Good to know

When to ride a bike

Rallarvegen is located in the high mountains, up to 1343 meters above sea level, and usually you can only cycle on the road from mid-July to mid-September. The rest of the year, there is a lot of snow on Rallarvegen, and it is not plowed. It varies from year to year when the snow melts and the cycling season can start. It is common for there to be snow on parts of the road until well into July. Some stretches become passable earlier than others, and early in the season you can take the train between Finse and Hallingskeid.

Check the snow conditions when planning your trip. Contact the bike rentals and accommodations along Rallarvegen, and feel free to follow them online and on social media for updates. The hotel at Finse regularly posts Navvy Road reports in the summer on this website: https://finse1222.no/rallarvegrapport and on Facebook. Here you can read about snow conditions and other practical information for cycling.

Children on Rallarvegen

For families with children, the stretch between Haugastøl and Finse is the best. It is 28 kilometers long, mostly in good condition and is well suited for a day trip. If you want to cycle the entire Rallarvegen, it is recommended that the children are at least twelve years old. That said, we have seen seven-year-olds who do fine, and 16-year-olds who think the trip will be very tough. In any case, we recommend allowing plenty of time, so that you can wheel the bike where needed. Luggage trolleys, child seats and child trolleys are not recommended on the route between Finse and Flåm.

In the kingdom of wild rain

Rallarvegen runs between two national wild reindeer areas, and if you are extra lucky, you may spot reindeer. Before the Bergen Railway arrived, wild reindeer migrated in large herds between the mountain areas around Hardangerjøkulen and Hallingskarvet/Aurland Vestfjell. After the Finse tunnel opened in 1993, the animals have gradually started to use the old migratory roads again. Wild reindeer are shy animals and stay away from humans if they can. To give them peace and respite you should not cycle in the high mountains between 19:00 and 9:00. The reindeer near Rallarvegen are not affected by CWD, and there is hope that these can save the wild reindeer population in the region after the entire population in Nordfjella had to be slaughtered in the spring of 2018. It therefore means a lot that the animals are allowed to graze and wander undisturbed. Enjoy the sight, but don't follow the reindeer. They react even more strongly to human odor than to the sight of people, so the wind direction is important. If you can choose, it is an advantage if you have the wind against you when you pass reindeer.