Island Hopping by the postal boat: Solund - Bulandet, Værlandet

Join the local postal boat on an island-hopping adventure to Solund, Bulandet and Værlandet! This is a wonderful journey among Norway’s westernmost islands, bringing you close to a spectacular coastal landscape with thousands of islands, islets and skerries.

Where does the island hopping trip start?

The postal boat Stjernsund departs from Hardbakke in Solund, approximately three hours from Bergen. From Hardbakke, the journey mainly follows sheltered waters, passing through narrow sounds and between small islands.

The boat operator provides commentary along the way from Hardbakke to Bulandet. You will get close to nature and wildlife, and sightings of porpoises, seals and white-tailed eagles are not uncommon!

The fishing village of Gåsvær

The boat stops wherever mail needs to be delivered or passengers need to board or disembark. The final stop on the regular postal route is the idyllic fishing village of Gåsvær, where you will have the opportunity to go ashore.

Gåsvær is a historic trading post, and you will have the chance to meet the local hosts. You can also buy a cup of coffee and something to eat.

Bulandet and Værlandet

From mid-June to mid-August, the boat continues north from Gåsvær to Bulandet and Værlandet in Askvoll municipality.

Here, you can disembark and explore the islands independently. Six bridges and five kilometres of road connect the islands, making the area ideal for cycling!

Please note: If you take the postal boat back to Hardbakke from Bulandet, there is no guided commentary on the return journey. The boat departs from Bulandet, makes a short stop at Gåsvær and then travels directly back to Hardbakke.

If you are not returning to Hardbakke by postal boat, we recommend starting with lunch at one of the cafés by the harbour before renting a bicycle to explore the islands. Visit viewpoints, art galleries and the local museum, or simply enjoy the beautiful scenery!

Read more about island hopping by bicycle here.

Season for island hopping with the postal boat

The postal boat in Solund operates throughout the year. The final stop on the regular postal route is the idyllic fishing village of Gåsvær.

During summer, from mid-June to mid-August, the regular postal route is extended from Hardbakke to Bulandet, allowing visitors to go island hopping along Norway’s western coast.

Island hopping between Solund, Bulandet and Værlandet is therefore only available from June to August. During the rest of the year, you can join the regular postal route in Solund. Timetables are available at skyss.no.

Dates for 2027 will be announced soon!

The postal boat has the following departures Monday to Friday. During summer, the route is extended from Gåsvær to Bulandet.

11:00 Departure from Hardbakke in Solund

12:30 Arrival at Gåsvær

13:00 Departure from Gåsvær

13:45 Arrival at Nikøy quay in Bulandet (summer only)

Round trip from Bulandet to Hardbakke in summer

After approximately 1.5–2 hours in Bulandet, the postal boat returns from Bulandet to Hardbakke in Solund.

Good to know

Dress for the weather, as you can spend parts of the journey outdoors. Wear sturdy shoes and bring a windproof and waterproof jacket. The weather can change quickly.

If you are arriving by Norled express boat, tickets for this journey must be booked separately.

The ferry between Værlandet and Askvoll is free of charge.

Food and drinks are available for purchase in Bulandet. During summer, you can buy coffee and something sweet to eat at Gåsvær.

The journey from Bulandet to Hardbakke does not include guided commentary and mainly operates as a direct transport service between the destinations.

You can take a bus from Krakhella to Hardbakke. The bus departs Krakhella at 10:20, Monday to Friday, connecting with the Norled express boat. There is also a bus from Bulandet to Værlandet, departing Bulandet quay at 15:50, Monday to Friday, and arriving in Værlandet at 16:15. Bus and boat timetables are available at entur.no. The island-hopping ticket does not cover the bus fare.

Cycling conditions between Bulandet and Værlandet are excellent. Joker Bulandet is located close to the postal boat quay, and bicycles are available for rent. We recommend reserving a bicycle in advance by calling +47 57 73 21 44. After cycling 11 kilometres from Bulandet to Værlandet, you can return the bicycle at Værlandet Handel. Allow approximately two hours for the cycling trip. If you wish to bring your own bicycle and are travelling by public transport, please note that bicycle capacity on the bus between Krakhella and Hardbakke is very limited. Contact the tourist information office on +47 57 74 30 00 for more information. Read more about cycling and island hopping here.

Island-hopping trips or similar excursions can also be arranged on request throughout the rest of the year.

Day trip or multi-day trip

You can experience island hopping as a day trip from places such as Bergen, Florø and Måløy, or spread the journey over several days.

To fully enjoy the scenery and explore the islands, we recommend spending several days in the area.

There are various accommodation options in Solund, Bulandet and Værlandet. We recommend booking accommodation in advance.

Consider spending a few days in Solund before taking the island-hopping boat to Bulandet and Værlandet, where you can continue your stay.

Suggested itineraries

Day trip from Bergen

You can experience island hopping as a day trip from Bergen.

This suggested itinerary describes travelling from Bergen, Selje or Sogn to Solund before joining the postal boat to Bulandet. It is therefore only available during the summer season.

08:00 Express boat from Bergen to Krakhella

10:15 Arrival at Krakhella

10:20 Bus from Krakhella to Hardbakke

11:00 Departure with the postal boat Stjernsund from Hardbakke

12:30 Arrival at Gåsvær

13:00 Departure from Gåsvær

13:45 Arrival at Bulandet

15:50 Bus departure from Bulandet

16:30 Ferry departure from Værlandet to Askvoll

17:40 Express boat from Askvoll

20:45 Arrival in Bergen

Day trip from Selje

If you are travelling from Selje, Måløy, Smørhamn, Florø or Askvoll, you will need to purchase separate tickets for the different parts of the journey.

06:50 Express boat from Selje

07:20 Express boat from Måløy

08:05 Express boat from Smørhamn (Bremanger)

08:35 Express boat from Florø

09:15 Express boat from Askvoll

09:50 Arrival at Krakhella

10:20 Bus from Krakhella to Hardbakke

11:00 Departure with the postal boat Stjernsund from Hardbakke

12:30 Arrival at Gåsvær

13:00 Departure from Gåsvær

13:45 Arrival at Bulandet

15:50 Bus departure from Bulandet

16:30 Ferry departure from Værlandet to Askvoll

19:05 Express boat from Askvoll

19:55 Arrival in Florø

20:20 Arrival in Smørhamn

21:10 Arrival in Måløy

21:40 Arrival in Selje

Day trip from Sogn

If you are travelling from Sogn, you will need to purchase separate tickets for the different parts of the journey.

07:05 Departure from Sogndal

07:30 Departure from Leikanger

07:50 Departure from Balestrand

08:05 Departure from Vik

08:50 Departure from Nordeide

09:20 Departure from Lavik

09:40 Arrival at Rysjedalsvika - change to the northbound express boat

09:50 Express boat departure from Rysjedalsvika

10:15 Arrival at Krakhella in Solund

10:20 Bus from Krakhella to Hardbakke

11:00 Departure with the postal boat Stjernsund from Hardbakke

13:45 Arrival at Bulandet

15:50 Bus departure from Bulandet

16:30 Ferry departure from Værlandet to Askvoll

17:40 Express boat from Askvoll

18:35 Arrival at Rysjedalsvika - change to the boat towards Sogn

19:00 Arrival in Lavik

19:30 Arrival in Nordeide

20:10 Arrival in Vik

20:30 Arrival in Balestrand

20:50 Arrival in Leikanger

21:20 Arrival in Sogndal