What is Inner Sognefjord?
Nicknamed the king of the fjords, the Sognefjord is an incredible natural wonder in Norway. It boasts as the country’s longest and deepest fjord, measuring an impressive 206 kilometers from its beginnings at sea to its end by the mountains. At its inner part lies the Inner Sognefjord, a mesmerizing landscape with deep fjords, Scandinavia’s tallest mountain range Jotunheimen , and the massive Jostedalsbreen glacier – the largest on mainland Europe. Prepare to be captivated by the stunning beauty and tranquility of this unique region as you explore the winding fjords, surrounded by majestic peaks.
The Inner Sognefjord is sheltered from the ocean’s heavy storms and most days the water lies completely flat mirroring the towering mountains surrounding it. Around the fjord you find old farms utilizing the stable weather and long summer days for growing tasty fruits and berries.
Being the home to Norway’s largest mountains, glaciers and fjords, getting to Inner Sognefjord is a task that needs a bit of planning before you leave your home, but in our opinion is absolutely worth it. In this small guide we will give you our recommendations for how to plan your next holiday in the Inner Sognefjord.
Rent a car or travel without?
Even though you plan on flying domestically all the way to Inner Sognefjord or get here by transportation on land, we recommend renting a car while you spend your time in Inner Sognefjord. While Norway can offer good and reasonably priced communal transportation, departure times are few and the route options are limited as they are mostly designed for locals getting from one town to another. When having a car you don’t need to worry about catching the last bus back to your accommodation, and you are free to explore all the more remote and beautiful valleys this area offers. Every international airport in Norway, and also our local domestic airport Haukåsen outside of Sogndal (SOG) offers cars to rent. Norway’s major car rental companies are Hertz and AVIS, and offer pickup at the airport.
The roads in Norway are asphalted and in good condition. There are no motorways in Inner Sognefjord which means the upper speed limit will be 80 km/h unless shown otherwise. While the view from the road sometimes can be breathtaking, remember to keep your eyes on the road as the Unless you plan on visiting in the winter months, you don’t need a four-wheel drive car to explore the Inner Sognefjord and any two-wheel car will do.
Flying to Inner Sognefjord from Oslo or Bergen
The shortest and easiest way of reaching Inner Sognefjord is to fly from any International airport to our local domestic airport Sogndal Airport (SOG) located just outside of the town of Sogndal. The airport is located here on google maps.
The airline Widerøe flies regularly between Oslo (OSL) or Bergen (BGO) to Sogndal. Sogndal airport is located 500 meters above the Sognefjord on top of a mountain and landing here on a clear day will already give you a great view of the fjord below.
If you have decided to rent a car while staying in Inner Sognefjord, you want to pick it up here at the airport. The main car rental companies operating here are Sogndal Bilutleie, Hertz and AVIS. Alternatively you can take the bus to Sogndal to pick the car up from there. From the airport its around 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to our main base in Skjolden. You can find the link to Google maps route here.
Of course, you don’t have to rent a car while in Inner Sognefjord. Public transport from Sogndal Airport is pretty straight forward. Whenever there is an arrival at the airport, there will often already be a bus waiting to take you down the mountain to Sogndal Bus station, which you can find here on Google Maps. From Sogndal Bus Station, buses go daily to all of our recommended accomodations, and you can reach our main base in Skjolden within 1,5 hours. All local public transport in Inner Sognefjord is managed by Skyss.no. Remember that the buses go more frequently in the summer season, so checking departures in the winter months might give you less options.
Driving to Inner Sognefjord from Oslo and Bergen
Driving in Norway can be a really visually rewarding experience. You have probably heard the quote “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey”, well we believe that in Inner Sognefjord its a bit of both. Both Oslo and Bergen are good starting points for your journey in Norway and promises spectacular scenery. While it’s often more flights going to Oslo, if we were to choose we would start from Bergen.
Rental car from Bergen airport to Inner Sognefjord
The drive from Bergen to Inner Sognefjord goes through some of Norway’s most famous tourist locations. Bergen itself is full of old historical buildings from its time as Norway’s trading capital. Go enjoy a walk through the famous Bergen Brygge or try some sea food at the Fish market. From Bergen you will pass through the town of Voss known for its extreme sports options, Flåm with its famous railway and Gudvangen where UNESCO listed Nærøysfjorden is located. Its also worth mentioning the drive from Bergen to our main base in Skjolden is shorter with around 5 hours driving compared to 6 hours from Oslo.
Our recommended route to go from Bergen to Skjolden is to follow the highway E16 until you get to the town of Lærdal. From Lærdal, take the national road 5 to Sogndal where you then turn onto the county road 55 until you end up in the town of Skjolden. We have made a google maps route planner with all the highlights you can find here.
Rental car from Oslo Airport to Inner Sognefjord
Though we love the drive from Bergen, Oslo is not a bad option either. Gardermoen airport (OSL) is the country’s largest airport and located a small train ride from Oslo. The airport has plenty of car rentals to choose from, alternatively you can take the train for half an hour to city centrum and pick up a car from there.
When driving from Gardermoen airport to Skjolden, most people choose the fastest route which is through the scenic Hemsedalsfjellet. Another alternative is taking the route through Valdres Natur- og Kulturpark and Tindevegen for some amazing nature sights. Though longer, the alternative road through Otta and Sognefjellet is also a beautiful ride with views of Norway’s tallest mountains.
Alternative 1: Gardermoen-Flå-Gol-Hemsedal-Lærdal-Skjolden
If you want the most efficient route to the Inner Sognefjord, this is the route to take. Here you pass through Gol and Hemsedal which are active ski resorts in the winter but offers other outdoor activities in the summer such as mountain biking. You will also pass through the zoo Bjørneparken in Flå which is a great activity to do for the whole family.
Alternative 2: Gardermoen-Valdres-Øvre Årdal-Tindeveien-Skjolden
The second fastest alternative will send you through lush Valdres Nature and Culture park with its beautiful lakes and forests. You will then continue to Øvre Årdal where from there you climb a 32 km long tourist road with stunning 2000m+ mountain peaks by your side. After the 32 km, you will reach the mountain hotel Turtagrø and start the downhill down to Skjolden.
Alternative 3: Gardermoen-Otta-Sognefjellet-Skjolden
This alternative is the longest one of the three, and is for those who really want to spend as much time in beautiful scenery as possible. After passing Otta you will start your journey up northern-Europe’s highest mountain passage through Sognefjellet. From the road you will be able to see glaciers and Norway’s highest mountain peaks, Jotunheimen.
Public transport to Inner Sognefjord from Oslo and Bergen
Are you yearning to spend all the time on the road admiring the surrounding view? Perhaps you strive to embark on an adventure that leaves behind a smaller environmental footprint, or simply wish to save some money along the way. If any of these resonates with you, then look no further than public transport as your gateway to exploring the captivating wonders of Norway. With a robust and efficient network, public transport allows you to journey through this stunning country in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.
Taking the bus from Oslo airport to Inner Sognefjord
The easiest and best way to get from Oslo to Inner Sognefjord with public transport is by bus. Upon arrival at Gardermoen airport (OSL), your first step is to catch a train into Oslo. Your options will be the airport express train, or the regular train. You should opt for the normal one as you only save around 10 minutes while paying twice the price for express train. The train will take you to Oslo’s railway station called Oslo S, and from there it is a 10 minute walk to Oslo’s central bus station. From here you need to find the bus called VY170 with Sogndal as final destination. It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance, which you can do here. Once you have found the bus, sit back and relax as you have a 7 hour bus ride through beautiful Norwegian scenery. The bus will drop you off at Sogndal Skysstasjon, which thankfully is the same location for departures to the accomodation you have chosen to stay at.
Alternatively if you’re okay with night buses, there goes an express bus between Gardermoen airport and Sogndal every night at 10:35pm and arrives at 5am in the morning. This usually requires a wait at Sogndal Bus station for an hour or two before the first local buses departures.
Taking the bus from Bergen airport to Inner Sognefjord
Getting from Bergen Airport to Inner Sognefjord is thankfully very straight forward. The bus company NOR-WAY usually operates two daily routes between Bergen Bus Station and Sogndal Bus Station: one in the morning and another in the afternoon. You can purchase their tickets here. Begin your journey by traveling from Bergen Airport to Bergen Bus Station. This transfer is exceptionally convenient thanks to Bergen’s efficient metro system, known as “Bybanen,” which connects the airport directly to the bus station. Simply buy a ticket at the airport or through the local commuting app “Skyss”, and board the Bybanen to enjoy a hassle-free ride to Bergen Bus Station. From the Bus Station you want to look for the bus line NW420 with Sogndal as the final destination.
Why not train?
It’s fair to say Norway has many geographical challenges when building a rail network, but we are happy to say you can actually reach Inner Sognefjord entirely by train! From both Oslo and Bergen you can reach the popular tourist destination Flåm by train. Flåmsbana is one of Norway’s most popular tourist activities and will land you right by the popular fjord arm Aurlandsfjorden. To explore more of the Inner Sognefjord you need to take a bus from here, or we can pick you up on one of our Customizable Private RIB tours. To get to Skjolden, you need to catch the NOR-WAY express bus to Sogndal, and then catch a local bus with Skyss.no to Skjolden.
Join a cruise to Skjolden
Leave your worries behind when it comes to transportation and set your sights on booking a delightful cruise to the Inner Sognefjord. Skjolden, a captivating destination, awaits your arrival with open arms. Several cruise lines offer voyages to this enchanting location, so simply look at their itineraries to find Skjolden among the listed ports of call. Once you’ve docked, a short and pleasant 10-minute walk is all it takes to reach us from the cruise ship. Join us on one of our RIB tours on the unique Lustrafjord or experience one of our Bike and Hike tours towards Breheimen National parks to see the captivating Drivande waterfall.
Final thoughts
By now you have hopefully found your preferred way of reaching the beautiful and activity packed area of Inner Sognefjord. Consider visiting fjordmap.no to discover all the enticing activities to do in the area, or visit us on adventuretours.no to join us on your next adventure.