Routes at a glance
| From | How | Time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oslo (OSL) | Direct flight | About 3 hours | Year-round; some flights stop in Tromsø |
| Tromsø (TOS) | Direct flight | About 1 h 40 min | The shortest hop; good for combining both |
| Longyearbyen airport | Airport bus or taxi | 10–15 minutes | Buses meet every flight and stop at the hotels |
| Mainland Norway | Expedition or coastal cruise | Several days | Summer only; no regular passenger ferry |
| Longyearbyen to Pyramiden | Boat or snowmobile | 2–3 hours each way | Season and ice dependent |
| Longyearbyen to Ny-Ålesund | Expedition ship | Overnight | Research settlement; cruise calls only |
Flights
Scheduled flights link Longyearbyen with Oslo and Tromsø all year, with more departures in the spring and summer seasons. Fares rise steeply in March, April, July and August, so book as early as you can. Fog, wind and ice occasionally delay flights; do not plan a tight onward connection on the day you leave.
Passports and visas
Svalbard is part of Norway but outside the Schengen area, so there is an identity check on flights from the mainland and everyone — including Norwegians — should carry a passport or national ID card. No visa is needed for Svalbard itself, but you must be able to enter Norway to get there and to return: travellers who need a Schengen visa should ask for one that allows two entries. Rules can change, so check the Governor of Svalbard’s website before you travel.
By sea
There is no public ferry. Expedition ships sail from Longyearbyen on voyages of about a week to ten days around Spitsbergen between roughly May and September, and a few itineraries begin in Tromsø or Iceland. From 2025, ships carrying more than 200 passengers may not enter the protected areas that cover most of the archipelago.
Getting around locally
- Longyearbyen is small enough to walk; allow 20–25 minutes from one end to the other. Taxis are available and the airport bus serves all hotels.
- There are only about 40 km of road in total, and none between settlements. Hiring a car is possible but rarely necessary.
- Do not walk past the polar bear warning signs at the edge of town without an armed guide.
- In the snow season the valleys are travelled by snowmobile and dog sled; in summer the fjords are travelled by boat.
- Shops and restaurants take cards everywhere; there is little need for cash.
