Norway's Arctic archipelago tops the bucket list of many adventurous travelers. From the spectacular Arctic landscapes and incredibly resilient wildlife to the snowscooter safaris and photography tours, Svalbard has a lot to offer.
In the summer, 24-hour daylight extends the available time for outdoor activities, while the 24-hour darkness of the polar winter increases the chances of seeing the northern lights.
Despite its location at 78 degrees north, the main settlement Longyearbyen is surprisingly accessible thanks to the world’s northernmost airport that receives scheduled flights. Several cruise lines also run routes to Longyearbyen and around the archipelago, although the future of Svalbard cruising is up for debate.
Flying to Svalbard
Just three miles west of Longyearbyen, the town’s airport is a lifeline to the community. Between 2006 and 2019, the airport’s traffic grew from 100,000 to more than 180,000 passengers per year.
It is served by regular, scheduled flights operated by both SAS and Norwegian. Both airlines operate direct routes to/from Oslo, but some flights stop at Tromsø on the way.
It’s important to understand the unique travel rules that apply to visiting Svalbard. Since 2017, the airport has no longer been classed as an international airport. However, as Svalbard is outside the Schengen Area, passengers are required to clear passport control before arrival.
That means that passport control will be done in Oslo, or in Tromsø for flights that stop there. In Tromsø, all passengers must leave the plane, go through passport control and then board the plane again together with passengers joining at Tromsø. All passengers will need their passport, regardless of citizenship. This includes Norwegian citizens, who must present a passport or national ID card.
Also bear in mind that foreign citizens with a visa requirement for the Schengen Area must have a Schengen visa when traveling to and from Svalbard via Norway.
Good deals could often be found on return flights to Longyearbyen. However, prices have remained high since the pandemic. As with most airline reservations, booking in advance and being flexible with dates will increase your chances of bagging a deal.
Frequent flyers on a Star Alliance airline can also try their luck booking a bonus flight through Scandinavian Airlines. Since the flight is classified as a domestic flight but rarely priced as one, it’s one of the best value ways to spend Star Alliance frequent flyer points.
Cruising to Svalbard
Prior to the pandemic, Arctic cruises were increasing in popularity in both Europe and North America.
New routes such as the new Svalbard cruises from Disney suggest that cruise lines expect that demand to come roaring back. Many of the best cruises take place on smaller expedition ships, an efficient way for travelers to appreciate a true Arctic wilderness without many of the distractions offered by bigger cruise ships.
Many cruises head for Northwest Spitsbergen National Park, a vast glacier-packed landscape home to the polar bear, Svalbard reindeer, Arctic fox and colonies of seabirds.
For the shortest and cheapest cruises, you may still need to fly to and from Longyearbyen. This is also the case for smaller expedition ship cruises such as those offered by Secret Atlas.
Longer cruises often include port stops in Norway or Iceland. For example, Hurtigruten Expeditions offers short 6-day or 10-day cruises that start and end in Longyearbyen, but also a 22-day tour of Norway and Svalbard that starts and ends in Dover, U.K.
