Europe’s Top Adventure This Summer season: This Record-Breaking Train Runs Through Stunning Landscapes
Whether it is Athens, Paris, or discovering the one welcoming place in Spain these days, Europe is all the time calling our identify once we’re able to money in our PTO.
But maintain off on making journey plans for a second! A brand new report claims there is a record-breaking practice that is undoubtedly Europe’s high summer season journey.
You is likely to be stunned to find it isn’t France, Greece, Spain, or any of probably the most notable names you’d consider; it is truly a surprising journey via Scandinavia’s gorgeous landscapes that noticed a document of passengers left gobsmacked in 2024.
I wasn’t considered one of them final 12 months, however I’ve skilled it in earlier years, and I can attest: the Oslo-Bergen Railway has caught in my thoughts’s eye as considered one of my high journey reminiscences, and will probably be for you too.
Just keep away from burritos in Norway…You’ll thank me later.
81.9 Million Journeys — But This One Is Norway’s Best!
Oslo. One of Europe’s most underrated capitals.
I’ve had the pleasure of visiting 3 instances and it has been a blast each time regardless of the bruised checking account afterward.
While I needed to sacrifice $8 Red Bulls for caffeine headache withdrawals, general, Norway is really phenomenal from its welcoming locals, charming folklore, Hogwarts-esque practice stations, and most opulent fjords, one thing so lovely it would not appear attainable to be actual; a real “pinch me” second.
Unless you are already in Scandinavia, your best entry level might be Oslo, a metropolis with 3 direct connections from the U.S by way of highly-respected Scandinavian Airlines or low-cost service Norse Atlantic Airways, presumably the largest bag police airline on Earth (you should definitely pack properly!).
Having been to Oslo a handful of instances, as a lot as I benefit from the distinctive tradition, vibrant waterfronts, and world-renowned artwork displays, it is best served by a brief keep, which makes a visit throughout Norway’s astounding surroundings and postcard villages much more engaging.
A document 81.9 million rail journeys transpired throughout Norway in 2024, however there isn’t any doubt the Oslo-Bergen Railway (additionally known as “Bergensbanen” if you wish to attempt your hand at Norse) is just not solely the preferred, however globally famend as the last word summertime thrill.
There are a complete of 12 stops between Oslo and Bergen, the gateway to Norway’s well-known fjords. While it might be tempting to remain put in your window seat the entire journey, do not sleep on the in-between.
Norway’s Postcard Villages
After departing from Oslo, the primary cease is Drammen, a scenic riverside stopping level earlier than the true journey begins.
The subsequent stretch escapes the town bustle of crowded plazas, line-out-the-door museums, and unending troll statues, traversing village after village for hours earlier than in the end ending up in a what appears like a Lord of the Rings movie set.
Among the various charming stops alongside the best way, these 3 are notably notable:
Flå: Home to Bjørneparken (Bear Park), this small village nestled within the inexperienced Hallingdal valley is the last word vacation spot for wildlife lovers who can rise up shut and private with foxes, bears, wolves, moose, and extra!
Finse: Reaching Finse is the top of the journey — actually. Sitting over 4,000 toes excessive, Finse presents a winter wonderland setting within the midst of summer season with snow-capped mountains in an unlimited expanse of uncooked, untouched wilderness.
Voss: Ever paid for overpriced glass bottles of water with “Voss” slapped on the label? Well, you’ve got reached its namesake! Voss presents a treasure trove of actions for thrill-seekers, for which you’ll be able to refuel with, you guessed it, Voss water. This tiny village is Norway’s “adrenaline capital” with towering waterfalls, white-water rapids, skydiving, snowboarding, and something that will get your blood pumping.
Bergen: Norway’s Heaven On Earth
There are almost 200 nations on our lovely planet. I’ve solely checked off about 40 to date, however when individuals ask me for recommendation on the place to go in Europe, Bergen is all the time a high hidden gem I like to recommend, regardless of the season.
When I visited, it was through the throes of winter, and each aforementioned village and past was a Hallmark film with gleaming white snow blankets and winter wonderland magic.
Come summer season, Bergen and the encompassing area tackle a complete new vibe, however much more vivid and plush.
If you are not accustomed to fjords, Merriam-Webster defines them as “a narrow inlet of the sea between cliffs or steep slopes,” which sounds method much less enthralling than it’s in actual life.
While I’m not a spiritual man, it is laborious to not query whether or not Bergen’s fjords weren’t meticulously designed. They are a residing masterpiece carved by millennia of ice and water, forming awe-inspiring cliffs, valleys, and pristine waterways.
But it isn’t simply the fjords outdoors of city, the townscape is a captivating vacation spot itself with a picturesque predominant plaza that places life into perspective how small we’re amongst the staggering peaks.
Ticket costs range everyday. Purchase tickets for the roughly 6-hour journey here.
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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed listed below are the writer’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, accepted or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included inside the publish.