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Voykit pocket guide · Norway
Balestrand
Stay 1–2 nights on the Sognefjord: a small village, one big hotel, fjord views and hikes. Skip if you want nightlife or a car-free city.
Balestrand is a village of a few hundred people on the north shore of the Sognefjord, reached by express boat from Bergen or Flåm and by bus from Sogndal. It has been a resort since the 1800s, when Kaiser Wilhelm II spent summers here. Today it is a base for fjord views, short hikes and the ferry to Fjærland. One night covers the village; two nights let you add a hike or the glacier. Everything sits within a 15–20 minute walk of the ferry pier.
- Country
- Norway
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (short days, some boats and hotels closed)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- NOK
- Money
- Currency is the Norwegian krone (NOK, kr); the euro is not used. About 11.5 NOK to €1 — check.
- Daily spend
- Budget kr 700–1,200 excl. bed · Mid kr 1,200–2,000 excl. bed · High kr 2,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EEA roaming applies: EU and EEA SIMs work at home prices.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Ambulance 113 · Fire 110 · Out-of-hours doctor 116 117
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Included; round up or add 5–10% for good service.; Café and bar: Nothing expected.; Taxi: Round up.; Guides: Optional.
- Water
- Tap water is excellent; streams in the mountains are usually drinkable, but avoid water below farms and grazing.
- Toilets
- Free or card-paid (NOK 10–20) in towns; trailheads often have pit toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | kr 40–60 |
| Lunch, café or hotel | kr 150–250 |
| Dinner, hotel restaurant | kr 300–500 |
| Grocery basics (Coop or Joker) | kr 100–200 |
| Sognefjord Aquarium entry | kr 70 adult / kr 35 child |
| St Olav's Church | Free admission |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SOG · Sogndal Airport, Haukåsen
- Closest airport; short flights from Oslo and Bergen, then bus or boat onward
- FDE · Førde Airport, Bringeland
- Alternative; local buses from Førde about five times a day
- BGO · Bergen Airport, Flesland
- Closest international airport; express boat from Bergen in summer
Typical fares
- Express boat Bergen → Balestrand
- about kr 500–700, 3–4 h
- Ferry Balestrand → Fjærland
- about kr 150 one way, 1 h
- Bus Sogndal → Balestrand
- about kr 100–150, 1 h
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk. The village is 15–20 minutes end to end. Bicycles can be rented from the tourist information office; cars from Kviknes Hotel or from larger towns nearby. Express boats and the Fjærland ferry leave from the pier in the centre.
See and do
Known for
- Sognefjord views
- Kviknes Hotel
- St Olav's Church (the English church)
- Kaiser Wilhelm II's summer resort history
- Fjord hikes
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fjærland | Fjord1 ferry from the Balestrand pier | About 1 h each way |
| Vikøyri | Ferry to Vangsnes, then bus or car over Vikafjellet | About 1.5 h |
| Flåm | Fjord1 express boat | About 1.5–2 h |
| Sogndal | Route 55 along the fjord, by bus or car | About 1 h |
| Lærdal | Bus or car via Sogndal and the Lærdal tunnel | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Village centre by the ferry pier
- Kviknes Hotel, Midtnes, Kringsjå and Balestrand Hotel all within a 10-minute walk of the boat.
- Dragsvik
- About 3 km (1.9 mi) west; camping and the ferry link to Vangsnes.About 1.9 mi (3 km) west; camping and the ferry link to Vangsnes.
- Sjøtun / Esefjorden
- Camping and cabins south of the centre; car or a longer walk.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Heihay |
| Thank you | Takktakk |
| How much is it? | Hvor mye koster det?vor MEW-eh KOS-ter deh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan jeg betale med kort?kan yai beh-TAH-leh meh kort |
| Where is the ferry? | Hvor er fergekaia?vor air FER-geh-kai-ah |
| Excuse me | UnnskyldUN-shyld |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, first names; avoid: Small talk that is too personal
- Nature: Greet other hikers, close gates, carry litter out; avoid: Loud music on trails
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring flowers or chocolates; 'takk for maten' after the meal; avoid: Arriving late
- Conversation: Modest, factual, humorous; avoid: Showing off wealth — Norwegians are rich but understated
- 17 May: Dress up, join the crowds, wave a flag; avoid: Treating the parades as a tourist show
- Queues: Take a number; avoid: Pushing in
Scams and watch-outs
- Midtnes Hotel has not taken cards: bring cash or check before booking.
- Express boat frequency drops outside summer — one daily in winter on some routes.
- Kvamsøy church and Haukaas Enamel workshop need an appointment.
- Mountain weather changes fast; carry rain gear on any hike.
Very safe. The real risks are cold water, slippery fjord-side paths after rain and long response times if you hike alone — tell someone your route.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Balestrand yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sognefjord views
- Kviknes Hotel
- St Olav's Church (the English church)
- Kaiser Wilhelm II's summer resort history
- Fjord hikes
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Balestrand: visitbalestrand.no/
- Fjord1 (express boats and ferries): www.fjord1.no/eng
- Kviknes Hotel: www.kviknes.com/
- Wikivoyage: Balestrand, revision 4514791 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4514791
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Balestrand
Til denne adressen, takk
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Balestrand; the nearest consulates are in Bergen, embassies in Oslo.
Ferry and express boat timetables change by season: confirm the day before you travel.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/balestrand). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.