Getting around · Tromsø · Norway
Getting around Tromsø
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Henrik at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
Quick answer
The centre of Tromsø is compact and walkable, and nearly all tours collect guests from the centre or the harbour. Local buses connect Tromsøya, Tromsdalen and Kvaløya, and the airport is only a few kilometres from the centre. Not for the city or for northern lights, husky and whale trips, which include transport.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- TOS
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Ways to get around
Walking
Storgata, the harbour, Polaria and the Polar Museum are within 10 minutes of each other; walking over the bridge to the Arctic Cathedral takes about 20–25 minutes.
In winter, wear ice grips over your shoes; pavements are often icy and steep.
Bus
Local buses run from the centre to the airport, Tromsdalen and the Fjellheisen lower station, the university at Breivika and parts of Kvaløya.
Buy tickets in the regional transport app before boarding; it is usually cheaper than paying on board.
Taxi
Taxis wait at ranks in the centre and at the airport and are useful for late returns from tours or the cable car in bad weather.
Car
Hire cars give access to Kvaløya, Sommarøy and the Lyngen Alps, but winter roads are snowy and icy, daylight is short and reindeer and moose may be on the road.
Only drive in winter if you are experienced on snow and ice; otherwise book guided tours.
Boat
Hurtigruten coastal ships call daily in both directions, and express boats and tour boats leave from the harbour in the centre.
From the airport
Tromsø Airport (TOS) is about 5 km from the centre on the west side of Tromsøya. The airport bus and local buses reach the centre in about 15 minutes, and taxis take about 10 minutes. Most international travellers connect via Oslo, though some direct seasonal flights operate from other European cities in winter.
Do you need a car?
Not for the city or for northern lights, husky and whale trips, which include transport. A car helps in summer for Kvaløya, Sommarøy and the Lyngen Alps; in winter, drive only with real snow-and-ice experience.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Sommarøy | About 1 hour by car | Car or guided tour; infrequent buses |
| Ersfjordbotn and Kvaløya fjords | About 30 minutes by car | Car, bus or guided fjord tour |
| Lyngen Alps | About 1 hour 30 minutes–2 hours by car and ferry | Car with the Breivikeidet–Svensby ferry, or guided tour |
| Senja | About 2–3 hours each way by car | Car with the Brensholmen–Botnhamn summer ferry, or guided tour |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Tromsø?
Not for the city or for northern lights, husky and whale trips, which include transport. A car helps in summer for Kvaløya, Sommarøy and the Lyngen Alps; in winter, drive only with real snow-and-ice experience.
+How do you get from the airport to Tromsø?
Tromsø Airport (TOS) is about 5 km from the centre on the west side of Tromsøya. The airport bus and local buses reach the centre in about 15 minutes, and taxis take about 10 minutes. Most international travellers connect via Oslo, though some direct seasonal flights operate from other European cities in winter.
+What is the best way to get around Tromsø?
Walking: Storgata, the harbour, Polaria and the Polar Museum are within 10 minutes of each other; walking over the bridge to the Arctic Cathedral takes about 20–25 minutes.