Best Ways to Get to The Lofoten Islands, Norway

Hello everybody, in today's episode we will talk about all the different ways of getting to the Lofoten Islands. This episode will be packed with information, so let's get started. Lofoten is an archipelago consisting of about 80 small islands located in northern Norway, about 300 kilometers to the north of the Arctic Circle. The archipelago extends from the 67th to the 69th parallel and it's roughly 150 kilometers long. It's not exactly easy to reach the Lofoten Islands, but you won't regret doing it. Once there you will find charming fishing villages, white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and majestic mountains. Lofoten is an arctic paradise that you've got to put on your bucket list. There are many ways to get to the Lofoten Islands. You can get there by plane, ferry, bus, car and even ship. In this video we will discuss every conceivable way of getting to Lofoten and the pros and cons of all of them. We will start by looking at how to get to Lofoten by car. Many people enter Lofoten in the west by taking a ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. This ferry takes cars, but we do not recommend renting a car in Bodø if you have just arrived in the city. This is because the extra price for bringing your vehicle back and forth on the ferry is around 200 dollars, so you would actually save that amount by renting your car next to the Moskenes ferry terminal. Wasn't this information worth a click on the thumbs up button? Thank you very much! The car rental in Moskenes is, not surprisingly, very popular, so make sure to book in advance. However, if you arrive in Bodø with your own car or travel by foot, choosing this ferry takes you directly to the most spectacular area in Lofoten. In addition to the Bodø-Moskenes ferry, there is a passenger only express ferry in the summer that takes you from Bodø to Svolvær. Another way to enter Lofoten is by ferry in the southeast. Either you can take the Skudvik-Svolvær ferry, which only runs in the summer, or the ferry from Bognes to Løvingen. We recommend taking either of these ferries instead of driving around through Narvik, simply because then you spend unnecessary hours driving in Ofoten, not Lofoten. In addition, these ferries are cheaper than the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. On the other hand, you have to spend more time driving. There is a ferry going from Senja to Annanäs, and then you are only a few hours drive from Lofoten. This ferry is a good alternative for those who want to add Senja to their itinerary, which you definitely should. However, check the ferry schedule in advance, since this ferry only goes three times a day in the busiest part of the season. What is more, it only operates during the summer months. If you travel on the E6 from the north via the mainland, you drive onto the E10 through Lofoten. There are no ferries on this stretch. However, if you travel by car from the south and think you can avoid the ferries altogether, you might be shocked when you turn up at the ferry terminal in Bognes in the evening after the last ferry has gone, and then you have to wait for up to 12 hours for the next ferry in the morning. And then you might think it's a good idea to drive around somehow. If you look at this map, you see that you are probably better off just pitching your tent somewhere at the side of the Even during the day in the off-season, you often have to wait up to two hours between some ferries, so it's always a good idea to check the schedule. The ferry schedules are one of the most helpful pieces of information in our Lofoten map. Unfortunately, the Norwegian ferry system is a mess, and even if you understand Norwegian, it's often hard to find this information online. In addition, some ferries have different schedules for the summer and winter, some stop operating entirely during the winter months, and others are taken out of service due to repairs and maintenance. Nevertheless, we update our map regularly, so using it will save you a lot of nerves, time and money. Let's move on to how to get to Lofoten by airplane. We will start with the local airports. There are two local airports in Lofoten, located in Svalbard and Leknes. However, they are mostly used for smaller domestic flights, and flying there can be expensive. Moreover, if you arrive in either Leknes or Svalbard, there is no bus connection at the airport, and you either have to get a taxi or walk. However, it's not too far from either airport to the city centers if you're travelling light, and most accommodations also offer transfer for an additional fee. Then we continue with the larger airports. Most people travelling to Lofoten by plane will arrive in Bodø Airport or Evenes Airport. From Evenes, you can take a bus directly from the airport, that drives all the way to Å at the end of Bodø. Or you can rent a car at the airport. Crossing the whole of Lofoten will take you about 5 hours of driving. If you land in Bodø, you can take a taxi or bus from the airport to the city center, and walk to the ferry terminal. Let's move on to how to get to Lofoten by train. The Norwegian train company we previously called NSB takes you from most cities in the south of Norway to Bodø. But if you are in, let's say Bergen, and you want to travel to Bodø by train, it will take some time. This is because the train first has to go to Oslo, before a new train takes you to Trondheim, where you catch another train towards Bodø. So it will take you well above 24 hours, and it will in most cases cost more than a plane ticket both ways. Public transportation between western and northern Norway is challenging, and planes are often the fastest and cheapest option. However, if you're travelling from Oslo or Trondheim to Bodø, you might find some cheap train tickets from time to time. But it is still time consuming. For example, Oslo to Bodø by train will take approximately 18 hours. You can also travel to Lofoten by boat. The Norwegian cruise company Hurtigruten runs between Bergen and Kirkenes the whole year, and it allows you even to bring your car. Getting to Lofoten via Hurtigruten might therefore be a good option for some. Travelling with Hurtigruten is a very comfortable mode of transportation, where you will enjoy some spectacular views of the Norwegian coast on the way. What is more, it might be cheaper than you think. Sailing between Trondheim and Svolvær with a car for two people with a cabin costs between 1600 and 1800 Norwegian kroner per person. Considering all the gas you save by not having to drive that 900 kilometers, money saved on the ferry over to Lofoten, and accommodation between Trondheim and Svolvær, it is a reasonably cheap mode of transportation. And it is just a great experience to sit up on deck either inside or outside and watch the fantastic nature, while looking forward to exploring Lofoten fully rested. That's it from us today. We hope you enjoyed this video and that it gave you some valuable information. If it did, make sure to hit the like button and consider subscribing if you would like to learn more about travelling in Lofoten. Until next time, take care!