The small fjord town Odda is a popular tourist destination for both Norwegian and international tourists. It’s not because the town itself is that unique and interesting, but the surrounding natural attractions are what brings people to Odda.
A short car ride away from Odda will bring you to the start of the amazing Trolltunga hike, close to the hike up to Buarbreen, and close to incredible waterfalls like the Vidfossen and Furebergfossen.
Odda is in many ways the perfect destination to head to for a fjord, mountain hiking and glacier adventure in Norway, and we’re going to be looking closely at how to get from the major cities in Norway to Odda in this article.
Odda is conveniently located close to the Hardangervidda route (E134 / Rv13) between Oslo and Bergen. It’s very easy to reach by car if you’re going from west to east (or the other direction), and there are multiple daily bus departures from both Oslo and Bergen.
Since Odda is a town that you will need to pass on this route between two of Norway’s biggest cities, it’s surprisingly easy to reach this small fjord town.
How to get from Bergen to Odda
Odda is located just 3 hours away from Bergen, so it’s a fairly short distance (speaking in Norwegian terms). You will have to get between these two locations by driving mostly along the fjord, which is a super nice and scenic ride, but it’s also a bit of a difficult drive if you’re driving yourself.
There are multiple different roads you can use to get between Bergen and Odda, but they all require at least one crossing with a ferry. So prepare for a ferry crossing, which could make the trip much longer than the 3 hours if you are unlucky with the departure timing.
Get from Bergen to Odda by public transportation
To get from Bergen to Odda by public transporation, the cheapest way is to ride the train between Bergen and Myrdal (R40), then change to the bus line 990 between Myrdal and Odda.
There are a few other options, and another fine option is to ride the local buses from Bergen to Odda. There are a few different routes and options, so the best one will depend on when you are leaving, so check out Skyss’ website to find the best option for your date.
It’s a bit convoluted to use the public transportation system between Bergen and Odda, but it’s well worth it once you finally get to Odda!
There are also tour buses that goes directly from Bergen to Odda, so it’s possible to get on one of these to make life a bit easier. However, they are obviously more expensive.
Driving directions between Bergen and Odda
The driving directions between Bergen and Odda are a bit wonky, and there are multiple options. All options are around 3 hours in total, and the best option will depend on local traffic.
Generally speaking, follow the signs towards Oslo and Odda to get there.
I personally prefer to use the route over Norheimsund, and here are the general driving directions for driving between Bergen and Odda over Nordheimsund:
Drive north on E39 until you get to E16. Follow E16 until you get to Trengereid, then get on Fv7. Follow Fv7 until you are in Nordheimsund, then follow Fv576 towards Tørvikbygd. From there, get on the ferry to Jondal.
Follow the road south (the name will change super frequently, but there are signs towards Odda) until you get to Austrepollen. Now drive east on Fv551 following the signs to Odda until you arrive.
It’s a bit convoluted, so I suggest using GPS or a map.
An mentioned, there are a few other viable options that are all fine as well. Odda is a pretty big town, so there are signs that point towards Odda for the most part.
How to get from Oslo to Odda
Odda is around 5 to 6 hours away from Odda, but there are pretty good public transportation connections between Norway’s capital Oslo and Odda. It’s also a very nice and scenic drive between these two points, and you will either cross the famous Hardangervidda, or drive along Hallingdal valley.
Get from Oslo to Odda by public transportation
There are pretty decent public transportation options between Oslo and Odda, and the main method to get between these two places is to ride the bus. You can buy a ticket that takes you all the way from Oslo to Odda, so it’s pretty easy.
The bus you want to get on is called “NW180 Haukeliekspressen“, which is run by the company Nor-way. They do occasionally change buses underway, so you might need to change the bus once or twice, but the bus driver will tell you if this is the case.
NW180 goes every few hours all day long, so it’s usually easy to get a seat on the bus.
Driving from Oslo to Odda
You basically have two options when you are driving from Oslo to Odda. Either drive over Haukili and Hardangervidda following E134, or drive along the valleys of Hallingdal, then pass the northern end of Hardangervidda following Rv7.
Both options are fine and scenic, but the E134 options over Haukeli and Hardangervidda is roughly 30 minutes faster. However, Rv7 has many interesting tourist attractions along the route.
Oslo to Odda over Haukli E134 driving directions
To get from Oslo to Odda by E134, drive south on E18 until you get to Drammen. Now change to E134 just at the end of the huge bridge over Drammen (the signs will say E134 towards Haugesund and Kongsberg).
Now simply follow E134 for roughly 5 hours until you get to Rv13. This change is a bit in the middle of nowhere, but the sign will be towards Odda, so it’s easy to pick up on.
Follow this road for an additional 30 minutes to get to Odda.
Oslo to Odda over Hallingdal Rv7 driving directions
If you prefer the valleys of Hallingdal over the forest and mountain plateau route over Haukeli, then you should consider driving along Rv7 instead. Rv7 is a very scenic route with lots of tourist attractions along the way, so it’s a great option, but a little bit longer than E134.
I recommend this option if you prefer to make a few stops at tourist attractions along the way, and want to have interesting experience along the journey.
The driving directions are also pretty simple:
Drive south from Oslo on E18 until you get to Sandvika, then change to E16. The signs will say “E16 Bergen”. Follow E16 until you get to the point where the road splits up to E16 and Rv7. Choose to follow Rv7.
Follow Rv7 all the way over Hallingdal until you pass over Hardangervidda, pass by Vøringsfossen, and get down to the fjord in Eidfjord. The road eventually changes to Rv13, and you should follow this southbound.
Keep driving south along the fjord on Rv13, and you eventually get to Odda.
How to get from Trondheim to Odda
It’s possible to get from Trondheim to Odda, but it’s a pretty big hassle. You’re looking at a 10 hours or more drive, and significantly longer if you’re using public transportation.
Get from Trondheim to Odda by public transportation
To get to Odda from Trondheim by public transporation, you’re going to want to ride the train all the way from Trondheim to Oslo. When in Oslo, get on the NW180 bus to get to Odda (more details are found above at the section of getting from Oslo to Odda).
There are no good public transportation options that takes you directly from Trondheim to Odda, and you will need to stop by either Oslo or Bergen to get to Odda from Trondheim.
Another option that will save you a bit of time (at the expense of money) is to get airplane tickets from Trondheim to Bergen, then get on the bus to Odda from Bergen.
Driving from Trondheim to Odda
It’s possible to drive from Trondheim to Odda, and you can choose to either drive on the main roads all the way, or use smaller and more narrow roads. The latter option saves you some time, but it will be a bigger challenge in terms of technical driving.
It’s a 10 hour drive, so I really urge you to use GPS or the map below.
How to get from Tromsø to Odda
Tromsø is a long way from Odda, so these two places are not typically something that is combined in a single Norway vacation. However, it’s possible to get from Tromsø to Odda if you are really determined to see the incredible Trolltunga!
The easiest way to get from Tromsø to Odda is to catch and airplane from Tromsø to Bergen, then rent a car or get on a bus in Bergen. It’s technically possible to drive between Tromsø and Odda, but it’s an incredible 26 hour drive, which takes multiple days!