Norway In A Nutshell Review | Is It Worth It?

If you’re planning a trip to Norway, you’ve probably heard about Norway In A Nutshell; a series of connecting transportation that showcases the highlights of the dramatic peaks, valleys, fjords, and waterfalls between Oslo and Bergen. At its core, it traverses the Flåmsbana Railway between Myrdal and Flåm, a cruise on the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord, and a drive to the peak of the Stalheimskleiva for a panoramic view of the Nærøydalen (which is also UNESCO listed). But is Norway In A Nutshell worth it? And what other options are there? This post covers Norway In A Nutshell, what it is, and alternatives, so you can decide if it’s worth it for you.

What Is Norway In A Nutshell?

The Norway In A Nutshell website offers travelers an easy way to connect and mix and match transportation options between Bergen and Oslo to see the beautiful scenery between them. All with one ticket.

The standard links between Olso and Bergen on Norway In A Nutshell include:

• A train ride from Oslo to Myrdal.
• A ride on the Flåmsbana Railway between Myrdal and Flåm.
• A cruise on the Nærøyfjord from Flåm to Gudvangen.
• A bus ride from Gudvangen to Voss with a stop at the Stalheim Hotel for a panoramic view of the Nærøydalen.
• A train ride on from Voss and Bergen.

Within this, there are many options. You can travel east to west from Oslo to Bergen, or Bergen to Oslo (the links are just reversed). There are also round trip options from these cities, and roundtrip options between select cities between Oslo and Bergen. You can also add excursions, like a tour to explore the Viking Village Njardarheim in Gudvangen, a trip to Stegastein viewpoint in Flåm, various meal offerings, and tours.

Many people do the entire Norway In A Nutshell journey in one day (Oslo to Bergen or Bergen to Oslo). But, it’s a very long day. A one-way journey takes between 11 and 14 hours, with little time between connections.

To break up the trip and enjoy it more, it’s recommended to stop and stay overnight in one of the towns. The small town of Flåm, tucked at the end of the Aurlandsfjord, between the cruise of the Nærøyfjord and a ride on the Flåmsbana, is the most popular. Stays in Gudvangen and Voss are other options. I chose to stay in Flåm and am so glad I did. It’s a peaceful little beauty. See my post on Flåm, for full details on what to do there.

On top of all this, there is also a Sognefjord In A Nutshell and a Hardangerfjord In A Nutshell. There are so many options it can be a little overwhelming. The goal, however, is to make it easy to put together a personalized travel plan for your trip. The best way to learn more is to visit the Norway In A Nutshell website and experiment with all the different options.

Is Norway In A Nutshell Worth It?

So is Norway In A Nutshell worth it? It depends on a few factors. The first factor is cost versus simplicity. The second is how much independence you prefer.

Cost Versus Simplicity

There is a cost for the convenience of the transportation, excursions, and hotels packaged up on the Norway In A Nutshell website. All the transportation is public transportation, so it’s less expensive, although more time-consuming, to book it all yourself. Just use the times noted on the website for your preferred itinerary and book everything separately.

How much more expensive? I did the math on a one way trip from Bergen to Oslo and it’s almost half the cost if you book everything yourself rather than book on the Norway In A Nutshell website (this varies with specific segments and options).

The negative to booking everything separately is that it takes more time, you need to verify that you’ve purchased all the right connections and times, and, instead of just having one ticket, you will have multiple tickets. Booking everything on the Norway In A Nutshell website is much simpler.

Independence

Rather than booking on Norway In A Nutshell, you can rent a car for a day or two and drive along the roads that follow this route. Obviously, you would not see the exact same sights, but it would be very similar. Plus, you can stop wherever you want, rather than having to follow the crowd. This offers the ultimate freedom to discover the beauty here. And, even better, the cost of this is even less than booking the tickets separately. Just the cost of your rental car and gas for a day or two (this varies by class of car and time of year).

If you rent a car for this journey, you can’t cruise the Nærøyfjord, or ride the Flåmsbana (unless you park and take these separately as a round trip), but you can experience the landscape driving beside the Nærøyfjord, and near the Flåmsbana. And even add in photostop detours the way.

You can also add in other activities, like driving to the Stagestein Viewpoint for no additional cost. Also, when you drive to the Stalheim Hotel for the picturesque view of the Nærøydalen, you can find a place to park your car and walk down some of the 13 hairpins turns on the Stalheimskleiva (which is now closed to motor traffic), to see views of the Stalheimfossen. A much more immersive journey.

What did I do? While I prefer independent travel, and I did travel independently for most of my trip, visiting 6 cities in 2.5 weeks, 2 of them twice, I was already renting cars in two different towns, had multiple ferries, and internal flights, so I preferred the simplicity of booking on the Norway In A Nutshell website for this journey. I loved the overview, seeing the “typical” experience, and the simplicity of booking everything in one place.

That said, on my next visit to Norway, I will rent a car for this journey and explore more of it independently.

So, whether Norway In A Nutshell is worth it for you or not, depends on your preferences. For most first-time travelers to Norway, I think it’s a great option. If you want to save money, or prefer independent travel, choose the alternatives above.

Sognefjord In A Nutshell

So what is the Sognefjord In A Nutshell? It’s very similar to the Norway In A Nutshell, but rather than a cruise on the Nærøyfjord (which is the UNESCO-listed arm of the Sognefjord), you have a longer cruise on the Sognefjord, the largest fjord in Norway. It’s known as the “king of fjords”. You also cruise down the coast to Bergen in the North Sea. See Sognefjord In A Nutshell for more details.

Hardangerfjord In A Nutshell

The Hardangerfjord is the second longest fjord in Norway, known as the “queen of fjords”. This journey also starts from either Olso or Bergen (and a few other towns in between). It’s known for the many fruit trees and orchards lining the fjord. These trees, which bloom in the spring, are noted to be especially pretty then. There are also several impressive waterfalls to see and excurions to add in. See Hardangerfjord In A Nutshell for more details.

The Best Time To Take Norway In A Nutshell

The best time weather-wise for a Norway In A Nutshell journey is from June through August. This is when the temperatures are the most comfortable and the days are the longest. This is also peak season, and when it is busiest. Especially from early July to late August.

Shoulder season can hold more unpredictable weather, but with fewer crowds. Winter is another option, with snow and the possibility of seeing the northern lights. Winter, however, could be a challenging time to self-drive.

Note that the waterfalls will be at their fullest in June and early July, when snowmelt levels rise.

Want To See More Of Norway?

• What To See Around Flam | Scenic Wonders & Little Known Adventures
• Best of Bergen | Gems & Day Trips
• Pulpit Rock Hike on Spectacular Preikestolen | Your Complete Guide
• Top 10 Things To Do In Stavanger | Unforgettable Adventures
• Hiking Trolltunga | Conquering Norway’s Iconic Cliff
• The Audacious Beauty of Odda | Glaciers, Waterfalls, & Trails
• Things To Do In Lofoten | Norway’s Breathtaking Archipelago
• Hiking Reinebringen | Scenic Summit Above The Fjords
• What To Do In Oslo | Nature Escapes, Rich Heritage, and Modern Landmarks
• Norway Itinerary | 2 Weeks of Wonders & 3 Epic Hikes
• Norway Travel Guide

Safe Travels!

Julie