Bergen

Bergen is Norway's second largest city and the most popular gateway to the fjords of West Norway. The city is renowned for its great location amidst mountains, fjords, and the ocean. Steep mountains and highlands within the city offer excellent hiking opportunities. The city center is compact and can easily be covered on foot, while the city as a whole is spacious and sprawling. Bergen and suburbs are home to about one quarter of the people in West Norway.

Having fostered many of Norway's greatest bands and artists, the city is also known for its cultural life and underground/indie music scene. Bergen's unpredictable weather adds to its quirky, unmistakable charm. Bergen was Norway's main city for centuries, and many patriotic inhabitants believe it still is.

Understand
The character of Bergen is defined by its location, surrounded by steep mountains and sea (straits and fjords). The city has many lakes. It is a typical Norwegian wooden town, even downtown there are notable neighbourhoods of small wooden houses in various styles. Few towns if any have so many wooden houses in the centre. In some areas wooden houses have been replaced by taller masonry structures, giving the city a fascinating mix of old and new.

Bergen is a sprawling city stretching some 40-50 km in either direction where the 286,000 inhabitants (2021) are separated by mountains, fjords and lakes. Only the central parts are visible from the panorama points at Mount Fløyen. The distant parts of the city are mostly of less interest to the visitor. The city centre is on the other hand compact and can be covered by walking for most visitors. Bergen is facing the ocean and coast, and the hinterland is relatively sparsely populated. Bergen is separated from eastern Norway by crooked fjords and wide, inhospitable mountain areas, and until the Bergen railway was built in 1909 the most practical transport east-west was several days sailing around the coast.

Cityscape
Central Bergen is characterized by a fascinating conglomerate of small, older wooden houses and newer masonry buildings as well as modern steel-and-glass structures. Bergen has some fine examples of functionalist architecture such as Kalmar House and Sundt shopping centre. "Brutalist" buildings include the science building at the university and the city hall. Bergen grew organically from the small port and trading post at Bryggen from around year 1000. Because of frequent fires only some masonry buildings (notably Mariakirken and Håkonshallen) remain from the middle ages. But the city centre has retained many aspects of its ancient layout. Notable are the many wide streets or open spaces, called allmenning (commons), perpendicular to Vågen (the inner harbour). These allmennings often rise steeply from the waterfront. Torgallmenningen is not open to cars and defines the modern city centre. Ordinary streets in the medieval town were often long and more narrow, and ran parallel to the waterfront. Narrow and short streets, smug (alley), run among houses packed close together. Alleys are usually too narrow for cars and some are so steep that there are stairs.

Key areas within central Bergen:
 * Bryggen (the German or Hanseatic wharf) on the East shore of Vågen, this is the historical centre (including Øvregaten/Lille Øvregaten streets)
 * From Bryggen area, Mt. Fløyen rises steeply. The slopes of Mt. Fløyen are dominated by wooden residential buildings, some among the finest and most expensive in town.
 * Just north of Bryggen is Bergenhus fortress and Håkonshallen (previously also known as Holmen, "the eyot", effectively Norway's capital during some periods of the middle ages).
 * Store Lungegårdsvannet is a lake or bay of brackish water separating central Bergen from areas to the south. Puddefjorden separates central Bergen from Laksevåg area to the west.
 * Store Lungegårdsvannet is a lake or bay of brackish water separating central Bergen from areas to the south. Puddefjorden separates central Bergen from Laksevåg area to the west.
 * Store Lungegårdsvannet is a lake or bay of brackish water separating central Bergen from areas to the south. Puddefjorden separates central Bergen from Laksevåg area to the west.
 * Store Lungegårdsvannet is a lake or bay of brackish water separating central Bergen from areas to the south. Puddefjorden separates central Bergen from Laksevåg area to the west.
 * Store Lungegårdsvannet is a lake or bay of brackish water separating central Bergen from areas to the south. Puddefjorden separates central Bergen from Laksevåg area to the west.

History
Founded around 1070 AD, Bergen quickly evolved into the biggest and commercially most important city in Norway. It was the country's administrative capital from the early 1200s until 1299, and the second largest city in Scandinavia. Bergen was one of the most important bureau cities of the Hanseatic League, interconnecting continental Europe with the northern and coastal parts of Norway, thus becoming a central spot for the vending of stockfish and the commercial hub of Norway. It was the largest city in Norway until the 1830s and has a long maritime history in shipping and finance. Until the Bergen railway (Bergensbanen) began operation in 1909 there was no convenient overland transport between Norway's principal cities.

The city still has relics of its Hanseatic heyday, most notably the old harbour of Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bergen has been ravaged by several fires; the most recent major fire took place in 1916, a fire which destroyed most of the buildings in what is today the central parts of the city centre, around on the large square Torgallmenningen. About 400 buildings were lost.

Because of a long tradition of wood building even in cramped areas like Bergen, the city has been destroyed several times by fire. In 1702 90% of the city was destroyed including Bryggen.

While few medieval buildings remain, the historical centre of Bergen is along the eastern shore of Vågen (the inner harbour), notably Bryggen (the Wharf), the fortress and the two key churches (Mariakirken/St Mary's and Korskirken/Holy Cross church). The pattern of settlement is largely unchanged for almost 1,000 years, including Øvregaten/Lille Øvregate − one of Norway's oldest streets. St. Mary's and Holy cross church were built around 1150 at either end of what was then the city. St. Mary's, with its unusual double towers and prominent location, may have been planned as the city's main church at the time.

The western shore of the inner harbour were developed later and became the modern city centre. This shore was known as Stranden ("the Strand") and was dominated by Norwegians, while the Hanseatic merchants dominated the eastern shore. Strandgaten became the main shopping street for locals and visitors from the hinterland. Strandgaten was presumably established in the middle ages and the middle section is basically unchanged in the last several hundred years.

Geography
Bergen is located in the far west in Norway, sheltered from the North Sea only by a number of islands. It is situated along latitude 60 degrees north, on the same latitude as Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Saint Petersburg and Anchorage. The city is the most hilly and mountainous in Norway. The city centre is surrounded by a group of mountains and peaks known as the Seven Mountains. This has given the city its name (berg is an old Norse word for mountain). The geographic conditions of the city are very visible; limited space to build on made it necessary in the 19th century that new city blocks be built on the steep slopes of mount Fløyen.

Except for the dense city centre, which made up the entire incorporated city before 1916, Bergen is the least dense of the four largest cities in Norway. Bergen covers the same width as Oslo but Oslo has 3 times more people within the city. London for instance has 10 times higher population density than Bergen. Most of the settlement inside the very wide city borders is concentrated in the western part of the municipality. The rest of the municipality is made up of mountains, as well as some farmland and smaller settlements. Except for the compact city centre, distances are relatively long within the municipality of Bergen.

The geographical centre of Bergen is the intersection of Torgallmenningen and Ole Bulls plass, indicated by the "blue stone" a nine meter long slightly inclined slab. Torgallmenningen square and Ole Bulls plass are the main axes in central Bergen. Historically, the centre was slightly more east at Vågen (the bay) or at Bryggen.

Climate
Due to the city's northern location, close to the northern sea and surrounded by mountains, special weather conditions occur, resulting in approximately 240 days with precipitation a year and a mean temperature of 7.6 °C (45.7 °F). In January 2007, a record of 85 rainy days in a row was set. Still, local people claim there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. An annual mean at close to 8 °C, with even January on average above 0 °C, makes Bergen the warmest city in Norway. Frost just below 0°C and some snow occurs between December and February, but temperatures colder than -10 °C are very rare. Temperatures above 30 °C are also extremely rare.

For the rest of us, the trick is obviously to choose the time of visit with caution. The infamous rain should not keep visitors away in summer, because when the sun breaks through after a rainy day, hardly any city twinkles and glows like Bergen. If you catch the city on a sunny day, you will find an incredible atmosphere as the citizens really know how to appreciate nice weather. City planners have probably had this in mind, resulting in the creation of open spaces, parks, flowers and lawns that are scattered all over downtown.

July has the highest mean temperature, 14.3 °C (57.7 °F), with August, 14.1 °C (57.4 °F) following close behind. May is usually the month with the least precipitation. Considering the number of local events this month, May is probably the best time to visit Bergen, with the summer months of June, July and August almost as good. April is also a relatively dry month, although cooler than the summer months. These averages are merely indications as weather is famously unpredictable and rain does not appear in any regular pattern.

Culture
Bergen is one of the most important cultural centres of Norway. The city is home to the Bergen International Festival, Nattjazz and Bergenfest, festivals of international renown within their genres. The local symphony orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, was founded in 1765. It is one of the world's oldest orchestral institutions. Bergen was the home of Norway's great composer, Edvard Grieg. Henrik Ibsen, the famous playwright, started his career in Bergen as manager of Den Nationale Scene.

Around 2000, a number of artists from the rhythmic music scene in Bergen gained international fame. In the domestic press, this became known as the Bergen Wave. Musicians and bands with roots in Bergen include Annie, Burzum, Enslaved, Gorgoroth, Immortal, Erlend Øye, Kings of Convenience, Sondre Lerche, and Datarock. Bergen still has a thriving underground/indie music scene.

Research and education
Bergen is home to important institutions of research and education: The University of Bergen, the College of Applied Sciences, and the Norwegian School of Economics. Even before these institutions were created important work were done in Bergen. Armauer Hansen in 1873 discovered that leprosy was caused by a bacteria, a major breakthrough in medical sciences that laid the foundation for modern epidemiology and was also a major input to microbiology. Fridtjof Nansen, the great explorer, sportsman, humanitarian and diplomat, made his first contribution to the novel science of neuroanatomy when he worked at Bergen Museum during the 1880s. Nansen's research on neurons was so groundbreaking that it was not fully appreciated at the time. Vilhelm Bjerknes and the Bergen school of Meteorology developed the basis for modern weather forecasting.

Tourist information

 * Visit Bergen website

By plane


Flybussen departs from right outside the terminal building. Flybussen makes frequent stops, including at Bryggen, the Fisketorget, and the bus terminal. The journey downtown takes about 30–40 minutes. Adult tickets are kr 120, return ticket kr 170 (discounts for children, students and senior citizens apply). Buy your ticket before boarding to save kr 10, either online, from a machine or from a ticket vendor. However, tickets can easily be bought on the bus, with either cash or cards. Buses run frequently throughout the day. There is a machine next to luggage collection in arrivals, and at the bus stop at the airport, so buy your ticket while you are waiting for your luggage. The Bergen Light Rail has its southern terminus at the airport, the station is in the basement outdoor. This is the cheapest option for travelling downtown since it charges the regular public transport fares (kr 37 for an adult single ticket, kr 19 for children and seniors). The light rail runs very frequently, from 05:00 to past 00:00, with up to 12 departures an hour, but it is a stopping service and takes 45 minutes to its final stop at Byparken. The only other public transit line is bus line 23, which runs to the western neighborhoods of Søreide and Loddefjord. Line 23 runs only in the morning and evening rush hours Mondays to Fridays.

Taxis are also available but they cost much more (kr 300-350 on weekdays to downtown, more at night and at the weekend).

The car rental companies Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar and National have offices at the airport. Located in the terminal building, by the exit, most of them are open 07:00-21:00 on weekdays. Opening hours in the weekend are limited, but some of the companies will offer 24 hours rental if you make a reservation.

By train


Bergen is served by one railway line, Bergen Line (Bergensbanen), which runs from Oslo through Hønefoss. Bergen is the last station and there is only one station in the city (in addition one station in Arna, east of the city proper). Reforms of the railway structure have made it somewhat more confusing to travel by rail, as there are now several train companies that share the Norwegian rail network. The Bergen Line is served by Vy, the successor to the Norwegian State Railways. The journey takes about 7 hours and gives you beautiful views, especially for the last 3 hours across the plateau and down towards Voss and Bergen. When passing Geilo, you will cross over a high mountain plateau and then travel downwards through some of the best scenery in Norway.

If you buy your ticket online well in advance, fares may be as low as kr 199 for a one-way ticket. For an additional fee, you may upgrade your ticket to Vy Pluss, the equivalent of first class, with slightly better seats and free coffee and tea. If you want to make more out of your journey, get a window seat on one of the most recently upgraded trains (they're quite stylish and have power outlets by every seat) on the left hand side (this will give you the best view). There is a separate company, Entur, which handles tickets on all long-distance train and bus lines in Norway. It is easiest to buy tickets directly from Entur if you need to switch between train and bus, or different train operators.

The ticket office is only open limited hours - outside of which you must use the ticket machines. Note that travel tickets booked via an agent (including Norway in a Nutshell) must be collected from the ticket office. There is a small deli that sells coffee, snacks and some supermarket items open early and late. There is a small cafe with limited opening hours (closed before 17:00 most days).

Universal access is a priority to Vy. Book your ticket on the phone or buy it at the train station at least a day in advance to inform staff if you have any special needs. You will have the same offers as are available online. Most trains are equipped with lifts or ramps and handicap toilets. Wheelchairs can be secured on board. For the seeing impaired, there are tactile lines in the larger stations. Staff will assist you in the station. If you need an assistant and can provide documentation, you and your travelling companion will get a 50% discount off the full ticket price.

 is located in the eastern corner of the city centre at Strømgaten 4, close to the bus station and the Bygarasjen parking facility.

By car
For more details see: Driving in Norway

If arriving in Bergen by car, you will be better off not taking your car into the city centre unless you know exactly where you're going, as most streets are one-way or do not allow cars at all (only buses and taxis), read more in the Get around section. Parking is generally forbidden (unless explicitly permitted) downtown inside zone 1, and restricted outside zone 1.

Generally, you will find that many roads in rural areas, even the highways between the cities, are partly narrow and slow. There are no motorways except a few kilometers around the city, most main roads (E16, road 7) are two-lane undivided and limited to. Even if some people drive very fast, you should mind the speed limits (usually 80 km/h) and drive according to the conditions. In the mountains, help can be hours away. Furthermore, you will find traffic controls and police in unmarked cars nearly everywhere. Fines are very high. To avoid dangerous situations, it's a very good idea stop and let faster going traffic pass you. Except in and around Bergen, traffic is generally very light, although there may be some traffic on road 7 during summer vacation and around weekends.

Road E16 from Oslo and Voss makes a circle from Arna through Åsane where it joins E39 on a motorway to the centre (northern approach). At Sandviken the wide road continues through a long tunnel to the southern end of the city centre in order to avoid the centre, while those heading for the centre can either exit at Sandviken or just after the tunnel. The southern approach (E39) comes from the Halhjem ferry dock at Os and arrives downtown just before the long tunnel. Find a good parking, and use legs or public transport inside the centre.

From Oslo and Eastern Norway
The trip from Oslo to Bergen takes between seven and nine hours, depending on the route, the driving conditions and whether you choose to make any stops on the way. Be prepared to add some hours driving time in the winter - and remember that the daylight will be scarce for many months. All routes Oslo to Bergen run through mountain passes. It might be a good idea to use two days on the tour in the winter if you're not accustomed to these conditions. A 12- or even 14-hour drive on icy, dark roads in bad weather is not very nice. Keep in mind that many roads in Norway are often narrow and slow due to relatively low traffic and the difficult landscape in which they are built.

If you plan to cross the mountains (for instance by driving from Oslo to Bergen) in the winter season, it is imperative that you are prepared for the journey. The conditions are harsh. Always keep a full tank of fuel, and keep warm clothes, food and drink in the car. Make sure your tires are good enough and suited for winter conditions (studded or non-studded winter tires; "all-year" tires are not good enough), and that you have sufficient skills for driving in snowy and cold conditions. Roads are often closed on short notice due to weather conditions. For advice on conditions and closed roads, call 175 in Norway or check the online road reports (in Norwegian only) from the Norwegian State road authorities. Not all parts of the country have cellular phone coverage.

From Western Norway

 * From Stavanger
 * The quick route is E39, which takes you past Haugesund, Stord and Os. The trip takes approximately 5 hours and includes 2 ferries.
 * The more scenic route includes a long detour along road 13 through the inner fjords via Odda and Hardanger.
 * From Ålesund or any of the other cities, towns and villages north of Bergen
 * The shortest road is E39, preferably using route 60 past Stryn which saves one ferry crossing. There are still two ferry crossings.
 * The more scenic drive includes detours along road 60 (Hellesylt and Stryn), road 63 (Geiranger) or road 5 (Fjaerland and Sogndal).
 * From Trondheim and the north part of Møre og Romsdal
 * E39 is an obvious possibility, but it has at least four ferries.
 * E6 until Otta, then on road 15 towards road E39 via Stryn and the Sognefjord ferry, is a scenic alternative, and probably the fastest and used by the express buses.
 * The inland roads (via E6, road 250 and E16, no ferry) might be an easier albeit longer and less scenic option.
 * or road 55 Lom to Sogndal via Sognefjellet mountain pass, the highest main road in Norway. Open in summer only.

From Southern Norway

 * From Kristiansand where ferries from Denmark arrive:
 * Road E39. This route is the shortest but has two ferry crossings. No mountain passes, but mountains can be seen, and sea views also.
 * Road 9 to Haukeli–Road E134–Road 13 to Voss–E16. This route is a little longer but has no ferry and is faster. Scenic mountain pass.

By bus
Via the network of NOR-WAY Bussekspress, Bergen is accessible by direct links from all of South Norway. Bus is usually the cheapest way to travel, but can take some time. The national buses are very comfortable, but not suitable for people using wheelchairs. Schedules and fares are available online, and it is also possible to pre-book. Booking may be required on some routes. The bus station is just a few minutes walk from the city centre. The terminal for long distance buses is situated on the rear side of the station. The en-tur website may be used for planning purposes.

By boat


There are fast boat services from several communities north and south of Bergen, including many of the islands. Because these passenger ferries stop at various small towns on the way there, you get a great view of the coast and its islands. Fjord1 runs ferries north of Bergen, Norled runs services south of Bergen, and Skyss also does a bit of both, including the Sunnhordland. Fjord Line operates a passenger ferry service from/to Stavanger.

The boat terminal (Strandkaiterminalen båtkai) lies right beyond the fish market. It has luggage lockers, charged daily.

Bergen is the southern terminus for Hurtigruten, a week-long passenger ship route with stops along Norway's coast all the way to Kirkenes in the far north of Norway. Ålesund can be reached overnight, and Trondheim will take one full day and two nights. The terminal is located at Nøstet. The Hurtigruten ships are accessible with a wheelchair.

There are car ferries which run to and from Hirtshals in northern Denmark, by way of Stavanger, operated by Fjord Line. The terminal is the Skoltegrunnen pier, some hundred meters beyond Bryggen.

Bergen is one of Europe's busiest cruise ports and is available by cruise departing from several North Sea ports.

Orientation
Downtown Bergen is compact and easy to walk for most visitors. Most sights and hotels are located within few minutes walk within downtown. While the very centre is located on a relatively flat piece of land, there are hills in virtually every direction out of the centre so heading downhill usually leads to centre. The main square is the east/west Torgallmenningen, a pedestrian zone. The Nordnes peninsula points north from the very centre, on the eastern side is Vågen, a small bay and once Bergens main harbour, lined on the eastern side by Bryggen and the Fortress. Overall navigation is generally easy as the summits and the bay provides clear indication of general direction, Mt Ulriken is a key landmark for large parts of the city, while downtown St John’s Church (Johanneskirken) with its characteristic red brick and green roof is another landmark. The sturdy theater building at the top of Ole Bulls place is also a point to note. Precise navigation through many irregular streets may still be challenging. Navigation by car can be equally difficult because of hills, narrow streets and many one-way streets, what seems close on the map may in fact be a long drive.

Bergen is idiosyncratic in many ways, including the layout and names of streets:
 * Allmenning are wide streets or squares, laid out at strategic points to prevent fires spreading through the city, often perpendicular to main streets and to the water front, the main square is Torgallmenningen
 * Smug/smau are narrow alleys, usually too narrow for cars, some are so steep that there are stairs
 * Smalgang is even more narrow than smug
 * Strede old name for street (rarely used but note Skostredet - "Shoe street")
 * Gate street
 * Vei/veg, road or street
 * Kai, quay or dock
 * Brygge, quay or wharf
 * Plass, square

In addition there is a handful of specific names without generic suffixes like “−gate”, for instance Bryggen (“the Wharf”), Strangehagen (“Strange's garden”, a street), Klosteret (“the Monastery”, a square), Georgernes Verft (“Georges' Shipyard”, a street), Marken, Engen (“the Meadow”, a square), Krinkelkroken ("Nook and cranny"), Galgebakken ("Gallow hill"), Arbeiderboligen (“Workers' residence”), Torget ("The Market"), Vaskerelven ("Laundry river", a street).

On foot
Within the city centre, walking is the best way to get around. You can walk across downtown in 20 minutes in any direction. The most central streets of the city are relatively flat and generally have a good accessibility for the disabled, sidewalks have rounded corners to allow access by wheelchair. The characteristic alleys and narrow streets (often with stairs rather than ordinary streets) on the slopes are however not available by wheelchair and may be difficult to walk for the disabled. The most important pedestrian crossings have sound signals and are indicated by tactile paving. They are also accessible with a wheelchair. Although cobblestone is a popular material in the streets, it is rarely used in pedestrian areas. A map with more information on this subject is available from the municipality's website.

Schedules
Bus schedules can be a bit difficult to understand. Ask a local or a bus driver; they will usually be able and happy to assist you. Or use en-tur.no. There are information desks at the bus station and off Torgalmenningen providing information on all local bus and train lines free of charge. Calling 177 will also put you in contact with the information centre (if you call from a cell phone, be sure to ask for the information centre for Hordaland county, as this is a national service).

Schedules and outline maps of the services are available online from the Skyss website together with an online travel planner. There are schedule and travel planner apps available for Android and iOS mobile phones and tablets. Printed schedules can be picked up from any bus, but are only available in Norwegian.

For a few major stops, the bus may have a fixed departure time, and will not leave before schedule. At other stops though, a bus may leave a few minutes ahead of schedule. During periods of high traffic, the bus may be several minutes late. Rush hour traffic is sometimes accounted for in the schedule by greater time allowances, but busy Saturday shopping is often not.

Fares
Tickets can be bought from the driver, from ticket machines at major stops, from many grocery and convenience stores, from the information desks at the bus station and off Torgalmenningen, or via the "Skyss billett" app for iOS and Android (available free of charge on Google Play and the App Store).

The driver only accepts cash payment. Tickets are more expensive when bought from the driver.

If you purchase your ticket in advance, you will be given a receipt and a grey card that is actually your ticket. The ticket must be validated when you enter a bus by holding it close to the electronic card reader until you get a green light. Tickets purchased via the apps do not require validation.

The following ticket options are available (pr. August 2022; prices listed apply to adults and only for travels within Bergen and the neighbouring municipalities of Os, Øygarden, Osterøy, Alver, Austrheim and Fedje):

For an always updated price list, the bus company's official website is also available in English here
 * Single ticket - kr 40 (kr 60 when bought from the driver)
 * 24-hour ticket - kr 105
 * 7-day season ticket - kr 235
 * 30-day season ticket - kr 755
 * 180-day season ticket - kr 3775

Senior citizens (67 years or older), children (15 years or younger) and disabled persons are entitled to discounts on all tickets. Students are entitled to discounts on tickets from 7-day tickets and season tickets.

One child (between the ages of 4 and 15) can travel free of charge together with an adult travelling on a single ticket. Children under the age of four travel free of charge.

Groups of ten or more get a discount on single journeys.

A person accompanying a disabled person who can present a companion/escort card travels free of charge on single tickets. The companion/escort must present the companion/escort card to the driver when embarking or in the event of a ticket inspection. The companion/escort does not need a separate ticket.

If you are caught without a valid ticket or fare card, you will be kicked off the bus and get a stiff fine. Controls are common and performed by both uniformed and plain-clothes personnel.

Fare cards in the form of the electronic "Skysskort" can be obtained at the customer service desk by the bus station.

Lines and services
Regular bus services operate throughout the day, major trunk routes running through downtown run with a 20-minute frequency or better. In the suburbs, there are smaller lines, generally operating from a local terminal, with less frequent services. There are not so many buses between the city centre and the southern neighbourhoods of Fana and Ytrebygda, instead the light rail runs from the city centre to the regional terminals at Nesttun and Lagunen, where feeder buses bring passengers onwards.

Most lines operate seven days a week, including all holidays (usually a regular Sunday schedule with a few exceptions), but some of the lesser lines may have little or no service in the weekends. During the school vacation (mid-June to mid-August), buses are less frequent, so make sure you have an updated bus schedule. On Christmas Eve (December 24), there are no buses after about 16:00. On Constitution Day (May 17), the parades and celebrations shut down the downtown streets; though buses do run to and from downtown, they will generally not run through downtown on that day.

After about 01:00, regular bus services cease to run. In the weekends, there are a few night bus lines available.

Accessibilty
The process of replacing old buses with newer ones accessible for people using wheelchairs is ongoing. All buses on central lines now have low floors and a built-in ramp. On the new buses, that are now a majority, the stops are announced on a display. The bus driver will usually be able to assist you in English, if required.

By light rail
A light rail line operates in Bergen, with two lines as of 2022. Line 1 runs between the city centre and southwards towards Lagunen before turning west to the airport. This is the primary means of public transportation to southern parts of Bergen. The line passes the railway station, the bus station, Brann football stadium and the student homes at Fantoft along the route. The line operates from 06:00-01:00, seven days a week, generally with a 7- to 8-minute frequency (a bit more often during rush hours, 15-minute frequency on Saturday mornings, 30-minute frequency on Sunday mornings). The entire journey takes about 45 minutes.

Line 2 runs between the city centre and the borough of Fyllingsdalen, and replaces former bus services to the borough. The line passes the railway station, the bus station, the Haukeland university hospital and the main campus of the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences along the route, and operates in the same time span as Line 1. Excluding the stop at the railway station, Line 1 and 2 uses separate platforms at the city centre and bus station stops.

Night lines operate all Friday and Saturday night with departures every 30 minutes.

You will need to buy your ticket from the ticket machine at the station before you board. Apart from that, the ticket and fare card system is the same as for buses, see the Get around by bus section for more details. It's possible to change from bus to light rail and from light rail to bus within the time of validity of a ticket. Tickets for the night lines must be bought on board. Fare cards can not be used. The price is 60 kr.

The light rail is accessible with a wheelchair. All stops are announced and displays also show the name of the next stop.

By car
It is an expressed goal of both local and national authorities to reduce car traffic in the city centre. Downtown Bergen is cramped. Thus, the speed limit downtown is very low, and most streets are one-way streets. If you plan on getting from one part of downtown to another, walking is often faster than driving, even for locals who know their way around. Furthermore, parking in the streets is reserved for the handicapped and for residents that possess a special permit with only a very few exceptions. Street parking downtown and in most of Sandviken is generally not permitted except at parking meters.

If you plan to drive to the city centre from outside of it, unless you have any special needs, park your car in a garage, such as Bygarasjen (very large, at the bus station) and Klostergarasjen (in a tunnel under the centre, access from Nøstet, stairs/elevator to the main square), Bygarasjen being the cheaper. There are also several smaller (and more expensive) garages around town. If you take the chance to bring your car further downtown, be sure to read all signs – most streets are one-way streets and some are for buses and taxis only.

To park in a spot reserved for the disabled, you need a standard European "blue badge", a special parking permit (generally, handicapped parking permits from most countries will be accepted). It must be placed on the inside of your car's front window, clearly visible from the outside.

The municipal parking authorities provide a brochure with some information on the general rules of parking along with a map of parking spots, including parking spots for the disabled.

Driving in the area outside the city centre is quite convenient, with expressways going in most directions. The roads are well sign-posted, but a map will probably come in handy anyway. Mind the speed limits; traffic controls are common and fines are stiff. Do also keep in mind that a lot of the roads are toll roads. All toll stations are automated. When approaching one, keep driving and do not slow down. A photograph of your license plates will be taken, and you will receive an invoice per mail. During rush hours (07:30-09:00 and 15:00-17:00) traffic is jammed many places, but it's nothing compared to larger cities in Europe.

Between 1 November and 31 March, the use of studded tires is legal. Within Bergen municipality, you have to pay a fee to use such tires. You can pay at automated payment stations on the main roads into Bergen (Norwegian: oblatautomat), Statoil gas stations or by visiting the municipal parking authorities in Bygarasjen or Vincens Lunges gate 3 (directly south of the railway station).

By taxi
Taxis are generally expensive in Norway and outside the very centre distances in Bergen are long. In downtown Bergen most stretches are walkable for the average visitor, although taxi can be useful in case of rain or heavy luggage. Throughout Bergen, there are a number of taxi stalls where taxis are parked waiting for customers. During the day, taxis will usually not pick up customers nearer than 300 metres from the stalls, except when called to an address. During the night in the weekends, taxi queues can be very long (up to one hour), and all customers are therefore required to go to the stalls. It is possible to order taxis to addresses also at this time of the week, but you shouldn't really expect the taxi to arrive.

The places where the taxis are stationed changes from time to time because of renovation of the city streets, but usually you will find them at the bus station, the railway station, Festplassen, Ole Bulls plass, Torget and in Torggaten and Vetrlidsalmenningen. Look for signs saying "Taxi". Some taxi stalls are only open during the night, and vice versa. Information about this is printed on a separate sign below the taxi sign. If no taxis are available at the taxi stall, call 07000 (Bergen Taxi), 08000 (Norgestaxi), +47 55 70 00 00 (Taxi 1) or +47 55 70 80 90 (Bryggen Taxi). There is usually a fee associated with calling a taxi. Taxis may also be ordered in advance by calling one of these numbers, which is recommended if you are able to.

Fares are approximately the same regardless of the taxi company. All companies are regarded as reliable and safe. If several taxis are available at a taxi station, you may pick the one you want from the line.

It can be added that taxi drivers rarely expect or receive any tip.


 * Bolt Bergen
 * Uber
 * Bolt Bergen
 * Uber
 * Uber

By train
There is one local commuter train service, between downtown Bergen and the suburb of Arna in the east (schedules are available from Vy's web site). If you are going to Arna, the train is by far the fastest option from downtown since the roads run around the mountains while the railway line runs straight through them; it is an eight minute train ride, running every half hour during most of the day. Tickets should be purchased beforehand, either in the office at the downtown station, in the machines both downtown and in Arna, or online in the app.

By bicycle
Getting around by bike can be difficult in Bergen. Many central streets are paved with cobblestone, and there are only a few roads with designated cycling lanes. Cycling in such lanes can even be challenging, as car and bus traffic may cross the lane. It is however legal to cycle on the sidewalks as long as you do not disturb pedestrians. Front and rear lights are mandatory after dark. Bicycle theft and vandalism is common, so be careful where you leave your bike and always use a lock.

There is a city bike rental service. For kr 69, you will get unlimited rides of up to 60 minutes for 24 hours. Since 2020, various companies rent out e-scooters, which have been begrudgingly accepted by most inhabitants. Prices vary, but are generally a little more expensive than the city bikes.

See
There's a number of attractions in Bergen and the surrounding areas. Surveys do, however, show that most tourists in Bergen find the atmosphere, cultural landscape and architecture more compelling than the typical sights, so pick a few things to see and spend the rest of your time in Bergen sitting down in a park or café, strolling around the city, enjoying a concert or hiking the mountains. On sunny summer days, stay downtown until late to enjoy the sunset in the north.

Panorama points
Because of its rugged landscape, Bergen has an abundance of panorama points and these give an intense feeling of space, notably Mt Fløyen and Mt Ulriken; these mountains are served by funicular and cable car, respectively, but are also available hiking for the sporty. At lower altitudes the Fjellveien panorama road and the highest point of Nordnes peninsula are easily available. Sandviksbatteriet just above Sandviken hospital also offers excellent panorama. The Montana residential area at the foot of Mt. Ulriken likewise gives a nice outlook.

Traditional wooden architecture


Traditional small wooden houses, often placed in an irregular pattern around narrow streets and passages, were a staple of most Norwegian cities during the past centuries. Bergen is one of the few major towns where this traditional style still dominates several neighbourhoods downtown. A number of houses have also been relocated to Gamle Bergen (old Bergen) museum. Some of these are merely pockets of cute little houses between stone and concrete structures; others are wider areas of these dollhouse-like buildings. Show respect for those living there while you walk by. These areas are best seen on a relaxed stroll (although the view from Fjellveien gives a birds eye view):


 * Nordnes on the slopes on both sides of the Nordnes peninsula, towards the aquarium and Verftet, as well as the adjacent Nøstet area on the western shore.

Downtown






Bergenhus fortress




Bryggen






Nygårdshøyden and Møhlenpris (southern downtown)




South of the city centre










North of the city centre




Stage art




Beach-life
Hanging out by the ocean can be one of the best ways to spend a hot summer day in Bergen, although Bergen is hardly a sun and sand destination. The temperature in the ocean around Bergen is warmer than most places on the west coast because of the outer islands protecting the area from the constant flow of cooler water from the North Sea, and allowing the water to heat in smaller bays in the area. Temperatures can rise to 20 °C after consecutive days with good weather. The water is clean and fresh. There are sandy beaches at Arboretet at Milde (Hjellestad), Kyrkjetangen at Nordåsvannet and Helleneset, "bathing houses"/beaches at Nordnesparken and Elsero situated in Old Bergen in Sandviken. After a day hiking in the mountains, Skomakerdiket above Mount Fløyen has a sandy fresh-water beach.



Hiking
The mountains surrounding Bergen offer great hiking possibilities, and unlike most cities the first hiking trail starts downtown and there's no need for transport out of town. There are options for anyone from those just looking for a fifteen-minute stroll in the sun to the more adventurous interested in daytrips and steep hills. Byfjellene (lit. "the city mountains") have good networks of dirtroads and paths, usually well signposted. Good maps are available in most bookstores – look for Tur- og friluftskart Bergen (1:25 000) from the Norwegian Mapping and Cadastre Authority (Norwegian: Statens kartverk).

For advice on hiking, as well as hiking opportunities elsewhere in Norway, you should consult Bergen Turlag (Bergen Hiking Association), the local branch of Den Norske Turistforening (Norwegian Trekking Association), in Tverrgaten 4-6. The Norwegian right to access entitles you to hike in all uncultivated areas.

Mount Fløyen
Mount Fløyen is the most central of the mountains. It is easily accessible by the funicular running from downtown, but the more fit will probably choose the 40-minute walk up. A good compromise can be to take the funicular up and walk down. The way is well signposted, so you won't get lost. In the steep slope towards Fløyen (right above the city) there is the popular Fjellveien, a long, gentle, horizontal pedestrian road with a perfect panorama of the city. From Fjellveien, there are several alternative roads to the plateau. The slopes of Mt. Fløyen is (surprisingly) home to Norway's biggest trees. Until the 19th century the hills and mountains of Bergen were largely barren and gray, then the society for forest and trees was established. The slopes were cultivated and the trees have since the late 1800's grown rapidly in the fertile climate. There is even a small sawmill at the road to Fløyen. There are spruce, oak, hazel, scots pine, aspen, sycamore (maple), beech and hackberry trees.

From the top of Mount Fløyen, the 1.8 km (1.1 mi) walk in relatively flat terrain to Brushytten (lit. "the soda cabin") is ideal, if you have kids. Brushytten is a kiosk usually open on Sundays. There are several ways to get there, if you follow the signs, you're on the safe side and will walk on dirtroads all the way (easily accessible with both a wheelchair or a pram).

From Brushytten, you can walk up the hill to Mount Rundemanen and get a beautiful view. From Mount Rundemanen, a good choice for a not-so-long hike will be to walk to Mount Sandviksfjellet, and from there down to Sandviken, where you can get on a bus or walk back to the city centre. Another possibility is to cross the Vidden plateau and walk to Mount Ulriken, the highest mountain in Bergen, a hike which takes about five hours. You should be somewhat fit to take this trip, and also be prepared for bad weather. The trip across Vidden is among Norway's most popular hiking trips.

For both kids and adults, a popular activity on snowy days is to take the funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen and toboggan to the city centre.

Fjords
Central Bergen itself is situated at a fjord and within the municipality of Bergen there are several other fjords. There are smaller fjords all around Bergen and numerous lakes inside Bergen itself. The closest classical fjord is Sørfjorden-Veafjorden between Arna and Stanghelle. The main road (E16) and railway line between Bergen and Voss runs along Veafjorden as well as Bolstadfjorden. There are frequent boat trips to some of the more scenic fjords from the city centre, for instance to Mostraumen. There are trips all year round, but many are only available in season, from May to September. The full day trip by to through Nærøyfjorden/Aurlandsfjorden combines train, boat and bus where also the overland transport by train and bus through the wild landscape is very rewarding. Nærøyfjorden and Aurlandsfjorden are branches of Sognefjorden, Norway's longest and deepest, and the second longest in the world. The great Hardangerfjorden, Norway's second largest, is accessible at Norheimsund about 1 ½ or 2 hours by car or bus from Bergen.

Fishing
The islands, fjords and lakes surrounding Bergen provide excellent conditions for both saltwater and fresh-water fishing. Fishing from fresh water lakes usually requires a local rod permit, even permission from the land owner. Pay attention to signs marking lakes used for drinking water.

Coast and deep sea fishing is free and there is no need for any license. However, no more than 10 kg of fish fillets or fish products can be exported from Norway per person. If you have fished under the auspices of a registered tourist fishing camp, the export quota is a maximum of 20 kg, provided that the organized fishing can be documented. Note some important regulations concerning the minimum size of most fish. Consult the web site of The Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs for more information.

Fishing in the city centre (Bryggen, Vågen, Bontelabo, Dokken) is possible, but there are some concerns about traces of mercury in white fish fillet and liver. A new report may indicate that the situation is better than expected, but a good advice is to avoid fishing in Vågen, from old ship yards and the Åstveittangen and Eidsvågen areas.

A general, very cautious advice could be not to eat liver from fish caught in areas close to the city centre - and pregnant and breast feeding women should not eat this fish at all.

Learn
Institutions of higher education in Bergen include the University of Bergen, The Norwegian School of Business and Economics, Bergen National Academy of the Arts and Bergen University College. The university is Norway's second largest and covers most areas of education, though the educations in law and in medicine are probably considered the best. The Norwegian School of Business and Economics is considered the best education within these fields in the country. All the aforementioned institutions are members of the Nordplus and Erasmus exchange programmes and offer courses in English.

Buy
Bergen has a number of shopping centres, and international chains are well represented. As prices are rather high in Norway, regular shopping is probably not the most interesting thing to do in Bergen, even if you get a VAT refund (see the Tax Free shopping section below). But if you know where to go, you can find rare and unique items, both traditional crafts and stuff made by local designers - and some other fun stuff. Keep in mind that with a very few exceptions, Bergen shuts down completely on Sundays and holidays.

Shops






Tax-free shopping
VAT (value added tax/sales tax, Norwegian: mva. (merverdiavgift) or moms. (merverdiomsetningsavgift)) is 25% for most items in Norway. It is included in the retail price, which makes the VAT content 20% of the price you pay. As Norway is not a member of the European union, all foreign citizens (apart from those of Sweden, Denmark and Finland) are eligible for a refund of the VAT if the goods purchased are brought out of the country at the latest one month after the purchase. The prerequisites for such a refund is that the goods are not used or consumed, even in part, within Norway, and that you spend at least kr 315 in a store.

Look for stores with a Global Blue/tax free flag or sticker. You need only to ask the shop assistant for a global refund check, and provide documentation of your citizenship. When leaving Norway, go to a Global Blue refund office with the goods, the check and your passport, and you will receive up to 19% of the sales price in cash. In Bergen, the only Global Blue refund office is at the airport, but there are also information desks on a couple of the ferries leaving from the city.

Unlike in many other countries, the customs authorities are not involved in the VAT refund process in Norway.

Eat
There is a great variety of restaurants and cafes in Bergen, but you should expect to spend some time looking for the best places. In the most central parts of the city, many of the restaurants are all the same. Move a block away from the most central parts of downtown to find lower prices and better food. Kitchens usually close at 23:00 at the latest.

Waiters and other restaurant staff have good wages. You are not required to leave any money to cover the service, but many people choose to tip the waiter if he or she has been helpful and nice, and if the food was good. If you choose to leave a tip, rounding up or adding about five to ten percent will be appreciated. A rule of thumb would be that the more expensive the food is, the more are you expected to leave a tip.

Keep in mind that tap water is safe to drink and (usually) free of charge. To save money, ask for tap water to drink.

Local food
Finding local food might take some effort, but there are some options. There aren't that many local dishes available at restaurants. "Norwegian" food is the food of the husmann (cottager) – nutritious and cheap, not what you usually find in a restaurant. The Bergen fish soup might be the most important, as well as raspeballer and cooked cod. If you want to get that Norwegian taste and have a gourmet meal at the same time, look for dishes that use "local" ingredients (such as reindeer, stockfish and cod) with a twist, such as Bryggen Tracteursted's filet of reindeer farced with goat cheese.

Many cafe's and restaurants serve "raspeballer" on Thursdays. Raspeballer are local potato dumplings, in Bergen usually served with bacon, sausages, salted meat from sheep, melted butter and mashed rutabaga. You can get takeaway raspeballer at Kjøttbasaren (kr. 50), cheap ones at Lido, excellent ones at Pingvinen and Bjellands Kjøkken. You can get reasonable take-away fish soup, fish-balls, "plukkfisk" and fish-gratin at Madam Bergen.

In November, December and January, traditional Christmas food is served in many restaurants. Look for "pinnekjøtt" (cured, dried and sometimes smoked meat of lamb or mutton), "lutefisk" (lit. "lye fish", dried cod prepared with lye) and "ribbe" (oven-baked pork ribs). For a very special experience, try smalahove (sheep's head). It is a traditional dish from Voss not far from Bergen.

Drink
There is a great variety of bars, night clubs, concert venues etc. in Bergen. Night clubs are usually open from 23:00, but life never starts before 01:00. Bars opens at different hours, some can be open all day. No places are allowed to serve alcohol after 03:00, and the consumption of alcoholic beverages must cease at 03:30 at the latest. Many places are required to close earlier. The establishments are only allowed to let people bring their drinks outside if they have been granted a special permit. A requirement to get this permit is that they have a confined space outdoors for their guests. All drinks must be indoors by 01:00. People go out all week, but Fridays and Saturdays are the best nights, Saturdays being the clear winner (most places will be a bit too crowded on Saturdays). Some clubs have a 2 for 1 policy on Wednesdays, and Sunday is usually the night for people in the industry.

Most places require that you are 20 years of age (look in the list for details) and that you can provide a valid ID, even if you are much older. Valid IDs are Norwegian bank cards, European standard driver's licenses and ID cards and passports. Drinking in public is illegal. Emptying a can in front of a police officer on a Saturday night will earn you a kr. 2500 fine. If you stroll through a park a bit outside the city centre on a sunny day you will still see a lot of people having a beer or a glass of wine with the picnic. The police usually won't mind as long as everything passes in an orderly fashion.

Prices vary great from place to place, ask at the door if you need to know. In the weekends, there is usually a cover charge from kr 50 to kr 100 at night clubs.

Almost all night clubs and some bars have a dress code. The required attire varies; look in the list for more information (when the listing indicates "no dress code" normal, nice clothes are accepted). Supporter gear is generally not accepted even in sports pubs.

Remember that smoking in all indoor areas where people work is strictly prohibited by law in Norway. Most restaurants, bars, night clubs etc. will require you to leave if you try to smoke indoors.

Nightlife is largely concentrated in the central downtown (streets Vaskerelven, Engen, Torgallmenningen, Ole Bulls plass, Nygaardsgaten) and Bryggen area (streets Bryggen, Rosenkrantz gt, Vetrlidsallmenningen, kong Oscar gate).

Central downtown




Nordnes and Nøstet area

 * USF Verftet, Georgernes verft 12 (Nøstet). Formerly a sardine factory, USF Verftet is a very large venue with different stages for concerts, theatre and dance. Intimate jazz concerts every Friday except around Christmas and in the summer. Home of the Nattjazz jazz festival. Kafé Kippers is a café with a beautiful view of Puddefjorden. The best place for a beer outdoors in the summer, but also family friendly. The café is open every day. Check the program on the venue's website or in the local newspaper Bergens Tidende (BT) for events. Student discount on beer and wine. The café and the two largest stages are accessible with a wheelchair. Access to the remaining stages is possible with assistance. Age limit is 18 years. No dress code.
 * Trikken 106, Nøstegaten 45B. Cozy, small pub and bar with a tramway theme. Nice selection of not too expensive beers and good cocktails. Also seating outside, with a view over the harbour and fjord. Classic rock, metal and postpunk will be played all the time, but never loud. Trikken 106 is a popular meeting place for people living in the neighbourhood. Expect some quizzes and a lot of talking. A place for tourists to meet the locals.
 * Trikken 106, Nøstegaten 45B. Cozy, small pub and bar with a tramway theme. Nice selection of not too expensive beers and good cocktails. Also seating outside, with a view over the harbour and fjord. Classic rock, metal and postpunk will be played all the time, but never loud. Trikken 106 is a popular meeting place for people living in the neighbourhood. Expect some quizzes and a lot of talking. A place for tourists to meet the locals.

Nygårdshøyden and Møhlenpris – the University Area

 * Legal, Christies gate 11. A small and very popular 50s style drinking den with brilliant music and ambiance. No dress code.
 * Legal, Christies gate 11. A small and very popular 50s style drinking den with brilliant music and ambiance. No dress code.
 * Legal, Christies gate 11. A small and very popular 50s style drinking den with brilliant music and ambiance. No dress code.
 * Legal, Christies gate 11. A small and very popular 50s style drinking den with brilliant music and ambiance. No dress code.
 * Legal, Christies gate 11. A small and very popular 50s style drinking den with brilliant music and ambiance. No dress code.

Sleep
Outside the summer season, getting a hotel room is usually not a problem, although it can be quite expensive unless you have a reservation. In the summer season (from May to Sept) a reservation well in advance is required. Breakfast is normally included in the price except at hostels and camping sites.

Stay safe
Bergen has, as the rest of Norway, a generally low crime rate. The most likely crimes for tourists to experience is car break-ins and bicycle theft. Pickpockets is also becoming an increasing problem in the summer season, but it's still nothing like in larger cities in Europe. It is always a good idea to look after your belongings, this includes never leaving valuable objects visible in your car and locking your bike safely.

There are no particularly unsafe areas in Bergen. The upper part of Nygårdsparken used to be the hang-out place for drug addicts. The lower part of Nygårdsparken is a beautiful place popular among the locals. To make the whole park family friendly the upper part was closed down and renovated for two years forcing the drug addicts to disperse. As a consequence they are now spread across the city. The drug addicts are usually completely harmless, but nevertheless not fun to be around.

Buying sex is illegal in Norway.

People party hard on Friday and Saturday night, and hoards of drunk people will appear in the central areas from around midnight, singing, carousing, and just hanging around. Some foreigners may perceive this as threatening, but they are mostly harmless, even all-male groups chanting football songs. If approached, just smile and stay friendly, but uneasy visitors should avoid groups of drunk young after midnight. Summer evenings has daylight until 23:00 or 24:00, adding to the safety for visitors.

There is an emergency and accident ward at Solheimsgaten 9. The ward is open all day all week, and provides examination and treatment in case of accidents and acute diseases. The ward is located with a life crisis assistance centre, a psychiatric emergency ward, a reception centre for rape victims and a dental emergency ward. All services may be reached at. If you should be in need of immediate medical assistance, do however call 113.

The police station downtown is in Allehelgens gate 6, across the street from the old town hall.

Emergency numbers

 * If you are unsure which emergency number to call, is the central for all such rescue services and will put you in contact with the correct department.
 * The hearing impaired using a text telephone can reach the emergency services by dialing.
 * Roadside assistance is provided by Falck and Viking (phone|06000}} (in country only)). AAA members may call NAF.
 * If you are unsure which emergency number to call, is the central for all such rescue services and will put you in contact with the correct department.
 * The hearing impaired using a text telephone can reach the emergency services by dialing.
 * Roadside assistance is provided by Falck and Viking (phone|06000}} (in country only)). AAA members may call NAF.
 * Roadside assistance is provided by Falck and Viking (phone|06000}} (in country only)). AAA members may call NAF.

Stay healthy
In acute illness or if accident occurs contact: There are many pharmacies (apotek) in Bergen, that are selling medications and can give you advice on the treatment of injury and disease.

Respect
As in the rest of Norway, it is customary to take your shoes off when entering a home. This in particular done as a practical matter, due to the wet weather (slush and salt in winter).

People from Bergen have a reputation for being more loud and direct than many other parts of Norway. Locals are perhaps the most patriotic in Norway.

Cope
Getting around by foot is easy, and free maps are available everywhere. If you need a better map, you should buy one of the local newspapers' (Bergens Tidende) maps. Maps are sold from the paper's reception in Krinkelkroken 1, close to the blue stone, and in various bookstores. The city map costs kr 50. VISA and MasterCard are normally accepted in any restaurant, taxi and store, except grocery stores, some kiosks and McDonald's. Many places, American Express, JCB and Diners Club are also accepted. ATMs accept all major credit and debit cards and are available in English language. The currency is Norwegian kroner (crowns), but euros may also be accepted at some tourist destinations (you should, however, avoid paying in euros as the exchange rates may be stiff). Currency exchange is available in all banks. Exchange is usually associated with an incredible fee, so you should use your credit card or withdraw cash from an ATM unless you have a good reason not to. You will also find that most shops don't handle change manually. A grey machine by the till accepts your change in the top (and counts it for the shop assistant) and provides your change in a hopper at the bottom. Don't feed a large number of coins in at once: put them in one at a time or the machine may jam.

The regular opening hours for grocery stores are 08:00-21:00 on weekdays. Some stores open earlier and close later. Other shops usually have shorter hours, except those in the shopping centres. Almost all shops, including grocery stores, close earlier on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Kiosks such as Narvesen, 7-Eleven and Deli de Luca, as well as many petrol stations, are open. These do however often have very high prices for normal grocery items.

Some smaller grocery stores are open on Sundays and public holidays, including Bunnpris at Nedre Korskirkeallmenningen (by the Bergen YMCA and the Church of the Cross) and Rimi at Nygårdsgaten 6.

The city's main post office is in the Xhibition shopping centre, on the 1st floor. Some grocery stores offer limited postal services, and stamps are available from most book stores and kiosks. Post boxes are either red or yellow and are located all over town. Yellow boxes are only for local mail, if unsure use the red box. All post boxes, post offices and grocery stores offering postal services are marked with the emblem of the Norwegian postal service, a stylized red or silver horn, and the word "Posten". For more information on the postal service and to locate post offices and post boxes, see the web site of Norway Post.

The local tap water is fresh, tasty and rich in minerals from the surrounding mountains, and safe to drink.

Public toilets are available for a small fee at shopping centres and at Torget and Bryggen.

Countries with consulates in Bergen are listed below in the consulates section; however, most are only honorary consulates, so their services are limited. You may wish to visit your country's embassy in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.

Connect
Area codes are no longer in use in Norwegian phone numbers. Phone numbers are normally eight digits, some special numbers may be three, four or five digits. In any case you should always dial all of the digits to make a call. The country code of Norway is +47. If you are calling abroad from a land line, dial 00 before your country code and phone number.

Cellular phone coverage is very good throughout the city. Three different networks are available, Telenor, NetCom and Network Norway. Check with your local operator to find out which one is the cheaper for you. The difference is usually not big. Norway, like most of Europe, uses GSM 900 and 1800, which means that some cell phones from USA, Canada and countries in Asia will not work. For those in need of mobile data lines, both HSDPA/3G/UMTS, EDGE and GPRS coverage is good on all networks.

There are no telephone centres in the city, and only a very few phone booths. Most hotels have phones in every room, but international calls from these phones are usually very expensive. There are some calling cards available, this is probably the cheapest way to phone home.

Many cafes and restaurants have free Wi-Fi for their patrons. Free Wi-Fi is also available at Bergen Public Library, Strømgaten 6 (by the bus station). Most large hotels do also have wireless Internet access, however access at a hotel may be pricy.

If you are a registered user at an eduroam participating institution, you can connect to a high-speed secure Wi-Fi network on the university campus on Nygårdshøyden, and in other buildings used by the university, the Bergen University College, the Norwegian School of Business and Economics, and the Bergen National Academy of the Arts. For information on how to connect, see UNINETTs website.

There are internet cafes around town. At Bergen Public Library, you may also use a computer with high-speed internet access for free. There is a reservation system, ask at the circulation desk.

Religious services

 * Bergen Bahá'í Centre, Sydnessmuget 6, +47 930 00 159 (after 17:00).
 * Bergen centre of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, +47 971 11 302. Meditation hours every Wednesday from 19:00.
 * Bergen Hindu Sabha, Storetveitveien 5, +47 55 28 22 45.
 * Bergen Mosque, Nøstegaten 43, +47 55 23 37 10.

Christian

 * Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway (state church). Services in Norwegian in most churches every Sunday at 11:00. During the study year the student congregation has short services in Johanneskirken (on the university campus at Nygårdshøyden) every Wednesday at 11:30 and in Domkirken every Sunday at 19:00.
 * St. Paul's church (Catholic church), Nygårdsgaten 3, +47 55 21 59 50. Religious services every day of the week. Services are in Norwegian, English, Vietnamese, Tamil, Spanish, Filipino, Polish or Latin.
 * Engensenteret chapel (Anglican church), Baneveien 1.
 * The Baptist Church, Vilhelm Bjerknes vei 16. Services every Sunday at 11:00.
 * The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Åsbakken 14, +47 55 91 05 10.
 * Jehovah's Witnesses, Slåtthaugveien 19/21, +47 55 13 02 18. English speaking congregation.

Consulates

 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇮🇳 India

Bergen area

 * Hellesøy in Øygarden is an island located almost in the North Sea about 1–1½ hours of driving from Bergen. Enjoy the beautiful, harsh nature, go for a hike and rent a fishing rod. Eat your lunch in open air or at the local cafeteria. Boat trips and extreme sports events can be organized, and if you care to stay for a while, you can rent a room, apartment or a sea house. Activities and lodging is provided by Destination Hellesøy.
 * Kvamskogen is a popular target for day trips in the winter season, especially among locals. Kvamskogen is a ski eldorado situated between 400 and 1300 m above sea level in the Kvam municipality. Alpine slopes are served by several ski lifts, and endless possibilities for those who favor cross country skiing. Professional ski instructors are available at a fair cost for non-skiers, and so are rental skis and other equipment. There are regular buses to Kvamskogen, call 177 or visit the information desk at the bus station for more information.
 * Kvamskogen is a popular target for day trips in the winter season, especially among locals. Kvamskogen is a ski eldorado situated between 400 and 1300 m above sea level in the Kvam municipality. Alpine slopes are served by several ski lifts, and endless possibilities for those who favor cross country skiing. Professional ski instructors are available at a fair cost for non-skiers, and so are rental skis and other equipment. There are regular buses to Kvamskogen, call 177 or visit the information desk at the bus station for more information.




 * Os borders Bergen to the south. While the south-eastern part of Os municipality is mainly made up of typical Nordic suburb-style settlements and a quiet urban centre, the western part consists of a beautiful and popular coastal area with many small islands with cabins.
 * Os borders Bergen to the south. While the south-eastern part of Os municipality is mainly made up of typical Nordic suburb-style settlements and a quiet urban centre, the western part consists of a beautiful and popular coastal area with many small islands with cabins.

Further afield

 * Norway in a Nutshell, +47 815 68 222. Roundtrip Bergen - Myrdal - Flåm - Gudvangen - Stalheim - Voss - Bergen by train, boat and coach. The tour takes you through some of the most beautiful fjord scenery in Norway. It takes one day, but it is possible to spend more time if you wish. Tickets cost kr 895.
 * Voss is a village to the east of Bergen world-known for extreme sports such as paragliding and rafting. Every year in the summer there is a week-long extreme sports festival called Ekstremsportveko. For the little less adventurous Voss is also a great place for hiking and skiing, both cross-country and alpine. One of Norway's largest jazz festivals, Vossa Jazz, is held here in March. Travel to Voss by train (about 1 hr 15 min) or take the E16 road by car.
 * Oslo, farther away, but connected via a magnificent and comfortable train line (a ride of about 6½-7½ hr depending on the connection).
 * Oslo, farther away, but connected via a magnificent and comfortable train line (a ride of about 6½-7½ hr depending on the connection).
 * Oslo, farther away, but connected via a magnificent and comfortable train line (a ride of about 6½-7½ hr depending on the connection).
 * Oslo, farther away, but connected via a magnificent and comfortable train line (a ride of about 6½-7½ hr depending on the connection).
 * Oslo, farther away, but connected via a magnificent and comfortable train line (a ride of about 6½-7½ hr depending on the connection).