Flamsbana, the steep mountain railway above Aurlandsfjord
Published on 08/29/2026 at 08:03 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Flamsbana, known in Norwegian as Flåmsbana, is a mountain railway running between the high station of Myrdal and the fjord-side village of Flam in western Norway. It branches from the Bergen Line and drops from the uplands down to the inner reaches of Aurlandsfjord, turning a once-remote valley into an accessible rail journey through cliffs, waterfalls and farms.branch line of the Bergen Line
A short line with a long descent
The Flamsbana route is relatively compact in distance but dramatic in elevation. The line is just over 20 km (around 12.5 mi) long, making it far shorter than trans-continental or coastal railways, yet it falls from more than 860 m (2,822 ft) above sea level at Myrdal to near sea level at Flam.journey stretches from the high mountain station of Myrdal This steep gradient over a relatively short run is a defining feature of the line and shapes the experience on board.
Myrdal stands on the high plateau used by the main Bergen Line, while Flam lies at the innermost end of Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the larger Sognefjord system.Myrdal station down to the village of Flåm at sea level on the Aurlandsfjord The train traverses the valley of Flåmsdalen between these two environments, passing small stations and halts that serve side valleys, farms and viewpoints.
Engineering a steep adhesion railway
Flamsbana is built as a standard-gauge adhesion railway, so the trains rely on friction between wheels and rails rather than a rack-and-pinion system. The gradient reaches around 5.5%, which is a high figure for an adhesion line and has led to the railway being recognised as one of the steepest standard-gauge climbs of its kind.Northern Europe’s steepest standard gauge adhesion track This steepness is managed through careful routing, tunnels and track design.
The line includes numerous tunnels driven into hard rock, many of them reported as having been excavated by hand when the railway was built in the first half of the twentieth century.there are 20 tunnels on the Flåm Railway Construction began in the 1920s and the line opened in 1940, placing it in the interwar period of Norwegian rail expansion.opened for full traffic in 1940 The route follows the contours of the valley, with close rock faces on one side and views towards Aurlandsfjord and the slopes above on the other.
From fjord-side station to high plateau
At its lower end, Flamsbana begins or ends at Flam Station, situated in a small settlement by the water at the head of Aurlandsfjord.meet at Flåm Station The station area is framed by fjord views and nearby hillsides, and the platforms are used by Flamsbana trains connecting with regional buses and ferries. From here, the train begins its climb almost immediately.
Higher up, Myrdal is an interchange on the Bergen Line, positioned in the mountains of Vestland county.Myrdal Station, part of the Bergen Line Here the Flamsbana platforms connect with through trains running between Oslo and Bergen, making it straightforward to link the mountain branch line with longer journeys across southern Norway. The contrast between Flam at sea level and Myrdal on the plateau is one of the most striking aspects of the line, presenting different landscapes within a single rail journey.
Visiting Flamsbana: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Flamsbana runs between Flam in western Norway and Myrdal on the Bergen Line; trains are operated as part of Norway’s national rail network by companies such as Vy and Flamsbana AS.
- The approach to Flam involves fjord-side terrain with nearby slopes, while Myrdal lies on a high plateau; boarding at either end requires movement between platform areas and adjacent access paths rather than long approaches on foot.
- Flam sits in Norway, where the official language is Norwegian and the currency is the Norwegian krone.
- Travellers from Western Europe usually reach Flamsbana by mainline trains on the Bergen Line to Myrdal or by road and fjord boat connections into Flam before joining the mountain railway.
Searching for Flamsbana on social platforms
These links open searches for Flamsbana on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Flamsbana
Where is Flamsbana located?
Flamsbana runs between Flam, a village by Aurlandsfjord in western Norway, and Myrdal Station on the Bergen Line in Vestland county.
What can travellers expect on a journey with Flamsbana?
A journey on Flamsbana covers a steep mountain valley with tunnels, small stations and views towards waterfalls, farms and the inner Aurlandsfjord.
What makes Flamsbana distinctive among European railways?
Flamsbana is distinctive for combining a short route length with a steep standard-gauge gradient and a rapid descent from a high plateau down to a fjord-side village.
