Flying to Alta this winter? The Northern Lights city with all its fun activities and reliable Northern Lights conditions is a great place to be in winter. However, the curious traveller may want to see more, like the city of Hammerfest and the northern extremity of Europe, the North Cape. Or go in real explorer mode and crisscross the vast expanses of Finnmark off the beaten track – where few others ever go.

But how do you travel around Finnmark? If you are used to driving on wintery conditions, we have no trouble recommending hiring a car. However, if ice and snow are all new to you, we instead suggest the safe and reliable public transport system in the area. There isn’t a bus every ten minutes – but with a bit of planning you can reach almost any inhabited place in the region.

Local transport is safe and reliable. In extreme winter weather conditions, you will find the system flexible and helpful – as opposed to being left to yourself if on your own wheels.

The triangle Alta-Hammerfest – Honningsvåg

Alta, Hammerfest and the North Cape town of Honningsvåg form a triangle of destinations within comfortable travelling distance of one another. The three destinations have distinct characters and complement each other. Together, they form a unique and still very accessible winter holiday option – easily worth a week of exploration.

Between Alta and Hammerfest

• Boat 330 runs twice daily on weekdays and once on Sundays. The journey takes less than two hours and is extremely scenic.
• Bus 100: Travels in 2.5 hours from Alta to Hammerfest, Two departures daily on weekdays, one at weekends.

Between Alta and Honningsvåg

• Bus 110: Honningsvåg-Alta – with a bus change in Olderfjord – takes about 3.5 hours. Three departures on weekdays, one on Sundays and no service on Saturdays.

Between Hammerfest and Honningsvåg

• Buses 140/110: Hammerfest-Honningsvåg – with a bus change in Olderfjord – takes around 3,5 hours.
• Alternatively, the Hurtigruten/Coastal Route, shared between the companies Hurtigruten ASA and Havila run early in the morning from Hammerfest to Honningsvåg, and also early in the morning from Honningsvåg to Hammerfest.  

Reaching the North Cape

All winter, there is a daily bus to Nordkapp – the North Cape – from Honningsvåg, following a snowplough. This service is more often cancelled than other bus services, as the North Cape is a very exposed location.  

Other excursions in the triangle

The inquisitive and adventurous traveller – who can read a timetable and prebook accommodation –  can travel to tiny communities and stay the night. Or simply take a local boat trip to enjoy the landscape.

• The Norwegian Scenic Route to Havøysund: A “Flex”-bus runs – if prebooked – 2 times day in the week and once on Sundays. Corresponding with other buses.
• From Havøysund, an alternative route is to take the Hurtigruten/Havila to either Honningsvåg or Hammerfest. Both leave in the morning.
• From Alta: The AltafjordXpressen takes you to small communities in the Altafjord. Depending on the day of week. Accommodation possible.
• From Hammerfest: The SørøysundXpressen takes you to small communities on the islands of Sørøya, most notably Akkarfjord. Accommodation and camel riding (!) possible. Some days a week, there are several connections, allowing for exploration in Akkarfjord.
• From Havøysund: A round trip to a number of small communities, offering accommodation if prebooked. Otherwise a sightseeing tour.

Exploration further away

Finnmark, the northernmost of Norway, is a land of high horizons, big distances and few people. Organising a winter journey here involves reading timetables and prebooking accommodations. For visitors with plenty of time, there are many more experiences waiting further afield.

Consider flying

If you want to cover some distances, the airline Widerøe flies to/from Alta ALF, Hammerfest HFT, Hasvik HAA, Honningsvåg/North Cape HVG, Mehamn MEH, Berlevåg BVG, Båtsfjord BJF, Lakselv LKL, Vardø VAW, Vadsø, VDS, Kirkenes KKN and Tromsø TOS. If you book early on their website, it can also turn out economical and their flights are short and scenic. What’s not to love?

Getting to Kautokeino:

Bus 170: The most Sámi of all communities, in the middle of the vast Finnmarksvidda mountain plateau, can be reached twice a day in less than 3 hours Monday to Friday. No service in the weekend.

To Lakselv, Karasjok and Kirkenes

If long distance travel doesn’t scare you, places like the Sámi capital of Karasjok, the Kven capital of Vadsø and the old fortress city of Vardø can be reached from Alta in a day – or the long distance can be broken up with interesting stops for exploration. Then you can fly home from Kirkenes with a fascinating war history and the snow hotel.

• Bus 110/140 leads to a bus change in Olderfjord and then on to Lakselv and Karasjok in a good 4 hours. Daily except Saturday.
• Bus 120 takes you across the Finnmark Mountain Plateau to Karasjok in a good 3 hours, and then on to Varangerbotn. From Varangerbotn, there are onward buses to Kirkenes, Vadsø and Vardø. FLEKS-minibuses take you to Berlevåg and Båtsfjord if you book ahead.
• The Hurtigruten/Havila calls at Hammerfest, Havøysund, Honningsvåg, Kjøllefjord, Mehamn, Berlevåg, Båtsfjord and Vardø before reaching Kirkenes. Vadsø is on the return sailing.

To Finland:

From Karasjok, there is a daily bus to Rovaniemi with the Finnish bus operator Lapinlinjat (“Lapland lines”). This is perfect if you’re combining Northern Norway with Northern Finland.

Go west: To Northern Troms and Tromsø

Bus 100 runs daily to Tromsø, going through the Lyngen Alps – a most scenic tour in daylight.

From Hammerfest and Honningsvåg, the Hurtigruten/Havila is the obvious choice.  There is a day sailing, leaving in the early morning from Honningsvåg, and early afternoon from Hammerfest, arriving in Tromsø around midnight.

Off the beaten track

Some places see very few visitors. Meaning there are fewer organised activities and fancy restaurants. Or none at all. To some guests, this is just perfect.

To the Nordkyn peninsula

Europe’s northernmost mainland, Nordkyn or Nordkinn, with settlements like Kjøllefjord, Mehamn and Gamvik are off the beaten track and need careful planning. Buses from Alta take time and organising, but from Honningsvåg, you simply hop on the Hurtigruten/Coastal Route.

• From Alta, take bus 110/140 once a day. Then take the FLEKS811. FLEKS-buses are minibuses running if prebooked.
• From Honningsvåg, the Hurtigruten/Havila takes 2 hours to Kjøllefjord and 4.5 hours to Mehamn, leaving every afternoon. The return is inconvenient, in the middle of the night.
• There is a small airport in Mehamn where Widerøe operates daily flights.

To Øksfjord and Hasvik

The coastal communities Øksfjord (mainland) and Hasvik on the western end of Sørøya Island are reached by a combination of interconnecting buses and a ferry. The 190/203 combination takes you to Øksfjord in 2 hours, then the 2 hour ferry takes you across to Hasvik. There is also a skeletal bus service to Breivikbotn and Sørvær, the two other major settlements.

Things to consider

How is the weather?

Isn’t the weather stormy, snowy and ice cold so far north in winter? It sure can be but typically isn’t.

Often you are looking at sub-zero temperatures all over, single-digit on the coast and temperatures between -10 and -25 in the inland. This is perfect weather for outdoor activities such as Northern Lights chasing, reindeer sledding, dogsledding and snowmobiling.

Sometimes, a feroucious polar low sweeps in from the High Arctic. Then roads close, buses and planes are cancelled, and carefully planned itineraries blow away with the biting cold wind. Then you do like the locals; stay indoors and look at the madness through the window. Polar lows strike harder in coastal areas than inland, and usually they don’t last too long.

You can also come across mild spells with rain, especially in coastal areas. Cold weather coming in from Siberia sometimes make temperatures drop below -40. These kinds of temperatures only happen in the inland, though. All in all, though, the weather in Finnmark is guaranteed winter and snow.

Can I trust the info in this article?

The article is general information, and everything listed should be double checked.  

The county public transport company is Snelandia, which has all the updated hours and prices.

If you are flying out of Alta or some other airport in the north, make sure not to have a tight schedule. The local bus company will not refund your air ticket if they run late, be it because of the weather or a flat tire.

Updated information is always available at the official website of Snelandia.

“Bus change” means that the buses are interconnected – if your bus is late, the next will wait. Unless there are major, unforeseen obstacles along the route.

Hurtigruten and Havila are the two companies operating the Coastal Route (“Hurtigruten” to most of us). What company leaves from where depends on the day – so check their websites.  

Holidays like Christmas and Easter mean that buses and boats are cancelled, or they run at different schedules. Double check!

Sundays and particularly Saturdays mean there are fewer or no services. Plan accordingly.

Bad weather can always mean that buses, boats and planes are cancelled. Although bus and boat companies do their best to inform about the next possible way, they give no compensation.