🚋 Bergen: living without a car and close to Bybanen

If your goal is to ‘fly in, settle in, work and get around by tram,’ then Bergen + Bybanen is the perfect combination. Two light rail lines cover the city centre, the airport and new neighbourhoods, and walking distances from stops are rarely more than 5–10 minutes. Below is a short and practical guide: where to look for accommodation near lines 1 and 2, which floor is more comfortable if it rains a lot, and where to find a coworking space without leaving your home or at least within one or two stops.

🏡 Where to look for accommodation near Bybanen for quick trips? [Lock: Bergen]

Look at the corridor of:

• line 1 (centre ↔ airport): Danmarks plass, Kronstad, Wergeland, Slettebakken, Fantoft, Paradis/Hop, Nesttun, Lagunen — lively areas with quick access to Byparken/Busstasjonen.
• Line 2 (centre ↔ Fyllingsdalen) offers convenient addresses near Kronstad, Mindemyren, Kristianborg and Fyllingsdalen terminal: direct to the centre without changing trains. Official Skyss maps/timetables will help you choose the right stop for you.

For students, check out Fantoft — right next to the station, with amenities in the courtyard.

🌧️ Which floor/location is best for frequent rainfall?

There are a lot of rainy days in the city (for example, in 2024, there were 213 wet days recorded at Florida station), so simple things make for greater comfort: middle/upper floors (less spray and street noise), a canopy over the balcony, a closed storage room for wet equipment, and a drying/laundry room in the building. A balcony that is not oriented southwest/south (dominant winds) is less likely to get hit by slanting rain; east/northeast facades are quieter. Before booking, ask about a dryer/tumble dryer and see how the entrance is protected from the wind.

💼 Are there any complexes with co-working areas in the building?

In the mass housing stock, separate co-working spaces for residents are rare, but they are a common option in student complexes: Sammen Fantoft, Grønneviksøren, Alrek have lesesal/reading rooms and shared quiet areas — essentially ‘co-working at home’. If you need a ‘grown-up’ working environment close to home, look for hubs near Bybanen: Kronstadparken Coworking (corridor of line 2), TWR / Tower Bergen (centre) and Spaces Media City (easily accessible from the city centre). All offer drop-in/flexible daily/monthly plans.

The ‘car-free’ formula is simple: rent near Bybanen, keep a ‘quiet corner’ handy for phone calls, and choose an apartment with a canopy/storage room/access to a dryer. For quick trips, Danmarks plass–Kronstad–Mindemyren (close to the centre) and Fantoft–Nesttun–Lagunen (line 1, one stop to the airport) are convenient. Coworking spaces are most often found in student facilities; everyone else can find help in spaces one or two tram stops away.

Save this list and share your favourite stops and life hacks for rainy days in the comments.