Long-distance (Norway)

Norway's national rail operator Vy uses the branding 'Regiontog' for its long distance train services from and to Oslo, but there are two distinct types of train.

(1) Trains with coaches pulled by a locomotive which are used for all departures on the route between Oslo and Bergen and on a few departures on the routes to Stavanger and Trondheim.
These trains typically have 10 - 12 coaches.
These trains have a bar/bistro counter and a restaurant car and an entire coach set aside for families with small children, which is in effect a travelling playground.

(2) Trains with driving cabs at each end.
These trains provide the bulk of the services on the routes between Oslo and both Trondheim and Stavanger - as well as all the direct trains between Oslo and Goteborg.

These trains have 4 coaches, but two trains can be joined together for certain departures.
These trains have vending machines instead of a bar/bistro counter and no parent and child coaches.

What both types of train used for Regiontog services have in common is that they’re the only trains in Norway that offer ‘Komfort’ class in addition to standard class.
Komfort is the Norwegian equivalent of first class (the doors on Komfort class coaches have a ‘1’ on them)

It’s worth considering Komfort class, as the seats in standard class can feel cramped in comparison to typical European long distance trains.

Komfort class passengers are also provided with complimentary hot and cold drinks.

When booking tickets for journeys by Regiontog trains, either online or at stations, seats will be assigned – an advantage of booking online is that you can choose seats.

If when boarding, you aren’t happy with the seat you have been allocated (some seats don’t line up particularly well with the windows), you can ask the conductor what other seat(s) you can move to.
There are no indications on board for whether a seat has been reserved or not, hence why you at least initially have to sit in the seat you have been allocated.

Reservations are usually available up to 90 days in advance

You can book reservations online by using the Eurail reservation service or the InterRail reservation service though you will be charged a €2 booking fee per reservation, per person.

Though this €2 fee can now be avoided by using the Entur rail pass reservation service.
Reservations can also be arranged at the Entur ticket desks in stations

On day trains the terms differ depending on whether you have a first class or second class rail pass.
Second class passes = the costs per seat in the Standard (second class) seating areas is NOK 50, but holders of second class passes can also opt to to travel in the equivalent of first class seats at a cost of NOK 200/300.

First class passes you can either;

• opt to reserve prior to arrival in Norway and pay the reservation fee NOK 200/300 (plus the booking fees),
• or avoid paying any charges at all, if you wait until you are in Norway and book at an Entur travel desk in the major stations.

Or with a First Class pass it's possible to avoid the charges by calling the Entur (Norway's national transport booking service) call center: +47 61 27 90 88 (press 9 for services in English).
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday: 07:00 - 23:00
Saturday: 08:00 - 21:00
Sunday: 08:00 - 23:00
( during bank holidays are shorter).

If you have a 1st class pass, make this clear when calling to make reservations in 'Komfort' class, in order to avoid being charged any fees.
If the travel adviser asks you for a payment, you are being offered a 2nd class reservation.

Seat reservations are optional, this includes the route between Oslo and Goteborg/Gothenburg.

If you want to travel in 2nd class, they cost around the equivalent of €6.
However, 2nd class pass users can also opt to pay a more expensive fee of the equivalent around €11 to travel in 'Komfort' class = 1st class on Regiontog trains.

You can book reservations online by using the Eurail reservation service or the InterRail reservation service though you will be charged a €2 booking fee per reservation, per person.

Or it's possible to avoid the booking fees by calling the Entur (Norway's national transport booking service) call center: +47 61 27 90 88 (press 9 for services in English).
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday: 07:00 - 23:00
Saturday: 08:00 - 21:00
Sunday: 08:00 - 23:00
( during bank holidays are shorter).

If you haven’t reserved when boarding the trains on which reservations are optional, you need to check with the conductor, which seats are available before occupying a seat.

Regiontog trains have conductors who speak excellent English who regularly pass through the train to check tickets and answer questions – all on board announcements are also made in English.

The Wi-Fi can be temperamental on the Oslo - Bergen route, but you'll want to spend most of this journey gazing out of the windows.