Rauma: the train that will make you fall under the spell of Norwegian nature
The train Rauma covers the path between Åndalsnes and Dombås, two quaint little Norwegian towns separated by fairytale-like forests, majestic fjords, lakes, waterfalls and mountains that will make you hold your breath behind the window.
"The Dombås-Åndalsnes line had 120,800 passengers in 2017", says Johanne Mayer, Norwegian State Railways (NSB) consultant, to Traveler.es
What began as a commuter train was attracting more and more tourists becoming one of the most popular attractions for enjoy the beauty of the Norwegian Alps.
Harry Potter fans will immediately recognize the settings of some scenes from the film harry potter and the half blood prince, shot on the Rauma railway itself, specifically in the Bjorli area.
A journey on rails through the most beautiful landscapes of Norway
THE WILDEST NORWAY
Starting from the Dombas Station, Rauma makes saves at Lesja, Lesjaverk, Bjorli until reaching Åndalsnes.
Although the railway operates throughout the year, from May 30 to August 30 works as a tourist train with guide service in Norwegian, English and German that informs passengers about the journey and the wonders they find along the way.
In addition, the tourist train that operates in summer slows down the pace and makes stops when passing through the most spectacular places of the tour.
The section between Bjorli and Åndalsnes
FIRST STRETCH
During the first section of the route, the train crosses the jora bridge, with an arch 85 meters high and after leaving behind the abandoned Bottheim station makes its first two stops in Lesja (where you can get off to visit the open-air museum Lesja Bygdemuseum and church) and Lesjaverk.
Upon arriving at Björli you will come face to face with the ski resort, where the snow arrives in early autumn and doesn't leave until Easter.
The Rauma River as it passes through the Romsdalen Valley
THE KYLLING BRIDGE
From Bjorli, the slope decreases as Rauma passes through the stuguflåt bridge and the Stavem Tunnel, where it makes a 180-degree turn inside the mountain, until it flows into a beautiful valley.
At the end of the Kylling tunnel, the bridge of the same name awaits us, without a doubt, the most famous of the 32 bridges over which Rauma passes.
The train slows down as it slides over the kyling Bridge, built with granite from the nearby mountains. The views of the Rauma River and its impressive emerald green color They are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful pictures of the route.
THE TROLL WALL
The last part of the line between Åndalsnes and Dombås takes us through the Romsdalen Valley, surrounded by the impressive romsdalsalpane mountain range, through a landscape whose beauty can hardly be captured by a camera.
Kylling Bridge, one of the most photographed points on the route
If you think your retina has already succumbed to nature's spell, wait till you see the Trollveggen cliff (literally, Troll Wall).
With its thousand meters of height, Trollveggen is the tallest perpendicular wall in Europe and one of the favorite destinations for climbers from all over the world.
The Troll Wall (Trollveggen)
THE FINAL SURPRISE
Our trip ends in the town of Åndalsnes, located on the shores of Romsdals Fjord, the ninth longest in the country.
harry hole, the fictional character who stars in the series of novels created by the Norwegian author Jo Nesbø is a detective originally from Åndalsnes.
In The Bat, the first novel in the saga, Hole says that his mother had always told him that God had started to create the world in the valley of Romsdalen and he had stayed so long here that he had to finish the rest of the land in a hurry so that it would be finished on Sunday.
Ålesund covered in snow
From Åndalsnes you can take the bus to the picturesque town of Ålesund, known for its _Art Nouve_au architecture and famous for hosting numerous cultural events such as its Theater Festival, the Festival of New Norwegian Literature, the Norwegian Food Festival, the Jugendfest and the Trandal Country Festival.
From there you can approach the Geirangerfjord, the jewel in the crown of the Norwegian fjords, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Geiranger Fjord, an enchanted landscape
PRACTICAL DATA
The ** Drove railway , which connects Oslo and Trondheim,** stops at Dombås, the starting point of the tour.
Although you can make the journey throughout the year, the tourist trains that operate the months of June, July and August They offer a trip with several stops to admire the Kylling Bridge or the Troll Wall.
The complete route of the tourist train, between Åndalsnes and Dombås, includes 114 kilometers and lasts around one hour and forty minutes.
You can also choose to the one-hour drive from Åndalsnes to Bjorli.
You can buy your tickets for the Rauma Railwail** here. **
The Drove railway passing through Dombås