We have just returned from a magical week exploring Norway’s fjords aboard P&O Brittania. Soon we will share plenty of info about our experience on the Brittania and look at each of our stops but today we want to introduce you to one of our favourites.

We hope you enjoy the Flam Railway.

The Flam Railway: Norway’s most scenic train journey 

The second shore visit on our journey along the Fjord coast is Flam ( pronounced Flom) and the highlight of our visit is a trip on the Flam Railway. Norway’s scenery glides past the train windows like a series of snap shots. We pass spectacular waterfalls and mountain streams, neat wooden houses, steep rocky cliffs topped with a sprinkling of snow and impossibly green meadows.

The Flam Railway

The construction of The Flåm Railway began in the 1920s however the engineering challenges of such a steep gradient and the severe weather conditions meant that it took 20 years to complete. Around 200 men at a time worked on the site, laying the line, building stations, bridges and 20 tunnels. Almost all of the 20 tunnels were dug out by hand as there was little suitable machinery available. (For more info Railway Museum)

The Flam Railway is only 20km long; rising from sea level at Flåm to 863 metres at Myrdal – or one metre in height for every 18 metres it travels. The track climbs through small villages, forests and steep gorges before stopping at Kjosfossen Waterfall.  According to folklore, the waterfall is home to beautiful sirens called Huldra, who bewitch men with their song and lure them into the woods. The falls come complete with recorded “haunting” music and a blonde in a red dress dancing through the mist. Ladies are warned to “hold on to your man”.

On the way back to Flam, windows cut in the tunnel walls provide a view of the Rallarvegen. Originally built as a construction road for the railway, today many of our fellow cruisers have taken the train to the top then are riding mountain bikes down its 21 twists and turns to Flam. A bit too adventurous for us!

Almost back to Flam, the old town looks like a miniature village with houses and a tiny wooden church on the riverbank. We climb off the train slightly overwhelmed by the colours and vistas and head back to the Brittania for lunch – meeting some local trolls on the way.

Old Flam.

Tiny town church.

Back to Brittania.

Meet the trolls..

Join us next time for more Postcards From Norway.

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