How to Get from Bergen to Balestrand

There are a few different travel options between Bergen and Balestrand. Renting a car and then taking the express ferry is the fastest way to get to Balestrand from Bergen, about 128 miles (206 km) going this route. There are only two different sail times each day, but this is the best option for anyone looking to get Balestrand efficiently.

Pairing ferry and bus travel is an option for anyone not interested in making the drive themselves. If you skip taking the ferry altogether, you can drive the whole way—a journey that takes about nine hours.

This five-day itinerary from Oslo to Bergen includes a ferry to Balestrand, along with a fjord cruise to Fjærland and a ride on the Flåm Railway.

By Car/Ferry

Duration: 3.5 hours

This is the fastest and best way to travel from Bergen to Balestrand. Leaving Bergen, you’d head out on the highway Rv555. From there, you merge onto the E39 highway, which you will follow for most of your journey. The drive to the ferry will provide spectacular views of the North Sea, a must-see for anyone in Bergen.

You will continue on the E39 highway until you get to the ferry. When you get to the ferry, you can pay on board or at one of the booths along the way. The ferry sails every 30 minutes, so this is the most convenient way to get to Balestrand. You will take the Oppedal-Lavik/E39 ferry.

After the ferry, it's a slight right to stay on the E39 highway. The E39 highway winds around the mountains with stunning views of the narrow Sognefjord that extends almost as long as your drive to Balestrand. The Sognefjord is 126 miles (204 km) long, with plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos. Merge onto Fv55 and stay on this route for about an hour until you reach Balestrand. 

By Car

Duration: 9 hours

If you don't want to take the ferry or the bus, then you can rent a car (easy to do in Bergen). This option would be great for anyone looking to explore Norway instead of taking the quickest route.

You will start out on the same route leaving Bergen on the E39 for about 20 minutes till you take the exit to get onto the E16 highway. While on this route, you will drive for quite a few hours through the mountains. You will pass through Oppenheim, Flåm, and multiple small towns.

You will then switch roads to the Fv53 and drive along Lake Tyin, a beautiful lake that many tourists travel to see. You follow the Fv53 until Farnes, where you will switch to the Tindevegen-Fardalvegen. This road is not a highway and is often closed in the wintertime due to storms. It is a windy smaller road that will avoid the lakes, and you will be driving through the mountains. You will then hook onto the Fv55 until you reach Balestrand.

Note that there are some very windy sections of road on this route, and in winter, conditions can be dangerous due to sudden weather changes. 

By Bus/Ferry

Duration: 5 hours

Taking the bus to Balestrand from Bergen is an option too. Using the bus system called Vy Express, there are four different times the bus leaves from Bergen, with the earliest time being 8:00 am. The bus will take the Oppedal-Lavik/E39 ferry. There are no direct routes from Bergen to Balestrand, but a quick transfer to Vadheim isn't too tricky.