Routes at a glance
| From | How | Time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oslo (OSL) | Direct flight | About 1 h 50 min | Many departures daily, year-round |
| European cities | Direct seasonal flight | 3–4 hours | Winter routes from several hubs; check current schedules |
| Longyearbyen (LYR) | Direct flight | About 1 h 40 min | The usual link with Svalbard |
| Bergen or Trondheim | Coastal ship | 2–4 days | Daily Hurtigruten or Havila sailings up the coast |
| Narvik (railhead) | Bus | About 4 hours | Connects with trains from Sweden |
| Alta | Bus or car | About 6 hours | Scenic drive on the E6/E8, with ferries as a shortcut in season |
From the airport
Tromsø Airport is at Langnes on the west side of the island, about 5 km from the centre. The airport express coach and the ordinary city buses both reach the centre in around 15 minutes; the city bus is cheaper and stops across the road from the terminal. Taxis are plentiful but expensive.
By coastal ship
The Norwegian coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes calls at Tromsø daily in each direction, northbound in the afternoon and southbound around midnight. You can travel port to port without a cabin, which makes the ship a scenic way to continue to Hammerfest, Honningsvåg for North Cape, or Kirkenes.
Driving in winter
Roads are kept open all winter and rental cars come with winter tyres, but conditions change quickly, mountain passes can close in storms and it is dark for much of the day in midwinter. If you are not used to driving on ice, take tours instead and let the guides drive.
Getting around locally
- The centre is compact and walkable; pavements are icy in winter, so shoe spikes are worth buying.
- City buses cross the bridge to the Arctic Cathedral and the cable car; buy tickets in the app or from machines, as paying on board costs more.
- Most tours pick up at a few central meeting points near the harbour rather than at individual hotels.
- Car hire is useful in summer for Kvaløya, Senja and Lyngen; book early in peak weeks.
- Express boats link Tromsø with Harstad and Finnsnes for onward travel towards Senja.
