Bergen: Getting there & around

Bergen airport (tel:55 99 80 00) is at Flesland, about 19km (12mi) southwest of the centre. SAS Braathens (www.sasbraathens.no) connects Oslo and Bergen six times daily. There are also direct flights to Trondheim, Kristiansand and Stavanger. Coast Air (www.coastair.no) also has a daily flight to Haugesund. Flybussen (www.flybussen.no; 45 min) runs four times hourly between the airport, the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, the main bus terminal and opposite the tourist office.

There are daily Fylkesbåtane (www.fylkesbaatane.no) express boats to Balestrand (40hr), Flåm (5.5hr), Måløy (4.5hr), Selje (5hr) and Stavanger (4hr) from the Strandkaiterminal. The Hurtigruten coastal ferry leaves from the Frieleneskaien, south of the university, at 20:00 daily. International ferries to/from Bergen dock at Skoltegrunnskaien, north of the Rosenkrantz tower. Rødne Fjord Cruise (www.rodne.no, May-Aug) has summer express boats from Bergen to Rosendal twice daily from Monday to Friday and once on Saturday and Sunday.

The cheapest buses are with Lavprisekspressen (www.lavprisekspressen.no) who run services to Oslo (two daily Saturday, Monday, Thursday and Friday). Otherwise, Nor-Way Bussekspress runs to Ålesund (one to two daily, 10.5hr), Kristiansand (one daily, 12hr), Oslo (three daily, 11.5hr), Stavanger (eight daily, 5.45hr), Stryn (three daily, 6.5hr) and Trondheim (two daily, 14.25hr).

The spectacular train journey between Bergen and Oslo (five daily, 6.5-8hr) runs through the heart of Norway. Local trains between Bergen and Voss (1hr) leave every hour or two; four of these run to/from Myrdal (2.25hr).

City buses (tel:177) charge a standard fare, while fares beyond the centre are based on the distance travelled. Free bus 100 runs between Bryggen and the bus terminal.

In busy areas, metered parking is limited to 30min or 2hr; the parking areas at Sydnes allow up to 9hr (free at night). The largest and cheapest indoor car park is the 24-hour Bygarasjen at the bus terminal.

From late May to late August, the Vågen Harbour Ferry (every 30min from 10:00 to 18:00 ) runs between the Torget fish market and Tollbodhopen at Nordnes (near the Bergen Aquarium).

You can hire bicycles from the downstairs workshop of Sykkelbutikken (Kong Oscars gate 81).