How to get to Tromsø in winter

Tromsø sits on an island, Tromsøya, and its airport is on the same island as the city centre. That makes the last leg of the trip short: from the arrivals hall to a hotel in town is usually a ride of 10 to 20 minutes. Getting to the airport in the first place is the part that needs planning, because most routes from abroad either fly direct in the winter season or connect through Oslo.

Flying to Tromsø

Tromsø Airport Langnes (code TOS) lies about 5 kilometres from the city centre, according to Visit Tromsø. Inside Norway, SAS, Widerøe and Norwegian fly to Tromsø from several cities. The busiest link is Oslo: there are more than 10 flights a day between Oslo and Tromsø, and the flight takes about 1 hour 50 minutes. Visit Tromsø also points out that many flight connections from abroad run via Oslo.

Direct flights in winter 2026/27

Visit Tromsø notes that there are direct flights from several European cities. The routes below are the ones we could confirm from airline or airport announcements for this winter. For the complete and current overview of direct flights from abroad, Visit Tromsø refers to Avinor.

Avinor presented the Icelandair route as a new gateway from North America to the Arctic. Lufthansa describes Tromsø as one of the best-connected destinations in the region, with up to 22 weekly flights from eight airports. If your home airport is not on this list, check Avinor before assuming you need to go through Oslo.

From the airport into town

You have three options: the airport bus, a city bus or a taxi.

The airport bus is run by Best Arctic. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to the centre and stops at Moxy Hotel, Polaria, Storgata, Prostneset bus terminal, Scandic Ishavshotel and The Dock Hotel. Avinor adds that the airport bus also serves the university and the University Hospital of North Norway (UNN). The bus has its own luggage space, and Best Arctic says departures can be adjusted to flight arrivals. Best Arctic recommends buying the ticket online; on board you pay by card. Check the Best Arctic timetable page before you travel, since the details can change.

City bus 40 also stops at the airport. The ride to the centre takes about 15 to 20 minutes. City buses in Tromsø are part of Svipper, the public transport network of Troms county. Since 1 February 2026 the buses no longer accept cash: you pay with the Svipper app, at a ticket machine or with Visa or Mastercard on board. Our page on getting around Tromsø explains the tickets in more detail.

The taxi stand is directly outside the arrivals hall, and a taxi to the centre takes about 10 minutes. Visit Tromsø and Avinor between them name Tromsø Taxi, Din Taxi, My taxi and Taxi 1 as local companies. Prices vary between operators.

By train and bus via Narvik

There is no railway line to Tromsø. The nearest station is Narvik, which connects to the Swedish line through Abisko and Kiruna to Stockholm. Travellers coming from Sweden can take the train to Narvik and continue by bus.

In winter, Best Arctic runs a daily bus between Narvik railway station and Prostneset in Tromsø. According to Visit Narvik, it operates from 1 December to 31 March, makes 9 stops along the way and takes about 4 hours. Visit Tromsø also lists bus connections from Tromsø to Narvik, Alta and Fauske all year, and daily departures from Bodø and Fauske via Narvik. Fauske is the alternative rail point: the train runs there from Oslo via Trondheim, and you switch to the bus.

By bus from Finland

Visit Tromsø lists buses from Helsinki, Rovaniemi and Kilpisjärvi to Tromsø. They run all summer and, in the winter season, from 1 December to 31 March. For anyone combining Finnish Lapland and northern Norway in one trip, this is the overland link. Check the operator's timetable for the exact days, as the source does not give a daily frequency.

By ship along the coast

Hurtigruten and Havila sail between Bergen and Kirkenes all year and call at Tromsø twice a day, once on the northbound route and once on the southbound route. Visit Tromsø gives rough sailing times to Tromsø of about 64 hours from Bergen, 51 hours from Trondheim, 24 hours from Bodø and 17 hours from Svolvær. Coming from the north, it is about 35 hours from Kirkenes and 18 hours from Honningsvåg.

Arriving by sea in winter means sailing through the polar night if you travel between late November and mid-January. Check the shipping company for arrival times in Tromsø, since the tourist pages we checked do not list them.

Driving to Tromsø

Visit Tromsø describes Arctic roads as narrow and winding and warns that they may be icy or slippery in winter. When avalanches threaten a road, Statens vegvesen can close it at short notice. If you plan to drive, read the rules for tyres and road conditions on our getting around page first. Visit Tromsø itself recommends public transport or organised tours with transport included rather than driving yourself in winter.

Which way suits your trip

For a short winter break, flying is usually the practical choice, either direct on one of the seasonal routes or via Oslo. The rail and bus route via Narvik works if you are already travelling in Sweden, and the bus from Finland fits a combined Lapland trip between December and March. The coastal ships suit you if the journey itself is part of the holiday. Whichever you choose, plan your arrival with the best time to visit in mind, as the light changes a lot between October and April.