In Brief
How do I get from Oslo to Tromso?
Fly direct from Oslo Airport to Tromso Airport in 1 hour 55 minutes to 2 hours with SAS or Norwegian. There is no direct train to Tromso. The fastest all-surface journey combines two trains, two regional buses, and an express boat via Fauske and Harstad, taking 27 hours 13 minutes.
Key takeaways
- Direct flights operate year-round, taking 1 hour 55 minutes gate-to-gate per Norwegian or 2 hours 00 minutes block time per Avinor's SAS schedule.
- The Norwegian rail network ends at Bodo on Bane NOR line F7; reaching Tromso requires continuing by regional bus.
- The fastest surface chain takes 27 hours 13 minutes using five vehicles: two trains, two buses, and an express boat arriving at Prostneset.
- Driving covers roughly 1,749 km via the E6, crossing Saltfjellet where convoy driving (kolonnekjoring) restricts passage to 20 cars behind a snowplough.
- Tromso has 48 days of polar night from 28 November 2026 to 14 January 2027, with the sun continuously below the horizon per the US Naval Observatory.
Pick your budget
Budget
Local city bus connections and self-guided surface transit
Coach
County bus connections across Nordland and Troms using Svipper and Reis Nordland scheduled routes
- Most popular
Mid-range
Direct scheduled air services from Oslo Gardermoen
Flight
Non-stop scheduled flights taking around two hours gate-to-gate into Tromso Airport Langnes
Splurge
Multi-day coastal voyage cabin berths from Bergen
Coastal voyage via Bergen
Bergen line rail transfer followed by four days aboard Havila or Hurtigruten along the coast
The 2 days at a glance
One part of the island or city per day, so you spend your time looking at things rather than riding between them.
| Day | Area | What it covers | Paid entries | Pre-book? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Train as far as it goes, then bus | 27 hours 13 minutes to about 28 hours (5 vehicles) | No through fare published; separate tickets per operator | SJ Norge night trains sell via Entur; county buses are not pre-booked |
| 2 | Train to Narvik through Sweden, then bus | Swedish timetable unestablished; Narvik bus takes 3h 55m to 4h 16m | Fares not published on operator pages checked | Stockholm to Narvik night train operated via sj.se; bus paid locally |
| 3 | Flight | 1 hour 55 minutes to 2 hours 00 minutes | Fares not quoted by instruction; dynamic pricing | Book direct with SAS, Norwegian, or Wideroe |
| 4 | Coastal voyage via Bergen | About 4 days (train 6h 35m to Bergen, then ship 3d 17h 45m) | Fares not published without travel dates and cabin selection | Havila schedules published through 2028; Hurtigruten sails all year round |
| 5 | Coach | No through coach from Oslo; regional legs take 8 to 10 hours | Svipper Troms single adult bus ticket is 50 NOK (30 NOK off-peak) | Reis Nordland and Svipper buses do not use seat reservations |
| 6 | Driving | Roughly 1,749 km (modelled 25 hours 22 minutes driving time) | No agency toll or fuel figures published | Winter tyres mandatory; download RoadTech Convoy Guard app for Saltfjellet |
Journey times, schedules, and transport rules are sourced directly from SJ Norge, Vy, Bane NOR, Entur, Reis Nordland, Svipper, Avinor, Norwegian, Havila, Hurtigruten, and Statens vegvesen checked in September 2026. Astronomical twilight and polar night figures are verified by the US Naval Observatory and MET Norway. Flight and long-distance surface fares are not quoted as static figures because operators publish no fixed walk-up rates.
Check today's Tromso attraction pricesCompare tickets and timed entries for your datesDay 1: Oslo to Tromso flight: what the airport's schedule shows for winter
Oslo Airport railway station, Tromso Airport terminal
Flying is the fastest way to travel from Oslo to Tromso. Norwegian publishes an estimated flight time of 1 hour 55 minutes calculated gate to gate and operates direct services year-round in both summer and winter schedules. Avinor schedules carried in the national journey planner Entur list scheduled block times of 2 hours 00 minutes for SAS rotations on weekdays in November and December 2026. Flights depart from Oslo Airport Gardermoen, which connects to Oslo S via Flytoget in 19 to 22 minutes per Entur data.
14:30
Afternoon Departure from Oslo Gardermoen on SAS
Departing Oslo Gardermoen at 14:30, SAS flight service reaches Tromso Airport at 16:30. Taking an afternoon flight delivers you into northern Norway 2 hours 36 minutes after civil twilight ends on the winter solstice reference date of 22 December 2026, leaving the full evening available for dark-sky aurora viewings. Avinor's schedule shows six SAS departures on weekdays in late 2026, alongside five Norwegian flights noted on autumn schedules and live feeds. SAS includes coffee and tea on board, while static flight fares are not quoted by policy.
- Price
- Price: Dynamic pricing (fares not quoted by policy)
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Oslo Airport Gardermoen (OSL)
- The catch
- The catch: The scheduled flight lands you into Tromso Airport in darkness, where February records show only 33 percent of evenings carry a 0 to 2 okta clear-sky observation at the automated weather station.
16:30
Arrival at Tromso Airport Langnes and Svipper City Bus Transfer
Landing at Tromso Airport Langnes, travellers exit the single terminal to connect to the town centre. Wideroe publishes that the airport is roughly 15 kilometres from the centre, requiring a 15 to 20 minute journey by road. Svipper city buses 40, 42, and 26 run from the airport to the central Prostneset harbour terminal in 20 to 26 minutes, each concluding with a 200 to 380 metre walk. Adult single bus fares cost 50 NOK during peak hours and 30 NOK during weekday off-peak hours.
- Price
- Price: 50 NOK adult single bus fare (30 NOK off-peak)
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Tromso Airport Langnes (TOS)
- The catch
- The catch: Tromso Airport sits outside the central harbour district, requiring a separate bus transfer or road ride with luggage in sub-zero winter conditions.
Skip this: Midday flight arrivals if your aim is catching immediate Arctic darkness
The 10:00 SAS flight departure from Oslo arrives at Tromso Airport at 12:00, landing in midday civil twilight when the sky is at its brightest rather than in usable darkness.
Day 2: Oslo to Tromso by train: where the railway actually stops
Oslo S, Trondheim S, Fauske, Bodo, Narvik bus terminal, Tromso Prostneset
There is no direct railway to Tromso. Bane NOR confirms on its official line index that the connected Norwegian railway network ends at Bodo on line F7 (the Nordland line). Reaching Tromso entirely by public surface transport requires taking the Dovre line from Oslo S to Trondheim S, switching to the Nordland line to Fauske or Bodo, and completing the remaining 500 kilometres on regional county buses.
16:02
Dovre Line Departure from Oslo S to Trondheim
Dynamic pricing via EnturDeparting Oslo S at 16:02, SJ Norge train service runs along the Dovre line (Dovrebanen) across 549 kilometres, reaching Trondheim S at 22:45. SJ Norge publishes the Oslo to Trondheim journey time as about 7 hours. Tickets are sold via Entur, the Norwegian national journey planner. Standard, Premium, and Premium Pluss seating are available, but SJ Norge publishes no static base fares on route overview pages.
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Oslo S
- The catch
- The catch: SJ Norge publishes no fixed walk-up ticket fares, requiring booking through Entur where prices fluctuate based on demand.
23:05
Nordland Line Night Train from Trondheim S to Fauske
Dynamic pricing via EnturTransferring at Trondheim S, board the Nordland line (Nordlandsbanen) night train departing at 23:05. The full rail line to Bodo covers 729 kilometres in around ten hours. Passengers continuing towards Tromso alight earlier at Fauske station at 08:11, bypassing the Bodo terminus. The train provides sleeping compartments, a 24-hour cafe, and a welcome pack with water, chocolate, and earplugs. SJ Norge issues a wake-up call 15 minutes before the terminus.
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Trondheim S
- The catch
- The catch: Tap water inside the sleeping compartments is not drinkable according to SJ Norge, and toilets are shared at carriage ends.
08:35
Nordland County Bus 100 to Narvik
At Fauske station, step directly from the train platform to board Nordland county bus 100 at 08:35, operated by Reis Nordland. The bus covers roughly 259 kilometres, arriving at Storjord at 11:23 to make a two-minute transfer to the connecting coach reaching Narvik bus terminal at 13:35. County bus tickets are managed separately from rail tickets and cannot be booked on a single through reservation.
- Price
- Price: Separate county bus fare (unquoted by operator)
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Fauske station
- The catch
- The catch: The bus journey requires a tight two-minute connection at Storjord to reach Narvik by 13:35.
15:45
Troms County Bus 100 Arrival at Tromso Prostneset
From Narvik bus terminal, board Troms county bus 100 operated by Svipper at 15:45. The bus covers 248 kilometres over 4 hours 16 minutes, arriving at Tromso Prostneset harbour terminal at 20:01. On 22 December 2026, this arrival puts you into Tromso 6 hours 07 minutes after civil twilight ends, directly inside the prime 20:00 to 02:00 aurora window published by Visit Tromso.
- Price
- Price: Separate county bus fare (unquoted by operator)
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Narvik bus terminal
- The catch
- The catch: Total surface transit time reaches about 28 hours across five different vehicles and multiple booking systems.
Skip this: The daylight Nordland train if your aim is seeing snowy scenery
The daytime train from Trondheim arrives in Bodo at 17:42, which is 2 hours 52 minutes after civil twilight ends on 22 December, forcing you to sit by a dark window for the Arctic portion.
Day 3: Train to Narvik through Sweden, then bus
Stockholm Central, Narvik station, Narvik bus terminal, Tromso Prostneset
The only railway reaching northern Norway close to Tromso operates via Sweden. Bane NOR confirms that line F8 (the Ofoten line, or Ofotbanen) runs from Stockholm, Boden, and Lulea across the border at Bjornfjell to terminate at Narvik station. Travellers on this route take the Swedish night train to Narvik and complete the journey to Tromso on Troms county bus 100.
Swedish Night Train Arrival at Narvik Station
Bane NOR line F8 delivers passengers directly into Narvik railway station at Stasjonsveien 1. Bane NOR points travellers to sj.se for booking, though the Swedish rail operator's timetables and frequencies could not be read during research. The station features the Arctic Train Cafe open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, but has no luggage lockers. Track maintenance works were scheduled by Bane NOR between Narvik and Bjornfjell through late October 2026.
- Price
- Price: Dynamic pricing via sj.se (unestablished)
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Narvik station
- The catch
- The catch: Narvik station lacks luggage lockers, and Swedish rail operator timetables could not be verified on operator sites.
Transfer Walk and Svipper Bus 100 to Tromso
Narvik railway station and Narvik bus terminal sit in separate locations. Walking from the rail platform at Stasjonsveien 1 to the bus terminal on Bolagsgata covers 1,174 metres and takes roughly 16 minutes on foot. From the bus terminal, Svipper line 100 runs departures to Tromso Prostneset at 05:35 (arriving 09:30, covering 236 km) and 15:45 (arriving 20:01, covering 248 km). Both routes end at Prostneset harbour.
- Price
- Price: Separate county bus fare (unquoted by operator)
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Narvik bus terminal
- The catch
- The catch: You must haul luggage on a 1,174-metre walk through winter streets between the train station and bus terminal.
Skip this: Relying on the Norwegian national planner for the Swedish rail portion
Entur returns no rail itineraries between Oslo S and Narvik station because the line runs entirely through Sweden and excludes domestic Swedish schedules.
Day 4: Coastal voyage: the Bergen line to Bergen, then the coastal ship to Tromso
Oslo S, Bergen station, Nostegaten coastal terminal, Tromso Prostneset
The coastal voyage links southern Norway to Lapland by sea, but it does not depart from Oslo. Travellers take the Bergen line across the mountains from Oslo S to Bergen, then board a northbound coastal vessel operated by Havila Kystruten or Hurtigruten. The sea journey from Bergen to Tromso takes just under four days, calling at ports along the Atlantic coast.
08:25
Vy Bergen Line Train from Oslo S to Bergen
Vy operates the Bergen line (line F4) departing Oslo S across 482 rail kilometres to Bergen station. The scheduled journey takes between 6 hours 35 minutes and 7 hours 20 minutes, with the 08:25 departure reaching Bergen at 15:00. This afternoon arrival provides ample time to reach the coastal ship terminal at Nostegaten 30, where check-in operates between 15:30 and 20:00 ahead of departure.
- Price
- Price: Dynamic pricing via Vy and Entur
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Oslo S
- The catch
- The catch: The Bergen line crosses exposed mountain plateau passes where winter weather can cause timetable delays.
20:30
Northbound Coastal Voyage Departure from Bergen to Tromso
Vessels depart Bergen at 20:30 on day 1. Havila publishes exact port schedules: northbound ships call at Trondheim, Bodo, and Harstad before docking at Tromso Prostneset at 14:15 on day 5. Hurtigruten operates the same state-contracted 34-port route year-round, reporting an afternoon arrival on day 5 with four hours ashore. The voyage from Bergen takes 3 days 17 hours 45 minutes by subtraction.
- Price
- Price: Dynamic cabin pricing (fares not published without dates)
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Bergen Nostegaten terminal
- The catch
- The catch: The coastal voyage requires nearly four full days at sea to reach Tromso, compared to a two-hour flight.
Skip this: Searching for coastal ship departures leaving directly from Oslo harbour
Neither Hurtigruten nor Havila sails from Oslo; all coastal express voyages to northern Norway begin on the west coast at Bergen.
Day 5: How to get to Tromso, mode by mode: regional bus connections
Oslo bussterminal, Fauske station, Lodingen ferry quay, Harstad Byterminal, Tromso Prostneset
There is no direct through coach from Oslo to Tromso. The national journey planner Entur returns zero all-coach itineraries between the two cities. Long-distance buses in Norway operate regionally: Nordland fylkeskommune runs Reis Nordland services north from Fauske, while Troms fylkeskommune operates Svipper buses into Tromso. Oslo bussterminal sits 658 metres from Oslo S, but coaches departing there do not travel to Arctic Norway.
08:35
Fauske to Lodingen Ferry Quay on Nordland Bus 100
After reaching Fauske by rail, travellers heading along the coastal shortcut board Nordland county bus 100 at 08:35. The bus travels north through Nordland county, terminating at Lodingen ferry quay at 12:43. Regional buses carry standard coach seating without pre-bookable seat reservations, operating as rural scheduled transit links connecting fjord communities.
- Price
- Price: Regional bus fare (unquoted by operator)
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Fauske station
- The catch
- The catch: Regional buses offer basic standard transit seating and do not accept advance seat reservations.
13:00
Troms Bus 250 and Express Boat 2 into Tromso Prostneset
From Lodingen, walk 200 metres to catch Troms bus 250 departing at 13:00, reaching Harstad Byterminal at 14:25. A two-minute walk connects to Harstad quay for Svipper express boat 2 departing at 16:15. The boat covers 151 kilometres over water via Finnsnes, arriving at Tromso Prostneset express boat quay at 19:15. This produces the fastest surface chain from Oslo S: 27 hours 13 minutes door to door.
- Price
- Price: Separate county bus and express boat fares
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Harstad Byterminal
- The catch
- The catch: The connection at Lodingen ferry quay allows only 17 minutes of transfer slack between the arriving bus and departing coach.
Skip this: Walking from Oslo S to Oslo bus terminal looking for Tromso coaches
Oslo bus terminal has no long-distance coach routes serving Tromso, so buying bus tickets out of Oslo will not get you to Lapland.
Day 6: Driving: winter tyre rules and convoy driving over Saltfjellet
Oslo S, E6 Arctic Circle crossing, Saltfjellet pass, Tromso centre
Driving from Oslo to Tromso covers roughly 1,749 kilometres along the E6, according to routing engine data. Statens vegvesen, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, publishes no official door-to-door distance. The journey crosses Saltfjellet, the high mountain pass where the highway crosses the Arctic Circle. Winter driving is subject to strict tyre legislation and mandatory convoy driving behind snowploughs.
Legal Winter Equipment and Tyre Regulations
Statens vegvesen mandates that vehicle tyres have a tread depth of at least 3 millimetres during winter. In the northern counties of Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark, this 3 mm rule and the permission to use studded tyres apply strictly from 16 October to 30 April. In Oslo and southern Norway, the rule takes effect later on 1 November. Drivers must carry winter tyres, chains, or equivalent equipment whenever road conditions require adequate grip.
- Price
- Price: Hire car and fuel costs unquoted
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Oslo E6 departure point
- The catch
- The catch: Hiring a car in Oslo in late October can leave you non-compliant once crossing into Nordland, where winter tyre rules start earlier.
Convoy Driving (Kolonnekjoring) Over Saltfjellet Pass
During severe weather, Statens vegvesen closes Saltfjellet to regular traffic and institutes convoy driving (kolonnekjoring). Convoys are led and trailed by snowploughs and restricted to a maximum of 20 cars. Statens vegvesen uses the free multilingual RoadTech Convoy Guard app to communicate with drivers. In the 2019-20 winter, the agency recorded 51 closures of the Saltfjellet pass by late February, exceeding its ten-year average of 30 closures.
- Price
- Price: 0 NOK (RoadTech Convoy Guard app is free)
- Nearest station
- Nearest station: Saltfjellet mountain pass
- The catch
- The catch: Convoy crews can reject drivers lacking full winter clothing, adequate fuel, or proper tyre equipment, leaving motorists stranded at pass gates.
Skip this: Relying on generic 25-hour summer GPS navigation estimates in winter
Modelled driving times of roughly 25 hours assume dry summer roads and completely ignore mountain pass closures and convoy queues over Saltfjellet.
Choosing Between Flight Speed and Surface Transit
The 6 transport options divide sharply between a direct two-hour flight and surface routes taking between 27 hours and four days. Choosing your mode determines how much of your itinerary is spent in transit versus watching the sky.
- Flying on SAS or Norwegian delivers you to Tromso in around two hours, landing in time for evening aurora excursions if you take the 14:30 or 18:35 departures from Oslo.
- The all-surface route via the Nordland line and regional buses requires five separate vehicle legs and at least 27 hours 13 minutes of continuous travel.
- Driving roughly 1,749 km requires crossing Saltfjellet, where Statens vegvesen recorded 51 pass closures in a single winter by late February and limits convoys to 20 vehicles.
- The coastal voyage provides scenic transit along the Norwegian coastline but requires starting in Bergen and takes 3 days 17 hours 45 minutes on the water.
Take the direct flight if your primary goal is an Arctic holiday or aurora viewing in Tromso. Choose the 27-hour surface chain or the coastal ship only if the journey through northern Norway is the primary purpose of your trip.
What 2 days actually costs
Airlines, railway operators, and coastal cruise lines do not publish fixed walk-up fares for these routes, operating dynamic pricing models instead. Local transit in Troms follows fixed public transport tariffs set by Troms fylkeskommune under the Svipper brand.
| Svipper city bus single adult ticket (one zone, peak) | 50 NOK |
| Svipper city bus single adult ticket (weekday off-peak: 09:00-14:00, 17:00-01:00) | 30 NOK |
| Svipper city bus 24-hour adult pass (one zone) | 140 NOK |
| RoadTech Convoy Guard app (for Saltfjellet convoy driving) | 0 NOK |
220 NOK (combined local bus tariffs and tools; long-distance fares unquoted)
Local bus fares apply to Svipper services in Tromso, including routes 40, 42, and 26 connecting Tromso Airport to the Prostneset city terminal. Train, long-distance bus, ferry, flight, and car hire costs vary dynamically.
Where to stay for this itinerary
Most travellers arriving in Tromso base themselves near Prostneset harbour or along Storgata in the town centre. Prostneset serves as the shared arrival terminal for regional buses, express boats, and coastal steamers, and sits just 302 metres (a 4-minute walk) from Storgata. Staying in the central harbour area puts tour departures, airport bus connections, and dining within walking distance without requiring local taxi transfers in icy conditions.
City centre accommodation experiences light pollution from harbour infrastructure and street lighting, requiring travel outside town for optimal dark-sky aurora viewings.
- Free cancellation on most rooms
- No booking fee
- Prices on Trip.com
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