Is train travel included in the price?

Yes. The package includes all rail travel on five named trains (the Bergen Railway, Flåm Railway, Inlandsbanan, Nordland Railway, and Raumabanen), plus all coach, ferry, and cruise travel. International flights are not included.

Is this an escorted or independent tour?

It is escorted. A professional Tour Manager leads the group from start to finish, and all guided city tours and excursions are included.

How many nights are included and what standard are the hotels?

The tour includes 16 nights in 3 and 4-star hotels: Scandic Continental in Stockholm, Clarion Hotel Grand Ostersund, Hotel Hornavan in Arjeplog, Thon Hotel Nordlys in Bodø, Thon Hotel Opera in Trondheim, Havila Hotel Geiranger, Fretheim Hotel in Flåm, Scandic Neptune in Bergen, and Thon Hotel Opera in Oslo.

Which meals are included?

Breakfast is included every day. The package also includes one lunch and 11 dinners. Dinners on Days 2, 3, 7, 9, and 14 are independent.

Does the tour cross the Arctic Circle?

Yes. On Day 5, an all-day coach excursion to Jokkmokk crosses the Arctic Circle with a small ceremony to mark the entry. The Nordland Railway on Day 8 also crosses the Arctic Circle.

What is the activity level and physical fitness required?

Vacations By Rail rates this tour as Mobility Rating 4. The itinerary includes guided city tours on foot, coach excursions, and ferry crossings. No hiking or mountaineering is required.

No longer offered

Vacations By Rail has withdrawn this trip from sale. We keep the page for reference and comparison. Live alternatives are under Similar journeys below.

Vacations By Rail · Escorted tour

Grand Tour of Norway & Sweden (Arctic Circle Express)

17-day Scandinavia rail tour from Stockholm to Oslo crossing Arctic Circle

Vacations By Rail's Grand Tour of Norway and Sweden is a 17-day escorted rail journey across Scandinavia, departing from Stockholm and concluding in Oslo. A professional Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout, guiding city tours in Stockholm, Trondheim, Bergen, and Oslo. The itinerary combines five celebrated trains, the Bergen Railway, Flåm Railway, Inlandsbanan, Nordland Railway (known as the Polar Express), and Raumabanen, with coach and fjord cruises. Day 4 includes a ride on the Inlandsbanan north to Sorsele and a visit to an authentic Sámi village for dinner in a tipi. The Nordland Railway on Day 8 carries travelers 453 miles from Bodø to Trondheim, crossing the Arctic Circle and passing Svartisen Glacier. Subsequent days feature the scenic Rauma Railway into Geiranger, cruises across the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, and the famous Flåm Railway climb past Kjosfossen Falls. The tour stays in 3 and 4-star hotels and includes breakfast daily, one lunch, and 11 dinners. This package suits repeat rail travelers, those seeking guided comfort, history lovers, and photographers drawn to Norway's fjords, glaciers, and mountain plateaus.

What to know before you look closer

The from-price of USD 6,399 does not include international flights or airport transfers; add those costs separately
Dinners are independent on Days 2, 3, 7, 9, and 14; only 11 of the 16 dinners are included in the package
The daylong coach excursion on Day 5 to Jokkmokk is strenuous for travelers with limited mobility; confirm your fitness level with the operator before booking
The operator does not list future departure dates in the evidence; confirm available dates directly with Vacations By Rail before committing

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Stockholm
Welcome to Stockholm
Arrive in Stockholm and check in at the central hotel to meet the Tour Manager and fellow travelers for the first of two nights. Free time to explore before dinner at the hotel.
Day 2overnight: Stockholm
Guided tour of Stockholm, the 'city between the bridges'
Guided sightseeing tour taking in City Hall, the Royal Palace, Östermalm, Långholm and Djurgården, then Stockholm's Old Town, Gamla Stan, with a stop for traditional Swedish 'fika'. Afternoon free to explore, including Museum Island's Vasa Museum; dinner independent.
Day 3railovernight: Östersund
To lakeside Östersund
Board an InterCity train to Östersund, on the shores of Storsjön Lake, Sweden's only UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Free time to explore the lake, Frösön island and the Jamtli Museum; dinner independent.
Day 4railovernight: Arjeplog
Through Swedish Lapland to a Sámi village
Scenic train journey on the Inlandsbanan north into Swedish Lapland to Sorsele, visiting the Inlandsbanan Museum, then by coach to a Sámi village to learn about the traditions and reindeer of Scandinavia's indigenous people. Continue to Arjeplog on Sweden's deepest lake, Hornavan, for the first of two nights, with an authentic Sámi dinner served in a tipi.
Day 5overnight: Arjeplog
Into the Arctic Circle for a Sámi experience
All-day coach excursion to the remote Sámi town of Jokkmokk, crossing the Arctic Circle with a small ceremony to mark the entry. Visit the Ájtte Sámi Museum to see historic Sámi artefacts and learn about semi-nomadic Sámi traditions. Return to Arjeplog for dinner.
Day 6overnight: Bodø
The Silver Road to Bodø in northern Norway
Coach journey along the historic Silver Road (Silvervägen) from Sweden to Bodø, Norway, passing the Arjeplog mountains and Saltdal Fjord. Visit the Norwegian Jekt Trade Museum in Bodø; afternoon at leisure before dinner at the hotel.
Day 7overnight: Bodø
Embarking on a cruise to Beiar fjord
Visit the Norwegian Aviation Museum, then an afternoon four-hour boat tour aboard a hybrid-electric ship to the Saltstraumen maelstrom and Beiar fjord. Dinner independent in Bodø.
Day 8railovernight: Trondheim
The Polar Express to Viking Trondheim
Leisurely morning in Bodø before boarding the Nordlandsbanen ('Polar Express'), Norway's longest train route at 453 miles, crossing the Arctic Circle and passing the Svartisen Glacier en route to Trondheim. Lunch and dinner independent (café available on board).
Day 9overnight: Trondheim
Guided tour of Trondheim, the ancient Viking capital
Guided tour of Trondheim's Old Quarter and the waterfront houses of Bakklandet, and the Royal Residence, the largest wooden building in northern Europe. Free afternoon and independent dinner.
Day 10railovernight: Geiranger
Aboard the spectacular Rauma Railway
Rail, road and ferry journey to Geiranger, changing trains at Dombås for the scenic Rauma Railway, crossing the Kylling Bridge and Romsdalen Valley past the Trollveggen (Troll Wall). Continue by coach up the Troll's Ladder and by ferry across Norddalsfjord to Geiranger. Buffet dinner at the hotel.
Day 11overnight: Geiranger
Cruising Norway's superb Geirangerfjord
Fjord cruise across the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord, then a scenic drive to Hornindalsvatn, Europe's deepest lake. Return to Geiranger for dinner.
Day 12overnight: Flåm
A journey through Norway's fjord country to Flåm
Coach journey through Norway's fjord country, stopping at the Dalsnibba viewing point and (seasonally) the Kaupanger Stave Church, before crossing the Sognefjord by ferry and continuing to Flåm via the world's longest road tunnel. Dinner at the four-star hotel.
Day 13railovernight: Bergen
A fjord cruise and a ride on the Flåm Railway
Fjord cruise aboard a luxury eco boat across the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen, then return to Flåm by coach for a ride on the Flåm Railway up to Myrdal, stopping at the Kjosfossen Falls, before transferring by coach to Bergen for two nights. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 14overnight: Bergen
Exploring the Hanseatic city of Bergen
Guided tour of Bergen by coach and on foot, taking in the UNESCO-listed Bryggen waterfront and the Klosteret area. Free afternoon and evening, independent dinner.
Day 15railovernight: Oslo
An iconic trip on the Bergen Railway to Oslo
Travel to Oslo aboard northern Europe's highest railway line, the Bergen Railway, passing the Hallingdal Valley and Hardangerjøkule Glacier. Check in to a central Oslo hotel; free evening, independent dinner.
Day 16overnight: Oslo
Uncovering Oslo's history and culture
Guided coach tour of Oslo taking in the Opera House and the Royal Palace. Free afternoon for galleries, museums or an Oslofjord cruise. Celebration three-course dinner at a local restaurant this evening.
Day 17
Homeward bound
Relaxed morning in Oslo before the tour concludes; transfer to the airport for the journey home or continue on at leisure.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 4Ride the Inlandsbanan north into Swedish Lapland to Sorsele, then visit an authentic Sámi village to learn about reindeer herding and traditions, with an Sámi dinner served in a tipi
Day 5Coach excursion to the remote Sámi town of Jokkmokk, crossing the Arctic Circle with a ceremony to mark the entry
Day 8Board the Nordland Railway (Polar Express), Norway's longest train route at 453 miles, which crosses the Arctic Circle and passes Svartisen Glacier en route to Trondheim
Day 10Ride the scenic Rauma Railway from Dombås, crossing the Kylling Bridge and Romsdalen Valley past Trollveggen (Troll Wall), then ascend the Troll's Ladder and ferry to Geiranger
Day 13Cruise the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord on a luxury eco boat, then board the Flåm Railway, which rises from sea level to Myrdal, stopping at the Kjosfossen Falls

Included

Expertise of a Tour Manager from start to finish
16 nights' 3 & 4-Star hotel accommodation
Premium & Standard Class rail travel
All rail, cruise, ferry and coach travel throughout your tour
Breakfast each day, 1 lunch, 11 dinners
Group luggage transfers between hotels from Stockholm to Arjeplog, Bodø to Geiranger, Bergen to Oslo
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour but can be arranged
Flights and Airport transfers not included

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?: Yes. The package includes all rail travel on five named trains (the Bergen Railway, Flåm Railway, Inlandsbanan, Nordland Railway, and Raumabanen), plus all coach, ferry, and cruise travel. International flights are not included.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?: It is escorted. A professional Tour Manager leads the group from start to finish, and all guided city tours and excursions are included.
How many nights are included and what standard are the hotels?: The tour includes 16 nights in 3 and 4-star hotels: Scandic Continental in Stockholm, Clarion Hotel Grand Ostersund, Hotel Hornavan in Arjeplog, Thon Hotel Nordlys in Bodø, Thon Hotel Opera in Trondheim, Havila Hotel Geiranger, Fretheim Hotel in Flåm, Scandic Neptune in Bergen, and Thon Hotel Opera in Oslo.
Which meals are included?: Breakfast is included every day. The package also includes one lunch and 11 dinners. Dinners on Days 2, 3, 7, 9, and 14 are independent.
Does the tour cross the Arctic Circle?: Yes. On Day 5, an all-day coach excursion to Jokkmokk crosses the Arctic Circle with a small ceremony to mark the entry. The Nordland Railway on Day 8 also crosses the Arctic Circle.
What is the activity level and physical fitness required?: Vacations By Rail rates this tour as Mobility Rating 4. The itinerary includes guided city tours on foot, coach excursions, and ferry crossings. No hiking or mountaineering is required.

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