GETTING AROUND LOFOTEN WITHOUT A CAR
So, you’re thinking about exploring Lofoten by bus? That’s cute. Let me save you some headaches and tell you what you’re actually getting yourself into.
But before we get into it, let me be clear: I’m not against public transport in Lofoten. In fact, I’d love to be able to take a bus to work, to visit friends in the next village, or even just to get home after a few beers.
But the way public transport works here right now? It’s a bit of a Catch-22—we won’t get better public transport until more people use it, but more people won’t use it until it gets better (more frequent and convenient).
And honestly, better public transport would help with traffic issues, especially in Moskenes kommune (around Reine). The roads here are narrow, they get jammed in the summer (especially after the ferry arrives in Moskenes), and parking is a nightmare.
A simple shuttle bus between Hamnøy and Å, running every hour in summer, would make a huge difference—and I’m pretty sure there’s demand for it. But, so far, no plans. So… yeah.
Buses in Lofoten: Yes, They Exist. No, They Won’t Get You Where You Want.
Lofoten technically has public transport. It consists of a handful of buses that mostly run for locals, not tourists.
This means:
👉 They follow a school/work schedule, not a let’s-go-see-that-beautiful-beach schedule.
👉 They run sporadically on weekends.
👉 Outside of summer, there might be one bus per day to certain areas—if you’re lucky.
If you think you’ll be hopping from one stunning location to another like you’re in a well-connected city… You won’t.
If You’re Going to Use the Bus, Download the Reis App
If you are planning to use public transport, I highly recommend downloading the Reis app. It shows bus schedules and real-time delays and lets you pay directly in the app, which is cheaper (and more convenient for everyone) than paying on board. You can pay the driver by card, but it’ll cost you 20 NOK more.
Alternatively, use the travel planner at the website: Reis Nordland.
FRIENDLY ADVICE
I grew up in the Czech Republic, where buses stop at every single bus stop, whether there are people or not. Here in Norway, that’s not how it works. You have to signal to the bus that you want to take it.
👉 When the bus approaches, wave it down—especially if you’re hiding in a bus shelter because of the rain (if you’re lucky enough to have one). If the driver doesn’t see you waiting, they might just drive past.
👉 When you’re on the bus, press the stop button when your stop is announced. If you don’t, the bus won’t stop, and you’ll end up further down the road than you planned.
I can’t tell you how many times I forgot to press the stop button and ended up at the next stop. 😅 Back then, I lived in Trondheim, where bus stops are close together and buses run frequently. Here in Lofoten? You REALLY don’t want to forget. Some stops are kilometers apart, and you might be waiting a long time for the next bus.
Buses in Lofoten Stick to E10—And That’s It
Most buses in Lofoten only follow the main road, E10. That means if you’re planning to go anywhere slightly off the beaten path—Fredvang (Ryten, Kvalvika), Sund, Nusfjord, Unstad, Eggum, Haukland or Uttakleiv Beaches, or anywhere beyond a short walk from E10—you’re out of luck.
No buses. Zero. Nada. You’ll need to hitchhike, cycle, or hope you find a friendly local with extra space in their car.
In some cases, there might be one bus per day, so you’ll manage to get there, but not back. Or there’s a school bus that leaves from that remote location at 7 AM and returns around 3 PM, which doesn’t exactly help if you’re trying to visit as a tourist.
Either way, public transport will probably leave you stranded at some point if you plan to travel outside of the E10 road.
Bus Timetables in Lofoten Are a Puzzle
The bus schedules in Lofoten are a mix of Norwegian logic and a cruel joke. You’ll find:
👉 Different schedules for summer and winter (spoiler: the summer schedule is only slightly better).
👉 Gaps between connections that make no sense, forcing you to wait hours in the middle of nowhere.
👉 Some buses only run on school days.
So, plan ahead, triple-check the times, and always have a backup plan.
REAL LIFE EXAMPLE
I live in Sørvågen, and I used to work in Ramberg at a small souvenir shop/tourist information center. Both of these places are located on the E10, so in theory, they should be well served by public transport. My working hours were usually from 10 AM until 5 or 6 PM, depending on the season.
In the morning, there was a connecting bus that would get me to work by 10 AM. However, getting back home was a disaster. The last afternoon bus left at 4:25 PM, and the only other bus wasn’t until 10:15 PM—meaning I would have to wait 4 to 5 hours.
Hitchhiking Will Be Your New Best Friend
If you really want to rely on buses, be prepared to hitchhike when they inevitably fail you. Lofoten is one of the safest places in the world to hitchhike, and many travelers do it. Locals are used to picking up stranded tourists.
REAL LIFE EXAMPLE
In addition to working in Ramberg, I also worked at the souvenir shop/tourist information center in Reine. Last summer, our car broke down and was at the mechanic for a couple of weeks. My working hours in Reine were usually from 8:30 AM to 4 PM, and I mostly worked on weekends.
Guess what? I was regularly hitchhiking to work because there is no bus from Sørvågen to Reine on weekends that arrives before 12 PM. And that’s on the summer schedule, when buses are supposed to be more frequent!
Taxis in Lofoten? If You Want to Sell a Kidney.
A taxi in Lofoten isn’t like an Uber in a city. It’s a luxury item priced like it’s made of gold. A short ride can easily cost you hundreds of kroner, and if you’re thinking of using one as a backup for unreliable buses, you might want to check your bank balance first.
You need to understand there aren’t that many taxis in Lofoten. Yes, this is a touristy region, but every local in Lofoten owns a car (or two) because public transport is useless for daily life.
As a result, taxi companies here aren’t built around shuttling tourists between scenic spots. Instead, they double as patient transport services—not for emergencies, but for driving people to medical appointments. And guess what? Patient transport takes priority. If they didn’t have that contract, they’d most likely go bankrupt.
So, if you’re arriving in Moskenes by ferry, and there are no connecting buses, don’t expect taxis to be waiting at the terminal. Unless you pre-booked one, there’s a good chance you’ll be stuck there for a while. In the worst case, you could be waiting an hour or two for a taxi to come all the way from Ramberg or even Leknes—a 40- to 60-minute drive away.
Long story short: if you’re relying on taxis in Lofoten, be prepared for a long wait and a hefty bill.
ONE-WAY SIGHTSEEING
Have you ever heard of one-way sightseeing? Nope? Neither had we—until a few months ago, when we were talking to our guest who wanted to do some sightseeing on their way to the airport.
Their schedule didn’t fit a group tour. Their budget didn’t fit a private tour. And just taking a bus or taxi? It was not ideal—they wanted to make the most of their time in Lofoten.
So, long story short—here we are, offering one-way sightseeing tours between Reine and Leknes or Svolvær, turning what would otherwise be a boring taxi or bus ride into a guided trip with roadside photo stops.
Flying out from Leknes? Catching the Hurtigruten in Stamsund? Why not turn the journey into an experience instead of just another transfer? Send us a message, and let’s make the most of your travel time!
HOW DO I GET FROM THE EVENES AIRPORT TO LOFOTEN
First of all, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Harstad/Narvik Airport in Evenes is now called “Lofoten Airport”—even though it’s not even in Lofoten. But hey, I guess the tourism industry wants to market it as the “gateway” to the islands.
Anyway, just so you know, this airport goes by multiple names:
👉 Harstad/Narvik Airport (because it’s located between these two cities)
👉 Evenes Airport (because that’s the actual town it’s in)
👉 Lofoten Airport (because Norwegian Airlines decided so)
So, if you’re searching for flights, keep in mind that all three names refer to the same place.
How to Get to Lofoten from Harstad/Narvik/Evenes/Lofoten Airport?
The answer: Take the Lofotekspressen bus (route 300).
But, as usual, there’s a catch.
This bus, which runs between Narvik and Å (the last village in Lofoten), only stops at the airport twice a day.
In 2025, the departure times from the airport towards Lofoten are:
🚌 10:50 AM
🚌 5:05 PM
Not surprisingly, a bunch of flights arrive after the 5:05 PM bus has already left. So if that’s your case, you have two options:
MULTIDAY BUS TICKETS
If you want to spend a couple of days in Lofoten and use public transportation, then it can pay off to buy a multiday bus ticket, especially if you want to use the speed boat between Bodø – Svolvær.
If you do not plan to use the speed boat, then we recommend you to do some math and check the buses that you need to take to see if it would not be cheaper to just buy separate bus tickets. If you decide to go for a multiday bus ticket, then you can choose from a popular Travel Pass Nordland or Stromma Charter Bus.
TRAVEL PASS NORDLAND
Travel Pass Nordland is a 7-day ticket offering unlimited travel on buses and express boats throughout Nordland County.
As of January 1, 2025, the pass costs NOK 1,350.
You can purchase it conveniently through the Reis app, available for download on both the App Store and Google Play.
BEST ARCTIC HOP ON-HOP OFF
Best Arctic offers a tourist-friendly bus service in Lofoten and Tromso:
🚍 Tromsø to Lofoten via Senja & Vesterålen (summer route)
🚍 Svolvaer to Å Sightseeing Bus Trip (summer route)
🐋 Svolvær to Andenes Transfer + Whale Watching – Since there are no whale safaris in Lofoten, this service takes you to Andenes for a whale watching tour (summer route)
A great option if you want more flexibility than public buses without renting a car.
STROMMA CHARTER BUS
Stromma Charter Bus is a good alternative to the TRAVEL PASS NORDLAND. It might even be cheaper for a certain amount of days! Their multi-day pass also gives you discounts on certain activities.
* Stromma is no longer operating in Lofoten.
HOW TO GET TO SOME OF THE FAMOUS LOFOTEN SITES BY BUS
KVALVIKA
Unfortunately, there is no bus going to the trailhead to Kvalvika Beach and Ryten. The nearest bus stop is Fredvang Kryss on the crossroad to E10. From there it is a 4 – 5,5 km walk to the trailhead, depending on where you want to start the hike. The bus lines 300 (Lofoten Express) and 742 going between Å and Leknes both stop at Reinevågen.
REINEBRINGEN
Getting to the trailhead for Reinebringen by public bus is fairly easy, since it is located close to the main road E10. The nearest bus stop is called Reinevågen and it is about 1,5 km from the trailhead. The bus lines 300 (Lofoten Express) and 742 going between Å and Leknes both stop at Reinevågen.
NUSFJORD
Getting to Nusfjord by public bus is challenging, bordering impossible. A school bus (line 771) leaves from Nusfjord early in the morning and heads to the school in Napp. It goes back in the afternoon. So if you want to visit Nusfjord, you could go there in the afternoon on the school bus from Napp, but then you can only go back the following day. Or you have to hitchhike.
UNSTAD
Traveling to Unstad by bus is practically impossible. It is served only by a school bus (line 764) which goes only from Monday to Friday at pretty inconvenient times.
UTTAKLEIV
Over the summer (June 21 – August 22) you can take a bus (line 765) from Leknes to Haukland and Uttakleiv Beaches. The bus departs from Leknes twice a day at 09:30 and 13:30 (Monday – Sunday). For the way back it departs from Uttakleiv at 10:05 and 14:05.
LOFOTEN LINKS
We recommend renting a car if you want to travel to Gimsøya island, for horseback riding in Hov gård, or to play golf at Lofoten Links. It is nearly impossible to reach these places by a public bus. There is a bus line 762A, but it goes only once a day and not all days a week.
BALLSTAD
Getting to Ballstad by a public bus (line 766) can be pretty easy if you travel on a weekday in the summer. There are nine daily bus departures from Leknes to Ballstad during the weekdays. There are four departures on Saturdays and only one on Sundays.
STAMSUND
Getting to Stamsund by a public bus (line 767) is pretty easy if you travel on a weekday in the summer. There are five daily bus departures from Leknes to Ballstad during the weekdays. There are four departures on Saturdays and three on Sundays.
HENNINGSVÆR
Bus line 743 goes between Svolvær, Kabelvåg, and Henningsvær quite regularly. There are several daily departures, not only during the weekdays but also on Saturdays and Sundays. In winter the number of bus departures is reduced.
pros of getting around lofoten BY bus
IT´s CHEAP(ER)
Getting around Lofoten by bus can be a lot cheaper than renting a car. At least for solo travelers and couples. For multiday trips, we recommend getting the Travel Pass Nordland or the ticket from the charter bus company Stromma.
IT´s SAFE(R)
Driving on the narrow roads in the Lofoten Islands can be challenging, especially in winter. If you plan to visit Lofoten in winter and you do not have experience with driving on snow, go for the safer option and travel by bus.
ENVIRONTMENTAL FRIENDLY
Every year there are more and more cars on the roads in Lofoten. The amount of cars causes a number of problems in the high season (e.g. parking issues) and so the more people take the bus, the better it is for everybody! Also the environment!
cons of getting around lofoten BY bus
CHALLENGING TO PLAN
It is going to take you some time to plan your days in Lofoten when you want to rely on public transport. Hopefully, this page will make the planning easier!
TIME CONSUMING
Renting a car allows you to be flexible. You can drive from Svolvær to Å in 2 hours in the summer. If you want to travel by bus, it’s going to take you at least 3 hours if you go by bus. And this is the most frequented route in Lofoten. You will spend much more time on other routes when traveling by bus than traveling by car.
NO TRANSPORT AT NIGHT
The northern lights and the midnight sun are two main reasons why people travel to Lofoten. The best locations to observe these phenomena are places like Uttakleiv Beach or Skagsanden Beach. They are not easy to reach by bus during the daytime, and at night there is no chance to get there by public transport.
FAQ ABOUT Getting AROUND LOFOTEN by bus
Yes, there are buses. But before you get too excited—routes are limited, schedules are sparse, and they don’t always run when you need them to. If you’re flexible and patient, you can make it work.
It depends on the bus line, the season, and the day of the week.
Main Bus Lines in Lofoten:
Lofotekspressen (Bus 300 – Narvik to Å i Lofoten)
- Runs twice a day year-round.
- Connects Lofoten with the mainland via Narvik and Evenes Airport.
Svolvær – Leknes (Bus 18-741) & Å – Leknes (Bus 18-742)
- Winter: Fewer departures per day, and very limited service on weekends.
- Summer: More frequent service, with additional departures on weekdays and significantly more buses on weekends.
If you’re traveling in winter, buses are quite limited, so careful planning is essential. In summer, getting around by bus is easier but still requires checking the schedule in advance.
Buses in Lofoten mostly follow the main E10 road, connecting larger towns and villages. They don’t cover every little scenic spot, but they do get you between key locations.
Where Buses Don’t Go Regularly:
- Off-the-beaten-path locations like Nusfjord, Uttakleiv, Haukland Beach, Ryten/Kvalvika trailhead, and many remote beaches or mountain hikes.
- Some smaller villages have very limited service, especially in winter.
If you’re sticking to the main villages, buses can work—but if you want to explore freely, renting a car is a much better option.
Bringing a Bike on the Bus
🚲 Maybe, but don’t count on it.
- Buses don’t have bike racks, so bringing a bike depends on whether there’s space in the luggage compartment.
- If the bus is full (which happens, especially in summer), the driver may refuse your bike.
- It’s always up to the driver’s discretion, so have a backup plan just in case.
Bringing a Dog on the Bus
🐶 Yes, but with conditions.
- Small dogs that can sit on your lap or in a travel bag are usually fine.
- Larger dogs may need to sit on the floor, and you might have to pay a small extra fee.
- Service dogs are always allowed.
- The driver can refuse dogs if the bus is crowded or if another passenger has allergies.
Yes, but the easiest (and cheapest) way is to buy your ticket in advance.
Payment Options:
✅ Reis Nordland App – Best option! Buy your ticket in advance and avoid extra fees.
✅ Debit/Credit Card – All buses accept cards.
✅ Cash – You can pay with cash, but drivers only accept small Norwegian kroner notes (no big bills, no foreign currency).
🚨 Important: If you buy your ticket on board, you’ll pay an extra 20 NOK fee per ticket.
INTERACTIVE MAPS OF LOFOTEN
If you’re looking for detailed, user-friendly maps to navigate Lofoten, we have created interactive maps that help you find key locations, scenic spots, and practical travel information.
What Do the Interactive Maps Include?
🗺️ Tourist Attractions – Top sights, viewpoints, beaches, and must-visit spots.
🚍 Public Transport – Information about ferry terminals and the ferry schedules.
🏕️ Camping & Accommodations – Official campsites and our recommended fishermen´s cabins.
🥾 Hiking Trails – Popular and off-the-beaten-path hikes with links to hiking maps.
🍽️ Restaurants & Cafés – Places to eat, from quick bites to seafood dining.
📍 Essential Services – Grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, and pharmacies.
Why Use These Maps?
✅ Saves time – No need to search endlessly for information.
✅ Locally curated – Maps are made by people who actually live in Lofoten, not just generic Google listings.
✅ Up-to-date – Unlike many outdated travel guides, our maps get regular updates.
These interactive maps are a must-have if you’re planning a trip to Lofoten and want to explore efficiently!
