Getting Here and Around

Air Travel

SAS, Norwegian, and Widerøe carriers offer extensive connections throughout northern Norway. Widerøe flies to 27 destinations in the region, including Honningsvåg, the country's northernmost airport and the one closest to the North Cape. Trondheim's Værnes Airport is 32 km (21 mi) northeast of the city.

Boat and Ferry Travel

Hurtigruten (the coastal express boat, which goes to 35 ports from Bergen to Kirkenes) stops at Trondheim, southbound at St. Olav's Pier, Quay 16, northbound at Pier 1, Quay 7. Other stops between Trondheim and the North Cape include Bodø, Stamsund and Svolvær (Lofotens), Sortland (Vesterålen), Harstad, Tromsø, Hammerfest, and Honningsvåg.

For travel on the Hurtigruten boat between any points along the route, it is possible to buy tickets on board.

Bus Travel

Bus 135 (Østerdalsekspress) runs overnight from Oslo to Trondheim via Røros. Buses also connect Bergen and Ålesund with Trondheim.

Nor-Way Bussekspress can help you put together a bus journey to destinations in the north. The Ekspress 2000 travels regularly between Oslo, Trondheim, Kautokeino, Alta, Nordkapp, and Hammerfest. Note that in the north, buses go virtually everywhere, but they don't go often. Get a comprehensive bus schedule from a tourist office or travel agent before making plans.

All local Trondheim buses stop at the Munkegata-Dronningens Gate intersection. Some routes end at the bus terminal at Trondheim Sentralstasjon.

Car Travel

Trondheim is about 494 km (308 mi) from Oslo: a seven- to eight-hour drive. Speed limits are 80 kph (50 mph) or 100 kph (60 mph) much of the way. The two alternatives are the E6 through Gudbrandsdalen or Route 3 through Østerdalen. It's 723 km (448 mi) from Trondheim to Bodø on Route E6, which goes all the way to Kirkenes. There's an NKr 30 toll on E6 just east of Trondheim. The highway toll also covers the NKr 11 toll (6 am-10 pm) for cars entering the downtown area. Anyone who makes it to the North Cape sans tour bus will be congratulated with an NKr 150 toll.

Most roads in northern Norway are quite good, although there are always narrow and winding stretches, especially along fjords. Distances are formidable. Route 17—the Kystriksvegen (Coastal Highway) from Namsos to Bodø—is an excellent alternative to E6. Getting to Tromsø and the North Cape involves additional driving on narrower roads off E6. In winter, near-blizzard conditions and icy roads sometimes make it necessary to drive in a convoy. You must also drive with special studded winter tires.

Train Travel

The Dovrebanen has frequent departures daily on the Oslo-Trondheim route. Trains leave from Oslo S Station for the seven- to eight-hour journey. Trondheim is the gateway to the north, and two trains run daily in each direction on the 11-hour Trondheim-Bodø route. The Nordlandsbanen has three departures daily in each direction on the Bodø-Trondheim route. The Ofotbanen has two departures daily in each direction on the Stockholm-Narvik route, a 21-hour journey.