Best of Norway: Oslo, the Coastal Express and the Flåm Railway
Two nights in the capital, a flight to the Russian border, five nights sailing south on the Coastal Express from Kirkenes to Bergen, then home to Oslo by fjord boat and mountain railway. Departures through the year, from £2,634 per person.
Norway's capital, its Arctic coast and its most famous railway in one trip
Most people who come to Norway for the first time want three things: a look at Oslo, a voyage along the coast and a ride on the Flåm Railway. Best of Norway puts all three into twelve days, and it does it in a sensible order. You start in the capital, fly north to Kirkenes near the Russian border, then let the Coastal Express carry you south for five nights through Finnmark, Lofoten and the Helgeland coast to Bergen. From there Norway in a Nutshell takes you across the mountains, by train and fjord boat, with a night in Flåm, and returns you to Oslo.
It is a self-guided tour. Hurtigruten books the hotels, the domestic flight, the ship, the rail and the fjord crossing, and organises the ground transfers between them. There is no group and no tour leader, so you are free to spend your days ashore as you like. We think this suits travellers who are comfortable finding their own way around a city but would rather not spend evenings working out ferry timetables.
Duration12 days
RouteOslo, Kirkenes, Bergen, Flåm, Oslo
On board5 nights, Kirkenes to Bergen
StyleSelf-guided cruise and tour
DeparturesRegular, all year
From£2,634 pp
£2,634per person, from
Hotels, domestic flight, Coastal Express voyage and Norway in a Nutshell included
Who It Suits
Why we like this tour
The logic of the route is what sells it. By flying to Kirkenes and sailing south you see the remote far north first, while you are fresh, and you finish the voyage in Bergen with the softer scenery of the western fjords. Then, instead of flying home from Bergen, you take the scenic way back to Oslo, which most visitors to Norway would happily pay for as a separate excursion.
It suits first time visitors, couples who want variety without packing and unpacking every night, and anyone who likes the idea of the Coastal Express but is not sure about a full twelve day round voyage. If you already know you love the coast, have a look at Complete Norway, which pairs the same rail journey with the full Bergen to Kirkenes and back voyage. If time is short, Sail and Rail Norway gives you a taste of both in five days.
Because departures run all year, the character of the trip changes completely with the season. Between late May and late July the far north has the midnight sun and the days on deck seem to go on forever. In the dark months, from autumn into early spring, the Arctic section of the voyage passes under skies where the Northern Lights are possible, while the railway over the mountains runs through deep snow. Spring and autumn give you a little of both.
The Journey
Three ways of travelling through Norway
By air to the edge of the map. The economy flight from Oslo to Kirkenes, with taxes and fees and checked bags included, covers a distance that the train simply cannot. Norway's rail network stops well short of Finnmark, which is why a coastal ship and an aircraft are still how most people reach the far north.
By sea down the coast. The southbound Coastal Express leaves Kirkenes at lunchtime and calls at working ports all the way to Bergen, as Hurtigruten ships have done since Richard With started the service in 1893. These are not cruise ships with a show lounge. They carry cargo and local passengers as well as travellers, and the pleasure is in watching the coast work. Meals are full board in Torget, the main restaurant, and the ship varies by departure date, though you stay on the same ship for the whole voyage. You can read more about the vessels on our Hurtigruten fleet page.
By rail and fjord boat over the mountains. Norway in a Nutshell is the classic route between Bergen and Oslo, linking the main line railway with a fjord crossing and the Flåm Railway. Here it is spread over two days with a night in Flåm, which takes the rush out of it and gives you an evening by the Aurlandsfjord after the day visitors have gone.
Watch
Highlights of Coastal Norway
A short film from Hurtigruten that gives a feel for the coastal voyage at the heart of this tour, from the fjords to the far north.
Video from Hurtigruten's official YouTube channel.
Your Tour
Best of Norway day by day
Optional shore excursions on the voyage are listed under the relevant days and are paid for separately. Some only run in certain seasons, which we have noted. Port times on the Coastal Express follow a fixed timetable, but the ship's progress depends on weather and cargo, so treat times as a guide.
Days 1 and 2
Oslo
Hotel · Clarion Hotel The Hub or comparable, with breakfast
Arrive in Oslo and check in close to the centre. The capital is compact enough to walk, and it has changed a great deal in the past two decades. The Opera House on the Bjørvika waterfront, opened in 2008, has a sloping marble roof you are allowed to walk on, and it has become the city's favourite viewpoint. Next door the Munch museum, in its tall new building since 2021, holds the largest collection of the painter's work anywhere.
The second day is yours. Take the ferry across to the Bygdøy peninsula, where the Fram Museum keeps the polar ship used by Nansen and Amundsen and the Kon-Tiki Museum tells Thor Heyerdahl's story; the Norwegian Folk Museum is next door, with old farm buildings and a stave church moved there from across the country. Back in town, Vigeland Park displays more than two hundred sculptures by Gustav Vigeland, and the Royal Palace stands at the top of Karl Johans gate. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded each December in Oslo City Hall, and the Nobel Peace Center on the harbour explains its history. See our guide to hotels in Oslo if you want to add a night.
Day 3 · Oslo to Kirkenes
Flight · Oslo to Kirkenes · Hotel · Thon Hotel Kirkenes or comparable, with breakfast
After breakfast you transfer to the airport for the domestic flight north. It is a long way. Kirkenes sits in the far east of Finnmark, further east than Istanbul, close to both the Russian and Finnish borders, and road signs in town are written in Norwegian and Russian. The town was almost entirely destroyed during the Second World War and was rebuilt afterwards, so do not expect old timber streets. What you get instead is a frontier atmosphere, a landscape of birch, lakes and low hills, and a real sense of having reached the end of the line.
The Barents Sea around Kirkenes is known for king crab, and eating it here, close to where it was caught, is one of the better reasons to come. In winter the town also has its Snowhotel, built afresh from snow and ice. Your hotel tonight is in the centre; our page on hotels in Kirkenes has more about the town.
A transfer takes you from the hotel to the ship, which leaves Kirkenes at 12:30 and turns west along the Varanger peninsula. This is the most exposed part of the whole coast, treeless and open to the Barents Sea, and the small fishing settlements cling to it with real determination.
Vardø is Norway's easternmost town. Its star shaped fortress, Vardøhus, is the most northerly fortress in Norway, and on the shore stands the Steilneset Memorial, designed by Peter Zumthor with an installation by Louise Bourgeois, remembering the people executed in the seventeenth century witch trials of Finnmark. The ship then calls at Båtsfjord and Berlevåg, fishing villages with harbours built to shelter boats from some of the roughest seas in Europe.
The ship calls at Mehamn and Kjøllefjord in the night and reaches Honningsvåg early in the morning. This is the port for the North Cape, the plateau that rises some 300 metres above the sea on the island of Magerøya and one of the northernmost points of mainland Europe. If you want to go, this is the day to book it.
Hammerfest follows in the early afternoon. The town calls itself the northernmost in the world, and it is home to the Meridian Column, part of the Struve Geodetic Arc, the nineteenth century survey chain used to measure the shape of the earth and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Beyond it the ship calls at Øksfjord and Skjervøy and docks at Tromsø just before midnight.
Optional excursions
Breakfast at the North Cape (Honningsvåg, 6 hours, April to October) An early start for breakfast at the North Cape plateau, with time to see the globe monument and the view over the Barents Sea.
The North Cape (Honningsvåg, 3 hours, all seasons) Across Magerøya by coach to the North Cape and its visitor centre.
The Northernmost Town in the World (Hammerfest, 1 hour 45 minutes, all seasons) An introduction to Hammerfest and its history.
Mountain Hike in Hammerfest (1 hour 30 minutes, all seasons) A short guided walk up above the town for the view over the harbour.
For many people this is the best day of the voyage. The ship calls at Finnsnes and Harstad in the morning, then works through the narrow channels of Vesterålen to Stokmarknes, the town where the Coastal Express was founded. The Hurtigruten Museum on the quay has an entire former ship, MS Finnmarken, standing on land beside it.
Next comes the Raftsundet, the strait between Vesterålen and Lofoten, and, when weather and conditions allow, the turn into the Trollfjord. The fjord is short and extremely narrow at its entrance, with walls that rise almost vertically, and watching a ship of this size turn inside it is quite something. In 1890 it gave its name to the Battle of the Trollfjord, a confrontation between local fishermen in open boats and the owners of new steam vessels who tried to close the fjord to them. The ship reaches Svolvær, the main town of Lofoten, in the evening and calls at Stamsund later on.
Optional excursions
Highlights of Lofoten (Stamsund, 2 hours 40 minutes, April to August) A guided tour of the Lofoten landscape from Stamsund.
Farm Visit in Lofoten (Stamsund, 2 hours 40 minutes, April to October) A visit to a working Lofoten farm.
RIB Adventure in Lofoten (Svolvær, 1 hour 30 minutes, June to October) A fast boat trip out among the islands.
Lofotpils Brewery (Svolvær, 40 minutes, all seasons) A short visit to the local brewery in Svolvær.
The ship calls at Bodø in the small hours and at Ørnes early in the morning. Shortly after breakfast you cross the Arctic Circle, marked by a globe monument on the islet of Vikingen, and the crew usually mark the crossing on deck.
The Helgeland coast that follows is one of the gentlest and most beautiful stretches of the route, a low archipelago of thousands of islands with dramatic mountains standing behind it. Look out for the Seven Sisters, a row of peaks near Sandnessjøen, and for Torghatten near Brønnøysund, the mountain with a hole right through it. Legend says the hole was made by an arrow fired by a troll and the mountain is the hat that stopped it. The Vega archipelago offshore is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised for the way its islanders have lived from fishing and from collecting eider down over many centuries.
Optional excursions
UNESCO Vega Archipelago (Sandnessjøen, 5 hours, June to October) Out to the World Heritage islands of Vega and their eider duck tradition.
Hike to Torghatten Mountain (Brønnøysund, 2 hours, June to October) A guided walk up to the famous hole through the mountain.
Torghatten Mountain Hike (Brønnøysund, 2 hours 40 minutes, April to October) A longer version of the walk to Torghatten.
Brønnøysund by Bike (2 hours 30 minutes, April to August) A cycle ride around the town and coast.
Visit the Salmon (Brønnøysund, 2 hours 30 minutes, all seasons) An introduction to Norwegian salmon farming.
Day 8 · Trondheim, Kristiansund and Molde
Ports today · Trondheim, Kristiansund, Molde
Trondheim, reached in the morning, was founded in 997 by the Viking king Olav Tryggvason and was Norway's capital in the Viking Age. Its great building is Nidaros Cathedral, begun around 1070 over the grave of St Olav and for centuries the goal of pilgrims from all over northern Europe. The old warehouses on stilts along the Nidelva river and the timber houses of Bakklandet, across the Old Town Bridge, are a pleasure to walk around.
Kristiansund, in the late afternoon, built its wealth on klippfisk, cod salted and dried on the rocks and shipped to Spain and Portugal. From here the Atlantic Road runs 8.3 kilometres across islets and skerries on eight bridges, and it has become one of the most photographed roads in the world. The last call of the day is Molde, known as the City of Roses.
Optional excursions
Trondheim with Nidaros Cathedral (2 hours, all seasons) A guided tour of the city and its cathedral.
The Atlantic Road (Kristiansund, 4 hours 30 minutes, April to October) By coach along the Atlantic Road and its bridges.
Bergtatt, Magnificent Marble Mine (Kristiansund, 4 hours 30 minutes, September to May) A visit to the underground halls of a former marble mine.
Day 9
Ålesund, Flørø and Bergen
Ports today · Ålesund, Torvik, Måløy, Flørø, Bergen · Hotel · Hotel Bryggen or comparable, with breakfast
The ship calls at Ålesund and Torvik in the night, rounds the exposed headland of Stad and stops at Måløy and at Flørø, Norway's westernmost town. The final hours run in through the islands to Bergen, where you arrive in the afternoon and transfer to your hotel.
Bergen was one of the main ports of the Hanseatic League, and the wooden merchants' houses of Bryggen along the harbour have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. Behind them stand St Mary's Church, the oldest building in the city, and the Bergenhus fortress with the thirteenth century Håkon's Hall. Take the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen for the classic view over the city and its seven mountains, then come down to the Fish Market for supper. Our page on hotels in Bergen covers the options if you would like an extra night.
Day 10
Norway in a Nutshell, Bergen to Flåm
By rail, road and fjord boat · Overnight in Flåm, with breakfast
Today you leave Bergen by train and cross to the Sognefjord region by rail, road and boat, finishing the day in Flåm. The highlight is the fjord cruise through the Nærøyfjord and the Aurlandsfjord. The Nærøyfjord is a branch of the Aurlandsfjord, which in turn branches off the Sognefjord. It is about 17 kilometres long and at its narrowest only about 250 metres across, with mountains rising to around 1,760 metres on either side, and in 2005 it was inscribed by UNESCO together with the Geirangerfjord as the West Norwegian Fjords World Heritage Site.
Flåm itself is a small village at the head of the Aurlandsfjord. By late afternoon the day visitors and cruise passengers have mostly gone, and staying the night means you have the fjord and the valley to yourselves. There is a railway museum by the station, a brewery pub, and walks up the valley beside the river.
Day 11 · The Flåm Railway and the Bergen Line to Oslo
By rail · Flåm to Myrdal, then Myrdal to Oslo
This is the day most people book the trip for. The Flåm Railway climbs 20.2 kilometres from the fjord at Flåm to the mountain station at Myrdal, a height difference of 866 metres. The steepest gradient is 55 per thousand, or 1 in 18, which makes it one of the steepest standard gauge railways in the world. Construction began in 1923 and the line opened on 1 August 1940; it was electrified in 1944. Of its 20 tunnels, 18 were dug by hand. The journey takes about an hour, past waterfalls including Kjosfossen, which has its own stop on the line, and loops through the rock as it gains height.
At Myrdal you change to the Bergen Line for Oslo. Opened in 1909, it was the first railway to link eastern and western Norway, and it is the highest main line railway in northern Europe. It crosses the edge of the Hardangervidda plateau, and Finse, at 1,222 metres, is the highest station on the Norwegian railway network; the line's highest point, at 1,237 metres, is inside the 10.3 kilometre Finse Tunnel, opened in 1993 to replace a stretch that snow regularly blocked. The film crew of The Empire Strikes Back used the glacier landscape near Finse for the ice planet Hoth. From the high plateau the line drops through Hallingdal to Oslo, where you arrive in the afternoon. Your final night is in Oslo, and we will confirm the hotel arrangements for it when you book.
Day 12 · Oslo
Tour ends · Oslo
The tour ends in Oslo after breakfast. If your flight is later in the day, the city centre is easy to explore with luggage stored at the hotel, and the airport train from Oslo Central Station is quick. We are happy to add extra nights at either end of the tour.
Departures & Fares
Best of Norway fares, 2026 to 2028
Best of Norway departs on a regular basis through the year, with 242 departures in the table below. Because there are so many dates, we show the lowest fare we found for any departure in each month, by cabin category, along with the number of departures that month. Individual dates within a month can be higher, so call us for the fare on your preferred date.
The cabin category refers to your cabin on the ship for the five nights from Kirkenes to Bergen. The price covers the whole package as Hurtigruten describes it below, including the hotels, the flight from Oslo to Kirkenes, the voyage and Norway in a Nutshell, per person based on two sharing, without international flights.
Month
Departures
Polar Inside
Polar Outside
Arctic Superior
Expedition Suites
November 2026
8
from £2,795
from £2,855
from £3,086
from £3,957
December 2026
14
from £2,716
from £2,722
from £3,058
from £3,894
Month
Departures
Polar Inside
Polar Outside
Arctic Superior
Expedition Suites
January 2027
15
from £2,757
from £2,821
from £3,274
from £4,207
February 2027
13
from £2,980
from £3,130
from £3,621
from £4,713
March 2027
14
from £2,966
from £3,125
from £3,558
from £4,848
April 2027
17
from £3,100
from £3,213
from £3,520
from £4,544
May 2027
13
from £3,392
from £3,444
from £3,972
from £5,089
June 2027
5
from £3,442
from £3,608
from £4,219
from £5,460
July 2027
14
from £3,362
from £3,518
from £4,084
from £5,413
August 2027
16
from £3,206
from £3,353
from £3,877
from £5,042
September 2027
17
from £3,136
from £3,286
from £3,764
from £4,823
October 2027
17
from £2,855
from £2,907
from £3,292
from £4,276
November 2027
14
from £2,634
from £2,723
from £3,049
from £3,883
December 2027
18
from £2,634
from £2,745
from £3,049
from £3,883
Month
Departures
Polar Inside
Polar Outside
Arctic Superior
Expedition Suites
January 2028
14
from £2,824
from £2,958
from £3,359
from £4,386
February 2028
16
from £2,960
from £3,111
from £3,562
from £4,714
March 2028
17
from £3,006
from £3,162
from £3,629
from £4,823
Fares are per person in pounds, based on two people sharing, and were checked on 20 October 2026. They are subject to availability and may change at any time before booking. "Call" means that category was not available when we checked. Single supplements on request. Call 0333 405 0194 for current prices.
Your Package
What is included
Everything below is part of the package price, whatever cabin category you choose on board.
What's included
Hotels
Hotel stays in Oslo Two nights at Clarion Hotel The Hub or comparable, with breakfast
Included
One night in Kirkenes Thon Hotel Kirkenes or comparable, with breakfast
Included
One night in Bergen Hotel Bryggen or comparable, with breakfast
Included
One night in Flåm As part of Norway in a Nutshell, with breakfast. Hotels throughout are centrally located and of 4 star standard
Included
Travel
Domestic flight, Oslo to Kirkenes Economy class, taxes, fees and checked bags included
Included
Norway in a Nutshell The scenic journey between Bergen and Oslo by train and fjord boat, including the Flåm Railway, the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord
Included
Ground transfers All transfers between hotels, activities and ports once the tour begins
Included
On board the Coastal Express
Five nights, Kirkenes to Bergen On the same ship throughout
Included
Full board Breakfast, lunch and dinner in Torget, the main restaurant
Included
Choice of cabin category Choose your cabin or suite category when you book
Included
Not included: international flights and airport transfers (available as a package, see below), drinks unless stated, and optional shore excursions, which are paid for separately. Hurtigruten does not recommend this tour for wheelchair users or guests with limited mobility; guests who can manage short walks and a few stairs should be able to join most activities. You can arrange travel insurance online here.
Flights & Packages
Flights from London and Manchester
Hurtigruten offers flight-inclusive versions of Best of Norway, and we can quote return flights to Oslo from London or Manchester to go with your tour. Since the tour starts and finishes in Oslo, the arrangements are straightforward: one flight out and one flight back. Booking the flights as part of a package with Hurtigruten also gives you ATOL protection.
Package
Starts / Ends
Included in price
Price
Best of Norway Flight Package
Oslo / Oslo
The full tour as described, plus return flights between the UK and Oslo from London or Manchester
Call
Package prices are per person based on two people sharing and depend on your date and airport. Extra nights in Oslo, Bergen or Flåm can be added on request. Call 0333 405 0194 for a quote.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Best of Norway a guided tour?
No. It is self-guided. Hurtigruten arranges the hotels, the flight to Kirkenes, the voyage, the rail and fjord journey and the transfers between them, and you explore each place at your own pace without a group or tour leader.
How many nights are spent on the ship?
Five. You board in Kirkenes on day 4 and leave the ship in Bergen on the afternoon of day 9, sailing the southbound Coastal Express route the whole way.
Which ship will I sail on?
It depends on your departure date, as several Coastal Express ships sail the route. You stay on the same ship from Kirkenes to Bergen, and we can tell you which one is scheduled when you choose your date.
What meals are included?
Breakfast at each hotel, and full board on the ship, with breakfast, lunch and dinner in the main restaurant, Torget. Drinks are not included unless stated, and other meals ashore are at your own cost.
Are flights included?
The domestic economy flight from Oslo to Kirkenes is included, with checked bags, taxes and fees. International flights are not included in the tour price, but we can quote flight-inclusive packages from London or Manchester.
What is Norway in a Nutshell?
It is the well known scenic route between Bergen and Oslo, combining the main line railway with a fjord boat through the Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord and a ride on the Flåm Railway. On this tour it is spread over two days with an overnight stay in Flåm.
When is the best time to take this tour?
It depends on what you want. Late May to late July brings the midnight sun to the Arctic part of the voyage. Autumn and winter bring dark skies in which the Northern Lights are possible, and snow over the mountains. Spring and early autumn are quieter and often good value.
Can I see the Northern Lights on this tour?
On departures in the darker months, from autumn through to early spring, the voyage from Kirkenes passes through the Arctic where the aurora is often seen on clear nights, but sightings are never guaranteed. Hurtigruten's product page for this tour does not include the Northern Lights Promise, so please ask us before booking if that matters to you.
Is this tour suitable for people with limited mobility?
Hurtigruten does not recommend it for wheelchair users or guests with limited mobility, as there is a fair amount of moving between trains, boats, hotels and the ship. Guests who can manage short walks and a few stairs should be able to join most activities.
Can I add extra nights?
Yes. We can add hotel nights before or after the tour in Oslo, and often in Bergen too. Call us and we will price the extra nights with your booking.
