Express boats 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.

Even though a growing number of bridges and subsea tunnels are being built, it is the ferries that unite Fjord Norway.

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.

The long-established Norwegian Coastal Voyage sails from Bergen to Kirkenes in the far north. The entire trip takes about 11 days. Departures are daily and there are frequent stops along the coast. The ships can accommodate cars, making it easy to combine the two. This trip 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 along the way. For further information and booking, please visit Hurtigruten.

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.

Facilities for disabled travellers

Ferries are an important and indispensable part of the road network in large parts of Norway. The rule of thumb is that new ferries take care of the needs of disabled travellers, while the older ferries don't.

If you plan to travel by ferry and are uncertain about wheelchair accessibility we recommend that you contact the ferry company in question for detailed information.

Travel to Norway by ferry

There are many ferries sailing from Denmark:

• Color Line
• Stena Line
• DFDS 
• Fjord Line 
  

From Germany (Kiel) Color Line's ships Color Fantasy and Color Magic take you to Norway. Color Line also sails from Sweden (Strömstad).