Public transport in Norway: how easy it is to get around without a car

Updated 30 September 2026. Facts checked against Vy, Entur, NOR-WAY Bussekspress, Flytoget and Hurtigruten.

Short answer: you can travel Norway without a car. Trains link Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger and Bodø; express coaches cover the rest; ferries and express boats are part of the network; planes take the long legs. One app is enough to plan: Entur holds timetable data from every public transport company in Norway and sells tickets for all train journeys and most regional buses. Oslo–Bergen by train takes 6.5–7.5 hours, and the night train has a reclining seat or your own compartment.

Key facts

What do you need?

• Travelling between two big cities: see trains and plane or train.
• Going where the train does not: see express coaches.
• Heading for the fjords or the islands: see ferries and express boats.
• You want just one app: see tickets and Entur.
• Thinking about a rental car: see when a car pays off.

Trains in Norway: where they go and how long they take

Vy runs passenger trains on the main lines, and Go-Ahead and SJ run some lines in the south and the north. The long lines start in Oslo:

• The Bergen Line Oslo–Bergen: 6.5–7.5 hours, 6–7 departures a day. The line is 471.25 km long and climbs to 1,237 metres above sea level, which is why it counts as one of Europe’s most scenic train rides (Vy).
• The Dovre Line Oslo–Trondheim, the Nordland Line Trondheim–Bodø, the Sørland Line Oslo–Kristiansand–Stavanger and the Røros Line.
• There is no railway north of Bodø: onward to Tromsø and Finnmark you travel by bus, ferry or plane.

Book early: the price depends on the date, the time of day and how far in advance you book (Vy). Bicycles and luggage have their own rules on each line.

Night trains: reclining seat or private compartment?

The long routes have night trains. Vy has three levels (Vy, checked 30.09.2026):

• PlusNight — a fully reclining seat in your own privacy pod.
• Rest — a private 6-berth compartment with room for a family.
• Sleeper — a private 2-bed compartment with its own sink and a wake-up call.

The night train saves a hotel night and a day of your holiday, but you miss the scenery. To see the Bergen Line, take the day train at least one way.

Plane or train between Oslo and Bergen?

The flight is short, but count the whole journey, not just the time in the air: Flytoget takes 19 minutes between Oslo Airport and Oslo Central Station and runs every 10 minutes (Flytoget), and on top of that come security, waiting time and the trip from Bergen Airport Flesland into the city. The train runs city centre to city centre.

• Take the train if you travel centre to centre, want the scenery or carry a lot of luggage.
• Take the plane on the really long legs — Tromsø, Alta, Kirkenes and Svalbard — or when time is short.
• Domestic flights in Norway are operated by SAS, Norwegian and Widerøe. Widerøe flies the short routes to the small towns.

Express coaches: where the train does not go

NOR-WAY Bussekspress has 14 routes covering large parts of Southern Norway and about 2 million passengers a year. The company is a marketing organisation: the routes are run by ordinary bus operators, who set the timetables and the fares (NOR-WAY, checked 30.09.2026).

• The coach is often the only public option between smaller places and across the mountains.
• Allow extra time: mountain passes can close in bad weather in winter.
• Vy also runs express coaches, and each county has its own regional buses.

Ferries, express boats and the coastal route

Along the coast and in the fjords the boat is part of the road, not an excursion.

• Car ferries are part of the national road network. Without a car, most crossings also take foot passengers and cyclists.
• Express boats link cities and islands, for example Bergen–Nordfjord and the routes around Stavanger and in Lofoten.
• The coastal route Bergen–Kirkenes–Bergen takes 12 days and calls at 34 places (Hurtigruten). You can buy a single leg between two cities and use it as transport.

More about ferries and what they cost: Lofoten: flights, ferries and car rental and the fjords of Norway.

Tickets: one app for the whole country

Entur collects, processes and shares timetable data from every public transport company in Norway, and the journey planner searches the entire national network: bus, train, ferry, tram, metro and plane. In the app you buy single tickets for all train journeys, all regional buses and some ferries and express boats; period passes are available for the largest operators (Entur, checked 30.09.2026).

• Train tickets are also sold by Vy, Go-Ahead and SJ, and local tickets by each county’s own operator.
• Cards and phones work almost everywhere; many buses do not take cash. See currency, cards and cash.
• Tickets in the cities: Ruter tickets, zones and the Oslo Pass.

When does a car pay off?

A car is best when you leave the main roads: the national tourist routes, small fjord villages and trailheads in the mountains. Then tolls, ferries, fuel and winter tyres come on top.

• Tolls and tags: AutoPASS and road tolls in Norway.
• Speed limits, alcohol limit, winter tyres and fines: driving rules in Norway.
• If you only travel between cities, train or coach is usually cheaper and simpler than a rental car with tolls and parking.

Through the year

• Winter: mountain passes and some ferry crossings can close in bad weather. Check the warnings before you travel and allow extra time for connections.
• Summer: more departures and tourist routes, but trains and express boats fill up during the holidays — book ahead.
• Public holidays: timetables often run as on a Sunday. See what is open on public holidays.

Stops and terminals in our directory

The listings show addresses and opening hours. All stops and terminals: Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger.

People also ask

• Can you get around Norway without a car?
• How long does the train from Oslo to Bergen take?
• Is it better to fly or take the train to Bergen?
• Does Norway have night trains with beds?
• Which app do I need for public transport in Norway?
• Where do the express coaches go?
• Do I have to book a car ferry in advance?
• Is there a train to Tromsø?
• Can I pay by card on the bus?
• Do the trains run in winter?

Sources

All links checked on 30.09.2026.

• Vy: the Bergen Line — journey time, length, highest point, night train
• Vy: Oslo to Bergen by train, PlusNight, Rest and Sleeper
• Entur: about the journey planner and tickets in the app (Norwegian)
• NOR-WAY Bussekspress: 14 routes, 2 million passengers (Norwegian)
• Flytoget: 19 minutes, departures every 10 minutes
• Hurtigruten: Bergen–Kirkenes–Bergen, 12 days, 34 places

Reader experiences

Have you travelled Norway without a car? Tell us in the comments at the bottom of the page what worked and where it was hard — we use it when we update the guide.