Rail route of the month: a midsummer odyssey across Norway’s Arctic Circle

Our slow travel expert savours the muted beauty of the solstice on the 10-hour overnight train from Trondheim to Bodø

It is rare that I willingly forgo the comfort of a proper bed on an overnight train journey. But a midsummer foray across the Arctic Circle in Norway is one of those rare occasions where an overnight vigil in a regular seat really matches the mood of the moment.

Some trains are perfect for meditation, and the overnight run from Trondheim to Bodø certainly allows hours of gentle rumination or purposeful reflection. There’s no high drama here. The muted beauty of the Nordlandsbanen (Nordland Railway) doesn’t demand neck-craning concentration. Just sit back and watch the passing rocks and skerries, observe the trees getting smaller as you head north and let communities like Majavatn, Mosjøen and Mo i Rana slip away in the night.