Rallarvegen

Rallarvegen starts just outside Haugastøl Turistsenter. It rises 222 meters over 27 km up to Finse. Along the road you will ride through fantastic mountain highland nature and see many impressive 110-year-old man-made bridges, inspectors’ huts, and the Nygård Farm. Nygård Farm used to be the only farm at this elevation still in operation until the mid-1900s.

You will also pass Storurdi Lake and the Storurdi Inspector’s Hut at 1,105 meters a.s.l. After this you ride past Oksebotn at 1,160 meters a.s.l., an ancient summer farm used by farmers from Ulvik. You will see the new, modern railway track built to withstand the speed of future trains. A new tunnel, Gråskallen, has been built, and you pass snow screens designed to keep snow from covering the tracks during harsh winters.

Finse lies at 1,222 meters a.s.l. and is the highest railway station in Norway. Here you will find many possibilities for nice hikes, such as the trip to Hardangerjøkulen, the glacier just west of the station. We highly recommend a guided tour on Hardangerjøkulen with Jøklagutane if you have an extra day in the area.

A visit to the Rallar Museum is almost mandatory when cycling Rallarvegen. Detailed and useful information on the story behind the Bergen Railway is found here. It shows how the men recorded snow depths, planned and staked out the route, and the tools and equipment used to ensure construction could continue. The museum is situated in the house east of Finse station. If you wish to spend the night at Finse, it is possible at Finse 1222 and Finsehytta.

When you cycle west from Finse, you will glide into the beautiful natural surroundings of Hardangervidda National Park. Take your time and enjoy the landscape. It's hard not to be impressed by the magnificent mountains around you and the view of Hardangerjøkulen glacier with its great cape of white and blue eternal ice.

If you are lucky you might spot wild reindeer or the white Arctic fox in this area. If you see them, please keep as far away as possible so you don’t scare them. Ride slowly so you don’t miss the beautiful highland flowers along the road.

You can see traces of how families once lived while battling the weather for years just to keep the railway open in all conditions. You will pass inspectors’ dwellings at Sandå, Slirå, Fagernut and Grjotrust. Fagernut is situated at 1,310 meters a.s.l. and is the highest inspector’s dwelling in Norway; families lived here between 1904 and 1964. You will also pass Fagervatn Lake, the highest point on Rallarvegen.

In summer, a café is run in the Fagernut dwelling, where you can buy freshly made waffles and coffee. The building is restored using the same techniques and interior style as when it was built.

The first dwelling you pass is now a tourist cabin that is open for visitors all year round. Notice the grassy opening at the bottom of the valley. This used to be the site of an annual summer market up until the Black Death (link) in the 1300s. People came from nearby valleys and fjords—Hallingdal, Sogn, Hardanger and Voss—to sell goods, hold competitions, dance, drink and fight.

From Hallingskeid down the valley to Myrdal you can see how the railway follows a mountain shelf. Try to imagine how the workers built this section and the challenges they faced. This area is affected by many avalanches during winter.

Klevabrua is a beautiful and impressive bridge that you will notice before continuing into the wild and fascinating ravine, Klevagjelet. The road continues along a narrow shelf—so be careful and walk this part if needed. On your way to Vatnahalsen you will pass Seltuft, where you can see traces from the Stone Age.

At Vatnahalsen you will find a station on the Flåm Railway Line, as well as Vatnahalsen Hotel. At this point you must decide: continue down to Myrdal and Flåm, or turn off towards Voss. It is 2 km to Myrdal, where you can enter the train and travel both east towards Oslo and west towards Bergen.

Flåmsdalen is an impressive valley with one of the steepest standard-gauge railway lines in Northern Europe: the Flåm Railway. It is 20 km long, has 20 tunnels, and an altitude difference of 865 meters. The Flåm Railway is world famous. Every summer almost 600,000 tourists travel the Flåm Railway, and around 100 cruise ships arrive in Flåm with guests visiting this famous route.

Rallarvegen makes its way through 21 sharp bends down to Kårdal, the highest farm in Flåmsdalen. From Kårdal the road continues through the wild Flåm Valley past Berekvam and Dalsbotten. From Dalsbotten down to Hårreina you will pass the powerful waterfall Rjoandefossen.

Make sure to stop by Flåm Church, built in 1667. The poet Per Sivle was born and grew up on the farm across the river from the church; you can see a memorial stone raised in his honour. On the last part towards Flåm you are cycling on the public road going up the valley, so take care and keep your speed down.

Flåm Train Station is located at the end of the Aurlandfjord, one of the arms of the Sognefjord. During summer, Flåm is a melting pot of tourists from all over the world. You can hear many different languages and watch people heading off for new experiences by boat, bus or train.

You will find the facilities you need: hotels, B&Bs, campsites, cafés, restaurants and shops. It is possible to catch the train via Myrdal to Bergen or Oslo, or a boat taking you out the Sognefjord—southwards to Bergen or northwards towards Selje.

For those who chose the Bike package from Haugastøl (1,000 m.a.s.l.), a return journey from Flåm to Haugastøl by the famous Flåm Railway is included.

If you want to rent a bike to ride locally in Flåm and the surrounding areas, see flambikerental.com.