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| Bergen
Getting Around |
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Public
Transport
A travel information service operated by Rutetelefonen
(telephone number: 5555 9070 from abroad or 177 within Bergen) provides
advice on all aspects of public transport in Bergen. The Rutetelefonen
office, providing public transport maps, is at Strømgaten
8.
The main bus operator in Bergen is Gaia
Reiser (telephone number: 5555 4400 or 5559 3270, 24-hour information).
Buses operate daily 0600-0000 hrs, but services to outlying parts
vary and it is best to check details before setting off. Bergen
is divided into zones and bus tickets are priced
accordingly. Night buses operate on Friday and Saturday nights until
0400 hrs and are more expensive. The Bergen Card
(see Passes in Tourist Information) permits free daytime bus travel
within the city limits.
Over 20 ferries operate out of Bergen to outlying
settlements around the fjords. These tend to be used by the locals,
while the express catamaran run by Flaggruten
(telephone number: 5523 8700) attracts the tourists. The company
also operates a number of services and day trips linking Bergen
with other coastal towns and the fjords. A passenger ferry crosses
Bergen harbour from Dreggekaien to Munkebryggen
during the week.
Taxis
Most taxis look like any other private saloon car but are identifiable
by the sign on the roof and can be hailed on the street, all are
registered and very safe. Meters indicate the fare but there is
an extra charge for luggage. Taxis can be ordered by telephone (telephone
number: 07000 (instant service) or 5599 7010 (advance bookings),
website: www.bergentaxi.no).
Corporate bookings can now be made in advance via the website. A
short ride within the city costs around NOK65 but this varies depending
on the time of day. Taxis cost more after 1500 hrs and on weekend
evenings. An additional charge is made for pre-booked a trip. There
are permanent taxi ranks at Bryggen, Strandkaien
and Vågsallmenningen (by the main Tourist
Information Office). It is common practice to tip about 10 per cent
of the total fare.
Driving in
the City
A toll, ostensibly financing road improvement schemes,
is levied on all cars entering Bergen Monday to Friday 0600-2200
hrs (excluding public holidays). When driving, visitors should anticipate
vehicles pulling out from side turnings on the right – Norway
still operates a ‘priority from the right’
rule except on designated ‘priority’ routes indicated
by yellow diamond signs. Roundabouts can also be
hazardous, as Norwegian drivers generally do not indicate their
intentions before entering them.
Bergen is a quite straightforward city to drive around. There is
a one-way system in the city centre but only a small area is pedestrianised.
Rush hours are Monday to Friday 0700-0830 hrs and
1530-1630 hrs.
The letter ‘E’ (plus a number) designates
main routes, while the letter ‘R’ (plus
a number) indicates lesser roads.
Traffic drives
on the right and overtakes on the left.
The speed limit on motorways is usually 90kph (56mph),
although in some places this increases to 100kph (57mph), while
it is 80kph (50mph) outside towns, 50kph
(31mph) in populated areas and 30kph (19mph) in
certain residential streets.
All passengers must wear seat belts.
Motorcyclists
must wear helmets.
All vehicles must have dipped headlights on at all times.
The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving
is 0.02 per cent.
Overseas national driving licences
and International Driving Permits are both valid
in Norway. Third-party insurance is compulsory and a Green
Card is recommended.
NAF, the Norwegian Automobile
Federation (telephone number: 2234 1400), operates an emergency
breakdown service which can be used by anyone who is a
member of a major international motoring organisation.
Emergency
breakdown service (toll free):
NAF 8100 0505
Routes to the city
Bergen is connected to Oslo by the E16,
which runs Bergen–Voss–Aurland–Lærdalsøyri–Fagernes–Hønefoss–Sandvika.
From Sandvika, the road joins the E18
into the centre of Oslo. This is the fastest route
to Oslo, with the world’s longest road tunnel
(24.5km/15 miles) linking Aurland with Lærdal
and cutting out the need for a ferry. A shorter route is via the
R7 through Geilo, but this involves
some precipitous climbs across the Hardangervidda Pass
(1250m/4125ft) and a ferry crossing from Brimnes
to Bruravik, so it is slower.
From Oslo, it is possible to continue on the E18
to Orebro, from where the E20
leads to Stockholm.
The route to and from Trondheim is rather more
complicated, with several alternatives of varying suitability according
to the time of year (many mountain roads are closed from October
to May due to snow). The shortest route to Bergen
from Trondheim (summer only) is south via the E6
across the Doverfjell range, turning west onto
the vertiginous N15 at Otta and proceeding via
Lom to Sogndal, from where the E39 links with Lavik,
where a ferry crosses Sognefjorden to Oppedal.
From there, the E39 continues south into Bergen.
During winter, it is easier to travel via Oslo using the E6
and E16.
Driving times
to Bergen:
From Oslo – 8.5 hours
Trondheim – 15 hours
Stockholm – 17 hours.
Parking
There are around 4,500 parking places in the centre of Bergen. Full
details are available on the online map (website: www.bergensentrum.no).
There are 3 indoor car parks close to the town centre. Bygarasjen,
Vestre Strømkai (telephone number: 5556 8870), is open 24
hours, provides parking for over 2,200 cars and is a 5-minute walk
from the centre. The other 2 (short stay with limited opening hours)
are Citypark, Markeveien 7, and Parkeringshuset,
Rosenkrantzgaten 4. City-centre prices start at NOK5 for twenty
minutes. Parking is free overnight, all day Sunday and after 1000
hrs on Saturdays.
Car Hire
Regulations about the age of the person hiring the car tend to differ
between companies but generally drivers must be over 21
years old and have held a licence for a minimum of 1 year.
The deposit must be paid with a credit card. Insurance is
compulsory and is included in the cost of the car hire.
Major providers include:
 Avis,
Lars Hillesgate 20A (telephone number: 5555 3955)
Budget,
Storetveitveien 58 (telephone number: 5527 3990)
Europcar,
Nygårdsgaten 59B (telephone number: 5536 7000)
Hertz,
Nygårdsgaten 89 (telephone number: 5596 4070).
Bicycle
& Scooter Hire
Bicycle and scooter hire are not available in Bergen.
Furthermore, the hills are so steep that it is not an ideal location
for cycling. Motorcycle hire is available from Budget.
Getting There By Water
Due to the relatively mild Atlantic climate, Bergen has an ice-free
harbour all the year round. The passage between the harbour and
the open sea is short and the fairway very good. International ferry
services dock at Skoltegrunnskaien. The onshore
facilities include bunkering, showers, a launderette and power supply,
which are available between May and September. Keys are available
(a deposit and a fee are charged) from the quayside Tourist
Information Office.
Ferry
services
The ferry terminal at Skoltegrunnskaien has basic
facilities with a café and snack bar. Fjord
Line (telephone number: 8153 3500 in Norway or (0191) 296 1313
in the UK) operates a service from Bergen via Stavanger
and Haugesund to Newcastle-upon-Tyne
and back again, 3 times a week during the summer and twice-weekly
during the winter.
Fjord
Line also operates year-round, thrice-weekly services connecting
Bergen and Egersund with Hanstholm
in Denmark.
Smyril
Line (telephone number: 5532 0970) operates a service to and
from Bergen, Shetland, the Faroe Islands
and Iceland, once a week during the summer.
There is also an extensive network of domestic coastal services,
including the Hurtigruten coastal
steamer linking Bergen with other Norwegian ports and the North
Cape. Many international cruise ships call at Bergen during
the summer months.
Coach services
Nor-way Bussekspress (telephone
number: 8154 4444) operates services between Oslo and Bergen, with
up to 5 services in each direction daily. The journey takes between
10 and 11 hours, seats cannot be pre-booked.
The Central Bus Station is located at Strømgaten
8. Route information is provided by Rutetelefonen (telephone number:
5555 9070 from abroad or 177 within Bergen). A free connection between
Bergen bus station and the city centre is available.
Rail
Norwegian State Railways (NSB)
(telephone number: 8150 0888 (booking line in Norway) (online booking
is available in Norwegian or English) operates clean and comfortable,
although often slow, services. Bergen Jernbanestasjon
(Bergen Railway Station), Strømgaten 4 (telephone number:
5596 6900), has a small shop and café/restaurant.
Up to 6 services run daily in each direction between Oslo
and Bergen, with a journey time of up to 8 hours.
These include a sleeper service every night except on Saturdays.
A faster train called Signatur has cut the journey
time on some services to about 6 hours 30 minutes. Heavy luggage
is best sent in advance and seats on express and
Signatur services must be reserved
before travelling.
The
ScanRail Pass offers 21 days of unlimited travel on railways
and selected ferries throughout Scandinavia. Inter Rail
tickets are valid in Norway and Bergen is linked to other
Scandinavian cities and destinations in Europe via Oslo.
Bus 100 is a free service for rail passengers that
links the station, bus station and the city centre (Olav Kyrresgate).
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