Mount Ulriken and Mount Fløyen: a local guide to Bergen's city mountains

Mount Ulriken is the highest of Bergen's seven city mountains at 643 metres, reached by cable car in about seven minutes or on foot in around 90 minutes. Mount Fløyen is lower and starts in the city centre, with the Fløibanen funicular. This guide covers both and the hike between them.

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Ulriken or Fløyen: which one should you choose?

The two mountains are neighbours, but they offer very different days out:

• Mount Fløyen (320 m): In the middle of town. The funicular gets you up in minutes. Café, playground, forest trails and a lake at the top. Best for families, short visits and anyone with an hour or two to spare.

• Mount Ulriken (643 m): The highest of the seven. The cable car takes about seven minutes, and the view is wider and wilder. A restaurant at the top, a zipline and real mountain terrain.

• Both in one day: Hike Vidden, the plateau between Ulriken and Fløyen. Allow around five hours.

Only have a morning? Go for Fløyen. Want the big view and a taste of the mountains? Go for Ulriken. Want both? Read the Vidden section below.

Mount Fløyen: the mountain above the harbour

Fløyen is the mountain most visitors see first and the most visited of Bergen's city mountains. The top sits 320 metres above sea level, directly above Bryggen and the harbour, and the view over the city, the port and the fjords is the reason so many people make the trip.

The best thing about Fløyen is how little planning it takes. Ride up, walk a loop in the forest and be back in town for lunch. Or walk up yourself on the gravel road or the forest paths. In our experience, the walk takes one to two hours depending on your pace and how often you stop to look back.

Inger Myren, head waiter at Grand Hotel Terminus, calls Fløyen one of her favourite places. Read her advice on the best hikes in Bergen.

How to get up Mount Fløyen on the Fløibanen funicular

The Fløibanen funicular has been running since 1918, and its two cars are named Rødhette and Blåmann, after characters from Norwegian children's stories. The lower station is on Vetrlidsallmenningen, a few minutes' walk from the Fish Market and Bryggen.

• Journey time: 6 to 8 minutes to the top.

• Stops on the way: Promsgate, Fjellveien and Skansemyren, handy if you want to walk part of the way.

• Departures: Every 10 to 15 minutes during the day, and on the hour and half hour before 10:00 and after 19:00. It runs from 07:30 on weekdays and 08:00 at weekends until midnight.

• Tickets: Buy at floyen.no, in the Fløibanen app, at the Tourist Information or at the lower station. Book ahead in high season.

• Price: Fares are higher from April to September and lower in the app and online than at the ticket office. See current prices at floyen.no. Children under 4 travel free.

Summer brings queues around midday. Take one of the first departures in the morning and you will often have the top almost to yourself.

Things to do at the top of Mount Fløyen

Fløyen is more than a viewpoint. Give it a couple of hours:

• The Troll Forest: A marked trail from the top station leads into the woods and past troll sculptures. Kids love it.

• Skomakerdiket: A small mountain lake about ten minutes' walk from the top station. In summer you can borrow a canoe or a SUP board, and the Skomakerstuen café sits right by the water.

• The goats: Fløyen has its own free-roaming goats. Friendly, but please do not feed them.

• Bikes: Mountain bike rental at the top in summer.

• Food and drink: Fløistuen café and shop by the top station, and Fløirestauranten, which has served guests for more than a hundred years.

• The playground: One of the most popular in Bergen.

The trails also continue inland towards Rundemanen and Sandviksfjellet if you want a longer walk. Canoe and bike rental are summer activities, so check the hours at floyen.no before you go.

Mount Ulriken: the highest mountain in Bergen

At 643 metres, Ulriken is the highest of the seven mountains around Bergen. The view is bigger than from Fløyen: the whole city, the fjords, the islands out towards the sea and the mountains rolling inland across Vidden.

For many locals, Ulriken is where they go to switch off. Erlend Grevskott, the florist behind the flowers at De Bergenske, laces up his boots and heads for the summit when he needs a break. He loves that the mountains are close enough for a quick hike after work. Read why in Bergen's urban mountains are unique.

At the top you will find the Skyskraperen restaurant and marked trails heading further into the mountains. A ten-minute walk from the top station gets you to a great viewpoint, or you can spend the whole day up there.

How to get up Mount Ulriken

There are three common ways to the top:

1. The Ulriken cable car. The ride takes about seven minutes from the lower station at Haukelandsbakken 40, next to Haukeland University Hospital. Price: In 2026 a single ticket costs NOK 255 for adults and NOK 120 for children (4-16), and a return NOK 435 and NOK 180. See current prices at ulriken643.no.

2. The shuttle bus from the city centre. In season, a dedicated bus runs to the lower station from the stop just above the Tourist Information, outside the entrance to Bjerck Restaurant & Bar on Torgallmenningen. It runs roughly every half hour from 09:00 to 18:30 in season, which in 2026 was 1 April to 15 October.

3. On foot. The most popular route starts at Montana. Take bus 12 from the centre and follow the gravel road for about 800 metres to the start of the Sherpa stairs. There are more than 1,300 steps, and most people reach the top in about an hour and a half. It is steep all the way and can be icy in winter.

Prefer the light rail? Take Bybanen line 2 to Haukeland and walk five to seven minutes up the hill to the lower station.

The zipline on Mount Ulriken

The Ulriken zipline is for anyone who wants a bit more adrenaline than the view alone provides. It starts just below the restaurant terrace at the top and runs 300 metres towards Fløyen at high speed. The operator calls it Norway's fastest zipline.

• Age and weight: From 8 years old and up to 100 kg.

• Booking: In advance at ulriken643.no, where the calendar shows opening hours.

• Price: NOK 590 for adults and NOK 390 for children (8-15) in 2026. The cable car is not included.

• Make a day of it: Cable car up, zipline first, then lunch at the top.

The zipline depends on the weather, so check the calendar on the day if it is windy.

Hiking Vidden: from Ulriken to Fløyen

Vidden is the open mountain plateau between Ulriken and Fløyen, and crossing it is one of Bergen's classic hikes. It takes around five hours, and you can start from either end.

Most people take the cable car up Ulriken and walk towards Fløyen. That leaves the downhill for the end, and you can ride the funicular back into town when your legs have had enough. The trail is marked all the way, but the terrain is above the tree line with little shelter.

Before you go:

• Check the forecast. Fog rolls in fast over Vidden.

• Bring water, food, an extra layer and a windproof jacket, even in summer.

• Charge your phone. Inger Myren warns that the battery drains fast with all the photos you will take.

• Start early so you catch the funicular down in good time.

The seven mountains of Bergen

Ulriken and Fløyen are the famous two, but Bergen has seven city mountains. The other five are Lyderhorn (396 m), Damsgårdsfjellet (317 m), Løvstakken (477 m), Rundemanen (568 m), with its 106-metre mast, and Sandviksfjellet (417 m).

Rundemanen and Sandviksfjellet are easy to reach from Fløyen. Sandviksfjellet is also home to Stoltzekleiven, the steep trail that has become one of the city's favourite workouts. Read about running from Bergen Børs Hotel to Stoltzekleiven.

The ultimate challenge is the Seven Mountains Hike: all seven summits in one day, 35 kilometres and 2,500 metres of climbing. You do not need to be an athlete to climb one of them, but all seven takes preparation. See the full overview of the seven mountains of Bergen.

Three hikes for the time you have

Not everyone has a full day. Here are three plans that start and end in the city centre:

Two hours: Fløyen by funicular. Ride up, walk to Skomakerdiket and around the lake, then ride back down. Prefer to walk? Head down via Fjellveien. Perfect before a late breakfast or between meetings.

Half a day: Ulriken with a view and lunch. Shuttle bus from Torgallmenningen or Bybanen to Haukeland, cable car up and a loop on the marked trails at the top. Eat at Skyskraperen, or walk down the Sherpa stairs if your knees agree. Feeling fit? Climb the stairs and ride down instead.

A full day: Vidden. Early cable car up Ulriken, across Vidden to Fløyen and the funicular down to Vetrlidsallmenningen. Allow around five hours in the mountains plus time for breaks and photos. This is the day you will talk about when you get home.

Whichever you choose, start early. The morning light over the city is worth it, and you skip the queues at the lifts.

When to go and what to wear

The mountains are open all year, but every season feels different.

• Summer (June to August): Long evenings and the most life at the top. Go early or late to avoid the longest queues.

• Autumn: Crisp air and often the clearest views. It gets dark early, so plan around daylight.

• Winter: Fløyen is lovely in snow, and both lifts run in winter. Trails can be icy, especially the Sherpa stairs. Bring ice grips.

• Spring: Wet trails and changeable weather.

Whatever the season: proper shoes, an extra layer and a rain jacket. Bergen weather can turn in half an hour, and it is always colder and windier at the top than in town.

Before and after: where to stay and eat

The mountains are one of the best reasons to stay in Bergen city centre. From Bergen Børs Hotel, by the Fish Market and Bryggen, the funicular is a few minutes' walk away. From Torgallmenningen, right outside Bjerck, the shuttle bus to the Ulriken cable car leaves in season.

That makes for an easy day: breakfast at the hotel, a hike before lunch and a table overlooking the harbour once you are back down. Bjerck has large panoramic windows facing the fjord and Bryggen, so you can look up at the mountain you just climbed.

Looking for more ideas for your stay? Start with our list of things to do in Bergen.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to hike up Mount Ulriken?

Most people need around an hour and a half from Montana to the top of Ulriken via the Sherpa stairs. Fast walkers do it in half an hour, while families with young children should allow longer. The path is steep all the way, with more than 1,300 steps. Take bus 12 to Montana, or Bybanen line 2 to Haukeland and walk from there.

Can you hike from Ulriken to Fløyen?

Yes, the Vidden hike runs from Ulriken to Fløyen and takes around five hours. Many people take the cable car up and finish with the funicular down into the city centre. The trail is marked, but it crosses open mountain terrain with no shelter, so bring windproof clothing, food and water, and check the forecast. Fog can arrive quickly.

How long does it take to walk up Mount Fløyen?

Walking up Mount Fløyen takes one to two hours, depending on your pace and route. You can follow the gravel road or the forest paths. To shorten the walk, ride the funicular to one of the stops on the way, such as Fjellveien or Skansemyren, and walk the rest.

Are Ulriken and Fløyen open in winter?

Yes, both mountains can be visited all year, and the funicular and cable car also run in winter. Trails can be icy, especially steep sections like the Sherpa stairs on Ulriken, so ice grips are a good idea. Cafés and activities at the top keep shorter hours outside the summer season, and the cable car may close in bad weather.

Where does the Ulriken cable car leave from?

The Ulriken cable car leaves from the lower station at Haukelandsbakken 40, next to Haukeland University Hospital. In season, a shuttle bus runs there from Torgallmenningen, just above the Tourist Information and outside Bjerck. Otherwise, take Bybanen line 2 to Haukeland and walk five to seven minutes up the hill.

Stay in the city centre and the mountains are closer than you think. Ride up in the morning and be back for lunch, or give the whole day to Vidden. Find a hotel that makes it easy.

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