Tromsø

Facts last verified 2026-10-06

Tromsø is a popular starting point for a trip to the Norwegian Arctic. The centre sits on the small island of Tromsøya, about 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. The municipality had 79,932 residents in the second quarter of 2026, and the university, founded in 1968, keeps the town lively all year.

Tromsø got its town status in 1794. From the 1820s it grew as a centre for Arctic sealing and hunting, and in the 19th and early 20th centuries it was a base for polar expeditions, which is why you’ll still hear it called the gateway to the Arctic. Today most visitors come for the northern lights in winter or the midnight sun in summer, and use the town as a comfortable base for tours into the fjords and mountains.

Getting there

By air. Most visitors fly. Tromsø Airport Langnes is about 5 km from the centre. There are several daily flights from Oslo, taking about 1 hour 50 minutes, plus domestic flights from other Norwegian cities and direct flights from several European destinations.

From the airport you have two bus options:

• Airport Express Bus (run by Bussring) stops at several hotels in the centre and has luggage space. In autumn 2026 an adult one-way ticket was NOK 125 and a return NOK 200, paid online or by card on board (no cash). The trip takes about 20 minutes. You can’t buy these tickets in the Svipper app.
• City buses 24, 26, 40 and 42 stop at the airport at the regular city fare, but there is limited room for luggage. Buy tickets in the Svipper app.

A taxi or bus to the centre takes about 10 to 20 minutes.

By coastal ship. Hurtigruten and Havila sail between Bergen and Kirkenes all year and call at Tromsø twice a day. The ships berth at the Prostneset terminal in the centre. From Bergen the voyage takes about 64 hours.

By bus or train. There is no railway to Tromsø. The nearest stations are Narvik and Fauske, and long-distance buses connect Tromsø with Narvik, Fauske and Alta all year. See Getting around Norway for the bigger picture.

On to Svalbard. SAS normally flies to Longyearbyen several times a week all year, directly and via Tromsø, with more flights from March to August. The flight takes about 1½ hours. Svalbard is outside Schengen, so there is an identity check and you need a passport or national ID card; see The Svalbard Guide’s Getting there.

Getting around

City buses run every day; the Svipper app is the easiest way to plan journeys and buy tickets, and you can also pay by card on board, but not with cash. Regional buses leave from Prostneset: route 420 serves Kvaløya and the coast, and route 425 goes to Ersfjordbotn. Timetables change with the season, so check the app before you set out.

The Tromsø Bridge links the island to Tromsdalen and the Arctic Cathedral on the mainland. It is being renovated in 2026: from 17 August to 1 November 2026 it is closed to ordinary traffic, scheduled buses may cross between 07:00 and 17:00, and you can walk or cycle across at any time. Cars use the E8 Tromsøysund tunnel instead.

Driving in winter needs care. You need tyres suited to the conditions, with at least 3 mm of tread in winter; in Northern Norway studded tyres may be used from 16 October to 30 April. Braking distances on snow and ice are much longer, and towns are far apart. Carry warm clothing, food, drink and a shovel, and check road reports on vegvesen.no (phone 175 in Norway) and the forecast on yr.no. Visit Tromsø recommends public transport if you haven’t driven in Arctic winter conditions before.

When to go

Tromsø’s seasons are defined by the light:

• Northern lights: from late August to early April. You need darkness and a clear or partly clear sky. The best hours are usually 20:00 to 02:00, though the aurora can appear at other times.
• Polar night: roughly 27 November to 15 January, the sun stays below the horizon. There are still a few hours of twilight around midday, often in pink, purple and deep blue. Because of the mountains, the sun usually isn’t visible from the centre until late January.
• Midnight sun: usually from about 20 May to 22 July, the sun doesn’t set.

Winter in the city averages around −4 °C, but on tours outside town be ready for anything from −25 °C to 5 °C; the mountains are much colder than the centre. Dress in layers with wool next to the skin, keep your hands, feet and head warm, and bring ice grips for the streets. Many tour operators lend thermal suits and boots.

No one can guarantee the northern lights. To give yourself the best chance, stay several nights and get away from the city lights: most people join a tour that drives to wherever the sky is clearest.

Things to see and do

• Fjellheisen. The cable car runs from Solliveien in Tromsdalen up to Storsteinen, 421 metres above sea level, in about four minutes. The view over the town and islands is superb, and on a clear, dark night between September and April it’s a good place to watch for the aurora. Take city bus 26 from the centre. It closes in strong wind. Visit Tromsø advises against the Sherpa Stairs up the mountainside when they are covered in snow or ice; take the cable car instead.
• The Arctic Cathedral (Ishavskatedralen, officially Tromsdalen Church), designed by Jan Inge Hovig and dedicated in 1965, is the town’s landmark. Victor Sparre’s glass mosaic was added in 1972. It hosts concerts; see the church’s site for the current programme.
• Polaria, an Arctic experience centre and aquarium, has bearded seals, harbour seals and a ringed seal.
• The Polar Museum, part of the Arctic University Museum of Norway, covers Roald Amundsen’s expeditions, seal hunting and trappers, including an original trapper’s hut from Svalbard. The main university museum has exhibitions on Sámi culture.
• Tours run all year: boat trips, fjord excursions, kayaking, hiking in summer, and in winter dog sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and visits to learn about Sámi culture and reindeer.

Where to stay

• The centre of Tromsøya is the most convenient: you can walk to restaurants, museums and the harbour, and the Airport Express stops at several hotels.
• Tromsdalen, across the sound, is close to Fjellheisen and the Arctic Cathedral.
• Kvaløya and the outlying islands have holiday homes and cabins away from the city lights, but you’ll need a car or a tour to get around.

In the northern lights season the town is busy, so book early.

Day trips

• Whale watching, usually from early November to the end of January, takes you north of Tromsø, in recent years mainly around Skjervøy and Kvænangen, to see orcas and humpback whales feeding on herring. Sightings aren’t guaranteed.
• Kvaløya and Ersfjordbotn can be reached by regional bus (routes 420 and 425) or on a tour.

Good to know

• Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club) are accepted almost everywhere; you rarely need cash.
• Tap water is clean and safe to drink.
• Emergency numbers: 112 police, 113 ambulance, 110 fire.