From Bodø to Trondheim by train

Storyline: Scandinavia

Tue, Jun 17

The-Norland-Railway (Norlandsbanen) runs from the town of Bodø about 100-kilometers above the Arctic Circle to the historic city of Trondheim about 350-kilometers to the south. Usually referenced as Trondheim to Bodø this 729-kilometer-long railway is one of the most spectacular in Norway. It takes about 10 hours, with 25 interim stops, crosses 293 bridges, goes through 154 tunnels, and offers amazing scenery through stunning fjords and coastal areas, rugged mountain ranges, deep river valleys, and small inland towns, villages and hamlets. It is said that is Norway’s longest railway and is a journey to take just for the journey’s sake.

We took many photos, some of which are included here. The locations of many of them are identified by metadata and some beautiful but remote land we passed by is unidentifiable even then.

And so, the water in the hotel came on just in time to shower, dry, and go to Bodø train station. It is some 10 min away from the hotel, but we have to stop by the grocery store on the way and buy sandwiches for the long train ride. It is cool and drizzly. There is an underground walkway to some stores including one of the groceries. I leave Alex with the luggage and walk through the store to see what is available. Two sandwiches and some croissants and I am out of there. The wine we bought yesterday is packed handily in the backpack. I add the food to it and we trundle to the station. Yesterday we established that aside from WC there was nothing at the station.

The only information is displayed on destination and schedule boards. Two busses full of soldiers pull in next to the train track.

It turned out to be the King’s Guard band that had been performing throughout the country in support of the King’s country-wide tour and was now returning to base.

The train is at the station and a few people like us wonder when it will open, given the rainy and cold weather. But there is no one either in the train station (what is actually the purpose of such?), the platform or in the train. It is the weather they live with every day after all. About 15 min before departure the train driver arrives. Then there is the food and drinks delivery cart. They have to load the supplies. The soldiers have lined up orderly in front of their cars.

Ours, being first class is the last one. Eventually we all board the train, settle into our seats and the train departs on time at 12:27.

The first-class car had a few passengers we chatted with before boarding. A woman from South Africa with her daughter was visiting her boyfriend in Mo i Rana; An American couple was travelling to Trondheim too, staying in a hotel near ours. It appeared that they had a first class interrail pass, but they couldn’t book seats online.

They had hoped to do so at the train station, but as any other, the station is not manned. So, they were out of luck. When the conductor came, he moved them to separate seats he had information were free at least part of the way. “We never know how many Interrail people will show up”, he said.

From Bodø the railroad follows the Saltfjord east to Løding.

Not long after we pulled out of Bodø (second stop actually) the train stopped at Tverlandet.

Near this stop one can observe the world’s strongest tidal currents, Saltstraumen.

After Løding we continue east by the Skjerstad Fjord to Fauske. In less than an hour since we started and despite the many tunnels, we’ve already been through spectacular scenery.

Before Fauske we touch the edge of Valnesfjord, and train stops at the village of Valnesfjord.

It is 13:15. Croissants and coffee/tea time for us. Self-serve coffee/tea/water/milk and fruits are provided in the train.

Perhaps it is time to mention that this is the most luxurious train we’ve travelled aboard in Scandinavia.

The space between the seats is huge, so one can recline and sleep and the person behind won’t even notice. Eh because of that we had to deal with airplane-style of in-armrest tables, but that was also convenient when done with food and drinks.

While refuelling we pass by some hamlets and eventually pull into Fauske.

This town is the transportation centre for the region.

From Fauske we turn south towards the village of Rognan, which It is located at the head of the Saltdal Fjord, the innermost part of the Skjerstad Fjord.

Because of the low clouds and the fog, everything is stunningly beautiful. Especially watched from the window of the train, dry and warm.

The railroad follows the east side of Saltdal Fjord (Saltdalsfjorden).

The fog is covering the mountains, clouds reflecting in the waters.

We leave the fjords at Rognan

and turn inland following a river valley. Many rivers actually.

While the railroad is meandering by the rivers and waterfalls, the rivers are roaring full of water.

We stop at Røckland, a village along the Saltdalselva river.

Then we stop at Lønsdal, a village along the Lønselva river.

Lønsdal is the last stop inside the Arctic Circle.

The train station is on Saltfjellet, one of the largest mountain ranges in Norway. Svartisen national park is part and Scandinavia’s largest glacier Svartisen are on the mountain. Motorised vehicles are not allowed in the area.

The Arctic Circle cuts thorough these mountains. The landscape is pretty barren and rough even in mid June.

I only knew we were approaching it because everyone began taking photos of the carriage’s information board announcing that we would soon cross it at 680m above sea level.

At that time Alex was dozing. I woke him up and he ran to the back of the car for photos.

It was 14:30 when we crossed it.

I could see the sign through the window on the right. Alex, expecting to see the sign at the back of the car unfortunately missed it.

South of the arctic circle we follow the Saltfjellet mountain ridge for quite some time,

sipping our wine.

We pass by the village of Storforshei. It is part of Rana municipality. The surroundings look so pretty and idyllic that is hard to imagine the first iron mines in the area were established in this village, some 27km from Mo i Rana.

The tracks follow Ranaelva (Rana River) to Mo i Rana (locals call it Mo). It is an interesting name. So I looked it up. Apparently, there are many Norwegian settlements named Mo. So “Mo i Rana” means “Mo in Rana”.

Mo, the name of an old farm, is derived from mór, meaning moorland. Rana means fast or quick in old Norse, referring to the fast water flowing into Ranfjorden. Because of the Iron Mill the city grew quickly in the mid-1900’s. There are currently many industrial companies in the area as well as research and development ones. Mo industrial park is one of the largest in Norway. And as any other place in Norway Mo is full of history mainly around WWII.

In comparison to all previous stops this town looks big. As the train stops there at 15:46, we wave goodbye to the lady and her daughter we met before boarding the plain in Bodø. Still a long way to go to our destination.

As we leave Mo the fog and low clouds settle back on the top of the mountains and over the water.

Perhaps they never left them.

We are now following Ranfjorden.

The photos I took from this section of our train ride,

especially around Hauknes,

give probably the most eerie and aery feeling.

We pass by the small village of Finneidfjord

and stop at Bjerka. Rain is intensifying. So many fjords and so much water that it is hard to follow it all.

Even Google gets lost in places.

We soon pass by an area named Holand on Vefsnfjorden.

There is a small farm and as everything today the scenery is incredible.

South of Vefsnfjorden we stop at the town of Mosjøen.

It is one of the oldest towns in Nordland County.

The Mosjøen aluminum plant is among the biggest in Europe. If you drive around, this town is a candidate for a visit. Its name etymology is interesting too.

Mo (farm) as in Mo i Rana and sjøen meaning seaside. It is the place where the farmers of Mo had their boats.

The train stops often in the area, but the rain is heavy and we doze for a while.

My next photo is of Snåsa station. We stopped there at around 19:46. I remember the lupins growing by the tracks. The village is at the north end of lake Snåsavatnet. Hey, not a fjord! Even through the train window I’ve got tired of fjords.