Raumabanen is a 114-kilometer train journey along and across the Rauma river. The line takes you from the train station in Åndalsnes to Dombås and passes 18 special highlights in just 1 hour and 40 minutes. In the summer months, the train slows down at the most beautiful and photogenic spots. Thanks to the train’s extra-large windows, you have gorgeous views the whole way. Keep your camera at the ready and climb aboard the most spectacular train journey in Europe (according to Lonely Planet’s “Europe’s top 10 scenic rail journeys” 2013)!
From Åndalsnes to Dombås or Bjorli?
You can order your tickets online in advance or simply buy them on the train. There is, however, a (small) chance that the train is full, so booking ahead is recommended. Before Dombås, the train also stops in Bjorli, a beautiful village with reliable snow conditions and therefore very popular with winter sports fans. The journey to Bjorli takes only an hour, so if you’d rather take a shorter train trip, you can also get off here. We chose a return ticket to Dombås, though, and we didn’t regret it one bit!
18 highlights in seven languages
On board the train you get a brochure describing all the highlights of the journey in seven languages. There are also announcements whenever you pass one of those highlights, with a short summary of what’s in the booklet. That way you can relax, look around to your heart’s content, feast your eyes and read up on everything at your leisure once you’re home.
Trollveggen – the vertical ‘highlight’
Besides endless green and the ice-blue Rauma that faithfully keeps flowing alongside the train, along the way you have views of some of the most beautiful mountain peaks in the area. For example, you’ll see the 1550-meter-high Romsdalshorn, a famous peak that serious mountain lovers have been climbing regularly since 1828. My personal favorite is Trollveggen (in the photo below), an 1800-meter-high ‘wall’. This is the tallest vertical rock face in Europe, and in the ’80s it was very popular with BASE jumpers. Today BASE jumping is banned at this spot, because too many accidents happened.
The photogenic Kyllingbrua
Another special highlight of the Raumabanen train journey is Kyllingbrua. The bridge is 76 meters long and hangs no less than 59 meters above the Rauma river. Building the bridge took a whopping 10 years, but today it’s one of the most photographed bridges in Norway.
Want to admire the bridge from a different angle? From Verma you can easily get to the ‘photo spot’ by parking your car on the other side of the road and walking a short distance. There’s a gigantic sign along the road that says ‘Kyllingbrua’, so you can hardly miss it. In the evening the bridge is lit up, which makes it extra special to see!
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Of all the Harry Potter movies, only one scene was filmed outside Great Britain. That scene was filmed in Bjorli, the first end station of this special train journey. When you ride through it, you immediately understand why. So if you’d like to relive this adventure at home, put on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince! I’m curious whether you can tell which scene it is.
Getting off or changing trains
After 114 kilometers of forests, mountains, bridges and tunnels, you arrive in Dombås. Dombås is the end of the Raumabanen line. From here you can take the train back to Åndalsnes or change trains toward Oslo or Trondheim. The station is staffed by NSB (Norges Statsbaner), so don’t be surprised if an arm stops you when you want to cross the tracks. You see, there are no barriers at the station; instead, the conductors stand there directing the train traffic. Where else do you still see that?!
Spotting trolls in Dombås
Do you have some time to kill in Dombås before your train goes back? Then take a little walk down into the village. Pay a visit to the beautiful Dombås church or the bygdemuseum, or settle down on the terrace of the big cafeteria with its souvenir shop and wall full of trolls! In the cafeteria they sell delicious organic juices made from fruit from Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella, the national park just around the corner. That makes your Raumabanen travel experience complete!
The official Raumabanen video by NSB
Times and tickets? Go to www.nsb.no/raumabanen
Personal travel advice
Would you like help putting together your dream trip to and through Norway? Or would you rather leave the planning of your trip entirely to someone else? Get in touch with me and soon you’ll be Lost in Norvana
