Getting around · Bergen · Norway
Getting around Bergen
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: יעקב, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Central Bergen is compact and walkable, though hilly once you leave the harbour. The Bybanen light rail runs from the centre to the airport, and Skyss buses cover the rest of the city and the surrounding region. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- BGO
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Bergen Card
Ways to get around
Walking
Bryggen, the fish market, Torgallmenningen, KODE and the Fløibanen station are within 10–15 minutes of each other; the hillside lanes are steep.
Tram
Bybanen light rail runs from Byparken in the centre south via Paradis and Hop to Bergen Airport Flesland, and a second line runs west to Fyllingsdalen.
Bus
Skyss buses serve the city and the wider region, including the Ulriken cable car's lower station, Sandviken and towns such as Norheimsund.
Buy tickets in the Skyss app or by tapping a contactless card where available; tickets are not sold by drivers on many routes.
Cable car
The Fløibanen funicular and the Ulriken cable car lift you onto the mountains within minutes of the city.
Ferry
Fjord cruises, express boats along the coast and Hurtigruten coastal ships leave from the harbour and the Strandkaien and Frieleneskaien quays.
Tickets and passes
Bergen Card
Covers Bybanen light rail and Skyss buses in the city and gives free or discounted entry to many museums and attractions for 24 to 72 hours.
From the airport
Bergen Airport Flesland is about 18 km south of the centre. Bybanen light rail runs to Byparken in about 45 minutes and is the lower-cost option, while the Flybussen airport coach takes about 30 minutes to the centre and Bryggen. Taxis take about 25 minutes.
Do you need a car?
No. The city is walkable with good public transport, and parking is expensive. Trains, buses and boats reach the main fjord day trips; a car helps for exploring Hardanger or the coast at your own pace.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Norway in a Nutshell: Flåm and the Nærøyfjord | A full day, about 10–12 hours round trip | Train to Myrdal, Flåm Railway, fjord boat and bus via Voss |
| Hardangerfjord | About 1 hour 15–30 minutes by bus | Bus to Norheimsund, then fjord boats in summer |
| Voss | About 1 hour 15 minutes by train | Bergen Railway from Bergen station |
| Lysøen | About 1 hour by bus and boat | Bus to Buena quay, then a short boat crossing in summer |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Bergen?
No. The city is walkable with good public transport, and parking is expensive. Trains, buses and boats reach the main fjord day trips; a car helps for exploring Hardanger or the coast at your own pace.
+How do you get from the airport to Bergen?
Bergen Airport Flesland is about 18 km south of the centre. Bybanen light rail runs to Byparken in about 45 minutes and is the lower-cost option, while the Flybussen airport coach takes about 30 minutes to the centre and Bryggen. Taxis take about 25 minutes.
+What is the best way to get around Bergen?
Walking: Bryggen, the fish market, Torgallmenningen, KODE and the Fløibanen station are within 10–15 minutes of each other; the hillside lanes are steep.