This trip actually came about after I watched a TV programme about the Bergensbanen over Christmas. I'd never heard of the railway before, but after seeing the train cross the snow-covered Hardangervidda mountain plateau, I immediately knew I wanted to do it.
So when the Boxing Day flight sales started, I jumped straight online to see if I could make a trip work. I found cheap flights from Manchester into Bergen and home from Oslo, which meant I could build the whole weekend around travelling between the two cities on the Bergensbanen rather than having to double back on myself.
I ended up booking two nights in Bergen followed by one night in Oslo, with the seven-hour train journey in between. While I was in Bergen, I also managed to fit in a fjord cruise, Mount Fløyen and plenty of time exploring Bryggen, all without hiring a car or needing expensive transfers.
The entire trip cost me £467.05, including return multi-city flights, three nights' accommodation, the Bergensbanen, my fjord cruise, Fløibanen and airport transport. I travelled solo too, so some of those costs could be reduced considerably if travelling as a couple and sharing accommodation.
Planning a solo trip to Norway? As I travelled around Bergen and Oslo on my own, I've also written a separate guide sharing how safe I felt, what surprised me about Norwegian nightlife and my experience exploring both cities independently. Read my guide to Is Norway Safe for Solo Female Travellers? for my personal experiences and practical advice.
In this guide, I'll share my complete Bergen to Oslo itinerary, exactly what I paid and how I organised the transport, along with links to my more detailed Bergen and Bergensbanen guides if you're planning a similar trip.
Just a quick note before we begin. Some of the links in this guide are affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products, services and experiences we've used ourselves or genuinely believe will help you plan your trip. Thanks for supporting Build a Break.
Duration: 3 nights / 4 days
Route: Manchester → Bergen → Oslo → Manchester
Bergen: 2 nights
Oslo: 1 night
Bergen to Oslo: Bergensbanen scenic train
Main highlights: Mostraumen Fjord Cruise, Bryggen, Fløibanen & Mount Fløyen, Bergensbanen
Transport: Public transport throughout, no car needed
Total cost: £467.05 solo, including flights, accommodation, activities and airport transport
One of the best decisions I made with this trip was flying into Bergen and home from Oslo. It meant I could travel across Norway on the Bergensbanen without having to retrace the whole journey back to Bergen afterwards.
I flew:
Manchester → Bergen with Norwegian Air
Oslo Gardermoen → Manchester with easyJet
I paid £87.90 return and booked the flights together through Trip.com, rather than booking two separate one-way flights directly with the airlines.
The flight from Manchester to Bergen took around 1 hour 15 minutes, while Oslo to Manchester was around 1 hour 45 minutes. Norway is one hour ahead of the UK.
Ryanair also flies from Oslo Torp and fares can look much cheaper, but Torp is a long way from Oslo. With an early morning flight, the extra journey time and transport costs can quickly wipe out the saving.
For this itinerary, flying home from Oslo Gardermoen made far more sense. My hotel was next to Oslo Central Station and the airport was only a short train journey away, so I could enjoy my final evening in Oslo without worrying about a complicated journey out to Torp the following morning.
Getting from Bergen Airport into the city centre was incredibly easy. I took Bybanen Line 1, Bergen's light rail, from the airport all the way to Byparken, the final stop in the city centre.
The journey took around 45 minutes and cost 51 NOK (£3.97). I bought my ticket from the machine at the station when I arrived. The light rail was frequent, clearly signposted and easy to use with luggage.
I landed at around 7:30pm and was in my apartment by 9pm, with Byparken just a four-minute walk from where I was staying. For less than £4, I really couldn't fault it.
I've put together a full guide covering the light rail, airport bus and taxi options here:
I stayed at Ole Bull Hotel & Apartments for my two nights in Bergen and paid £122 in total, which worked out at £61 per night travelling solo.
The location was a big reason I chose it. It was around five minutes from the Byparken light rail stop, ten minutes on foot from Bergen train station and only six minutes from where my fjord cruise departed. Bryggen, the harbour and the Fløibanen were all within easy walking distance too.
My apartment was huge and immaculately clean, with a kitchenette, fridge and freezer, oven and hob, dishwasher, TV with Netflix, iron and hairdryer. Having a proper kitchen was particularly useful in Norway, where eating out can quickly add to the cost of a trip.
The only thing I'd be aware of is the location can be lively at night. There are bars, restaurants and entertainment venues nearby and Friday night was particularly busy, although it didn't personally bother me.
I've written a much more detailed review of the apartment, along with other places I'd consider staying in Bergen, here:
I started my second day in Bergen with the 10am Mostraumen Fjord Cruise, which I'd booked through GetYourGuide. The cruise takes around 3 to 3.5 hours, and the departure point was only a six-minute walk from my apartment.
I arrived around 20 minutes early, which gave me time to wander around Bryggen while it was still really quiet. If you want to see and photograph the colourful buildings without the crowds, early morning is definitely the time to go.
The cruise itself was incredible, particularly in February when the surrounding mountains were covered in snow. There was plenty of outdoor space for the best views, although the wind chill was intense once the boat picked up speed. A proper hat, gloves and scarf or snood are definitely worth taking in winter.
There was also warm indoor seating, along with hot drinks and cakes, so I could head inside whenever I got too cold. We travelled through the fjords until we reached the ice before returning to Bergen at around 1pm.
I only booked the cruise at the last minute and I'm so glad I did. It ended up being one of my favourite parts of the weekend.
If booking through the GetYourGuide app, BUILDABREAK5 gives 5% off.
After the fjord cruise, I headed to the Fløibanen Funicular for the six-minute journey up Mount Fløyen. I paid 145 NOK (around £11.38) for a return ticket, although it's also possible to buy a one-way ticket and walk the roughly 3km route back down.
I'd seen people mention queues, so I bought my ticket online beforehand. I was able to walk straight onto the funicular in both directions, which made the whole thing really easy.
I was incredibly lucky with the weather too. The sky was completely clear and the views across Bergen and the surrounding fjords from the top were amazing. There were lots of Norwegian families having picnics and it felt surprisingly relaxed rather than overly touristy.
There's a children's playground, café, bar, toilets and several walking trails at the top. I went for a short walk before finding somewhere to sit and enjoy the views for a while.
• Read my full guide to the Fløibanen Funicular and Mount Fløyen here
Later that afternoon, I headed back down from Mount Fløyen and spent a few hours wandering around Bergen Harbour and Bryggen. I didn't have any real plan for this part of the day, which was actually quite nice after fitting the fjord cruise and Fløibanen into the morning and early afternoon.
The colourful wooden buildings along Bryggen are probably Bergen's most recognisable sight, but it's worth walking behind the main waterfront too. There are narrow wooden passageways between the old Hanseatic buildings, with small shops, galleries and cafés tucked inside.
I spent ages taking photos around here and along the harbour as the light started to soften. It didn't cost anything, I didn't need to book anything and it was a really nice way to finish my full day in Bergen.
• See my full guide to 20 Things to Do in Bergen
I visited in February and loved seeing Bergen and the surrounding fjords in winter, but each season offers a very different experience. If you're still deciding when to go, I've broken down the weather, seasons and prices here:
I was up early for my 8:08am Bergensbanen train from Bergen to Oslo. One of the reasons I'd chosen such a central apartment was that Bergen Station was just a straight ten-minute walk away, so even with an early start it was really easy.
I'd hoped to pass somewhere on the way to pick up drinks and snacks, but had no luck. Thankfully there are a couple of small shops at the station, so I grabbed a few things there before boarding.
My train was scheduled to leave at 8:08am, with boarding showing from 8am. I arrived far earlier than I needed to and we eventually pulled out at 8:16am, so despite this being a seven-hour cross-country journey, there's no need to arrive ridiculously early.
I booked directly with Vy and paid 1,362 NOK (around £106). I'd unfortunately picked the end of a Norwegian holiday weekend and the train was completely full of families returning from ski trips, which pushed the price up considerably.
The Bergensbanen isn't a tourist train. It's a normal working railway used by locals as well as visitors, but it crosses almost 500km of Norway and some incredible mountain scenery on the way to Oslo.
I've now put everything about the journey, including tickets, which side to sit on, food, luggage, family carriages and the best time of year to travel, into a separate guide:
The scenery was the whole reason I'd booked this trip, and it didn't disappoint. Leaving Bergen, the train gradually climbed from the fjords into the mountains before reaching the vast Hardangervidda plateau. In February, huge stretches were completely covered in snow and at one point it was so white that I genuinely couldn't tell where the ground ended and the sky began.
I spent most of the journey looking out of the window, moving between empty seats when better views appeared and even spending around three hours in the dining carriage. For a seven-hour train journey, it passed incredibly quickly.
I arrived at Oslo Central Station at around 3pm and had deliberately booked Comfort Hotel Xpress Central Station for my final night.
I paid just £57.22, and the location couldn't have worked better. The hotel is only a few minutes' walk from Oslo Central Station, so after stepping off the Bergensbanen I was checked in and in my room within minutes. No metro, taxi or dragging my luggage across the city.
I'd chosen it mainly because I needed to be back at the station at around 7am the following morning for the train to Oslo Airport. For a short overnight stay, it was perfect.
The hotel itself was modern, my room was very clean and I'd happily stay there again if I needed somewhere affordable and central in Oslo.
I'd already visited Oslo twice in recent years, so I didn't feel the need to cram lots of sightseeing into my final afternoon. For me, this trip had always been about Bergen and travelling across Norway on the Bergensbanen. Oslo was really just a bonus at the end and a much more practical place to fly home from than travelling all the way back to Bergen.
My evening actually turned out better than anything I could have planned. I met up with a family member who lives in Oslo, completely unplanned, and we spent a few hours having drinks and wandering around the city. It was a really relaxed way to finish the trip.
The following morning, I left the hotel at around 7am and was back at Oslo Central Station within minutes. I bought my ticket from the machine and caught a regional train to Oslo Airport Gardermoen, which took just 23 minutes.
At the time of my trip, I paid 134 NOK (£10.51) for the regional train. The Flytoget airport train was also available and slightly quicker, but it cost twice as much, so saving a few minutes wasn't worth the extra cost for me.
From Gardermoen, I flew back to Manchester with easyJet, bringing my Bergen to Oslo trip to an end.
Here's exactly what I paid for the trip:
Flights: £87.90
Accommodation: £179.22
Bergensbanen: £105
Mount Fløyen Funicular: £11.38
Mostraumen Fjord Cruise: £69.07
Bergen Airport to City Light Rail: £3.97
Oslo Central to Oslo Airport: £10.51
That covered my multi-city flights, three nights' accommodation, the Bergensbanen from Bergen to Oslo, my fjord cruise, the Fløibanen and airport transport at both ends.
I think that's pretty reasonable for everything I managed to fit into the trip, especially as I was travelling solo. Accommodation made up £179.22 of the total, so travelling as a couple and sharing those costs would immediately bring the price per person down.
I also paid £105 for the Bergensbanen because I was travelling at the end of a Norwegian holiday when the train was completely full. Ticket prices vary depending on demand, so this is another area where the same trip could potentially cost less.
For me, absolutely. This was one of those trips where I managed to fit a lot into just a few days without it ever feeling rushed.
I had two nights in Bergen, which gave me enough time for the Mostraumen Fjord Cruise, Mount Fløyen and Bryggen, before spending the following day travelling across Norway on the Bergensbanen. Finishing in Oslo also meant the route flowed naturally rather than having to travel all the way back to Bergen to fly home.
Norway certainly isn't the cheapest destination in Europe, but I was surprised by how manageable the costs were. My flights were under £90, public transport from both airports was inexpensive and my entire trip came to £467.05 travelling solo, including three nights' accommodation and all the main experiences I'd planned.
If I did the same trip again, I'd happily follow this route. For a short break combining a city, fjords and one of Europe's most scenic railway journeys, I thought it was well worth what I paid.
• Still deciding? Read my full Is Bergen Worth Visiting? guide here
Whenever I spot great-value DIY flights and accommodation from UK airports, I share them with members of the Build a Break Travel Club.
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