Store-SkagastølstindScandinavian Mountains over 2000 metres - James Baxter
Introduction › Public Transport
Public transport in Norway and Sweden consists of rail, long distance buses and local buses.
Train Lines
All the three main train lines in Norway connect the cities of Trondheim, Bergen and Stavanger with Oslo. There is at least one departure from each end in the morning, in the afternoon and before midnight with the journey taking 7-8 hours. On the night departures sleepers are available.
The train journeys are very scenic, especially the Oslo to Bergen line. The trains operate throughout the year. Detailed times and prices, including advance booking discounts, can be obtained from NSB. Tel: +47 815 00 888 or www.nsb.no for details.
In Sweden there is a marvellous trainline from Stockholm to Narvik in Norway. This trainline goes through Kiruna and Abisko before reaching Narvik. The journey from Stockholm to Kiruna takes about 17-18 hours and the overnight option is the best bet as reasonablu priced couchettes can be reserved. The train leaves Stockholm at about 1700 going north and leaves Kiruna at about 1900 going south. Detailed times and prices, including advance booking discounts, can be obtained from Veolia Transport. www.veolia-transport.se Tel: +46 771 26 00 00 It is likely that these contact details will change frequently.
There are regular twice daily trains and a night train between Oslo and Stockholm. The journey takes about 6 hours.
Long Distance Buses
In Sweden the best option are trains and local buses only. In Norway however long distance buses are very convienient and link most of the cities. These buses are very comfortable. There are departures from Oslo to Trondheim, Åndalsnes, Stryn, Årdal, Bergen and Kristiansand then Stavanger. There is normally a morning departure and late evening departure.
The buses which go north to Otta, Lom, Stryn Dombås and Trondheim stop at Oslo Gardemoen airport about 45 minutes after leaving Oslo and pick travellers up from here. The reverse is true on the return journey. It is therefore possible to land and get straight onto a mountain bound bus, arriving in the mountain town some five hours later.
There are also long distance buses from Bergen southwards to Stavanger and northwards to Årdal and Sogndal and via Stryn and Lom to Trondheim. I can only generalize about the routes here but the details of the times and prices can be found by contacting NOR-WAY bussekspress. Tel:+47 815 44 444 or www.nor-way.no.
These long distance buses operate throughout the year but there may be delays in bad weather in the winter/spring due to heavy snow on the mountain sections.
Local Buses
From all the stops which the trains and long distance buses call or terminate at there are connections with local buses. These are generally to numerous to put on in this section but they have been covered in more detail in the area sections under access :- if that section has been completed.
