Bodo is one of the largest cities in northern Norway and a perfect starting point for your trip to the Lofoten Islands. All you need to do is jump on board a car ferry that goes from Bodo to Moskenes. However, even though the Bodø-Moskenes ferry is extremely popular, it has quite a confusing schedule, and we often receive many questions, like:
❓Why should you take the car ferry from Bodo to Moskenes?
❓What is the ferry schedule? (2024)
❓How much does the Bodo – Moskenes ferry cost?
❓Can it be done for free?
❓Do you need to make a reservation?
❓Can you take your pet on board?
So, here’s everything you need to know about the Bodo – Moskenes ferry!
* Please note that we are not affiliated with the ferry company. We also do not deal with ticket reservations, cancellations, or customer service on behalf of the ferry company, so you need to contact Torghatten for these services.
For those of you who prefer watching videos over reading, we have summarized all the important information about the Moskenes Bodo ferry in this video. Check it out!
OUR TIP:
If you have time, make the crossing into a scenic voyage via the islands of Røst and/or Værøy. Especially Værøy, which is, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful places in the whole of Lofoten.
The Island of Røst
The Island of Værøy
First, you must know that you can choose from two different routes when sailing between Bodø and Moskenes.
Direct ferries sail up to eight times daily (in the summer) between Bodø and Moskenes. The travel time is 3-4 hours.
You can also take a longer route, Bodø – Røst – Værøy – Moskenes. The ferries on this route sail up to four times a day (in the summer). The journey takes about 7 hours.
There is a direct ferry going between Bodo and Moskenes and a longer route that stops at the islands of Værøy and/or Røst.
There is a different schedule for the summer months (June 1 – September 1, 2024) and the rest of the year when there are fewer departures.
I will not go into the details here, but beware that the Bodo-Moskens schedule is pretty confusing.
So triple-check that you are looking at:
❗ The correct season (summer vs. winter schedule)
❗ The right day of the week (in the summer, there is one timetable for departures on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, another timetable for Tuesdays and Thursdays, yet another one for Saturdays, and one more for Sundays)
❗ The correct route (direct route vs. long route via Værøy and Røst)
OUR TIP:
If you feel it is too complicated to understand the Bodø-Moskenes ferry schedule, you can use the Norwegian national travel planner entur.no or look it up on the webpage of the ferry company Torghatten.
Learn more about other ferry routes and speed boats in Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja.
The ferry price depends on several factors, like your travel date, the length of your car, whether you have a fossil or zero-emission vehicle, and whether you have an AutoPASS chip with a discount.
OUR TIP:
You can use a ferry ticket price calculator to check which prices apply to you. If you have an autopassferje agreement and want an overview of the price you have been charged, you can log in here.
If you do not have any discount cards and you own a conventional vehicle (non-electrical), be prepared to pay (2024):
👉 383 NOK per motorcycle (including the reservation fee)
👉 764 NOK for a car up to 6 meters (including the reservation fee)
👉 1710 NOK for vehicles between 6 and 8 meters (including the reservation fee)
OUR TIP:
The Bodø – Lofoten (Moskenes) ferry is free for foot passengers, and there is no need to prebook a spot on board. Pedestrians rarely would be denied access on board due to full capacity.
If you want to prebook the ticket to be 100% sure that you will get a place on the ferry, remember that you will pay NOK 250 as a reservation fee.
Prices for the Bodø – Moskenes Car Ferry (2024) (without the reservation fee)
The place guarantee on the Bodø-Moskenes ferry comes with a 250 NOK fee per reservation for pedestrians and cars up to 6 meters long. The cost of a reservation fee for cars longer than 6 meters is 550 NOK.
Note that only 50% of the ferry’s capacity is open for pre-booking. This means that when the booking page indicates that the ferry is sold out, it only includes the spots that can be pre-booked. Therefore, you can still secure a place on the ferry if you arrive early enough to queue.
If you travel by car and you have booked a reserved spot, you must be in the queue marked “Reserved/Prepaid” 45 minutes before departure.
For passengers without a vehicle, 20 tickets are available for guaranteed seating on every departure. You can only book two of these tickets at a time, and you must register 45 minutes before departure.
The booking for reserved spots must be made before 20:00 on the day before departure.
Torghatten just released a new reservation system (February 2024). Beware that there are two webpages—www.torghatten.no, where you find the reservation system, and www.torghatten-nord.no, which is the old webpage that is still online, but you can not reserve tickets there.
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 1: Select the date and destinations
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 2: Choose your mode of transportation. If you travel by a rental car, write RENTAL instead of the registration number. (Edit: After the last update, filling in the registration number is voluntary, so you can leave the field blank.)
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 3: Select the departure
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 4: Traveller Information
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 5: Order confirmation
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 6: Payment
If you have pre-booked the tickets, you should arrive no later than 45 minutes before the ferry departure.
There is no rule of thumb about how soon you should start to queue up in case you did not prebook your tickets. It all depends on the date, day in the week, time of the day, weather, and other factors that are hard to predict.
OUR TIP:
If you are dependent on the ferry to get to the Bodø train station/Bodø airport on time, we strongly advise you to prebook the tickets no matter the time of the year.
A good tip is also to follow the Norwegian Public Roads Administration’s webcam to see how many cars are queuing up at the ferry terminal.
▶️ Moskenes Ferry Terminal Webcam
June 19, 2024: After the ferry departed at 11:00, there were 3 lines of cars left standing at the terminal as there wasn’t enough space on the ferry. It is a common issue throughout the summer.
Where to Stay in the Lofoten Islands?
The ferry terminal in Bodø is right next to the train station, just a short walk from Bodø city center. The coastal express Hurtigruten and Bodo-Moskenes ferry share the same terminal building.
The terminal has a heated waiting room that is open 24/7 and has restrooms.
The ferry terminal is in Bodø. Remember to check the correct line based on your final destination. If you pre-booked your tickets, line up in the reserved lanes 1, 2, and 3.
Hurtigruten and the car ferry heading to Moskenes, Røst, and Værøy share the same ferry terminal. If you want to take the passenger-only speed boat to Svolvær, you need to walk to another terminal in the city center (about 10 10-minute walk).
At Bodø train station, you will find luggage storage, where you can leave your suitcases while exploring the city. The price is 60-80 NOK/day, depending on the size of your luggage. The maximum renting period is seven days.
Bodø is the northernmost train station in Norway. You can take a train here from Trondheim or Oslo (via Trondheim). Getting to Narvik by train is also possible, but you need to go through Sweden.
You can store your luggage at the train station in Bodø.
Moskenes is a small village that does not offer much more than a ferry terminal and a camping place. The terminal has a small, sheltered, heated waiting room with public restrooms. However, beware that sleeping/camping there is not allowed.
The closest grocery store to Moskenes ferry terminal is in Sørvågen, about 2,5 kilometers away. So, do not expect that you will be able to buy any snacks or food. There is a small buffet/canteen on board the ferry.
Next to the waiting room, there is a bus stop. The bus departures and arrivals more or less correspond to the ferry departures.
However, there won’t be any bus service if you arrive/depart early in the morning or late at night. Ivar and I are currently working on establishing a shuttle service for the Moskenes-Bodø ferry.
About 50 meters away from the dock, you will find Moskenes Car Rental pick-up/delivery point. They are somewhat old-fashioned regarding online booking but provide some of the cheapest rental cars in Lofoten. The best way to contact them is via phone or Facebook. If you purchase our Camping map of Lofoten, you will get a 5% discount on your car rental with Moskenes Car Rental.
Note: There is no ferry from Bodo to Reine
Some people think the ferry from Bodø goes to Reine, not Moskenes. Please beware that it is a 5 km walk from Moskenes to Reine. Moreover, some consider Hamnøy, where they booked accommodation in Eliassen rorbuer, a part of Reine. The distance from Eliassen rorbuer to Moskenes ferry terminal is 9 km.
Reine rorbuer in Reine (5 km walk from the Moskenes Ferry Terminal)
Eliassen rorbuer in Hamnøy (9 km walk from the Moskenes Ferry Terminal)
On most ferry connections in Norway, you do not need to book a ticket in advance. Usually, when you arrive at the ferry terminal, you line up in a queue, and when the ferry docks, you drive on board. You pay for the ticket via the electronic toll system that registers your car’s license plate (AutoPass users) or through the FeryPay system.
However, the car ferry between Bodo and Moskenes in Lofoten is extremely popular, especially during the busy summer. Therefore, Torghatten – the company operating on this route, introduced the possibility of reserving your spot on board.
When arriving at Moskenes ferry terminal, pay attention to the signs and line up correctly. Some ferries go directly from Moskenes to Bodø, while others take a detour via the small islands of Værøy and Røst.
Lines 17 and 18 are for the cars heading to Værøy Island, while line 16 is reserved for those heading to Røst Island. The rest of the lines are for vehicles going to Bodø, with lines 8-11 reserved for those who pre-booked their tickets.
Check the correct lines for your destination and park your vehicle in line with the lowest number.
Lines for those who bought a pre-paid ticket
First come – first serve lines
The two Værøy lines often fill up in the high season. Then, instead of creating a long parking queue behind the second Værøy line, essentially blocking traffic on the dock, it’s acceptable to park at the neighboring Røst line. The ferry crew will ask you if you are going to Røst, and they will ensure you get placed correctly on the ferry.
Are you wondering what to do in Lofoten apart from hiking?
In addition to the Bodo-Moskenes car ferry, there is also a pedestrian-only express boat that goes once daily between Bodø and Svolvær in the eastern part of Lofoten. This ferry is not for free.
While the Hurtigruten and Bodø-Moskenes Car Ferry share the same ferry terminal, the passenger-only speedboat to Svolvær leaves from Bodø sentrumsterminalen kai.
If you plan to travel in Lofoten using public transport, you might want to purchase the Travel Pass Nordland. It costs 1290 NOK for 7 days of unlimited public transport in Nordland county, which includes the whole of Lofoten, Bodø, and the areas south of Bodø.
This ticket also includes the express boat going between Bodø and Svolvær!
To take advantage of the express ferry with your Travel Pass Nordland, you go to Reis Nordland, and in the ticket section, you scroll down until you find the Travel Pass Nordland. Since the express boat is included in the Travel Pass Nordland, you do not pay anything but still need to pre-book your spot.
The Bodø-Svolvær speedboat has traditionally been quite pricey. However, between 2023 and 2024, the price decreased substantially after an ongoing discussion about the ferry needed to be cheaper.
👉435 NOK per adult, down from 745 NOK last year (2023)
👉 218 NOK per child, student, and senior, down from 373 NOK last year
Since July 1, 2022, the ferry connections in Norway, which had less than 100,000 passengers in 2019, are free of charge for passengers and cars.
In Lofoten, this applies to the Svolvær – Skrova – Skutvik ferry operated from June 1 to August 31. But also the stretch between Moskenes – Værøy – Røst – Bodø!
Let me explain a bit more about the second one. The ferry between Moskenes and Bodø has two different routes. Some ferries go directly from Moskenes to Bodø, completing the crossing in about 3,5-4 hours. Some ferries stop along the way on the islands of Værøy and Røst, extending the trip between Moskenes and Bodø to 7 hours.
The direct trip from Moskenes to Bodø can cost you over 2000 NOK if you travel with a big campervan. However, you will not pay anything if you plan a stopover on one of the islands (Værøy or Røst).
The only condition is to disembark the ferry on one of these islands and continue your trip on board another ferry.
Passengers traveling without a vehicle do not pay anything, even on the direct route.
Here comes the catch. Prebooking the “free” ferry on the route Bodø – Røst/Værøy and Røst/Værøy – Moskenes does not include the 250 NOK booking fee if you travel with a vehicle.
However, if you want to prebook the ferry as a pedestrian, you will have to pay the 250 NOK reservation fee as of now.
We contacted Torghatten Nord about this ridiculous rule, and they replied that it is a precaution for the locals to be able to get a spot on the ferry.
We believe it would be better if locals had the right to board the ferry before tourists. To address this, there should be dedicated lines at the ferry terminals reserved for local residents and industry so they can get on the ferry without paying the reservation fee. Since introducing the free ferry, the islands of Værøy and Røst have become popular pit stops, making it increasingly difficult for locals to secure a spot on board.
Værøy
OUR TIP: SPEND A DAY AT VÆRØY
We recommend spending a day at Værøy, a small island about 30 km (18 miles) from the western coast of the Lofoten Islands. It’s a tiny, concentrated version of Lofoten that offers a lively fishing community, stunning landscapes, fascinating history, and numerous well-signposted hiking trails. The highlight is the hike to Håheia, but you can easily spend three days exploring the island.
There is no designated campsite on the island. However, all campervan and motorhome owners are asked to park/camp on the island’s northern side at the former airport. The airport was recently sold, and parking there is no longer free, though.
The crossing of Vestfjorden between Bodø and Lofoten is Norway’s longest and roughest ferry route. If you are prone to seasickness, check the weather forecast before your trip and use medication to control your symptoms.
If the weather forecast predicts particularly stormy weather (be alerted if the wind speed should be higher than 18m/s), the ferry might get canceled. The cancellations usually occur during the autumn/winter; however, they can also happen in summer.
For example, we had a big storm a few years ago, in July of 2021, when the low pressure brought strong winds and large amounts of precipitation. In several places in Lofoten, wind gusts reached a speed up to 27-30 meters, and all ferry connections between Lofoten and the mainland were canceled.
Unfortunately, you will not be informed about any ferry cancellations even though you preordered your tickets. If the weather forecast predicts strong winds, watch Torghatten´s webpage and translate the service messages to English.
The project introducing hydrogen ferries on the Bodø-Moskenes stretch aims to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable maritime transportation. The hydrogen ferries have been commissioned and are expected to start operating by the end of 2025. These ferries will use a hydrogen facility in Bodø for fueling, eliminating the need for hydrogen transportation.
The Landegode ferry, currently powered by natural gas and introduced in 2012, will be replaced. The two new hydrogen ferries will maintain the same capacity and schedule, with the primary change being the significant reduction in emissions.
Enjoy your trip to Lofoten, and let us know in the comments if you have any questions regarding the Bodo-Moskenes ferry.
It is free for pedestrians and bicyclists. The motorists pay NOK 563 for a vehicle up to 6m and NOK 1160 for a vehicle between 6 and 8 meters (excluding the reservation fee).
The Bodø-Moskenes ferry is free for pedestrians and cyclists. Motorists have to pay between NOK 788 – 1710.
If you want to save money, you can extend your trip and stay on the island of Værøy or Røst. In that case, you will not pay anything for the routes Bodø —Værøy (Røst) and Værøy (Røst)—Moskenes.
You can pre-book your ticket online on the Torghatten website and pay via your card. In addition to the ticket price, there is a reservation fee of 225 NOK.
If you do not reserve your ticket, you can drive directly onto the ferry and have your license plate scanned. You will receive an invoice later, which includes an additional processing fee. To avoid this fee, you can register with FerryPay.
From Bodø, you can either take the car ferry to Moskenes or a passenger-only speed boat to Svolvær.
Yes, you can travel with your dog or pet. However, during the journey, the dog must be in the vehicle or in a cage in a designated place outside the lounge.
This is because pets must not be in the same room where food is served. In addition, it is also to be considerate of people with allergies.
On the ferries MF Landegode, MF Værøy, MF Barøy, and MF Lødingen, there is a designated area for pets, with a cage and water supply. It is possible for the owners to look after their animals during the crossing.
It is tough to say. However, cancellations occur more often during autumn and winter, when stormy weather can make the crossing dangerous. Monitor the weather forecast (especially wind speed) and check the Torghatten webpage for updates if the forecast predicts strong winds.
Yes, you should pay that 250NOK extra to get a spot guarantee on the Bodø-Moskenes ferry, especially between June and September. If you travel without a vehicle, then it is unnecessary (at this stage) to reserve the ticket. You simply walk on board.
Hi! We are Ivar & Radka, an international couple who runs the Guide to Lofoten. We met in Trondheim and lived together in western Norway, Narvik and Tromsø. At the moment we call western Lofoten our home. We hope our page will make it easier for you to explore the beautiful places that made us chose Norway for our home.
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Hi! We are Ivar & Radka, an international couple who runs the Guide to Lofoten.
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30 Responses
Hoi Ivar en Radka,
Zijn er campings op Røst en Vaeros?
En wat kun je daar allemaal doen op die eilanden?
Is de ferry naar Moskenes gratis als je de lange reis neemt via deze 2 eilanden?
Wij staan nu in Bødo op de camping.
Groetjes,
Jose
Hello! I am going to go alone from Bodo to Moskenes without a vehicle, 24 June. I checked the bookingsite and the ferry (13:30) I want to take is sold out. It says that it is still possible to show up without a pedestrian guarantee and stand in the regular line. Should I just go anyway or book the later one just to be safe? Generally speaking are these ferries full or do they tend to be rather empty? I don’t want to pay for the later one and still get one the earlier one I want to take. Thank you!
Good and informative article! I am travelling to Lofoten from Sweden in a couple of days. I wonder where I can book the ferry from Bodo to Moskenes? I am alone with a backpack, no animals and no vehicle.
Hi Dennis, then you do not need to book. As a foot passenger, you have the ferry for free, and we have never heard about any foot passengers who would be denied a spot on board.
Thank you for article! Great source for planning the trip 🙂 We’ll going to take ferry as family 2 adults and two kids 6yo and 1yo, and got some doubts. If I’ll pay guarantee places for free ferry Moskenes-Bodo for two adults is it still will be safe that we all with kids get places?
Hi Nadusja, if you travel without a car, then you do not need to pre-book the ferry.
Hi there, your article & YouTube is great & I have purchased your interactive camping map.
We would like to do a couple of days stopover in Væroy with our motorhome before going on to Moskenes. Do you know if the ferry is still free in Summer 2024 if you do this stopover?
Thanks, Meg & Uwe
Hi Meg & Uwe, yes it is!
Thank you for this article, it’s extremely useful! Quick question though, how to book the free of charge ferry from Bodo to Vaeroy and next day Vaeroy to Moskenes, is that possible online?
Hi Wanda,
If you are traveling without a vehicle, you do not need to book the ferry.
If you are traveling with a car, you can book, but you will pay the reservation fee, even though the ferry is for free.
At the moment, Torghatten Nord’s reservation system is down (for already quite some time), so they do not take online reservations, and it works on a first come – first served.
Cheers,
Radka
Wow 🤩 Great article
Is there wifi on the Ferry ?
Great site, very helpful.
I am planning taking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes with a motorbike sometime in mid-July and was wondering whether I needed to pre-book a space or whether, with a motorbike, i would be safe just turning up on the day.
Thanks,
Dominic
Hello, thanks a lot for the information. We are taking this ferry this summer and we where surfing the net and the ferry´s official web page without finding anything about booking for pedestrian and bicycles. Really clear now!
Cheers!
Félix
Děkujme Radko a Ivare,
vaše rady jsou na této stránce jsou pro mne velmi užitečné.
Už se těším na velký skoro měsíční okruh severní Evropou a 5 dní budeme i na Lofotech.
Vše nej
Vladimír +420 724 865 394
Great article, thank you. Do you know if you can get food on the ferry?
I have a prebook ferry from Moskenes to Bodo on may 28 th . I need to catch the train at 9:10 pm , however the ferry gets us back to Bodo around 7 pm . Will we have enough time to get car off the ferry , return it and get train on time ? Is there a special lane on ferry that can get car off fastest ?
This website is very helpful and we appreciate your posts and the guidance on these pages. We’re looking forward, having our summer vacation on the Lofoten islands.
Thank you so much for such detailed information and looking forward to our trip.If we do stay overnight on one of the islands is it possible to park somewhere in a motorhome.Given the high price ( even with the autopass) I think many motorhomers will be looking at this option.
We have also had great trouble transferring money for our ferry pass and certainly UK banks charge a lot for this (well probably not compared to Norwegian charges)Also any of them will not transfer to a business
What it needs is a middle man in Norway with a credit card charging facility who would pay locally on your behalf.
I would happily pay them both to avoid the hassle and additional Norwegian fees,which you do not have with certain credit cards.
Just a thought
Hi,
This is a useful article but can you tell me more about taking our dogs on the Moskenes – Bodo Ferry? If we do not wish to leave them in our vehicle is there somewhere we can sit with them instead? We would not want to put them in crates.
I have the same question, is it posible to sit outside on deck with the dog? If not, is it allowed for us to stay in the car together with the dog?
Hi Anders,
During the journey, the dog has to be in the vehicle or a cage in a designated place outside the lounge.
This is to ensure that pets are not in the same room where food is served and to be considerate of people with allergies.
On the ferries MF Landegode, MF Værøy, MF Barøy, and MF Lødingen, there is a designated area for pets, with a cage and water supply. The owners can look after their animals during the crossing, but the designated pet area has no seating or windows.
You are not allowed to stay in the car with your dog or take the dog on board.
Hi Janet,
During the journey, the dog has to be in the vehicle or a cage in a designated place outside the lounge.
This is to ensure that pets are not in the same room where food is served and to be considerate of people with allergies.
On the ferries MF Landegode, MF Værøy, MF Barøy, and MF Lødingen, there is a designated area for pets, with a cage and water supply. The owners can look after their animals during the crossing, but the designated pet area has no seating or windows.
You are not allowed to stay in the car with your dog or take the dog on board.
Wow, very comprehensive! Thank you.
We are Australian’s travelling in Norway for six weeks in June/July and hope to have a good week on Lofoten. I am having a lot of difficulty acquiring an Auto pass through any of the toll providers. We own a camper garaged in UK and have a foreign credit card. Any ideas? This will be an amazing holiday!! So excited
Really comprehensive info that was! Just requesting a clarification on 2 things .
1 – If passengers go free on the ferry from Bodo to moskenes,what about trolly luggages ?
2 – If getting down at vaeroy with the car one day , and board the ferry to moskenes the next day, is it still free ?And how about returning the same route to Bodo ? That’s also free ?
Hi Mustaffa,
1) The luggages go free with the passengers 🙂
2) Yes, it is still free. The condition is that you have to take another ferry than the one that you arrived with. It applies for both the direction Bodø – Røst – Værøy – Moskenes and Moskenes – Værøy – Røst – Bodø.
Cheers,
Radka and Ivar
Thank you very much for putting this together! Do you know if it costs anything to take a bicycle on board the ferry?
Hi Theo,
Thank you for this question. We will include it in the article. You travel with a bike for free.
Cheers,
Radka
Hello,
Thanks for this information, it’s verry helfpull!
I am travelling with my dog. She has to stay inside the mobilehome. Can I stay with her, or do I need to go on deck? (We want to go from Bodo to Moskenes).
Greetings, Kim
Thank you so much for this information! It is so hard to understand through all the other websites but you have made it clear and easy! Brilliant job!
Hi Millie! We are very happy to hear that you found our post useful! Thank you for your positive feedback!
Ivar and Radka