How Many Nights in Åndalsnes
How long to stay in Åndalsnes depends on which parts of the Romsdal area you want. One night covers the town’s signature views, two or three add the big hikes and climbs, and four or more allow the long road to Geiranger. Prices are in Norwegian krone (NOK).
Reaching the town
Arrive by train and you finish where the Rauma Line ends. The railway runs 114 km from Dombås, where it meets the Dovre Line between Oslo and Trondheim. Regular trains need about 1 hour 17 minutes, summer tourist trains about 1 hour 35 minutes, and SJ Norge runs four trains each way a day all year. Drivers can follow the E136 up Romsdalen.
One night
Spend the first afternoon on Nesaksla. Ride Romsdalsgondolen, whose station is across from the railway station, to the 708 m top and dine at Eggen. An adult return fare is roughly NOK 460 to 625 by season. Walk to the Rampestreken platform at 537 m, a descent of about 15 minutes, and take the gondola or the Romsdalstrappa steps back to town. Morning can go to Norsk Tindesenter, Havnegata 2, with entry from about NOK 90.
Two or three nights
Add the ridge or the rock. The Romsdalseggen is about 10 km long, climbs 970 m and takes 5 to 8 hours between mid-June and early October. Start by bus at Venjesdalen, 20 minutes from town with NOR-WAY Bussekspress, and end on foot or by gondola from Nesaksla. As an alternative, book Romsdalsstigen via ferrata through Norsk Tindesenter: Introveggen, grade B, takes 3 to 4 hours from age 12, and Vestveggen, grade D, takes 5 to 6 hours from age 16 and costs from about NOK 1,675. Tours run about 1 June to 20 October. Do the two hard days with a rest day between them, and use a guide if the terrain is new to you.
Four nights or more
Make room for a drive. The Geiranger-Trollstigen route is about 104 km, with around 2 hours of driving each way and a ferry of about 13 minutes between Eidsdal and Linge. Trollstigen shuts in winter and normally runs mid-May to October or November. Verify the status at vegvesen.no before leaving, because rockfall can close it at short notice. On other days, visit Trollveggen visitor centre at Horgheimseidet, which has a 14-minute film, and Rødven Stave Church, about 34 km away on Rv64.
The park next door
Norsk Tindesenter doubles as the visitor centre for Reinheimen National Park, so it is the place to start if you want to look further into the mountains.
Booking stays
Compare lodging near the station on Booking.com . Staying close means the train, the gondola and the museum are all on foot.
Read more: day trips from Åndalsnes describe each outing, and the 5 day Norway itinerary shows where Åndalsnes can sit on a national route.