Michi Photostory

Most of the time we choose to travel by plane to visit other towns, cities, or countries. It is the fastest way to travel from point A to point B. But if you are going to visit Europe, sometimes it is better to travel by train because it is more than just transportation. It is a journey through mountains, forests, fields, wilderness, lakes, coastal, fjords, and other beautiful gems along the railway.


During our Scandinavian trip, we travel by train to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Among our train rides, my favorite is Norges Statsbaner or Norwegian State Railways. NSB is the National Railway Company that offers train services in Norway. As of April 24, 2019, it is now called Vy after they united NSB and Nettbus.

Buying Tickets 

Traveling around Norway is expensive whether you choose bus, boat, train or airplane. With regard to train tickets, the best thing that you can do is to book in advance so you can get a cheaper fare. You can buy a ticket 90 days prior to your trip.


You can buy the ticket on their website, NSB.no now Vy.no. They have a mobile app too for Android or IOS, download Vy app (formerly NSB app). There are Automated Ticket Machines and Customer Service Counter at the train station too. Among the options, we tried buying a ticket using their website and Automated Ticket Machine.

The price varies depending on the date and season that you are going to travel. There are discounts for Senior Citizen, Person with Disability, Children, Students, and Military Members.

Passengers Seats 

About the seats, it depends on the ticket that you will buy, first class or second class. It also depends on the train that you will ride and how short or long your travel time is. We only purchased a second-class ticket and legroom space is good.


Some are FREE seating so you can choose whatever seats you like, it is on a first-come-first-serve basis. Some have assigned seats, you can check your seat number printed on your train ticket. Sometimes you need to pay extra so you can choose your preferred seat. Family-friendly carriages are available in some destinations such as Oslo to Trondheim, Oslo to Stavanger, Oslo to Bergen, and Trondheim to Bodø.

Foods and Drinks 


Food and drinks are not a problem if you travel by train in Norway because there is a vending machine or cafe. You can check the Cafe Menu online and pre-order your food. There is a printed menu on the train which is similar to the menu online. We just bought our food on the day of our travel. If you want to save money, you can bring your own food and drinks except for alcoholic drinks.

Traveling Around Norway via NSB Train 

Sharing our train experience via NSB train.

Trondheim Central Station to Røros Station 

Two years ago, we went to Røros, Norway and we rode the train from Trondheim Central Station to Røros Station. Røros Railway was built in stages from 1862 to 1877 and it is Norway’s oldest trunk line.


It was my first train ride in Europe and I enjoyed the Norwegian wilderness journey to the mining town. I did not mind the two hours and thirty minutes of travel time with 18 Train Station Stops.

Read: Trip to Røros Norway 
Trondheim Central Station to Røros Train Station Video 
Weekend Getaway at Røros Norway Post and Video 

Oslo Lufthavn to Elverum Train Station (Oslo Airport to Elverum Train Station) 


Elverum is just two hours away from Oslo, you can travel by car, bus, or train. If you land in Oslo Airport Gardermoen, riding a train is the easiest way to reach Elverum because there is already a train station just outside the arrival area. You can buy your ticket at the Automated Ticket Machine or Customer Service Counter. Travel time is 1 hour and 33 minutes with one transfer at Hamar Station.

Read: Day Trip in Elverum
Oslo Airport to Elverum Station via NSB Train
Oslo Airport to Elverum Train Station Video

Oslo S to Oslo Lufthavn (Oslo Central Station to Oslo Airport) 


After our Oslo trip, my husband needs to go back to the Philippines so we separate our ways. He took the train from Oslo Central Station to Oslo Airport. You can take a bus, Flytoget Airport Express train, or NSB train. My husband chose the latter because it is cheaper. He bought the ticket at the Automated Ticket Machine using his debit card. 105 NOK for one person. Travel time is 23 minutes with one stop at Lilistrøm Station.

Read: Glimpse of Oslo Airport

Oslo Central Station to Trondheim Central Station 

Whenever we go to Norway, we always book a Manila to Trondheim flight but this year, we only booked up to Oslo, Norway because we planned to have a side trip in Denmark and Sweden. It is cheaper to ride the train and boat than to fly to Copenhagen and Stockholm.

Read: Trip to Norway

I thought that I would be bored during our 7 hours train ride but I was wrong because I enjoyed every minute of our train ride. I have no idea that Dovre Railway is one of those scenic railways in Norway. You will enjoy the different landscapes and waterscapes along the tracks of Oslo to Trondheim.


Dovre Line passes Mjosa Lake which is Norway’s largest lake, the town of Lillehammer where the 1994 Olympic Winter Games were held, Gudbrandsdalslaagen River which is one of the largest rivers in Norway and Gudbrandsdal Valley and we also reached the highest point at Hjerkinn Train Station.


Read: Day Trip in Trondheim Norway
Oslo Central Train Station to Trondheim Central Train Station via NSB train
Oslo Central Train Station to Trondheim Central Tran Station Video

I love taking pictures, isn’t it obvious with my blog name. Yes, I do have a lot of pictures, but I hardly ever print those pictures. I give you three reasons why.

1. It is so hard to choose pictures that I want to print. 
2. It is so expensive to print pictures 
3. I could not find a photo album that I like. I have old photo albums and some of my albums did not last. 

I’ve been seeing different photo books website online and one of them is Photobook Worldwide. I’ve been meaning to try these photobooks but for some reasons, hindi ko siya maumpisahan. After 10 years, I finally bought 2 vouchers for P100 and P120, and guess what, two vouchers are nearly expiring. Spell C-R-A-M! Yes, I bought these vouchers during their Black Friday Sale and I totally forgot about it. 

Just this month, I learned that Photobook Worldwide has an app where I can upload, edit, and order photo books, photo prints, home décor, and even calendars. After a week, I downloaded the Photobook Worldwide App in Apple Store and tried it. I love the app because it is so easy to use and I was done in few minutes. 

How to Use the Photobook Worldwide App 

1. Download the Photobook app on the Apple Store or Google Play Store 
2. Launch the app and select the projects you want to avail of. I chose Simple Books 6x6 

Simple Books 6"x6", 8”x8” or 12”x12” 
Hardcover Photobooks 8”x8” or 12”x12” (Lay Flat or Standard Binding)
Photo Prints 4R or 5R 
Home Décor: Canvas Air, Metal Prints, Wood Prints or Desktop Plaques 
Calendar: Wall Calendar 12”x12” Square and 11”x8” Landscape or Desk Calendar 11”x5 Lanscapre or 6”x8” Portrait 

3. Personalise your photobook by uploading at least 21 of your photos (additional photos = extra charges). I checked my Facebook Account and saved photos on my phone. 
4. Apply the voucher code if you have any and pay the shipping fee. You have two options, standard or express shipping. I paid P200 via Paypal for the standard shipping fee. 
5. Tap to upload your project and that's it! 

March 21 – I placed and paid my order 
March 26 – I received my package via DHL 

I was so happy because the package came all the way from Malaysia but it only took them few days to print and deliver my photobook. I received my package in good condition. The quality of the print and paper is also good. My first photobook is about our Easter Staycation at Roros Norway last year.


As I mentioned, I like the app because it is so easy to use but there are some limitations. 

1. I used the app again to redeem the voucher that I got last year but they are not accepting my code. So I guess, I have to use the online designer application or I need to download the Photobook software. I guess the app is only for hardbound. 
2. There are limited options for editing photos. I cannot put text so all I did is align my photos to the center. Good thing it turned out okay even the photos are from mobile phones. 
3. Photobook Worldwide has so many products but not all are available using the app just like my Insta Cards vouchers. 
4. I always check the status of my current order on the app but I only see “Processing” status, I was worried because after 5 days, ganun pa rin ang status. I even sent an email to ask for the real status of my order but few hours after I sent the email. DHL came and delivered my package. 

My mom knew that my son wanted to experience snow and since we cannot predict or control the weather, she planned to have a weekend getaway in Røros. She knew that there will be snow in Røros because of its location. But we were lucky that we were able to experience snowfall during our second day in Norway, just a few days before we went to Røros. 

Watch the video here.  
Read: First Snowfall Experience


Røros is a popular tourist spot in Norway, one of the favorite winter and Easter destinations. So it is unsurprising that there were so many tourists by the time we arrived. It took us 6 hours just to reach this place, we traveled by road, sea, and train. 

Read: Trip to Røros Norway
Video: Trip to Bjugn to Vanvikan Norway
Trip to Trondheim to Røros Norway via Train


From Røros train station, we just walked to our holiday apartment. We stayed in Ålbyggården which is just beside the Røros Church and graveyard. The house has two bedrooms, a fully-equipped kitchen, one toilet and one bathroom.


Read: Staycation at Ålbyggården in Røros Norway

After leaving our luggage at the apartment we had lunch at Peder Hiort Marthus, the restaurant serves pasta, pizza and other local and international meals. 


Read: Peder Hiort Marthus

Then we started our Røros tour, the town is already a living museum so there is no doubt that it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. We explored the town by checking the different art galleries, craft shops, stores, old timber houses and buildings, and of course, the famous Røros Church. 



Bergstadens Ziir 


Bergstadens Ziir also known as Røros Church, the church was built and completed in the year 1784. It is a symbol and pride of the mining town. It is one of the top ten churches and one of the largest churches in Norway with a seating capacity of 1600. Unfortunately, we were not able to get inside the church because it was already closed. Entrance Fee is NOK50.

Sleggveien


The houses in Sleggveien road show the social history of the mining community. The top five houses were on the top of the road, where the day laborers, craftsmen, gypsies, and other people who have no permanent work and no land to farm lived. Some of these houses are open to the public during the summer season, it was April so it was closed. 

Fun in the Snow 

Of course, we enjoyed the snow. For someone who lives in a tropical country, seeing snow makes us happy. Even the freezing cold can't stop us. We do crazy things like my mom and son ate the snow. Waah! Watch the video here. 

We made our very first snowman, (tiny snowman). I just realized that it is not easy to make a snowman. 

There are several activities and attractions that you can do in Røros depending on the season and your preferences. I have researched the different activities that we wanted to do but unfortunately, it was not available during our visit and some activities need a reservation which I did not know.


So we ended up visiting a museum. The town Røros is a World Heritage site so if you want to know more about the rich history of it, you can visit the different museums. There are 7 museums that you can choose from and each museum has a fee so we just chose Smelthytta Rørosmuseet  or Smelthytta Røros Museum because that is the nearest museum from our holiday apartment.

1. Smelthytta
2. Olavsgruva
3. Bergstadvandring
4. Doktortjønna
5. Sleggveien
6. Bygningsvernsenteret
7. Besøkssenter Nasjonalpark Femundsmarka

Smelthytta’s building is built on the top of the ruins of Røros Copperworks last smelter which was burned in the year 1975. It is a museum where you can see different exhibitions related to Røros Copperworks’ history, 19th-century clothing and how the mining society and people who lived here developed.

Watch the video here

Entrance Fee 

Adult NOK100
Student and Senior NOK80
Kids below 16 (with adult) FREE

I like to buy a souvenir kaya lang ang mahal. :)

Once you enter the museum, you will see a cafe and souvenir shop. There is an egg painting activity for the kids but unfortunately, they ran out of eggs already so no painting activity for my son. But the staff gave him a piece of paper, a word hunt game that he needs to finish in order to receive a prize. It is a nice idea so kids will enjoy the museum.


There is an English guided tour at 3PM but we did not wait for it because we don’t want to be late for our 4:30PM train ride back to Trondheim. Thanks to the free use of Audioguides that gives us the information that we need. You can choose Norwegian, English. German or French language.


We did not waste our time and we started exploring the museum.



What I like about this museum is, aside from photos, they also have video clippings where you can see the transformation of the town. I just hope there is English subtitle of the video.





I also love the diorama or models of the mines, smelteries and technical installations that were used before. Most of the models are moving, it is like watching a mini skit.




The museum is very informative, it gives you more information on how they produce copper and I bet you it is not that easy. So if you are going to Røros, don’t forget to include a visit to the Museum in your itinerary, your NOK100 is worth it.


By the way, my son finished the word hunt game with the help of the guardians (lol) and the prize is two unique stones. :)

Røros is one of the popular tourist spots in Norway, you can reach this via car, train, bus, and plane depending on your location. It took us more than 6 hours just to reach Røros. We travel by road, sea and railroad.

Car - Ørland to Vanvikan 
Boat - Vanvikan to Trondheim 
Train - Trondheim to Røros 


My mom lives in Ørland Kommune so going to other places is not that easy because you always have to consider the schedule of the ferry boat. As I mentioned in my previous post, Ørland is almost surrounded by water such as Norwegian sea, Trondheimsfjord and Stjørnfjord so most of the time people need to travel by boat to reach other places. It is either a passenger boat or RoRo. I guess, it is like living in Visayas, if you want to go to other provinces you need to ride boat or airplane.


There are different seaports within the area so you just need to check their schedule. When we went to Røros last Holy Week, we left as early as 6AM so we can catch the 8AM ferry boat in Vanvikan port. It is more than one hour drive from the house but we did not notice it because of the beautiful scenery.

Watch the video here.

We can ride the ferry boat in Ørland too but just to be safe, we went to Vanvikan para hindi kami magahol sa oras. From Vanvikan port, we ride the ferry boat to Trondheim, travel time is less than 30 minutes.

Ørland to Trondheim is 1 hour ride
Vanvikan to Trondheim is 25 minutes


From the port, we walked to the Trondheim train station. It is a long walk especially if you have luggage with you. We waited at the lobby then at 9:20AM we went to the boarding station for our 9:45AM train ride.



We rode trains in other countries but this is our first train ride in Europe so I’m a little bit excited. My mom only bought the standard ticket so we don't have a table at the middle. If you want coffee, there is a small coffee vending machine inside the train.



Travel time from Trondheim to Røros is 2 hours and 30 minutes. The travel time is so long but I enjoyed the ride because of the stunning view, ang ganda talaga, pangpost card. Habang tumatagal, paputi ng paputi ang daanan.

Watch the video here.
 Finally, we reached Røros train station. From here, we just walked to our holiday apartment.


Read: Ålbyggården in Røros Norway 

The following day, we took the 4:30PM train ride. At Trondheim seaport, we rode the ferry boat going to Ørland, the travel time is one hour. Then my stepdad and sister picked us up at the port.

Train - Røros to Trondheim 
Boat - Trondheim to Ørland 
Car - Ørland to home

We left the house at 6AM in the morning and we arrived in Røros past 12NN so we were really tired and hungry. So after leaving our luggage in Ålbyggården, we immediately looked for a restaurant.

Read: Ålbyggården in Røros Norway

My aunt saw this Pub, Kafe and Pizza sign so we went inside the green door and when we entered it, I am not sure if it is really a restaurant because I’ve seen a lot of alcoholic drinks. Upon seated, the staff asked them if we will eat and we said yes. So he opened the door to the restaurant. Mali nga napasukan namin, hehehe!


When we entered the restaurant, now I know that we are in the correct place. Peder Hiort Marthus has a pleasant atmosphere and it displayed artifacts and photos of Røros. It is very interesting to see the different stuff that was used before. It gives you a little bit history of the place.


Upon seated, the staff gave us the menu. Peder Hiort Marthus offers local and international menu so it is ideal for the family who has different food preference. While browsing the menu, Wala ko maisip orderin sa adult menu so I borrowed the Kid’s Menu from my son and I chose my food there. So we ordered Ytrefilet/Sirloin Steak NOK119 for me, Barnetpizza NOK79 for my son, one pizza for my husband and my mom which I don’t know the name and price. But the pizza looks like a Hawaiian pizza because there is pineapple.

Read: Melissa Italian Restaurant 


When they serve the kid’s pizza, it is small so I was surprised when I saw my order, hindi siya mukhang pang kids. The meal includes steak, chips and fried vegetables. I was not able to taste the pizza but they said it was good too.


The pizza was big too so take-out na lang. When I say take-out, binalot na lang namin sa wax paper and tissue. Hindi uso take-out dito. Sa Pinas lang yata. Hehehe! Overall, we enjoyed our food and according to them, it is not that expensive.


Peder Hiort Marthus 
Bergmannsgata, Røros Norway