Getting around Tromsø in winter

Tromsø is spread over an island and the mainland. The centre and the airport are on the island of Tromsøya. The Arctic Cathedral and the Fjellheisen cable car are across the strait in Tromsdalen, linked by the 1,036-metre Tromsø Bridge and by the Tromsøysund Tunnel. Kvaløya, the large island to the west, is reached over the Sandnessund Bridge. Visit Tromsø calls the city centre “a great size for exploring on foot”, and for everything else there are city buses.

City buses and Svipper tickets

Buses, express boats and ferries in Troms all run under one name, Svipper, a service of the Troms County Authority. City buses operate every day across the whole city.

The simplest way to pay is the Svipper app, where you plan your trip and buy the ticket with Vipps or a payment card. Tickets are also sold at ticket machines and sales outlets. On board you can pay with Visa or Mastercard; Visa Electron and other card brands are not accepted. Since 1 February 2026 Svipper takes no cash at all on its buses and express boats, so keep a card or the app ready. Timetables change, so look up your connection in the app or on svipper.no rather than relying on printed times.

Bus lines to the places visitors go

The Tromsø Bridge has been closed to ordinary vehicle traffic until November 2026, while pedestrians and cyclists can cross at any time. During the closure, Visit Tromsø reports that buses use the bridge in the daytime and are diverted through the Tromsøysund Tunnel in the evening and at night, when some lines skip the stop at the cathedral. If you travel early in the season, check the current route to Tromsdalen in the Svipper app.

Walking in the centre

Most of what you want to see in the centre is within walking distance: the harbour, Storgata, Polaria and the wooden Tromsø Cathedral. In winter the pavements are the challenge. Visit Tromsø warns that paths and streets can be slippery in the city centre as well as in the countryside, and UiT's practical information says that sidewalks can become icy and very slippery. Ice grips or spikes that you pull over your shoes help prevent falls. You can buy them in shoe shops, sports shops and at the Tourist Information.

You can also walk to Tromsdalen. Crossing the Tromsø Bridge to the Arctic Cathedral takes about 20 minutes, according to Visit Tromsø, and from there it is about 15 more minutes to the lower station of the cable car. Fjellheisen itself gives about 45 minutes for the whole walk from the centre, so plan on 30 to 45 minutes depending on your pace and the ice.

Taxis

Visit Tromsø lists Tromsø Taxi, My taxi and Din Taxi as local companies, and prices vary between operators. A taxi from the centre to Fjellheisen takes about 10 minutes, and to the airport about the same.

Driving a hire car in winter

Visit Tromsø describes Arctic roads as narrow and winding, warns that they may be icy or slippery, and says that driving on icy roads in winter involves a high level of risk. Its advice is to use public transport or choose organised tours with transport included rather than driving yourself. If you do rent a car, these are the rules and habits that matter.

• Tyres. Statens vegvesen, the Norwegian road authority, says summer tyres may not be used in winter conditions. In Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, studded tyres are allowed from 16 October to 30 April; studless winter tyres are allowed all year. In winter the tread must be at least 3 millimetres deep, and the driver is responsible for having enough grip at any time of year.
• Reflective vest. There must be at least one approved reflective vest within easy reach in the car, and you wear it if you stop by the road and get out. Check that the hire car has one before you leave.
• Tunnels under the city. Below Tromsøya runs a tunnel system on county road 862 with three underground roundabouts, marked yellow, blue and red, and branches to a municipal car park. Slow down in bends, roundabouts and junctions, as Visit Tromsø advises.
• Wildlife. Visit Tromsø asks drivers to keep a low speed and watch for animals, especially reindeer and elk.
• Road closures. When there is an acute risk of avalanches, Statens vegvesen can close roads at short notice. From a Norwegian phone, call 175 for traffic information, or check 175.no or vegvesen.no. For avalanche warnings, see varsom.no.

If you drive out to look for the northern lights, do not stop in the middle of the road or on a bend; find a safe place off the road and put on your vest before getting out. Visit Tromsø also asks drivers to let local traffic pass.

If you would rather leave the driving to a guide who knows where the sky is clear, compare aurora tours on northern-lights-tromso.com.

Day trips without a car

Svipper also runs regional buses and express boats. Bus 420 goes to Sommarøy and bus 425 to Ersfjordbotn on Kvaløya. Our page on day trips from Tromsø covers these routes, and the tours below include the transport, which is often easier when daylight is short.