Norwegian Fjords, Charm and Traditions — Self-Launched

Fly into Gardermoen and take the Vy regional train (not the pricier Flytoget) into Oslo S, about 25 minutes. Check into a hostel in the Grünerløkka or Sentrum area. Spend the afternoon walking Karl Johans gate from the Royal Palace down to Oslo Central Station, then loop the waterfront: Opera House roof (free to walk on), Akershus Fortress, and the new Munch or National Museum if art is your thing. Buy groceries at Rema 1000 or Kiwi for breakfasts — this is the single biggest cost saver in Norway. Evening: cheap eats in Grünerløkka rather than the Aker Brygge tourist strip.

🚌Airport train Oslo Airport–Oslo S ~£9 (Vy regional, cheaper than Flytoget); all city sightseeing on foot or single tram tickets ~£4

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Oslo Sentrum/Grünerløkka (~£35–45)

• →Karl Johans gate walk
• →Opera House rooftop (free)
• →Akershus Fortress (free)
• →Grünerløkka neighbourhood evening

The day the coach tour does with an optional add-on — you do it yourself, in the right order. Take an early Vy train Oslo S to Myrdal (about 4h45, ~£40–55 if booked ahead; much cheaper with a minipris ticket). Change onto the Flåmsbana down to Flåm (1 hour, the classic hairpin-and-waterfall ride, ~£50 direct on vy.no). In Flåm, take the Gudvangen–Flåm sightseeing fjord cruise through the Nærøyfjord arm of Sognefjord (~£40–45, bookable on the pier or online with The Fjords/Norway's Best), then bus or the same boat connection onward. From Gudvangen take local bus VY450 to Voss (~1.5h, ~£10–15) or the express boat. Overnight in Voss — it's far cheaper than Flåm. If you'd rather not do both, pick the cruise over the train and bus Oslo–Gudvangen instead; everything is available without a guide.

🚌Oslo–Myrdal train ~£45; Flåmsbana Myrdal–Flåm ~£50; Gudvangen–Flåm cruise ~£42; bus Gudvangen–Voss ~£13

🛏Voss hostel (Voss Vandrarheim) or budget guesthouse (~£35–45 dorm/£60 single)

• →Flåmsbana railway
• →Nærøyfjord/Sognefjord cruise
• →Fjord-side viewpoint walk in Gudvangen

Morning Vy train Voss to Bergen (about 1h15, ~£15–25 if booked in advance — one of the prettiest rail stretches in the country). Drop bags at the hostel in Bergenhus/Nordnes. Do your own walking tour of the UNESCO Hanseatic wharf at Bryggen, the fish market (Torget), St. Mary's Church and Håkonshallen — all free to wander. Ride the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen for the classic view (~£12 return, or hike up free in about an hour). Evening: grab fish cakes at the fish market or cook in the hostel kitchen; Bergen restaurants are brutal on the wallet.

🚌Voss–Bergen train ~£18; city is walkable

🛏Bergen city hostel dorm or budget hotel, Bergenhus area (~£40–55)

• →Bryggen wharf (free)
• →Torget fish market
• →Håkonshallen & St. Mary's Church
• →Fløibanen funicular ~£12

Travel day with two big payoffs. Either take the Hurtigruten/express boat or the bus-and-ferry route up the coast — the practical DIY option is the Vy/Nor-way express bus Bergen to Nordfjordeid/Sandane with the Lavik–Oppedal ferry crossing, then local bus to Olden (~£35–45 total, 6–7h). Base yourself in Olden or Loen. In the afternoon, take the local bus up to Briksdal (or a taxi-share) and walk the 45-minute paved trail to Briksdal Glacier in Jostedalsbreen National Park — free, or ~£22 for the Troll Cars if the walk isn't for you. The glacier lake and waterfall are the highlight of the whole trip for most people. Self-cater dinner; Olden has a Joker/Coop.

🚌Bergen–Olden via bus + Lavik–Oppedal ferry ~£40; local bus to Briksdal ~£10

🛏Olden/Loen guesthouse or campsite cabin (~£40–55; campsite cabins are excellent value)

• →Lavik–Oppedal fjord ferry
• →Briksdal Glacier hike (free)
• →Jostedalsbreen National Park
• →Loen Skylift (optional, ~£40)

Get an early bus from Olden/Stryn to Hellesylt (~£12), then the Hellesylt–Geiranger ferry down the UNESCO Geirangerfjord past the Seven Sisters and Bridal Veil waterfalls (~£35, book on frammr.no or at the pier). From Geiranger, the local bus climbs the Eagle Road hairpins for the classic fjord overlook, then continues over to Eidsdal–Linge ferry and on towards Åndalsnes (the route effectively gives you Trollstigen/Troll's Road between Valldal and Åndalsnes, ~£25–35 total in bus and ferry fares). From Åndalsnes take the train or bus to Molde (~£12). Long day — pack lunch, since Norway's roadside food stops are sparse and pricey. If you're short on time, skip Åndalsnes and take the direct Geiranger–Molde express boat.

🚌Olden–Hellesylt bus ~£12; Hellesylt–Geiranger ferry ~£35; Geiranger–Åndalsnes bus + Eidsdal/Linge ferry ~£30; Åndalsnes–Molde ~£12

🛏Molde hostel or budget hotel (~£45–60)

• →Geirangerfjord ferry cruise
• →Seven Sisters & Bridal Veil waterfalls
• →Ørnesvingen / Eagle Road viewpoint
• →Trollstigen (Troll's Road) viewpoint

Do the Atlantic Road properly without a coach: take the local FRAM bus from Molde towards Bud and the Atlanterhavsvegen (bus 420/421 area, ~£10), hop off at the Storseisundet Bridge for the famous shot, walk a stretch of the road and pick the bus back up. Alternatively rent a car for one day in Molde (~£70–90 plus fuel) if you want the full drive-and-stop freedom. In the afternoon, connect to Kristiansund or back to Molde and take the train/bus towards Oppdal (~£25–35, ~4h) — Oppdal is a low-key mountain town and a much cheaper base than the fjord villages. Evening: hostel kitchen or a cheap pizza; there's not much nightlife, and that's fine.

🚌Molde–Atlantic Road local bus ~£10; Molde/Kristiansund–Oppdal train or bus ~£30

🛏Oppdal guesthouse or hostel (~£40–50)

• →Atlanterhavsvegen (Atlantic Road)
• →Storseisundet Bridge
• →Bud fishing village stop

Dovre line train Oppdal to Lillehammer or straight to Oslo (Oppdal–Oslo ~5h, ~£30–50 with a minipris fare). Break the journey at Lillehammer for 2–3 hours: Maihaugen open-air museum, the 1994 Olympic ski jump, and a walk along Lake Mjøsa — this is the one stop the coach tour rushes. Continue to Oslo in the late afternoon. Evening in Oslo: Vigeland Sculpture Park is free and open late in summer (great at golden hour), then a cheap dinner in Grønland, which has the city's best-value food — Norwegian, Vietnamese, Pakistani, all under £15.

🚌Oppdal–Lillehammer–Oslo train ~£40 (book minipris in advance); local trams ~£4

🛏Oslo hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (~£35–45)

• →Lillehammer & Lake Mjøsa
• →Maihaugen open-air museum (optional ~£15)
• →Vigeland Sculpture Park (free)
• →Grønland food street

Last morning: walk the full Vigeland installation in Frogner Park if you missed it, look at the exterior of Oslo City Hall and the harbour-front Sørenga sauna strip, and pick up Viking souvenirs on Karl Johans gate or at the duty-free before departure. Airport train back to Gardermoen (~£9). No transfer needed to book — the Vy train runs every 10–20 minutes.

🚌Oslo S–Gardermoen airport train ~£9

🛏—

• →Vigeland Sculpture Park
• →Oslo City Hall exterior
• →Harbour walk / Sørenga