West Norway

By plane

There are frequent flights between Bergen and Stavanger. There are also flights between Bergen and Ålesund, Molde and Kristiansund. Bergen is also conected to Sogn og Fjordane with small planes.

By ship

Bergen is connected to many coastal towns to the north by Hurtigruten the coastal steamer, which is a combined cargo and cruise ship also accepts cars. North-south along the coast there are a few express passanger boats between Bergen and Stavanger operated by Tide (http://eng.tide.no/), and between Bergen and small towns to the north operated by Fjord1 (http://www.fjord1.no/en/). The small towns along Sognefjorden is also connected to Bergen by these high speed catamarans. The fjord and island areas are typically best enjoyed from a boat.

By Rail

Due to complex topography West Norway does not have an integrated rail network. The railway does however offer opportunity for scencic rides. Train is most suitable for transport between Bergen, Voss, Flåm and the mountains; transport between Stavanger, Sandnes and small towns south of Sandnes. Bergen-Voss-Flåm is included in the famous "Norway in a nutshell" tour. The scenic Raumabanen railway from Dombås to Åndalsnes is an alternative to bus or car in the Romsdalen valley.

By car

Because most of West Norway is sparsely populated with limited public transport, a car provides superior freedom and flexibility for the traveler. Because some roads are narrow and steep not shown on most road maps, travellers are advised to calculate plenty of time for driving and not to rush as this increases risk of accident. Ferries are an integral part of the road network and trips across West Norway often involve ferries. Car ferries on the main roads are rather frequent typically every half hour, extremely reliable and operate with reserve capacity. Except for the popular Geiranger-Hellesylt and Valldal-Geiranger ferries, tourists generally need not worry about time tables and reservations. Travellers are however recommended to caclulate plenty of time for trips involving car ferries. Buses, ambulances and livestock transport have priority. On most crossings, ferries have cafeteria selling coffee, beverages, sandwiches and some hot food.

Because nature is the main sight in West Norway, travellers are advised not to rush from town to town, but instead to calculate plenty of time for the road.