Practical tips for Tromsø

The centre of Tromsø is a good size for exploring on foot, cards are widely accepted, and the tap water is safe to drink. A few local rules still catch people out, mostly around cash, Sunday opening hours and alcohol. This page collects them in one place, with the official sources at the bottom. Opening hours and entry rules can change, so check the linked pages close to your trip.

Money, cards and cash

The currency is the Norwegian krone (NOK). Major credit and debit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club, are widely accepted throughout Norway. Cash is rarely used: in the most recent survey by Norges Bank, the central bank, only 3% of people paid cash for their latest purchase in a shop.

You can still pay cash. Since 1 October 2024 staffed shops that regularly sell to consumers must offer you the option to pay with cash. ATMs are widely available in central Tromsø and at the airport, and Visit Tromsø notes that because of bank fees, paying by card can work out cheaper than exchanging money. The Tourist Information Centre at Storgata 83 and several attractions accept some foreign currencies.

The one place where cash does not work is the bus. Since 1 February 2026 Svipper, the public transport service of Troms county, no longer takes cash on board its buses and express boats. Buy a ticket in the Svipper app, from a ticket machine or a sales outlet, or pay by Visa or Mastercard on board. Visa Electron is not accepted.

Plugs and time zone

Norway uses 230 V at 50 Hz with type C and F plugs, the ones with two round pins. All of Norway is on Central European Time, one hour ahead of UTC.

Emergencies and health

Save these numbers before you arrive:

• 110 fire
• 112 police; for other serious incidents the police number is 02800
• 113 ambulance and medical emergencies
• 116 117 out-of-hours doctor (legevakt)

Tromsø's emergency clinic (legevakt) is at the University Hospital of North Norway, UNN, at Sykehusvegen 30. It is open 24 hours a day, but you must always call 116 117 before you go. You cannot walk into the hospital's A&E department directly.

There are several pharmacies in the centre and in the shopping centres, with varying opening hours. On Sundays and public holidays the duty pharmacy is Vitusapotek Svanen at Killengrens gate 5 (Austadbygget), open from 18:00 to 20:00; check the current hours on Visit Tromsø. If you take regular medication, bring enough for the whole stay along with any paperwork you need.

Shops and Sundays

Normal shop hours in Tromsø are Monday to Friday 10:00 to 16:30 and Saturday 10:00 to 16:00. Grocery shops open longer, usually Monday to Friday 08:00 to 23:00 and Saturday 08:00 to 22:00. On Sunday almost everything is closed. The exceptions are petrol stations, kiosks, grocery shops with Sunday opening and gardening centres, and a few supermarkets open every day. In the run-up to Christmas, Norwegian law lets shops open from 14:00 to 20:00 on the last three Sundays before Christmas Eve.

Around the holidays, shops normally close at 13:00 on Christmas Eve and stay closed on 25 and 26 December. Easter 2027 falls in March, from Maundy Thursday on 25 March to Easter Monday on 29 March, with shops closed on the public holidays. Stock up on Saturday if you are self-catering.

Buying alcohol

Beer is sold in grocery shops, but with shorter hours than the shop itself: in Tromsø from 10:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday and from 10:00 to 18:00 on Saturday. Wine and spirits are only sold at Vinmonopolet, the state shop. Tromsø has three, each in a shopping centre: Jekta near the airport, Nerstranda in the centre and Pyramiden on the mainland side of the bridge. According to Visit Tromsø they open Monday to Friday 10:00 to 18:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 16:00; single shops can differ, so check before you go. The minimum age is 18 for beer and wine and 20 for spirits. More on local food and Tromsø's old beer hall is on our food and drink page.

Water and tipping

Tap water in Tromsø is very pure, often better than bottled water, and safe to drink straight from the tap. Fill a bottle before a day trip.

Tipping is common in Norway but not expected. If you are happy with the service at a restaurant or bar, adding around 10% to the bill is considered a standard tip. It is less usual to tip taxi drivers or other transport services.

Weather, roads and avalanches

For weather, use yr.no from MET Norway and NRK. Its page for the northern lights observatory in Tromsø also shows the aurora forecast and cloud cover. Before driving anywhere, check the weather and the road reports; from a Norwegian phone you can call 175 for road information.

If you plan to go into the mountains, check the avalanche forecast on Varsom.no or in the Varsom app first. The service is run by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), and during the regular season regional forecasts are published daily from 1 December to 31 May, before 16:00. In town, paths and streets can be slippery in winter, so read our notes on spikes and winter clothing.

Entry rules

Norway is not a member of the EU, but it takes part in the Schengen cooperation. According to Visit Norway, visitors from Schengen countries do not need to show a passport or visa when entering Norway. Carry your ID card or passport anyway.

The status of ETIAS, the planned EU travel authorisation, as of 13 October 2026: the Norwegian police state that it is not yet in operation and that no applications are being collected. The European Commission will announce the start date several months in advance. EU and EEA citizens will not need an ETIAS. For travellers from outside the EU and EEA, the Entry/Exit System (EES) stores your facial image, fingerprints and the time and place of entry and exit, and replaces the stamping of passports. Check politiet.no for the current rules shortly before you book.