28. February 2025
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Riding the Floibanen in Bergen

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Floibanen

Floibanen
4.8

Rating

 4.8/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Amazing views from the railway and the mountain
  • Nice range of service on top of the hill
  • Reasonable pricing

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Potentially long lines

The funicular railway Floibanen (or Fløibanen in Norwegian) is just 848 meter long, but is one of the most well-known and iconic spots in Bergen in Norway. The key reason for that are the iconic views from the cars as well as from the top of Floyen Mountain, which is connected by the transportation system with the city center. Of course, this ride has been on our bucket list, when my wife and I visited the city. Here is my review.

 

Floibanen – Network and Tariff

Floibanen has in fact five stops. However, most riders just connect between the Sentrum or Vetrlidsallmenningen city stop and Floyen / Floyfjellet, the mountain station. The other stations operate more or less on demand. The most important one is likely Skansemyren, as it connects to the corresponding sports stadium. The full ride with a total height difference of 302 meters takes five to eight minutes. Al stations are accessible.

The train operates from 7:30 to midnight. Between 10:00 and 19:00, the are at least rides every 15 minutes. In off-peak times, the railway runs at least every 30 minutes. The ticket office times vary by season. You should book a ticket in advance to avoid the queues. An adult round trip is 140 NOK, roughly 12 Euro.

 

Floibanen – Technology

The cars currently used have been introduced in 2022.  The latest upgrade, which also included turning all stations into accessible ones has been undertaken by CWA Constructions. The engine is a 355 kW engine, each car weights 21 (metric) tons and has a capacity of 120 passengers. It is split into different sections. However, Floibanen typically operates with 90 passengers. The cars have glass roofs, which lead to even better views, also in the more uphill sections of the cars. This means that per hour at a 15 minute schedule, a maximum of 360 people can be handled. Lines are typically getting longer during the day, especially when there are major cruise ships on port. The two cars used are painted in red and blue. Floibanen use 1,000 mm gauge tracks.

 

Riding the Floibanen

On the uphill ride, you start below the ground and the first section until you reach Promsgate station is in the tunnel. The passing loop is close to the second halt, Fjellveien. The upper section is offering the more breathtaking views and allow you to watch Bergen and the fjords around. There is a short tunnel before you reach the uphill station. The last pictures in this section show how crowded the downhill station has already been when we returned back from our trip to Floyen mountain.

 

On Top of the Floyen Mountain

The view from the top of the mountain is amazing. You see all the different bays and small fjords as well as the mountain around. it is definitely also worth to walk around and find some alternative views from uphill. However, my wife and I did not spend too much time on top of the hill, as it was very crowded on that day, also caused by a major cruise ship at the port.

 

Floibanen – Services

The Floyen mountain offers a lot of leisure activities. It is very popular to start hikes and mountain bike tours from there. The bikes you see below actually have been provided by the cruise ship on port, by the way. There is also a gift shop and a very popular restaurant, which are all very close to uphill station. Younger visitors enjoyed the playground in the area as well.

 

Floibanen – My View

The ride with the Floibanen is an amazing experience. We had a lovely, sunny day up there. You can easily reach the city station from city center. The only real downside are the long waiting lines, especially in summer season and when cruise ships are in town. Thus, if you can do so, I would recommend being there early to avoid long waiting times.

 

Bergen on Flyctory.com

Here are my postings related to Bergen in Norway:

 

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