How to Get to the Viking Village from Bergen

Where Is the Viking Village?

Njardarheimr Viking Village is in Gudvangen, at the inner end of the Nærøyfjord. The village is a short walk from Gudvangen’s fjord-cruise quay, bus stops and car park, so it fits naturally into a wider Flåm–Nærøyfjord trip. Our Gudvangen Viking Village guide covers what you see and do once you’re there.

Option 1: Take a Guided Tour from Bergen

Best for: first-time visitors who want the simplest full day.

This is the easiest way to visit Njardarheimr from Bergen. The combined tours pick you up in central Bergen and cover:

• transport from Bergen, with a scenic stop on the way
• Gudvangen
• Viking Village admission and a guided walk
• a Nærøyfjord cruise
• Flåm
• the Flåm Railway
• the return to Bergen

The main advantage is coordination: the village, the cruise and the railway are booked and timed for you, which you would otherwise arrange as three separate tickets. The Viking Village, Nærøyfjord cruise and Flåm Railway tour is the most-booked version, rated 4.8/5 from more than 1,400 reviews; see our full tour breakdown. Fjordrive’s minibus version of the same loop, listed as its winter tour, runs in a smaller group.

Main Drawback of an Organised Tour

Your time at the Viking Village may be fairly short, because it is one stop in a long day. If Njardarheimr itself is your main reason for going, an independent visit may suit you better, because you can spend two or three hours there.

Option 2: Drive from Bergen to Gudvangen

Best for: families, groups and travelers who value flexibility.

Driving is the simplest independent way to reach the Viking Village. It takes about 2.5 hours each way on the E16 via Voss, a mix of main road, tunnels and steeper mountain sections, and some of it can be demanding in winter conditions.

A car gives you control over when you leave, where you stop, how long you spend in Gudvangen and whether you carry on to Flåm. The cost is arranging the village, cruise and railway tickets yourself. See our tour vs. self-drive guide for the fuller comparison.

Should You Drive Straight Back to Bergen?

You can, but there is a more interesting option. Drive to Gudvangen, visit the Viking Village, and then add a Nærøyfjord cruise or continue the 20 minutes to Flåm before heading home.

Option 3: Travel via Flåm

Best for: visitors who want the journey itself to be one of the main attractions.

A classic structure is:

Bergen → Myrdal → Flåm Railway → Flåm → Nærøyfjord → Gudvangen → Viking Village

That gives you the Bergen Railway, the Flåm Railway, Flåm, the Aurlandsfjord, the Nærøyfjord and the Viking Village in one trip. Our Norway fjords by train guide covers the rail legs.

Option 4: Gudvangen First, Then Cruise to Flåm

Best for: visitors whose priority is the Viking Village.

Travel from Bergen to Gudvangen first, then:

1. visit Njardarheimr
2. cruise through the Nærøyfjord to Flåm
3. spend some time in Flåm
4. ride the Flåm Railway
5. return to Bergen via Myrdal

This is arguably the strongest direction overall: you see the hands-on cultural attraction while you’re fresh, then sit back on the fjord cruise. Our Flåm to Gudvangen guide covers the cruise and shuttle bus between the two villages in either direction.

Can You Take a Direct Bus from Bergen?

Yes. Nor-Way Bussekspress’s NW162 East–West Express runs from Bergen bus station via Voss to Gudvangen (the stop by the E16) and on to Flåm. A sample timetable from Norway’s Best leaves Bergen at 9:05 and reaches Gudvangen at 11:35, about 2.5 hours. The route runs daily except December 24 and 25.

You can also take the train from Bergen to Voss and the bus from Voss to Gudvangen, which runs all year. Bus timetables change by season, so check the live timetable for your date before you plan the day around it.

Can You Get There Entirely by Train?

No. Gudvangen has no railway station. The practical rail route is Bergen → Myrdal → Flåm, followed by the fjord cruise or road transport to Gudvangen, or the train to Voss and the bus from there.

Can You Take a Boat Directly from Bergen to the Viking Village?

Not as a single direct sightseeing boat to Njardarheimr. Think of the Nærøyfjord as one leg of a bigger Bergen day, not a direct boat from Bergen harbor. For cruises that do leave from the city, see our Bergen boat tours guide.

Can You Combine the Viking Village and the Nærøyfjord in One Day?

Yes, and for most visitors it is the best way to see the area from Bergen. The cruise between Gudvangen and Flåm takes about two hours, and the village is a short walk from the Gudvangen quay.

Can You Add the Flåm Railway Too?

Yes. A complete loop can look like:

Bergen → Gudvangen → Viking Village → Nærøyfjord → Flåm → Flåm Railway → Myrdal → Bergen

Expect a very full day.

Is This Too Much for One Day?

Not necessarily, but it suits travelers who enjoy scenic road trips, fjords, train journeys and historical attractions.

If you prefer to travel slowly, stay overnight in Flåm, Gudvangen or Aurland and split the experiences across two days. Our Flåm, Nærøyfjord and Viking Village in one day guide shows how the day fits together from a Flåm base.

Guided Tour or DIY?

Choose a guided tour if you only have one day, want the Flåm Railway and the Nærøyfjord included, or would rather not coordinate connections.

Choose to travel independently if you want more time at the Viking Village, enjoy planning, have a rental car or are staying overnight. A missed bus or boat connection costs more time on an independent day, so leave some slack between legs. Our which-tour guide compares the guided options.

Is the Viking Village Worth Traveling from Bergen For?

If you traveled from Bergen only to spend an hour inside Njardarheimr and then went straight back, the journey would be long for one attraction.

But Gudvangen sits on one of Western Norway’s best sightseeing routes. Combine the Viking Village with the Nærøyfjord, Flåm and the Flåm Railway, and the day becomes much more substantial. We weigh it up in Is Gudvangen Viking Village worth visiting?

Which Route Should You Choose?

If your priority is simplicity, take a guided tour.

If your priority is time at the Viking Village, drive or travel independently.

If your priority is scenery, travel through Flåm and the Nærøyfjord.

If your priority is seeing as much as possible in one day, choose:

Bergen → Gudvangen → Viking Village → Nærøyfjord → Flåm → Flåm Railway → Bergen.

If You Don’t Want to Travel to the Village at All

If reaching Gudvangen doesn’t fit your itinerary, The Viking Experience in Bergen is a one-hour Viking-themed tasting session in the city centre, with no travel required, though it doesn’t visit the village itself. See our Viking Experience breakdown.

Final Thoughts

Getting from Bergen to Gudvangen is straightforward. The more important decision is what you do with the journey.

Instead of five hours of road travel around one attraction, make the whole day part of the experience:

Viking history → UNESCO-listed fjord scenery → Flåm → mountain railway → Bergen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a train from Bergen to Gudvangen?

No. Gudvangen has no railway station. The Flåm Railway connects Flåm to Myrdal on the Bergen Railway, and Flåm connects to Gudvangen by the Nærøyfjord cruise or a short bus ride. You can also take the train to Voss and the bus from Voss to Gudvangen.

Is there a bus from Bergen to Gudvangen?

Yes. The NW162 East–West Express runs from Bergen bus station via Voss to Gudvangen and Flåm, taking about 2.5 hours to Gudvangen, daily except December 24 and 25. Check the current timetable for your date.

How long does the drive to Gudvangen take?

About 2.5 hours each way on the E16 via Voss, with a mix of main road, tunnels and mountain sections.

Is it possible to visit the village as a same-day trip from Bergen without a guided tour?

Yes. By rental car it is a straightforward day, and by public transport you can combine the express bus or the train and bus via Voss with the Nærøyfjord cruise and the Flåm Railway. Either way you book the village entry, the cruise and the railway separately, and on public transport the connections need checking for your date.