Bergen

Facts last verified 2026-10-06

Bergen is Norway’s second-largest city, with 294,860 residents in 2026, and the main gateway to the fjords of western Norway. It sits on the coast between the Hardangerfjord and the Sognefjord, and locals call it “the city between the seven mountains”. Most visitors combine a few days in town with a trip onto the fjords.

The city was founded in 1070 by King Olav Kyrre. From around 1350 to 1754 the Hanseatic League ran one of its overseas trading offices here, controlling the stockfish trade from northern Norway. The wooden wharf it left behind, Bryggen, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 and is the image most people have of Bergen.

Getting there

By air. Bergen Airport Flesland has direct flights from many Norwegian and European cities. There are three ways into the centre:

• Light rail (Bybanen), line 1: leaves from the airport terminal and ends in the city centre after about 45 minutes. It is the cheapest option: NOK 51 for an adult (one zone, from 1 May 2026), and an adult can take up to four children aged 6–17 free; under-6s always travel free.
• Airport bus (Flybussen): about 30 minutes, with stops including the Bryggen area. In 2026 it cost NOK 189 booked online in advance, or NOK 220 on board.
• Taxi: 20–30 minutes. Bergen Taxi quoted fixed prices of NOK 580–890 in August 2026.

By train. The Bergen Line (Bergensbanen) from Oslo is 471 km long and takes about seven hours, climbing to 1,237 metres near Finse. In October 2026 there were four to six direct trains a day, depending on the day of the week, including a night train. Bergen station is in the city centre, a short walk from Bryggen and the Fish Market. If you’re starting in the capital, see our Oslo guide.

By sea. Bergen is the southern end of Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express, which sails north all year, all the way to Kirkenes, in about seven days. Fjord Line runs a daily overnight ferry between Hirtshals in Denmark, Stavanger and Bergen; the crossing from Hirtshals takes about 17.5 hours, and you must book a cabin or a reclining seat. For a stop on the way, see our Stavanger guide.

Getting around

Most of what you’ll want to see is within walking distance in the centre. Beyond it, Skyss runs the buses, the light rail and some local boats; tickets are sold in the Skyss app. Check current fares on the Skyss site. For travel elsewhere in the country, see Getting around Norway.

The Bergen Card gives free travel on buses and the light rail in Vestland county and on boats in zone A, plus free or discounted entry to many attractions, including Fløibanen, Ulriken643, KODE and Bergen Aquarium. In 2026 an adult card cost NOK 400 for 24 hours, NOK 500 for 48, NOK 600 for 72 and NOK 700 for 96 hours. It is not valid on Vy trains, express coaches or regional ferries outside zone A.

When to go

Bergen is wet all year: normal annual precipitation is around 2,500 mm. It is also mild for its latitude, with average temperatures of about 2.6 °C in February and 15.6 °C in July. Pack a waterproof jacket and shoes whatever the season.

The light changes a great deal. At the June solstice in 2026 the sun rises at 04:09 and sets at 23:11, giving about 19 hours of daylight; at the December solstice it rises at 09:44 and sets at 15:29, under six hours. Summer is the busiest time, and accommodation fills up then, over Christmas and other holidays, and during big concerts and festivals.

Things to see and do

• Bryggen. The row of steep-gabled wooden buildings along the harbour preserves the layout of the medieval Hanseatic settlement, rebuilt to the old patterns after repeated fires, the last major one in 1955.
• The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene. The museum’s historic building, Finnegården, is being restored, with work planned to run until the beginning of 2027. Meanwhile the exhibitions are at Schøtstuene (Øvregaten 50), the Hanseatic merchants’ old assembly rooms. Check the museum’s site for the reopening date.
• The Fish Market (Fisketorget). There has been a fish market in Bergen since the 1200s. Today it is the indoor Mathallen, open all year, and an outdoor market open from 1 May to 30 September.
• Mount Fløyen. The Fløibanen funicular, running since 1918, takes six minutes from the centre to the top station, 320 metres above sea level. It normally runs every day from 07:30 until midnight, but closes for annual maintenance on a few days (2–5 November 2026 and 15–18 February 2027). At the top are cafés, a playground and hiking trails.
• Ulriken. One of the seven mountains, 643 metres high, reached by cable car from near Haukeland hospital. An adult return cost NOK 435 in 2026. From April to September it runs daily from 09:00 to 23:00; from October to March it is closed on Mondays and closes earlier on some days, and it is closed for maintenance in January 2027.
• KODE. Four art museums in the city centre, with works by Edvard Munch among the collections, plus three composers’ homes outside the city.
• Troldhaugen. Edvard Grieg’s villa at Hop, where he spent the last 22 summers of his life, with his composer’s hut, the couple’s grave and the Troldsalen concert hall. From 9 June to 13 September 2026 there were short concerts several times a day, Tuesday to Sunday; outside the summer season the museum opens only on days with events or concerts.

Where to stay

The centre is compact, so you’re rarely far from the main sights wherever you stay. Around Bryggen you’re close to the World Heritage Site and the Fløibanen funicular. Nordnes, the peninsula on the other side of the harbour, has small old houses and narrow cobbled streets near Bergen Aquarium. Nygård is close to the Grieghallen concert hall. For more nature and quicker access to the fjords, you can stay outside the city, in areas such as Os, Sotra or Nordhordland, and travel in by public transport.

Accommodation tends to be cheaper in winter than in summer.

Day trips

Bergen is the usual starting point for fjord trips. Popular options include:

• Norway in a Nutshell: a self-guided round trip by the Bergen Line, bus through Nærøydalen, an electric cruise on the Nærøyfjord and the Flåm Railway. It can be done in a day and runs all year, with route changes in winter. The base tour started from NOK 2,698 when we checked in 2026.
• Mostraumen: fjord cruises to the Mostraumen strait leave from beside the Fish Market every day of the year, with one to three departures a day depending on the season.
• Hardangerfjord and Sognefjord: both can be reached on organised day tours.

Good to know

• Bring rain gear. Rain is the rule rather than the exception, in every season.
• Book ahead in summer and for holidays and big events, when beds fill up quickly.
• Check opening times before you go. Fløibanen and Ulriken close for maintenance on some dates, and the Hanseatic Museum is still partly closed for restoration.