The Rauma Railway
Dombås to Åndalsnes
Around one hour and forty minutes. 114 kilometres down the Romsdal valley, past a 200-metre waterfall, across a stone bridge high above the Rauma river, and beneath the Trollveggen - the tallest vertical rock face in Europe - to the fjord at Åndalsnes. The Rauma Railway is routinely counted among Norway's, and the world's, most beautiful train journeys, and it earns the title in a single short ride.
Opened in 1924, the Raumabanen branches off the Dovre Line at Dombås and drops through one of Norway's most dramatic valleys to the head of the Romsdalsfjord. It is a short line - you can ride it and back in an afternoon - but few railways pack so much scenery into so little distance: high plateau, deep gorge, waterfalls, the landmark Kylling Bridge, and the sheer wall of the Trollveggen rising over 1,000 metres above the track. It is run by SJ Norge as an ordinary scheduled service, and in summer often as a tourist train with onboard commentary that slows at the highlights.
A perfect detour: The Rauma Railway connects to the Dovre Line at Dombås, so it slots neatly into a wider trip - ride it there and back from a journey between Oslo and Trondheim, or make Åndalsnes the gateway to the fjords, Trollstigen and the Romsdalseggen ridge.
Ready to book the Rauma Railway?
The Rauma Railway is an ordinary SJ Norge service, so it takes standard tickets and is open to Interrail and Eurail holders. A seat reservation is recommended, especially in summer when the train is popular and a window seat makes the journey. Schedules, fares and reservation rules can change, so confirm the current details when you book.
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Example costs are based on typical advance bookings and city-centre transfers. Actual prices vary by date, operator and travel demand.
Dombås - The Junction in the Mountains
Dombås, Innlandet, Norway · 62.075°N, 9.129°E
The Rauma Railway begins at Dombås, a small mountain town and railway junction high in the interior. This is where the line peels off the Dovre Line - the Oslo–Trondheim mainline - and strikes west toward the coast. Most riders arrive at Dombås on a Dovre Line train and change here, which makes the Raumabanen a natural detour rather than a standalone trip.
For the first stretch the train runs across open, high country - through Lesja and up to Bjorli, a small ski village on the plateau at the head of the valley. Then the descent begins. From Bjorli the line drops steeply into the Romsdalen, and the character of the journey changes completely: the bare uplands give way to a deepening, green-walled valley with the Rauma river gathering pace below.
The train leaves the high plateau at Bjorli and tips into the Romsdalen - within minutes the valley walls close in and the waterfalls begin.
Rauma Railway - Journey Facts
- OperatorSJ Norge
- Opened1924
- Length114 km, Dombås → Åndalsnes
- Journey time~1h 40m; several departures daily
- Change atDombås - junction with the Dovre Line
- Rail passesInterrail / Eurail valid - reservation recommended
- In summerOften run as a tourist train with onboard commentary
- Best seatHighlights appear on both sides; a window seat is the priority
Kylling Bridge & the Troll Wall
Romsdalen, Møre og Romsdal, Norway · 62.505°N, 7.766°E
Below Bjorli the line reaches Verma, where the Vermafossen plunges some 380 metres in a series of falls - one of the highest waterfalls in Norway - and the railway loses height through a spiral tunnel curled inside the mountain, a feat of 1920s engineering that lets the train descend safely on adhesion alone. It is one of two great structures that define the line.
The other is the Kylling Bridge (Kyllingbrua), a graceful stone-arch bridge that carries the railway high across the Rauma river gorge. Built by hand from granite and completed in the 1920s, it is one of the most photographed railway bridges in Norway; in summer the tourist train slows so passengers can take it in. Below, the Rauma is a famous salmon river, running clear and fast between the valley walls.
Then the valley opens, and the Trollveggen fills the window - over a kilometre of sheer rock rising straight from the valley floor, the tallest vertical face in Europe.
The climax is the Trollveggen - the Troll Wall - a vast overhanging cliff that rises more than 1,000 metres almost vertically above the valley, part of the Trolltindene peaks. It is a place of pilgrimage for climbers and BASE jumpers, and from the train it is simply overwhelming: the wall dwarfs everything, and the line runs right beneath it on the approach to Åndalsnes.
Onboard & Practical
- Tickets are sold by SJ Norge and via the usual channels; a seat reservation is optional but recommended in summer, when the train fills with visitors.
- The train and the main stations offer step-free access and wheelchair spaces; assistance can be arranged in advance with the operator.
- It is a short ride of under two hours with limited on-board catering, so bring a drink and a snack - Åndalsnes and Dombås both have cafés at the station.
- No airline-style baggage limits - overhead shelves and end-of-carriage racks take larger cases, and there is room for bikes and hiking packs.
- Family-friendly throughout, with no security or check-in and space to move about; the waterfalls, bridge and Troll Wall keep children glued to the window.
The Line in Season
Åndalsnes - Arrival at the Fjord
Åndalsnes Station, Møre og Romsdal, Norway · 62.567°N, 7.687°E
The line ends at Åndalsnes, a small town at the head of the Romsdalsfjord where the Rauma river finally meets the sea. After the enclosed drama of the valley, the sudden openness of the fjord - water, boats and mountains reflected in it - is a striking arrival. The station sits a short walk from the waterfront and the town centre.
Åndalsnes calls itself the mountaineering capital of Norway, and it is the gateway to some of the country's finest outdoors. The Romsdalseggen ridge - one of Norway's most celebrated day hikes - starts nearby; the Rampestreken viewpoint and the Romsdalen gondola climb straight from the town; and the famous Trollstigen mountain road and the Geiranger fjord region lie within reach by bus and boat. The Norsk Tindesenter climbing museum is beside the station.
From Åndalsnes
When to Go
June–August: long daylight, green valleys and full connections to the fjords and the Trollstigen - the classic season, and the busiest. Reserve seats ahead.
May & September: quieter and often more atmospheric - snowmelt waterfalls or autumn colour, with the valley still dramatic and trains easier to book.
Winter is spectacular but some connecting fjord and mountain services run reduced - check what is operating before relying on a tight connection.
The Rauma Railway is short enough to ride purely for the journey and turn straight back - but Åndalsnes rewards a stay. Give it a night, walk the ridge or ride the gondola, and let the fjord and the Trolltindene do the rest. It is one of the great arrivals in Norwegian rail.
Hotels at Åndalsnes
Åndalsnes is a small town, so there are only a handful of places to stay - which is part of the charm. All three below are within a short walk of the station and the waterfront, so you can step off the Rauma Railway and be settled in minutes.
Åndalsnes - town centre, short walk from the station
The town's long-established hotel, on the hillside with views over the fjord and the surrounding peaks. A comfortable, traditional base a few minutes on foot from the station and the waterfront.
Åndalsnes - just outside town, at the foot of the mountains
A historic mountain hotel dating from the 19th century, one of Norway's oldest, set beneath the Romsdalen peaks a short distance from town - an atmospheric base for climbers and walkers.
Åndalsnes - riverside, near the station
A well-run hostel and guesthouse by the river, a short walk from the station - a simpler, good-value base for hikers heading for the Romsdalseggen and the gondola.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Dombås to Åndalsnes train scenic?
- Extraordinarily. The Rauma Railway (Raumabanen) is regularly ranked among the most beautiful train journeys in Norway and the world. In little over an hour and a half it descends the Romsdal valley past thundering waterfalls, crosses the landmark Kylling Bridge over the Rauma river, and runs beneath Trollveggen - the Troll Wall, Europe's tallest vertical rock face - before arriving at the fjord in Åndalsnes.
- How long does the Rauma Railway take?
- The journey from Dombås to Åndalsnes takes approximately 1 hour 40 minutes over about 114 km. In summer the train slows at the highlights and the route is often run as a tourist service with commentary, so it can feel a little longer - which is entirely the point. Exact timings vary by service and season, so check current schedules when you plan.
- Do I need a seat reservation on the Rauma Railway?
- A seat reservation is not compulsory but is recommended, especially in summer when the train is popular with visitors. The line is run by SJ Norge as part of the national network, so Interrail and Eurail passes are valid; a reservation on top of a ticket or pass secures a window seat. Reservation practices and fares can change, so confirm the current details when you book.
- What is the best time of year to travel the Rauma Railway?
- Summer (roughly June to August) brings long daylight, green valley walls and waterfalls at full flow, plus full connections onward to the fjords - it is the busiest season, so book ahead. Late spring and early autumn are quieter, with snowmelt cascades or autumn colour. Winter is dramatic and snow-covered but some connecting services run reduced. There is no bad season, only different ones.
- Can I connect to Oslo or Trondheim from Dombås?
- Yes. Dombås is a junction on the Dovre Line, so the Rauma Railway connects there with trains to both Oslo (roughly four hours south) and Trondheim (around two and a half hours north). Many travellers ride the Rauma Railway as a there-and-back detour or as part of a wider Norwegian rail trip. Services and connections can change, so confirm times before relying on a tight connection.
Continue Your Journey
Routes that pair naturally with this one — for building your European itinerary.
Bergen → Trondheim
~13–15h · Vy + SJ (via Oslo)
Reach Dombås on the Bergen–Trondheim journey
View Route
Interrail, Eurail, Swiss Travel Pass — when a pass beats point-to-point tickets and when it does not.
When reservation is mandatory, which side of the train has the views, and how to choose your class.
The Rauma Railway is short by any measure - under two hours, 114 kilometres - but it descends through one of the most dramatic valleys in Norway, past waterfalls and the Kylling Bridge and beneath the towering Troll Wall, to the fjord at Åndalsnes. It is not a way to get somewhere; it is a reason to go. Ride it slowly, take a window seat, and let Romsdalen unfold outside it.