Voss ⇄ Flåm

A Journey through Mountains, Waterfalls, and Fjord Heritage

Traveling between Voss and Flåm reveals one of western Norway’s most scenic routes — a blend of history, agriculture, waterfalls, and dramatic geology. The drive takes about 2 hours 20 minutes, with an optional 15-minute detour by bus to the powerful Tvindefossen Waterfall.

This guide highlights the places, people, and stories that make the Voss–Flåm corridor a living museum of Norwegian nature and culture.

Voss — Heart of the Mountains

The name Vorsu means “hills,” a fitting description for this lush region 100 km east of Bergen and about 450 km from Oslo.
Voss has roughly 16 000 inhabitants, with 7 000 living in the town of Vossavangen. Glacial rivers carved its fertile plains around 10 000 years ago, leaving behind wide valleys ideal for settlement and farming.

Voss Church

Built between 1271–1277, Voss Church is dedicated to St. Michael. Its stone construction replaced an earlier wooden church from the 11th century.
According to legend, King Olaf Haraldsson (later Saint Olaf) visited Vossavangen around 1023 to convert locals to Christianity.

Nature & Agriculture

Voss Klekkeri — The Hatchery

Voss operates a trout and salmon hatchery where fish eggs are bred and raised. Once the fish reach the smolt stage, they are released into the river or sea. Some are kept for a full year before release to ensure survival.

Voss School of Agriculture

Norway’s largest agricultural and vocational school, home to over 400 students, teaches farming, construction, electrical trades, fishing, and hospitality. Students even produce local foods served in nearby restaurants.

Grass & Farm Production

Grass is cut twice each summer — once for haymaking, once for silage — sustaining cattle, sheep, and goats through long winters.

Lønahorgi Mountain (1 412 m)

Formed around 400 million years ago, this mountain dominates the skyline east of Voss. Its geological layers tell the story of an ancient seabed uplifted by tectonic forces.

Lønavatnet Lake & Birdlife

Now a nature reserve, this tranquil lake hosts over 125 bird species, a paradise for birdwatchers year-round.

Tvindefossen Waterfall

Rising 152 meters, Tvindefossen (from tvinne, meaning “double”) cascades in twin streams over a broad rock face. Sunlight often creates prisms in the mist — a classic photo stop on the route from Voss to Flåm.

Legends and Local Industry

Trolls & Stone Formations

Massive boulders scattered across the valley are said to be trolls turned to stone when caught by sunlight — a reminder of Norway’s enduring folklore.

Voss Kjøtt (Voss Meat Factory)

The Vossakjøt factory produces traditional smoked and salted meats, including lamb sausages for Christmas. This practice continues a centuries-old preservation method dating to the Viking Age.

Voss Hydropower & Modern Industry

Two hydroelectric plants operate in the Vinje Valley, making Voss one of Norway’s top producers of renewable energy. One station ranks third-largest nationally.

Education and Culture

Voss founded Norway’s first upper-secondary school — Voss Landsgymnas — in 1916.
The town also hosts numerous cultural festivals:

• Vossa Jazz – Norway’s oldest jazz festival (since 1974)

• Osafestivalen – folk and classical music honoring fiddler Sigbjørn Osa

• Ekstremsportveko – one of the world’s biggest extreme-sports events

• Voss Cup – youth football tournament for ages 8–12

• Smalahovesleppet – annual celebration of the local delicacy, sheep’s head

• Voss Blues & Roots Festival

Bømoen — From Military to Adventure

Just 4 km from Voss, Bømoen served as a military camp from 1898 to 2008. Today it’s a recreational hub for parachute jumpers and outdoor enthusiasts.

The flat terrain makes it a natural airfield for skydiving — and one of the most photogenic in western Norway.

Voss Gondola & Hanguren Mountain

Opened in 2019, the Voss Gondola connects the railway station directly to the summit of Mount Hanguren at 818 m.
Nine panoramic cabins (each named after nearby mountains) carry up to 36 passengers — 26 seated + 10 standing — to a mountaintop restaurant and hiking trails.

Slate Quarry — Voss Skiferbrot, Noralem

Slate has been quarried in Voss since 1380. Production peaked in the late 19th century with the invention of slate scissors, employing over 400 workers. Today, only one craftsman continues the tradition.

Geology & Wildlife

The bedrock around Voss consists of phyllite, anorthosite, granite, gneiss, and quartzite.
Local fauna include elk, red deer, roe deer, and reindeer, while rivers teem with salmon, trout, char, and eel.

Oppheim — Mountain Pastures & Ski Jumps

Oppheim, north-east of Voss, is known for its summer ski jump built in the 1940s — one of Norway’s oldest. The slope combines a plastic lower section and porcelain-coated upper part, allowing year-round training.

The Oppheim Church (1871) was designed by Hans Linstow, the same Danish architect who created the Royal Palace in Oslo.

Nearby Oppheim Lake is rich in trout and bordered by traditional summer farms (sæter), where cows and goats were once milked daily to produce butter and cheese.

Haugsdal & Stalheim Valley

Haugsdal

At the highest point of the Voss–Bergen road, archaeologists found tools from around 800 AD. The white mountains here are made of anorthosite — rock with 30 % aluminum oxide — producing sparse vegetation and rare alpine flora.

Stalheim

The historic Stalheim Hotel, perched at 380 m, opened in 1885 along the old Oslo–Bergen postal route. The modern hotel was rebuilt in 1960 after a fire but retains its heritage charm.

The view from Stalheimskleiva — a serpentine road of 13 hairpin bends — ranks among Norway’s most dramatic panoramas.

Jordalsnuten & Art in the Valley

Painters such as Johan Christian Dahl (whose View from Stalheim 1842 hangs in Oslo’s National Gallery) and Georg Anton Rasmussen immortalized this landscape.

Nearby Stalheim Museum displays 24 old farmhouses from the postal-route era (1750–1882), one of Norway’s largest privately owned open-air collections.

The Road to Gudvangen

Passing through the Gudvanga Tunnel (11.4 km), drivers descend from 380 m altitude to sea level.
Built in 1991, the tunnel features a 3.5 % gradient, six meters width, and ventilation fans at intervals.

Emerging at Gudvangen, you reach the gateway to the UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord — one of the most spectacular branches of the Sognefjord.

Flåm — Where the Fjord Meets the Rails

Flåm, meaning “a meadow between steep mountains,” lies at sea level yet surrounded by cliffs over 1 200 m high.
Archaeological finds suggest settlement here since 4900 BC, but tourism blossomed in the 19th century when British and German visitors arrived by steamship.

Flåm Church

Dating from 1350 (or possibly 1670), this small wooden church stands quietly among the farms of the valley.

The Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana)

Opened between 1940 and 1944, the 20-km Flåm Railway climbs from sea level to 865 m at Myrdal in just one hour — one of the steepest standard-gauge railways in the world.
Its gradient reaches 1 in 18 (5.5 %), with 20 tunnels totaling 6 km, most carved by hand.

Five independent braking systems ensure safety on the descent, while panoramic windows reveal waterfalls, rivers, and alpine farms.

Gudvangen — Gateway to the Nærøyfjord

Once a place of pagan worship, Gudvangen (population ~100) became a tourism hub in the 1800s.
Today it’s part of the UNESCO World Heritage site encompassing the Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord.
From here, fjord cruises connect to Flåm and Undredal, offering travelers a front-row seat to Norway’s glacial geography.

Travel Notes

• Distance Voss → Flåm: ~70 km via E16 (about 2 hours)

• Highlights en route: Tvindefossen → Stalheimskleiva → Gudvangen → Flåm Railway

• Best season: Late spring to early autumn (May–September)

• Keywords for search: Voss travel guide, Flåm Railway, Nærøyfjord UNESCO, Voss Gondola, Stalheim viewpoint, Tvindefossen waterfall

Voss to Flåm: Self‑guided route via Tvindefossen, Stalheimskleiva, Gudvangen & the Flåm Railway

Quick Overview

• Distance: ~70 km (E16)

• Drive time (no stops): ~2–2.5 h

• Best season: May–September (long daylight; Stalheimskleiva often seasonal)

• Transport mix ideas: Drive + Fjord cruise (Gudvangen–Flåm) + Flåm Railway (Flåm–Myrdal) + Bergen Line (Myrdal–Voss/Bergen/Oslo)

Step‑by‑Step Itinerary (west → east)

1) Voss — Start Point

• Why stop: Food/fuel, lakeside stroll, optional gondola ride for early panoramas.

• Map pin: Voss Station / Voss Gondola (base) — 60.6291, 6.4101

• Tip: If skies are clear, ride Voss Gondola (~9 min) to Hanguren for a quick viewpoint and coffee, then descend to continue along E16.

2) Tvindefossen — Roadside Waterfall

• Access: Signed stop directly off E16, ~12–13 km north of Voss; large parking opposite the falls.

• Map pin: Tvindefossen car park — 60.7264, 6.4864

• On site: Short flat path to the viewpoint. Expect spray in high flow. Commonly quoted figures are 116 m vertical and 152 m run.

3) Stalheim — Historic Viewpoint

• Access: Short detour from E16 to Stalheim Hotel terrace for the classic view into Nærøydalen.

• Map pin: Stalheim Hotel / viewpoint — 60.8352, 6.6808

• Note: Stalheimskleiva (13 hairpins, built 1840s) is typically seasonal/regulated; drive it only when officially open and permitted.

4) Gudvangen — Gateway to the Nærøyfjord (UNESCO)

• What to do: Fjord cruise to/from Flåm for the tightest part of Nærøyfjorden. Combine with bus/train back for a loop.

• Map pin: Gudvangen ferry quay (Gudvangen kai) — 60.8807, 6.8429

• Road note: You’ll pass/enter long tunnels on E16, including Gudvangatunnelen (11.4 km).

5) Flåm — Fjord Village & Railway

• Map pin: Flåm Station / Flåm Railway lower terminus — 60.8631, 7.1139

• Do not miss: Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana) — 20 km, sea level to ~865 m at Myrdal in ~1 h; max gradient 5.5% (1:18); 20 tunnels (~6 km). Reserve in advance during peak season.

Optional 6) Myrdal — High‑Mountain Junction

• Map pin: Myrdal Station — 60.7383, 7.1231

• Loop idea: Ride Flåmsbana up to Myrdal and connect to Bergensbanen trains bound for Voss/Bergen/Oslo.

Suggested Day Plan (example)

• Morning in Voss: Gondola up & down (60–90 min).

• Drive to Tvindefossen: 20–30 min stop.

• Stalheim viewpoint: 20–30 min stop.

• Gudvangen fjord cruise → Flåm: 2 h (check schedules).

• Flåm time: 2–3 h (railway ride, café, short fjord walk).

• Return: Train or bus back depending on your loop.

Practical Tips

• Road & safety: Expect multiple tunnels, variable lighting and speed limits. Check live road bulletins before departure, especially in winter.

• Stalheimskleiva: Often one‑way/seasonal; respect signage. The main E16 remains open year‑round barring temporary closures.

• Tickets: Reserve Flåm Railway and fjord cruises in advance peak season.

• Respect sites: Park only in marked areas; in UNESCO fjord landscapes, keep to paths and leave no trace.

• Weather: Coastal‑mountain mix—carry layers and rain protection even on sunny forecasts.

At‑a‑Glance Pins (copy‑paste‑friendly)

• Voss Station / Gondola base: 60.6291, 6.4101

• Tvindefossen car park: 60.7264, 6.4864

• Stalheim Hotel viewpoint: 60.8352, 6.6808

• Gudvangen ferry quay: 60.8807, 6.8429

• Flåm Station (Flåmsbana): 60.8631, 7.1139

• Myrdal Station: 60.7383, 7.1231

Accessibility Notes

• Tvindefossen: Short, mostly flat path; uneven gravel near the closest viewpoint.

• Stalheim terrace: Level terrace; internal steps inside hotel depending on access point.

• Flåm Railway: Standard‑gauge rolling stock; verify step‑free boarding times and carriage availability.

• Cruises: Most modern boats allow ramp access; always confirm with operator.

Sustainability Tips

• Favor public transport segments (Flåmsbana/Bergensbanen) and fjord cruises with modern, low‑emission vessels.

• Pack a reusable bottle and keep stops to marked lay‑bys to protect vegetation.

#Voss #Flåm #Flåmsbanan #Nærøyfjord #UNESCO #Tvindefossen #Stalheimskleiva #Gudvangen #Sognefjord #NorwayFjords #RoadTripNorway #ScenicNorway #SustainableTravel