb through.

While this may not seem like a big deal, but having a designated play place for the kids (one that kept them happily occupied for hours), allowed us to actually sit back and enjoy the world-class scenery!

There were small seats for parents conveniently located beside the playroom so we would take turns sitting and keeping an eye on the kids, while the other parent relaxed in our seats and took in the spectacular scenery.

Speaking of being able to relax, it’s also worth mentioning that having a special car just for families also took a lot of the pressure off of us to have our kids act perfectly the whole time. It was great that all the kids (including ours) didn’t need to sit still or be quiet for fear of being disruptive to others.

The family car was definitely a huge benefit for us parents, but the real reason to take the Oslo to Bergen train is for the scenery. The Bergen Railway (or Bergensbanen) is the highest mainline railway line in Northern Europe and it takes you through some spectacular mountain scenery.

It was difficult to put our cameras and phones down and not take pictures or video the entire time! 

Essential Tips for the Oslo to Bergen Train

There are several daily departures between Oslo and Bergen; check Vy’s journey planner for current times.

There is Wi-Fi available on the Oslo to Bergen train. In our experience, the Wi-Fi service got spotty in the more remote areas of the journey.

If you have the time in your Norway itinerary, you can get off the Oslo to Bergen train at Myrdal to ride the Flåm Railway, Northern Europe’s steepest standard-gauge adhesion railway.

The Oslo to Bergen train has a café car (Vy Kafé) with hot and cold dishes; you can eat there or bring food back to your seat.

There’s also a night train with sleeper compartments if you prefer to travel overnight, though daylight gives you the best views. This one is tough as I love sleeper trains, as you can avoid the cost of a hotel room for the night (a good strategy for saving money traveling to Norway). Overall, given the level of scenery on this journey, you should enjoy the Oslo to Bergen train journey in the daytime.

Vy’s ‘Plus’ carriage offers roomier seats, a table, power outlet and free coffee or tea.

Watch Our Full Experience on the Oslo to Bergen Train Here:

Book Tickets on the Oslo to Bergen Train

Travelers wishing to book tickets on the Oslo to Bergen train can do so on the Vy website. If you are a parent wishing to book a ticket in a family carriage, you can get the latest information here.

Follow Along on our Family Trip to Norway

We hope you enjoyed reading our family guide to the Oslo to Bergen train. If you are reading this, we encourage you to read our complete guide to visiting Norway with kids.

We also have family travel guides to the two cities on either end of this scenic train journey. We began our family trip to Norway with 5 days in Oslo with kids. After enjoying this vey scenic train ride, we spent 7 Days in Bergen with kids.

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