- Norway Rail Journeys
- The Great Scandinavian Rail Journey
Embark on an unforgettable journey through Scandinavia, where Norway’s majestic fjords, scenic railways, and charming towns meet Sweden’s historic streets, picturesque waterways, and rich cultural heritage. Begin in Bergen, exploring the UNESCO-listed Bryggen waterfront and ascending Mount Fløyen for panoramic city and fjord views. Travel by train and cruise through stunning fjords to Flåm, passing waterfalls, mountains, and quaint villages before riding the iconic Flåm Railway. Continue to Oslo, Norway’s vibrant capital, with its museums, striking Vigeland sculptures, and iconic landmarks like the Opera House and Royal Palace. Cross into Stockholm by train, enjoy a scenic city cruise, and take time to explore Gamla Stan, museums, and local traditions before a farewell dinner concludes this remarkable Scandinavian adventure.
Dinner
Depart the UK on your flight to Bergen. On arrival, transfer to your hotel and meet your tour group for a welcome dinner.
Breakfast
Begin your Scandinavian adventure with a walking tour of the Bergen’s historic quarter, Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At over 1,000 years old, the district was originally founded as a trade centre for dried fish: although a number of fires have damaged the area over the years, careful restoration means Bryggen still looks the same as it did in the 12th century. Wander among the quaint traditional wooden buildings that line the city’s enchanting waterfront, housing plentiful art studios, cafes, and restaurants. Journey on the Fløibanen Funicular, soaring 320 metres above sea level, to witness breathtaking vistas of the city, ocean, and fjords that hug Bergen’s embankments from the summit of Mount Fløyen, one of the seven mountains that surround the city. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to further explore the city’s museums, shops and traditional bakeries.
Breakfast
After breakfast, your first scenic rail journey of the tour takes you from Bergen to Voss, renowned for its vibrant sports and music scene. On arrival, take a shuttle bus from Voss to Gudvangen to embark on a stunning fjord cruise to Flåm. The cruise winds around precipitous mountains, mighty waterfalls, and small homesteads - along the way, you can see Aurland’s Gothic stone church, built in the 1200s, and the small, peaceful village of Undredal. Arrive at the Naeroyfjord, a minor fjord branching off from the world’s narrowest fjord, Sognefjord - added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2005. Next, embark on a train journey on the Flåm Railway, one of Norway's most spectacular tourist attractions. On this 20km-long train ride, marvel at views of rivers that cut through deep ravines, magnificent waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, and farms clinging dizzily to sheer mountain slopes. The train makes a photo stop at the beautiful Kjosfossen waterfall. Board a final train back to Voss for your overnight stay.
Breakfast
Enjoy a day at leisure to explore Voss at your own pace. Known as the Adventure Capital of Norway, thrill-seekers can take part in whitewater rafting, kayaking, hiking, or paragliding; for a more cultural experience, Voss Folkesmuseum offers a chance to see how Norwegians lived hundreds of years ago. Take time to admire the surrounding scenery or perhaps sample some traditional Norwegian cuisine at a local restaurant.
Breakfast
Today, take the train from Voss to Oslo. Home to some of Europe’s best museums, interesting modern architecture, and excellent restaurants, Oslo is also one of the world’s greenest cities, with two-thirds of its area made up of forests, hills, and lakes. On your arrival, transfer to your hotel and enjoy some time relaxing or discovering Norway’s capital city at your own pace.
Breakfast
Embark on a walking tour of Oslo, including the iconic Opera House, designed to look like an iceberg rising from the water, and the neoclassical Royal Palace. Head to the distinctive red-brick City Hall, known as the location of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, and later the harmonious Vigeland Sculpture Park to discover over 200 unique sculptures, all created by the same artist. The afternoon is at leisure.
Breakfast
Cross the border to Sweden, travelling to Stockholm by train. The route winds along Norway’s largest and longest river, the Glomma, to the historic fortress town of Kongsvinter, from where you head across the Swedish border.
Breakfast
Today enjoy the highlights of Stockholm on a scenic cruise, the perfect sightseeing tour from the water. The cruise guides you past the most famous parts of the city, including the Old Town and the green parks of Djurgården, taking you under twelve bridges and through a lock connecting the Baltic Sea to Lake Mälaren. The afternoon is at leisure to explore Sweden’s capital at leisure.
Breakfast & Dinner
Make the most of time at leisure in Stockholm, perhaps visiting the cobblestone streets of Gamla Stan (the old town), where you can view the Storkyrkan Cathedral, Royal Palace, and the Nobel Museum. Discover 500 years of Swedish culture and local life at the Nordic Museum, admire a 17th-century war ship at the Vasa Museum, or learn about the more recent history at the ABBA Museum. Sample traditional Swedish cuisine including Swedish meatballs, indulge in the local tradition of ‘fika’ – quality time to drink coffee and eat sweet pastries – or participate in a deep-rooted Swedish ritual by visiting a local sauna. Re-join your group for a farewell dinner this evening, concluding your Scandinavian journey.
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your flight home, or continue your Scandinavian adventure with one of our option extensions.
Use discount code TOUR100 at the checkout to save £100 per person on selected tours departing in October 2026
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The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
A visa is not required for your trip to Norway and Sweden. Further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. We strongly advise you check your destinations’ Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding passport validity.
Please note your final documentation will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. Weight restrictions will be finalised on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0333 188 0407, quoting HX313.
IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour operates at an active pace, with frequent transitions on and off coaches, trains, and boats throughout the itinerary. Guests should expect extended periods of walking, standing, and navigating steps, platforms, and uneven surfaces. Due to the physical demands and the need to move efficiently as a group, this tour is not suitable for travellers with limited mobility or those who may find frequent boarding and disembarking challenging.
The currency in Norway is the Norwegian Krone (NOK), and in Sweden, the Swedish krona, (SEK). We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK.
Carrying large amounts of cash is not recommended. There are frequent checks and legal limits: for example, in Norway, you cannot carry more than 25,000 NOK (or the equivalent in other currencies) in cash without declaring it. Exceeding this limit can result in penalties.
It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any meals where these are not mentioned on your itinerary and personal purchases, such as souvenirs, drinks and snacks. Approximately (£500-£650) per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.
However, please note that meal prices in the Nordic countries are generally higher than in other parts of Europe.
Tipping is at your discretion; However, we would recommend approximately (£2-3) per day. Tips are accepted in the local currency; however, it is asked that if you do not tip in the local currency that you only pay with notes, as coins cannot be exchanged.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 15, and the maximum will be 35. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your national guide who will remain with you for the duration of the tour, ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist compared to what you might expect in the UK. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.
Breakfast is generally western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of dishes and flavours. Traditional cuisine in these regions is based on basic ingredients. Dishes often feature pork, salmon, red meat, fish, or chicken. Nordic tastes differ from the rest of Europe, and meals often include sauces and generous amounts of onion and garlic.
Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information. Vegan, vegetarian options are available, all meal requests need to be sent over to our suppliers before travel.
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way.
On your arrival in Bergen, you will be met by a representative from our local agent, V.O.S, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/ V.O.S representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.
If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are: V.O.S (Vision Of Scandinavia)
Your guide will provide you of a contact number on arrival.
Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for V.O.S 24-hour contact number: 0045 71 55 15 84
