Since moving to Bergen I’ve made many trips to visit my friend Vanessa in Stavanger. Stavanger is about five hours from Bergen, or longer depend on how you choose to get there.
You can travel from Bergen to Stavanger by express boat, bus, or rental car. And if you choose to drive, there are a few different road trip routes you can take – some shorter, and some more scenic.
Unfortunately, while Bergen and Stavanger both have train stations, there’s no train line connecting the two cities. If you really wanted to take the train from Bergen to Stavanger, you would first have to take the train from Bergen all the way east across the country to Hokksund (6 hours 20 minutes) and then from Hokksund back west to Stavanger (8 hours 20 minutes).
You can also find my guide for things to do in Stavanger here, and things to do in Bergen here.
So here are the best ways to get from Bergen to Stavanger:
Bergen to Stavanger by boat
My favorite public transport option for getting from Bergen to Stavanger is definitely by boat! I love that you can walk around as you like during the journey, and it feels particularly Norwegian to travel by boat.
The Fjord Line cruise from Bergen to Stavanger takes 5 hours and 30 minutes and with tickets starting at 555 NOK. There’s an optional buffet on board as well. You can check the schedule and book your tickets here.
Bergen to Stavanger by bus
The bus from Bergen to Stavanger takes 4 hours and 20 minutes and tickets start at 499 NOK. I generally don’t love taking the bus in Norway because I always get motion sickness, but the route from Bergen to Stavanger is fairly straight, so I don’t mind taking this bus. Plus there are two ferries, where you can get out and walk around (though when the waters are rough I do often feel queasy on the second, thankfully shorter ferry).
The bus is sometimes the cheapest way to get from Bergen to Stavanger, if you book your tickets well in advance. However prices do go up, so if you wait then it would be cheaper to take the boat. You can check the bus timetable and book tickets here.
Bergen to Stavanger by car
I’ve driven from Bergen to Stavanger so many times now. The fastest route from Bergen to Stavanger takes 4.5 hours and includes two car ferries. The first ferry from Halhjem to Sandvikvåg takes 45 minutes and costs 219 kroner for a car, including driver and passengers. The ferry leaves every twenty minutes during the day. You can see the schedule here.
The next ferry from Arsvågen to Mortavika takes 25 minutes and costs 167 kroner. The ferry leaves every fifteen minutes during the day. You can check the schedule here. Because this ferry goes along the North Sea, it can be a bit rougher than the other ferry. I often feel a bit sea sick on this ferry, but luckily it’s quite short.
You don’t need to book your ferry tickets in advance. Simply drive on board. If you’re driving a foreign car, you will pay by credit card when driving onto the ferry. If you’re driving a Norwegian car, you (or your car rental company) will receive the bill later.
This is the fastest route between Bergen and Stavanger, and it’s quite pleasant to drive because there are two long ferry breaks. So you’ll actually only be driving for a bit over three hours.
But if you have extra time, I recommend driving inland along the Ryfylke Scenic Route instead. First drive from Bergen to Odda, and then to the start of the scenic route in Håra. This is a much longer journey, taking about 8 hours, but it’s one of the most beautiful drives in Norway.
The landscape is rocky and jagged in places, but it also has plenty of soft rolling hills dotted with the cutest little Norwegian farms.
This route also includes on ferry, from Nesvik to Hjelmeland. The ferry leaves every 20 minutes during the day. You can check the schedule here. The ferry costs 58 kroner for a car and is free for passengers.
And if you do take this route, I can highly recommend spending a night at Hoiland Gård, which is about 1 hour 45 minutes from Stavanger, along the Ryfylke Scenic Route.
I spent a night in their glamping tent and it was one of the highlights of my most recent trip to Stavanger. The views are incredible, and while here you can also check out the Fairytale Forest, or Eventyrskogen in Norwegian, just a short walk from the farm. Check current rates and availability at Hoiland Gård here.
Steigen, Norway Is Worth the Detour
Grace says
Hello. If we take the bus from Bergen to Stavanger, do we need to transfer our luggage to another bus when we ride the bus goes on the ferries? If we do, how many times do we need to do this? Are there clear instructions in English on what to do and when to do this? Thank you!
Silvia says
No, the luggage stays in the bus when the bus goes on the ferries. Everyone speaks English here so you can always ask if you’re confused! It’s an easy journey, so I think you should be fine.