Rallarvegen is a sought-after, varied and manageable bike ride with viewpoints that will take your breath away. Rallarvegen lies at the foot of two national parks, Hallingskarvet National Park and Hardangervidda National Park. Are you fond of nature and cycling? Then you must experience Rallarvegen!
Rallarvegen has been named Norway's most beautiful bike ride several times. It is not without reason, Rallarvegen is a journey through powerful nature, cultural monuments and history. Rallarvegen was built as a construction road for the Bergen Railway at the end of the 19th century. To this day, Rallarvegen remains unique because it has not been modernized or widened. The way the road is built and maintained is still in keeping with what was typical of that time, and today everyone can admire the impressive work done on walls and bridges in the early 20th century. All of the maintenance that is done on the road now is done the "old way", therefore the road is as unique today as it was 120 years ago. As this is a cultural monument, parts of the section will be of a lower standard than desired.
Hagastøl - Here you can rent bikes starting from Haugastøl, and they can be returned at the same place, Finse, Myrdal or in Flåm. Unfortunately, you cannot rent a bicycle helmet, bring your own or you have the option of buying one at Haugastøl.
Finse - Here you can pick up the bike you have ordered or you can rent it on the spot. They also offer help with repairs, and you can buy the necessary equipment here. You can leave the bicycles you rent at Finse, at Myrdal or in Flåm.
Tip! Always check train departures before you start your trip, there are not many departures and the train only stops at a few train stations. If you have your own bicycle, remember to pre-book bicycle transport on the train, as there are limited places. Train tickets for the section Haugastøl - Finse - Myrdal - Voss and Myrdal - Flåm can be ordered at Vy.no.
Rallarvegen is a total of 82 kilometers long. It starts at Haugastøl and follows the Bergen Railway to Finse, Hallingskeid and Myrdal before continuing along the Flåm Railway and ending in Flåm.
Some information about the different distances you can choose from, and how long you should calculate. You can also cycle the entire trip from Haugastøl to Flåm, which is 82km long, some cycle this in one day. Others choose to divide it into stages by spending 1-2 nights in the mountains.
At the beginning the road is wide and solid, after approx. 13 km, the road narrows and turns into a gravel road. From Oksabotnen there is a slight climb up to Finse. The trip is easy and family-friendly.
From Finse to Oksabotnen it is mostly downhill, be careful on the slopes as there are some sharp turns. From there, there is a small gravel road until you reach a slightly wider and firmer road. The trip is easy and child-friendly.
From Finse to Fagervatn there is a slight climb. Here you will also pass Rallarvegen's highest point at 1343 m.a.s.l. It will then go slightly downhill to Hallingskeid. The hike is moderate.
The trip has an easy terrain down to Kleivavatn. Then you have to be careful on the downhill and sharp turns. The trip is difficult because of the terrain.
Some sharp turns and steep hills at the beginning of the trip, then it flattens out a bit and goes through a narrow valley and forest, before the last part of the trip is on an asphalt road. The trip is moderate because of the challenges at the beginning.
The season on Rallarvegen is relatively short. The road is usually passable at the beginning of July, and the season lasts until September. For updated information and weather report, see "Rallarvegreport". The best month to cycle Rallarvegen is usually in August, when the weather is more stable, and the road has usually dried up. During the season, there are most cyclists at weekends, while weekdays are somewhat more quiet.
If you want to cycle all the way from Haugastøl to Flåm, we recommend that the children are at least 12 years old. But it is very individual, some 7-year-olds do just fine, while 16-year-olds don't stand a chance. In any case, you should allow plenty of time, so that you walk the bike in exposed areas. Bicycle strollers and child seats are not recommended on the part between Finse and Flåm. Rallarvegen is at times very steep, and parts of the road are largely unsecured and very demanding for children.
The part between Haugastøl and Finse is the one we recommend for families and children. It is 28 km and has a few hills, where you can walk if you wish. The gravel road and width of the road are also relatively good.
Haugastøl is the perfect starting point for cycling Rallarvegen. They offer accommodation in modern apartments and dining in the restaurant. The cafe has home-made cakes and buns, as well as snacks and drinks. There are good parking options here, easy access from road 7 and a short distance from the train station.
Hotel Finse 1222 is a hotel with a lot of history, and a spectacular location between Hardangerjøkulen and Hallingskarvet. The doors opened for the first time in 1909, and in 2020 they completely renovated the hotel with the help of Snøhetta. Hotel Finse 1222 offers accommodation in new and upgraded rooms, and a first-class restaurant with a majestic view. The hotel is located right next to Finse train station, which is the highest station in Norway. Feel free to take the time to visit the Rallar Museum in the eastern locomotive hall, here you will find exhibitions and Cafe Rotaren.
Fagernut Vokterbolig is located along Rallarvegen at 1310 m.a.s.l. between Finse and Hallingskeid. There is a rallar cafe and exhibition here. Fagernut has a long history as a residence for both train workers and tourists, here you can learn more about the history of Fagernut. The operation of the residence takes place on a volunteer basis, and is protected by the National Archives. Opening hours are from mid-July until the start of school, then open at weekends until mid-September.
Hallingskeid is an old engineer's residence that has now become a self-service tourist cabin from DNT. You need membership in DNT to access the key. There is also a train station at Hallingskeid. During the construction period of the Bergen Railway, Hallingskeid was originally built as an infirmary. In later times, it was used as a mountain lodge and was the starting point for long, beautiful mountain hikes. In 1963, parts of Hallingskeid burned down, and were not rebuilt. In 1972 DNT took over the operation at Hallingskeid as a self-service cabin.
Cafe Rallaren is located by Myrdal station and is a junction between the Flåmsbanen and the Bergensbanen. At Cafe Rallaren, they serve both hot and cold dishes. From the station it is a short distance to the impressive Myrdalsfossen and the 21 hairpin bends down to Flåm.
Vatnahalsen Høyfjellshotel is a traditional hotel from 1896. It was originally built as a sanatorium, but it was never used for that purpose. Instead, it was used as a hotel when the construction of the Bergen Railway began. The hotel burned to the ground in 1940, and it took almost 15 years before they were able to open their doors again in 1954. They offer accommodation, dining and activities in a beautiful setting.
I Flåm there are several accommodation options and catering. Feel free to look at Flåm website for more detailed information.
Camping along Rallarvegen is a great experience. There are many good opportunities for camping along the route. The only tent ban zones are between Haugastøl and Tunga, as well as in the center of Finse. The tent ban has been introduced to take account of the cabin owners in the area.
The highest point on the trip is 1343 m.a.s.l., the climate is harsh and the weather can change quickly. Therefore, it is important to pack correctly.
The Norwegian Parliament decided in March 1894 that a railway should be built between Oslo (then called Christiania) and Bergen. The stretch was quickly named Bergensbanen, and it was to be built over the high mountain via Haugastøl and Finse. But before the construction work could begin, construction roads had to be built from Geilo, Flåm and Voss to the route that the railway was to follow, at the time this was one of the most demanding railway projects in Europe.
The construction roads were one of the first major tasks that had to be solved. Supplies and equipment had to be transported from the surrounding villages up to the high mountains. Hundreds of horse transports went into the mountains daily with materials and equipment during the short summer season. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were around 2,400 construction workers working on the Bergen Railway. A "Rallar" was the term for these men, often foreign, who worked on the railway in Norway. Hence the name Rallarvegen.
On 27 November 1909, the Bergen Railway was officially opened by King Haakon.
