The Bergen Card: Is It Worth It? (Tips for 2024)
If you’re planning a visit to Bergen, you may have heard of the Bergen Card and are wondering, is it worth buying? This guide is meant to help you decide if the Bergen Card is the right choice for your trip to Bergen, Norway in 2024!
Table of Contents
What is the Bergen Card?
The Bergen Card gives you free travel on Light Rail and buses in the city and region, as well as free or discounted entrance to many of the museums and other attractions in Bergen. It also provides discounts to several shops and restaurants in the city.
Does the Bergen Card cover transportation from the airport?
Yes! The Bergen Card covers the Bergen Light Rail line number 1 between Bergen Airport and Bergen city center.
Without the card, this journey would cost about 44 NOK for an adult or 22 NOK for a child.
Bergen Card prices
The Bergen Card prices were updated in 2024 to those listed in the table below.
| 24h | 48h | 72h | 96h | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | 380 NOK | 460 NOK | 540 NOK | 620 NOK |
| Child (3-15 years) | 100 NOK | 130 NOK | 160 NOK | 190 NOK |
Is the Bergen Card worth it?
First off, let’s look at what the Bergen Card gets you.
The Bergen Card provides free access to public transportation in the city. For an adult, a period ticket for the Bergen public transportation system costs about 110 NOK for a day or 250 NOK for a week. The same ticket for a child costs around 55 NOK for a day or 125 NOK for a week. Depending on where your accommodations are located and what you want to do, this could be a major perk, especially if you’re staying in the city for multiple days.
Tip: I personally had trouble buying a public transportation ticket on the Skyss Billett app with my American credit card, and I have heard this from other people as well (in my case, it required two-factor authentication using my US phone number). If you’re on the fence, it might just be more convenient to go with the Bergen Card so that you can avoid this issue.
If you love visiting museums, there are plenty of museums that normally cost around 150 NOK and are free with the Bergen Card, so even if you just went to a couple of these, the card would easily be worth the cost! The list of attractions included in the card can be found here.
So, let’s do some quick math: assuming you used public transportation more than twice per day, you would have to visit two 150 NOK museums to make up the cost of the 24h, 38h, and 48h cards and three to make up the cost of the 96h cards.
Another to consider is that some of the Bergen Card perks are seasonal. For example, some of the museums in Bergen offer free admission with the Bergen Card in the low season (winter) but only discounted admission in the high season (summer). This applies to the KODE Museums, the aquarium, and Rosankratz Tower, among other attractions. Be sure to check what specific benefits apply to the museums you want to visit or factor this into your decisions of where to go!
The Bergen Card also includes discounts on several restaurants and shops in Bergen. To me, these would be more bonuses rather than deciding factors, but I still recommend checking out the lists of what is included to make sure you don’t miss out on any discounts! The list of food discounts can be found here, and the list of shopping discounts is here.
For inspiration on what to do in Bergen, be sure to check out my list of the top things to do in the city!
When should you not buy the Bergen Card?
You might not want to buy the Bergen Card on a Monday because a lot of museums in Norway are closed on this day. Make sure that you double-check the opening times of the museums you plan to visit before buying your Bergen Card to avoid surprises!
Where to buy the Bergen Card
Option #1: Order the Bergen Card online
You can order the Bergen Card online here. When you order the card, a link will be sent to your email. The card will not be active until you activate it using the link in the email, and you can activate the card up to a year after purchase.
This is a great option if you plan on flying in and doing activities on the same day since the card will cover your journey from the airport to the city.
Option #2: Buy a physical card in person in Bergen
You can buy a physical Bergen Card at several locations in the city, including the Tourist Information Centre located in the Fish Market, the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, and the Bratland and Lone camping sites.
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The final word
If you want to calculate for yourself exactly how much money you’ll save with the Bergen Card, you can find a full list of the included discounts on the Visit Bergen website.
If calculating for yourself seems like a lot of effort, here’s a summary: the Bergen Card is a great choice if you plan on using public transportation and visiting at least two museums during your trip to the city (which I highly suggest, since it’s a great way to learn more about the history and culture of the area!). However, I still suggest taking a quick look at the Visit Bergen website to get a general idea of what you might be interested in doing, as well as checking the opening hours of the attractions that interest you on Google to avoid surprises.
Finally, I hope that you have a great time visiting Bergen! It is a beautiful city with so much to offer, and definitely one of my favorites in Norway. Enjoy it!
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Useful Resources for Booking Your Trip
Flights:
I like to use Google Flights to find flights. They have many helpful tools for comparing dates and itineraries.
Accommodations:
I use Hostelworld or Booking.com. Hostelworld has the best selection of hostels, and Booking.com is great if you’re looking for any other type of accommodation.
Travel insurance:
Don’t skimp on travel insurance – it’s important to be prepared if something goes wrong! Personally, I use SafetyWing travel insurance.
