Hell (Norway)

The name Hell stems from the Old Norse word hellir, which means "overhang", "cliff cave". The Norwegian word hell can also mean "luck". The Old Norse word Hel is the same as today's English Hell, and as a proper noun, Hel was the ruler of Hel. In modern Norwegian the word for hell is helvete.

By plane

Hell is adjacent to , flights operated from major Norwegian cities and towns, International flights are available from Amsterdam, London (Stansted), Stockholm, Copenhagen, Dubrovnik, Prague, Malaga and Nice.

By train

Hell has a train station where local trains from Trondheim, the airport, and Steinkjer stop. There are one or two departures per hour. There are also trains from Sweden (twice per day) that stop in Hell. If you want to take the train from Hell, be aware that the train will only stop if they see someone standing at the platform, otherwise it will pass. NSB sells tickets and operates the trains.

By car

The town is situated next to Norway's main north-south highway, E6, leading north from Trondheim. Coming from Sweden, E14 ends in Stjørdal north of the airport. From there take E6 south past the airport.

By foot

The distance is 1.5km (1 mi) south west from the airport. If visiting Trondheim, you can walk from the airport, visit Hell and take the train to Trondheim. You can also schedule extra time if changing plane. The walkway begins at the airport railway station. Cross the river and then follow the railway in right direction. Print a map from the net before the journey.

You can get around by foot, bike or car.

• The railway stationThe Gods Expedition is the small building next to the railway, and the famous sign is on the wall towards the tracks. On the second floor of the station itself, there is a devil drawing in the window, most likely put there to entertain tourists. Regardless of its infernal name, the station itself is a sympathetic little wooden building worth photographing.

• Rock carvingsAt the Steinmohaugen there are rock carvings that might be 6000 years old. Rock carving is helleristning in Norwegian.

• Lånke KirkeThere's a church, but unsurprisingly not in Hell itself but rather in the village of Lånke, 2km to the east.

• Stjørdal riverSeparating the village from the mall, hotel and Trondheim airport.

• Hell signsIf the railway station isn't enough, you can also photograph road and street signs. Moreover, there is a "Hell" sign on the mountain (perhaps inspired by the "Hollywood" sign in Los Angeles but smaller), visible when arriving from the airport.

• ClimbingThere is a great climbing site east of the village. Mountain guides are not available locally, you need to contact the climbing club in Stjørdal or Trondheim.

• Rallycross in HellA car race at Lånkebanan, part of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

• Blues in HellA blues festival held each September.

Among English-speaking tourists, popular postcards depict the station with a heavy frost on the ground, making a visual joke about "Hell frozen over." Temperatures in Hell can reach -20 °C during winter.

• Hell kjøpesenterFor more serious shopping, head to the Hell senteret mall, halfway to the airport.

• Holm CaféA café in the mall.

• Hell Grill & Truck stopFast food.

Self-catering is also an option - there are grocery stores in the mall and the airport also offers lighter meals. For finer dining, head to the restaurant at Rica Hell Hotel.

Vertigo Bar is located at the Rica Hotel.

• Rica Hell Hotel

  phone: +47 74 84 48 00
  address: Sandfærhus 22
  A first class establishment with prices to match. Has a good range of business amenities given its proximity to the airport, and a restaurant and bar.

Alternatively, there is a Radisson Hotel next to the airport, just a kilometre and a half north of Hell. Cheaper accommodation is available in Trondheim and if you're really on a shoestring, remember that the right to access in Scandinavia allows you to camp in the wilderness.

• Stjørdal – the municipal centre, just behind the airport
• Trondheim – Norway's third largest city, 30 km to the west
• Storlien – ski resort, the first town in Sweden after the border. It has a railway embankment, being rebuilt into a bridge, which is called "Stora Helvetet", literally "Big Hell", on intention because of the trouble of building it.