Flam and its railway were the main reasons we decided to take this specific cruise, and not the other 14 day cruise which had 3 Norwegian ports and 3 Icelandic ports. I'm a little bit of a railroad nut, and I love taking scenic train journeys,
But first....
After getting a restful, but short sleep, RQS and I woke up at 4:00 am to see one side of the Fjord passing by our balcony window. Although I kept her awake, she was happy to see the landscape passing by, with water falls, snow tipped peaks, and silky smooth waters as we cruised through the Fjord leading to Flam.
Neither of us had enough sleep. But we knew that the Flam railway was a must. This railway has the steepest incline (up to a 1 in 18 gradient) on a standard gauge railroad in Europe. And the scenic views from the train are breathtaking. So, after a hearty breakfast, we were off to the railway station for the Flam Railway: Waterfalls and Waffles excursion. We were not disappointed. Instead, we were stunned by the beauty of glacier fed streams, water falls, and the route leading to Vatnahalsen and its namesake hotel.
In Vatnahalsen, we stopped for Waffles and Tea before returning to Flam. This is where I struck up a conversation with another railroad fanatic who previously rode the White Pass and Yukon Railway from Skagway to White Pass. Both of us swapped stories about railroads, steam locomotives, and the routes we have yet to travel. All too soon, we were back in Flam and on to the ship.
According to several cruise bloggers, Flam is a must visit stop on any Norway cruise. On this I must concur. The railway can be the highlight of one's visit to the fjords because of its spectacular views, and the railway shore excursion is in the same league as the White Pass and Yukon Railroad excursion in Alaska.
