Combined Mobility in Jotunheimen, Norway
The Jotunheimen area is the hikers Mekka in Norway. With over 250 mountaintops reaching over 2000 meter above sea level within the area and a magnificent scenery, the area is a popular destination for hikers all over northern Europe. However, there are some issues concerning private cars and parking spaces. There ordinary public transport (bus and train) on the main roads and railroads, but it seems that the hikers want to use their own car , so that they can start their hiking even more locally than public transport can bring them. Innlandstrafikk have been working with Authority of Jotunheimen National Park on this issue, and has come up with two DRT-routes, that the hope is that should address the issue of last/mile first mile or “another time of the day”, as well as some of the private cars and parking. The routes are launched summer 2020.
The first DRT-route brings you from a correspondence bus at Randsverk and to the national park -border at Veodalen, an excellent point to start the climb of Norways 2nd highest mountain; Glitretind (2 465 above sea level). The new DRT-Route makes it an actual option to use public transport when planning this hike, and you will have a public transport service that can bring you from the biggest cities in Norway and all the way to the Glitretind climbs starting point; Veodalen.
Foto: Samuel Taipale / outtt.com
The other DRT-route brings you on another time of the day from Tyinkrysset , a local hub and to the legendary starting point for hiking in the western Jotunheimen; Eidsbugarden. When hiking from Eidsbugarden you can start your hike there or with boat start your hike 20 km away on the other side of Lake Bygdin, by using the route boat that operates on the lake. The new DRT-route does correspond with the boat on both departure and arrival and the bus in direction Oslo when reaching Tyinkrysset again.
Innlandstrafikk are as well working on a backpack service that involving sending your bigger backpack from the starting point to end point of the hike, just using a smaller backpack yourself for the hike and sending the bigger backpack by bus to the ending point of your hike. Innlandstrafikk are planning on using their existing EDI-system for this, and the service will be set up with agents on delivery/pick-up -points. This service is planned for summer season 2021.
Foto: Samuel Taipale / outtt.com