Norway has launched the world’s first panoramic night train aimed at giving travelers clear views of the Northern Lights. Known as the Midnight Aurora Route, the train runs during the peak aurora season from October to March, with carriages featuring glass walls and ceilings to allow passengers to watch the Aurora Borealis from heated, climate-controlled cabins.
As per Travel And Tour World, the train departs from Narvik Railway Station, north of the Arctic Circle, and travels along the historic Ofoten Line, passing mountains, fjords, and snow-covered landscapes. Scheduled stops at Bjornfjell and Katterat Station allow passengers to briefly leave the train for bonfires, hot drinks, and short storytelling sessions.
Northern Lights train // Shutterstock
Each carriage includes low interior lighting to minimize glare, and passengers have access to guides who provide aurora photography tips and scientific information about geomagnetic activity. Multimedia screens display real-time data collected by onboard sensors monitoring cloud cover and solar activity.
For those interested, tickets are priced at around €130, and advance booking is recommended due to limited seating. According to Travel And Tour World, the train is powered by Norway’s renewable hydroelectric grid, and the service uses existing railway infrastructure, minimizing its environmental impact.