Travel from Tromsø to Finland, Sweden, Lofoten and Svalbard

Tromsø offers several options for onward travel, whether you are heading north, south or to the neighbouring countries of Sweden and Finland.

Travel north

Travel north from Tromsø by bus, plane or coastal ship with Hurtigruten or Havila Voyages, and explore the North Cape and other destinations in Northern Norway.

Alta

You can travel from Tromsø to Alta by bus. There is one daily departure from Tromsø, and the journey takes approximately 6.5 hours.

There is no direct bus from Tromsø to the North Cape. One option is to stay overnight in Alta and continue to the North Cape the following day.

The same applies to bus journeys from Tromsø to Kautokeino, Karasjok and Kirkenes. You must travel via Alta, stay overnight and continue the following day.

There are usually one or two daily departures from Alta to Kautokeino, except on Saturdays. The journey takes approximately 2.5 hours. There are also usually one or two daily departures to Karasjok, except on Saturdays, with a journey time of approximately five hours. Buses to Kirkenes depart on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and the journey takes approximately 11 hours.

Find more information about bus routes here.

Another option between 1 December and 31 March is to take The Arctic Route to Alta via Finland. The route travels through Kilpisjärvi, Hetta and Kautokeino.

North Cape

The northbound Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages ships depart from Tromsø daily. The journey to Honningsvåg takes approximately 17 hours.

There are usually one to three daily buses from Honningsvåg to the North Cape. Search for bus routes here.

You can also book an excursion to the North Cape through Hurtigruten or Havila Voyages, or contact Visit Nordkapp for recommendations and booking assistance.

Another option is to fly from Tromsø to Honningsvåg via Hammerfest. For more information about flights, please visit Widerøe.

Svalbard

The only way to travel from Tromsø to Svalbard is by plane. There are daily flights from Tromsø to Longyearbyen throughout the year. The number of daily flights normally increases during the peak season from March to August. Find more information about flights at Avinor.

Please note that Svalbard is outside the Schengen Area. Identity checks are carried out for everyone travelling to and from Svalbard, and all foreign nationals must bring their passports. Read more about passport and visa requirements here.

Travel south

If you wish to travel south from Tromsø, you can travel by bus, plane or coastal ship.

Senja

There are several ways to travel from Tromsø to Senja. The journey time depends on your chosen route and mode of transport.

Options include travelling by express boat to Finnsnes or Lysnes, by bus, by ferry and car, or by bicycle. Read our guide to travelling between Tromsø and Senja for more information.

Narvik

There are direct bus connections from Tromsø to Narvik every day. The journey takes approximately 4.5 hours. From Narvik, you can continue by bus to destinations including Bodø and the Lofoten Islands.

Find information about buses from Tromsø to Narvik here. You can also travel to Narvik with The Arctic Route.

Another option between 1 December and 31 March is to take The Arctic Route to Narvik. This route includes a stop at Polar Park, the world’s northernmost animal park. Click here for more information about The Arctic Route.

The Lofoten Islands

You can travel from Tromsø to the Lofoten Islands by bus, plane or coastal ship with Hurtigruten or Havila Voyages.

Buses operate on weekdays and at weekends from Tromsø to Svolvær via Bjerkvik. Another option is to take an early-morning express boat from Tromsø to Harstad on weekdays. The boat journey takes approximately three hours, and there is normally a connecting bus to the Lofoten Islands. Search for bus timetables here.

Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages sail daily between Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands. This part of the coastal voyage offers impressive views of the Northern Norwegian coastline.

There are also daily flights from Tromsø to Svolvær via Bodø or Stokmarknes. For more information, please visit Widerøe.

Trondheim, Bergen and Oslo

The most efficient way to travel from Tromsø to Trondheim, Bergen and Oslo is by plane. There are several daily departures to each destination. Visit Avinor for more information about flights and direct routes.

There is one daily bus connection from Tromsø to Fauske. From Fauske, you can continue south by train to Trondheim, Oslo, Bergen and other destinations.

The night train from Fauske to Trondheim takes approximately nine hours. The journey from Fauske to Oslo takes approximately 17 hours, while travelling to Bergen via Oslo takes approximately 24 hours. Find more information about train services here.

Travel to Sweden

You can travel from Tromsø to Sweden by plane, bus or a combination of bus and train.

The bus travels from Tromsø to Narvik and continues to Björkliden, Abisko and Kiruna in Sweden. The service is operated by Länstrafiken Norrbotten as route 91.

Another option is to take a bus from Tromsø to Narvik and continue by train to destinations including Boden, Luleå, Haparanda and Stockholm. Search for train timetables here.

Between 1 December and 31 March, you can also travel from Tromsø to Sweden with The Arctic Route. Visit The Arctic Route website for more information.

Visit Avinor for information about flights.

Travel to Finland

Daily buses operate from Tromsø to Finland from June to September and between 1 December and 31 March. The journey takes approximately 3.5 hours to Kilpisjärvi, 10 hours to Rovaniemi and 14 hours to Oulu.

There is no bus service between Tromsø and Finland at other times of the year. Find more information about buses between Tromsø and Finland here or on The Arctic Route website.

Another option is to take a bus from Tromsø to Narvik and continue by train to Haparanda. From Haparanda, you can travel by bus to Rovaniemi, Kemi or Oulu. Visit The Arctic Route website or search for bus timetables here for more information.

There are direct flights from Tromsø to Helsinki, while direct flights to Rovaniemi are expected to launch soon. Visit Finnair for further information about flights.