flåm railway – the most beautiful train journey in the world
the tagline of the flamsbana says it all: the most beautiful train journey
in the world! my face was pressed up against the glass the entire ride,
and i wish i could take this journey a million more times in my life.
i’m pretty sure it’s how the train rides in heaven will be.
the panoramic views offer some of the greenest & most stunning
fjord landscapes in norway. the train hugs the mountain through the
journey, and the steep inclines and curves have you wondering
how on earth this railway was built right into the mountainside.
^^ first picture i took out our train window! WHAT?!
this map of the train route gives a sense of how incredible it is ^^
every few turns a major waterfall comes into view, and the only
word i can describe them as is breathtaking. truly! i would gasp!
you also go through 20 different tunnels, and that is the best part
because the dark tunnels suddenly open up into unbelievable views.
just a casual stop on the train ^^ at this huge waterfall!
it’s misty and loud and pounding and amazing. the train
conductor talks about norway’s mythical creatures & trolls
that have been spotted in the hills in the past, and when you get
out here some music starts playing and you just might spot one! :)
in just a one-hour ride, the train goes from ocean level at the sognefjord
in flåm, to the mountaintop at myrdal mountain station where there’s snow!
blurry greenery zipping past all of the beauty! ^^
as the ride winds down, you start to descend into flåm:
this incredible town on the water & tucked against the fjords
makes you feel okay with the pretty train ride ending. i loved
it here the second we stepped off the train! it’s tiny but beautiful.
we walked off the train and straight into the rail museum
because we were wanting to learn more after that journey! ^^
then we sat for a while to take in the beauty all around.
the color of the water + mountains here is unlike anywhere else.
it was straight to toget cafe on the dock for a cozy meal after our trip.
i went straight for the fresh norwegian salmon + potatoes :
two things that they have mastered in this country.
chase went for the burger and fries, something he hasn’t had
for quite some time :) this cafe is great because it’s international
and offers something for everyone in this tiny town. everything
we had was so comforting and hit the spot on a chilly night!
i ended with my favorite steamed milk + a brownie.
am i a little kid with this combo? maybe, but it tasted SO good.
we hung out in this cozy cafe for a while enjoying the views.
we ran into this gorgeous pup after dinner, can you believe
those blue eyes?? i told you i make dog friends everywhere i go! :)
definitely schedule in some time to enjoy the grounds and lobby
of the famous fretheim hotel set right against the mountain here.
after soaking in flåm, we headed to the next town over to get
some rest before coming back for our fjord safari the next day!
can’t wait to share that! (get a sneak peek here)
all aboard! choo choo!
xo
for more info on the flåm railway, click here.
note that you can ride the flamsbana through NSB as part of a regular train route
connecting from bergen or oslo through myrdal like we did! more info on that at nsb.no.
Wow what an incredible looking train ride! I have never even been on a train, but this looks like the kind of one I would want to go on fo’ sho’
you’ve never been on a train!! you will love it when you do – it’s definitely my favorite mode of transportation!!
xoxo
You were really not kidding with this post title. Amazing experience!
right?! it’s not an exaggeration with this !!
I think the darling town made a grand finale place to land. I love the salmon and the blue eyed dog. how beautiful this is. Looking forward to returning with you someday.
you will LOVE this same ride one day with me! :)
Oh my goodness – my heart is yearning to go there! So gorgeous. I can’t get over the color of the water!
Looks like absolute heaven – every part of it!
How beautiful!!!! I looove, love love, trains too! We took the train from Munich to Venice, through the Alps, and I did the same thing. Stood up the entire time with my face right up against the window! Also I totally relate to how you said you were feeling in one of your last instagram photos, how you’ve “hit a wall.” We only backpacked Europe for 28 days and only did 7 cities, so I don’t know how you are doing so much, but it was really hard towards the end. I started to dread waking up and packing that stupid backpack every morning, with everything juuuust so rolled up exactly right to fit, and heading off to struggle with directions and transportation. But I regret not appreciating it as much, because I don’t know if we’ll ever get the chance to do it again. (since we committed to a puppy lol) When I look back on it now, all I can remember is feeling like I was in survival mode- find bathroom, find food, find hotel, find laundromat. I wish I would have just relaxed a little more and let it be. So, just giving you a little bit of encouragement here ;) Enjoy it all! Although it seems like you’re doing just fine with that ;)
And personally, I loooove reading your posts. Like if I see you have a new post I skip over everyone elses because I’m just obsessed with following your trip, so thank you for sharing with all of us ;) xo. Morgan
It must have been amazing standing in front of that gorgeous waterfall! I’d love to go on a trip on a train with all those beautiful mountains and lakes and waterfalls!
I’ve been meaning to get here and when I eventually do, I’d love to go on this train journey. It looks beautiful. The colour of the water reminds me of my trip to the Austrian Lakes. Gorgeous!
Wow, stunning views! The photos are so great, and I’m sure it was 1000x better in person!