Hemsedal +

Destination Hemsedal and VY have entered into a collaboration with a focus on a more seamless travel route to the mountains. Getting guests to the mountains and a good collective offer for the locals in Hemsedal has been long-awaited by the destination and the municipality.

"We are very pleased that we have managed to achieve this. And that we can finally tell guests that you can easily get to Hemsedal on all train departures that arrive at Gol Station with a shuttle bus onward. The bus service between Hemsedal and Gol will run 365 days a year, and will give the passenger the opportunity to reach these two important destinations in a seamless way," says general manager Richard Taraldsen of Destination Hemsedal.

Hemsedal was awarded the label for sustainable travel destination on 16 December 2022, and has worked purposefully with a focus on sustainable travel routes to the mountains. There has been one demand from the destination that all buses to VY must run on HVO, (environmentally friendly fuel) or electric so that emissions are reduced. These buses will have an emission reduction of 90-100%.

We see that the travel patterns of guests are constantly changing, and that people are more interested in traveling to destinations that take the environment seriously and, not least, to travel more environmentally friendly. By being able to offer this bus service between Gol and Hemsedal, we will reduce the number of private cars traveling to and from the destination. This will also lead to reduced traffic and less emission of greenhouse gases, which is an important part of our commitment to taking care of the environment and helping to combat climate change.

"For Hemsedal as a community, this is important, we connect to one of Norway's most important public transport lines, Bergensbanen, says Mayor Pål Rørby in Hemsedal Municipality. He emphasizes that working together with industry and the public sector is important. When we have challenges that we want to solve, we cannot expect others to solve them for us. Then we have to solve this together. The mayor is particularly happy that the locals and especially the young people now also get a good transport offer, and that we are now "connected" to the public network.

Regional director South in VY buss, Randi Skuland can say that it has been a pleasure to work on this solution together with the parties involved in Hemsedal. It will be exciting to see the effect, and you can plan Easter with the new collective offer to Hemsedal already now. The routes will begin in full from March 27."