Express boats and car ferries sail up and down the coast, in sheltered waters and across open seas, to towns and villages, and islands large and small. They provide perfect logistics for a holiday of island hopping, or an itinerary entirely of your own choosing.
Be warned, there may be queues in the summer months. For the most popular ferries, you are wise to queue early: Geiranger - Hellesylt, Gudvangen - Kaupanger and Lauvvik - Lysebotn.
For more information about ferry and boat timetables, please contact the following companies:
The long-established Hurtigruten sails from Bergen to Kirkenes in Finnmark. The journey Bergen - Kirkenes - Bergen takes 11 days. This voyage is an exquisite way to experience the natural beauty of the coast. It is indeed "the world's most beautiful sea voyage". What fascinates tourists most are all the tiny and not-so-tiny communities they stop by at along the way.
Departures are daily and there are frequent stops along the coast. The ships can accommodate cars, making it easy to combine the cruise with a holiday in different places ashore.
It is not only coastal Norway that offers boat trips. For example you can take a trip on Norway's largest lake, Lake Mjøsa, with the world's oldest paddle steamer Skibladner. Or travel in the Jotunheimen Mountains with the Gjende Boats.