Riding Rallarvegen, Norway’s best cycle route

A day’s cycling through some of the best scenery Norway has to offer with mountains, glaciers. waterfalls, wild rivers, lush valleys and fjord views.

Cycling Rallarvegen (the navvies’ road) in Norway

Norway’s reputation for outstanding natural beauty is well known - its fjords attract hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, both by cruise ships and other more traditional travelling methods. Despite my very high expectations, the 9 hours that we spent cycling Rallarvegen blew me away, and I consider it one of my most memorable travelling experiences to date.

Riding through some of the best scenery in Norway

The Rallarvegen cycling route follows a railway that cuts through the mountains, starting from the mountain settlement of Haugastøl before climbing up to Finse – a small village that hosts Norway’s highest train station. Shortly afterwards, the route changes course and descends to Flåm and Sognefjord, passing through other settlements on the way.

Overall, the route took us 9 hours, starting at 8am and finishing at 5pm. Fit riders will undoubtedly be able to finish in less time, but we were keen to spend as much time as possible enjoying the blissful views. The ride is around 80 kilometres with 800 metres of ascent. The terrain is never too challenging, although it can be rocky for short sections.

The Rallarvegen website does a poor job of communicating the physical fitness required to complete the route. If you don’t cycle regularly I recommend hiring an e-bike – it will cost slightly more but should ensure that you can focus on enjoying the views rather than cursing the climbs. Alternatively, you could get the train to Finse and start the route part way along.

Cycling Rallarvegen blew me away, and I consider it one of my most memorable travelling experiences to date.

Our day started at the bike hire shop in Haugastøl – an efficient operation with a massive fleet of bikes (although you will still want to book ahead to avoid disappointment). The bikes they provided us with were basic but reliable mountain bikes. The compromise for that reliability is weight – I would estimate they weighed around 20kg each (not dissimilar to an improved version of the Santander bikes you find in London). Whilst the bikes were fit for purpose, they did make the 80 kilometres we traversed more of a physical challenge than we expected.

From the start, the route treated us to impressive views of stunning lakes, cute cabins, and friendly sheep. The landscape for the first half of the ride has a rather desolate beauty, as the high altitude and brutal Norwegian winters limit foliage growth. Instead, expect to find large, open vistas of rocky mountains and the occasional patch of snow. Further up the trail, we encountered Hardangerjøkulen, Norway’s sixth largest glacier, with a high point of 1,863 metres above sea level. The vast sheet of ice and snow stretches over the horizon and looms over the village of Finse – a small settlement that wraps itself around a cute red train station. Several old train carriages and a tiny museum tell the story of Finse’s past, including the role it played in building the original railway in the early 20th century. A hotel is also open to visitors wishing to buy refreshments.

After passing the high point at Fagervatn, the route starts its descent of 1200 vertical metres down to sea/fjord level. As we lost elevation, the scenery changed to expansive open valleys filled with green grass, rocky outcroppings, and vast lakes. Snow melt from higher up the mountains ran into rivers that created wonderful waterfalls and violent rapids.

The best thing about this bike ride is that the views start off as truly remarkable, and then somehow, they keep getting better and better. Rounding each corner unveils a new jaw-dropping vista, each more impressive than the last. Rather than trying to describe the views, I’ll let the pictures do the talking (but you should know that they don’t compare to the real thing).

Several hours later, grinning and feeling like the luckiest people alive – we arrived at Flåm, a village on the edge of Sognefjord. The town itself is pleasant enough but be aware that you will often find a cruise ship sitting in its harbour, with tourists bustling around the souvenir and trinket shops. After a short break, we headed back to our start point of Haugastøl via two trains, including the Flåmsbana. This vintage train winds its way up the valley we just travelled through, allowing tourists to experience some of the views without the physical exertion of a bike ride.

Having experienced both sides of the coin – I can say that the Flåmsbana is undoubtedly enjoyable, it is regarded as one of the most beautiful train rides in the world, but it is not comparable to cycling Rallarvegen. The train missed so many of my favourite views because of its route and frequent tunnels. You also omit much of the sense of scale you get when pedalling in the valley, sandwiched between unfathomably high cliffs and waterfalls.

If you want to travel through some of the best scenery Norway has, then I recommend riding Rallarvegen – it is one of the best things I’ve ever done. Find out more here.

The Rallarvegen cycle route

Length: 82 kilometres

Height gain: 800m

Bike hire: Haugastøl

The best time to cycle Rallarvegen is from mid-July to the end of September

You can cycle the whole distance in one day, or split it over a few days

For further details visit the Rallarvegen website