Svipper city buses, the airport shuttle, express boats: in Tromsø you can easily do without a car, even in the depths of winter. This guide brings together the 2026 fares, the network map and the useful lines to reach the cathedral, the cable car, northern lights spots or Sommarøy. To plan the rest of your stay, see our complete guide to visiting Tromsø (in French).
Whether you arrive by plane, by cruise ship or travel by road, you will find here all the practical information to get around easily during your stay. We will cover in detail the city and regional buses, the sea links, the airport shuttle and many other topics.
From the airport to the city centre: shuttle, bus or taxi
Tromsø-Langnes airport is about 5 km from the centre, on the island of Tromsøya. Three ways to get into town:
| Option | Adult fare | Time | Where to catch it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flybuss shuttle (Airport Express) | 125 NOK one way, 200 NOK return | About 15 min | Outside the terminal; in town: The Dock Hotel, Scandic Ishavshotel, Prostneset, Storgata (Scandic Grand), Polaria, Moxy |
| City buses 40 and 42 (Svipper) | 50 NOK, 30 NOK on weekdays from 9 am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 1 am | A little longer (stops on the way) | Airport stop; ticket in the app or contactless card on board |
| Taxi | Around 250 to 400 NOK depending on the time and day | About 10 min | Fast Travel kiosks at the arrivals exit, taxi rank on the left |
The Flybuss shuttle run by Bussring is the easiest option with luggage: it has space for suitcases and stops near the big hotels. Tickets on board or online; one way costs 80 NOK for a child and 250 NOK for a family (Bussring fares).
City buses 40 and 42 are the cheapest option, especially off-peak. Buy your ticket in the Svipper app or pay by contactless card on board.
For a taxi, use a Fast Travel kiosk at the arrivals exit: it shows the price before you set off. Since the reform of 1 November 2025, more companies can operate and prices vary; the driver must tell you the price before the trip. You can also book with Tromsø Taxi on +47 77 60 30 00.
To leave, the shuttle and buses use the same stops: in winter, allow extra time for snow. The terminal, its services and flights are covered in our Tromsø airport guide (in French). Prefer to drive? See car hire in Tromsø (in French).
Public transport in Tromsø
Tromsø city centre is fairly compact and well suited to walking. Nevertheless, to visit more distant attractions like the Arctic Cathedral or the university museum, or simply to get around more comfortably when it is very cold, it will be useful to know the various public transport options.
City buses
The Svipper network serves the whole municipality of Tromsø, from the centre to the outlying neighbourhoods, every day from early morning to late evening.
On board, pay by contactless bank card (Visa or Mastercard): cash has not been accepted since 1 February 2026. A ticket costs the same price on board, in the app or at a sales point: 50 NOK in zone 1, and 30 NOK on weekdays from 9 am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 1 am. Sales points: Prostneset, several Narvesen kiosks, the 7-Eleven on Stortorget and the Jekta shopping centre.
Check the Svipper website for the timetables and fares of Tromsø's buses and transport.
Mobile app
The easiest thing is to download the official Svipper app before you leave. It replaces the old Troms Billett and Troms Mobillett apps and lets you buy bus and express boat tickets across Troms county (by card or Vipps), see departures in real time and plan a journey.
Tickets are not cheaper in the app than on board: the point is to buy yours in the warm before the bus arrives, then follow it on the live map, which is handy when it is -10 °C at the stop.
Passes and discounts
The 24-hour pass (140 NOK) pays off from three trips in a day. For a longer stay, expect 327 NOK for 7 days and 562 NOK for 30 days (adult, zone 1). Children aged 6 to 17 and seniors aged 67 and over pay half price (25 NOK for a single ticket, 70 NOK for the 24-hour pass); under-6s travel free with an adult. People aged 18 to 29 pay the adult fare in zone 1 but get a discount from two zones.
A good deal for families: at weekends and on public holidays, the “Familiepass helg” lets one adult take up to four children aged 6 to 17 for free, within one zone.
Night buses
On Friday and Saturday, night buses link the centre with some neighbourhoods at the usual fare. Their timetables change with the seasons: check them in Svipper before relying on them to get home after an evening out.
Accessibility
Most buses are accessible to people with reduced mobility. Prams, children's bikes and skis are accepted free of charge. For an adult bicycle, you need to buy a child ticket (25 NOK in zone 1).
Tromsø bus map
Svipper publishes the line map for Tromsø and its surroundings (“Linjekart Tromsø og omegn”), a map of the stops in the centre and the fare zone map: all can be downloaded from the Svipper network maps page. To see where your bus is right now, open the real-time map, also available in the app.
Fare zones
The bus network of Tromsø and its surroundings is divided into fare zones. The price of your ticket depends on the number of zones you cross during your journey.
The Svipper network has 14 zones, each with a name (Tromsø, Karlsøy og Lyngen, Balsfjord, Senja og Sørreisa…). On the zone map, the whole municipality of Tromsø forms the “Tromsø” zone: the island of Tromsøya, Tromsdalen on the cathedral side and the island of Kvaløya, as far as Ersfjordbotn and Sommarøy. Check the exact fare for your trip in the app before setting off.
You can check the number of zones for your journey:
- In the Svipper app, when searching for a route;
- On the Svipper zone map.
For example, a trip to Lyngen, in the neighbouring “Karlsøy og Lyngen” zone, costs more than a trip within Tromsø: the app calculates the fare according to the zones you cross.
If you change buses, your connection is included as long as your ticket remains valid in time/zones.
Tromsø bus fares
Single tickets
| Zones | Adult (30-66) | Young adult (18-29) | Child (6-17) and senior (67+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 zone | 50 NOK | 50 NOK | 25 NOK |
| 2 zones | 101 NOK | 76 NOK | 62 NOK |
| 3 zones | 202 NOK | 151 NOK | 124 NOK |
| 4 zones | 302 NOK | 227 NOK | 186 NOK |
| 5 zones | 403 NOK | 302 NOK | 248 NOK |
| 6 zones | 504 NOK | 378 NOK | 310 NOK |
| 7 zones | 605 NOK | 454 NOK | 372 NOK |
| 8 zones or more | 706 NOK | 529 NOK | 434 NOK |
- Off-peak travel (Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 01:00): 30 NOK
- On-board payment by contactless bank card only (Visa, Mastercard): cash has not been accepted since 1 February 2026
Svipper fares in force since 1 February 2026, checked on 13 October 2026 on the Svipper fares page.
24-hour tickets
| Zones | Adult (18-66) | Child and young person (6-17) | Senior (67+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 zone | NOK 140 | NOK 70 | NOK 70 |
- Valid for 24 hours from activation
- Pays off from three trips in a day
- Also available for two zones: 233 NOK for an adult, 117 NOK for a child or senior
Useful buses in winter
In winter, the bus is enough to reach most of the main sights on your own. Lines given by Visit Tromsø and the official websites, checked in October 2026:
- Arctic Cathedral (Tromsdalen): lines 20, 24, 26 and 28, stop Tromsdalen kirke. The Tromsø Bridge is closed to cars until 1 November 2026; until then, buses cross it from 7 am to 5 pm and use the tunnel in the evening. See the Arctic Cathedral (in French).
- Fjellheisen cable car: bus 26 from Torgsenteret, stop “Fjellheisen”. The cable car often closes in strong wind: check its status on fjellheisen.no before you go. See taking the Fjellheisen cable car (in French).
- Northern lights near town: Prestvannet lake, in the middle of the island, and Telegrafbukta bay, at its southern tip, can be reached on foot or by city bus (look up the stop in Svipper). Note the time of the last bus. To get away from the city lights, see our guide to the northern lights in Tromsø (in French).
- Ersfjordbotn and Sommarøy: regional buses 425 and 420, detailed below.
In very cold weather, the wait at the stop can feel long: read our advice on what to wear in Tromsø (in French) and allow extra time, as snow often delays buses.
Getting around the Tromsø region
Besides the city network, there are regional bus lines that let you discover the surroundings of Tromsø and in particular the magnificent landscapes of the islands and fjords.
Regional buses
Most regional buses leave from the Prostneset bus station, next to the tourist office. Buy your ticket in the app or by card on board: the price depends on the zones you cross. A few useful lines:
- Line 420: Sommarøy, via Hella and Brensholmen, in the south of the island of Kvaløya, west of Tromsø. Day return possible. See visiting Sommarøy (in French).
- Line 425: Ersfjordbotn, its fjord and mountains, on Kvaløya.
- Line 450: Tønsvik and Oldervik, on the mainland north of Tromsø.
Check the regional bus timetables to plan your outing: they change with the seasons.
The Arctic route
The Arctic Route, Best Arctic's coach network (with Bussring, Eskelisen and Vy), links Tromsø with the rest of the Far North. In winter, from 1 December to 31 March, its lines run to Rovaniemi, Narvik, Lyngen, Storslett and Senja; a “whale” line goes to Skjervøy from November to January. Each journey needs its own ticket.
Sea transport
In addition to the buses, Tromsø has sea links by ferry and express boat that let you reach the coastal islands and villages.
Express boats
Svipper express boats leave from the Prostneset quay, right in the centre: line 2 to Finnsnes and Harstad, line 3 to Skjervøy, line 4 to Vikran, Tennskjer and Lysnes, on Senja. Tickets in the Svipper app or by card on board, no cash.
Ferries
Svipper ferries link the islands and fjords around Tromsø: Breivikeidet-Svensby and Lyngseidet-Olderdalen towards the Lyngen Alps, Hansnes-Karlsøy-Vannøy to the north, Brensholmen-Botnhamn towards Senja. Kvaløya, for its part, is reached by road via the Sandnessund bridge.
Fares on the Svipper ferry page; timetables change with the seasons.
Payment on board the ferries
Foreign-registered cars must pay for their ferry crossing via the AutoPASS or FerryPay services, by bank card. It is not possible to pay in cash.
Hurtigruten cruises
The legendary ships of the Hurtigruten company run the daily service along the Norwegian coast, from Bergen to Kirkenes. They call at Tromsø. It is a chance to discover the impressive landscapes of the Arctic coast!
Transport to and from Tromsø cruise port
When you arrive in or leave Tromsø aboard a cruise ship, you will probably need to reach the city centre.
The Breivika cruise port is about 4 km from the city centre.
- During cruise calls, a shuttle often links the port with the city centre.
- City bus 42 also links the Breivika port with the city centre.
Practical transport tips for Tromsø
Here are a few extra tips to help you use public transport in Tromsø:
- Buy your ticket before boarding (app or sales point): boarding is quicker, especially at the stops in the centre.
- Allow extra time in winter: snow and ice often delay buses, especially if you have a connection or a flight.
- Dress warmly: at -10 °C, waiting at the stop quickly feels long. See what to wear in Tromsø (in French).
- Keep your ticket: checks are carried out regularly.
- Avoid peak hours: buses are often crowded in the morning, especially towards the university, and a ticket costs only 30 NOK from 9 am to 2 pm.
- Prostneset, the bus station next to the tourist office, is the departure point for regional buses and express boats.
- Stay in the centre to be close to the main lines: see where to stay in Tromsø (in French).
Frequently asked questions about Tromsø buses
In the Svipper app, at sales points (Prostneset, Narvesen kiosks, the 7-Eleven on Stortorget, the Jekta shopping centre) or on board by contactless bank card. Cash has not been accepted on board since 1 February 2026.
50 NOK per trip in zone 1 for an adult, 30 NOK on weekdays from 9 am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 1 am. The 24-hour pass costs 140 NOK, the 7-day pass 327 NOK and the 30-day pass 562 NOK (Svipper fares checked in October 2026).
No, the price is the same in the app, at sales points and on board. The app is mainly useful for buying before boarding and following buses in real time.
Yes. On board, the card must be contactless (Visa or Mastercard) and work offline. In the app, you pay by card or Vipps.
Yes. Children aged 6 to 17 and seniors aged 67 and over pay 25 NOK for a single ticket, and under-6s travel free with an adult. People aged 18 to 29 get a reduced fare from two zones. At weekends and on public holidays, the Familiepass helg lets one adult take up to four children for free within one zone.
By Flybuss shuttle (125 NOK, about 15 minutes), city buses 40 and 42 (50 NOK, 30 NOK off-peak) or taxi (around 250 to 400 NOK, price shown at the kiosk).
No. It gives access to the cable car, museums and Polaria, but buses are paid separately: the 140 NOK 24-hour pass remains the best option for a busy day.
No, there is no validation on Tromsø buses. Keep your ticket or phone handy: checks take place.
Yes, prams, children's bikes and skis travel free. An adult bike needs a child ticket (25 NOK in zone 1).
The Svipper app has a feature for buying a ticket for another person, provided that person is logged in to Svipper on their phone.
In short
By following our tips, you will have no trouble using the buses, ferries and express boats during your stay in Tromsø. Public transport is convenient, punctual but relatively expensive. It will let you make the most of your stay in the magnificent Arctic region of Tromsø. Have a great trip!
Sources and fact-checkingInformation checked on 14 March 2026 · 3 sources consulted
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