Finse

Finse exists because the Bergen Railway had to cross the mountains, and the line was built through here between 1898 and 1909 by navvies working in extreme conditions; the settlement that grew around the station sits at 1,222 metres and has never had a road, so everything arrives by train. It is a base for ski touring, for the Rallarvegen cycle route along the old construction road, and for walks onto Hardangerjokulen. Scott and Shackleton both trained here before their Antarctic expeditions, and the plateau was used in 1979 for the ice planet scenes in The Empire Strikes Back. The Rallar Museum covers the railway's construction, and a DNT lodge and a hotel provide the only accommodation.

What you actually see

• The roadless station - a settlement reachable only by rail.
• The Rallarvegen - the old construction road, now a cycle route.
• The Rallar Museum - an exhibition on building the Bergen Line.
• Hardangerjokulen - the glacier above, used for polar training and filming.

When to go

July to September for walking and cycling the Rallarvegen, which usually clears of snow in July; February to May for ski touring. Snow can lie around the station into midsummer.

Honest expectations

There is no road, so plans depend entirely on train times, and the last service sets the day. Accommodation is limited to two places and books out. Weather at 1,222 metres is severe and can be wintry in July.

Nearby

Hardangerjokulen rises above; Myrdal and the Flam Railway junction are one stop west, Geilo east.