Travel on the Hurtigruten to Bergen

In July of 2022 I had the pleasure of travelling on one of the most famous sea routes in the world. The Hurtigruten is a Norwegian public transport and postal route, providing daily service between Bergen in the south and Kirkenes far to the north, with 34 ports of call in between.

For a country like Norway, which relies so heavily on sea routes, the Hurtigruten (meaning: ‘The Express Route’) remains a vital means of transport and communication for many Norwegians, as well as tourists from around the world. Hurtigruten was established in 1893 by government contract to improve communications along Norway's long, jagged and often inaccessible coastline.

We met one of the Hurtigruten’s 13 in-service boats on its southward journey, catching the MS Nordkapp as it pulled into Harstad harbourside on the Lofotens (see my earlier travel guide about our road trip around the incredible Lofoten islands here).

Harstad harbour in the sunshine, with the mountains of the Lofotens beyond.

 

---

Boarding the Hurtigruten

We waited eagerly on the dockside, bags and cases piled beside us as the boat pulled into the harbour. Then a mechanised gangplank was ceremoniously lowered and we clambered aboard the vessel. Here we were greeted by uniformed receptionists and ushered into the plush interiors and grand staircases of the Hurtigruten.

We had booked cabins for two, which were situated between the 2nd and 4th decks. Each had an ensuite toilet with shower, and plenty of room and storage to spread out our things. After checking in on that first morning there was one thing on our mind though: breakfast (it was actually our second breakfast of the day, but we had heard great things about the Hurtigruten’s buffet so had saved room!).

The dining room on the Nordkapp was situated on the 5th deck and it was here we headed after dropping our bags. Each guest scans their room card when entering, and is then shown to a table by a member of staff. An arc of panoramic windows look out onto the incredible fjords and mountains of northern Norway. By this stage we had begun to move again, so with a light rumble the boat eased out of Harstad.

We managed to tear our eyes away from the snow-capped mountains and icy blue waters of the fjord to attack the buffet. Different counters offered fresh fruit, overnight oats, porridge, smoked fish, pancakes, dried fruits, cooked breakfasts - you name it, they had it on offer.

Well fed, we now waddled up to the viewing decks to watch the Nordkapp wend it way through the sometimes narrow, steep-sided fjords as we navigated our way southwards through the Lofotens archipelago. This involved passing under bridges, swerving past forested islands and past tiny fishing settlements which cluster around the waterside.

Hurtigruten also offers excursions and activities to travellers, from glacier walking to sea eagle spotting. These can of course be a little pricey, so we opted for the series of talks and lectures during the course of the journey, attending our first one in the afternoon of our first day. The talk was about the different species of whale, where they lived, what they sounded like and how to spot them. My brother was so inspired by the images shown on the slides he spent the next few hours glued to the binoculars in the chill winds of the viewing deck, looking out for the great whale like Captain Ahab in Moby Dick.

Heading into Trollfjord

 

By the mid afternoon we passed into the extraordinary Trollfjord, a narrow stretch of deep water surrounded on all sides by steep mountains. I was not only stunned by the breath-taking views of the peaks rising from all sides, but by the skilled navigation of the crew, who were able to steer the large vessel around this narrow inlet to give us tourists the full 360 view!

Leaving Trollfjord behind we made our way down to Kabelvåg, one of the final stops on the Lofotens. Here we land lubbers had a few hours on solid ground, which we used to stretch our legs, walk around the harbourside a grab a bite to eat. The process of leaving and arriving at the boat is very simple, just scanning your room card to show you have departed the vessel.

We settled in the lounge to look out the panoramic view. Although alcohol prices in Norway are pretty crazy (even more so aboard the boat) we treated ourselves to a drink as the Nordkapp made a brief stop at Stamsund, a small fishing village on the southern tip of the Lofotens. Back to our cabins for a good night’s sleep, and we awoke to calm seas and beautiful islands in the Bodø region.

---

From Bodø to Rørvik

We spent the morning in the on-board gym on the top deck - complete with rowing machines, weights, running machines and stairmaster.

Next was a trip to the hot tubs at the rear of the boat, looking out at the beautiful fjords and mountains beyond as the morning sun glinted off the snow-capped peaks. We caught a glimpse of a sea eagle pursued by gulls, then headed down to the depths of the boat to try the fantastic sauna and cold plunge!

The early afternoon (around 15.00ish) on this southern leg of the Hurtigruten sees you stop off in Brønnøysund where we saw the local sights like the shopping centre, the harbourside and an impressive 18th century church.

This second evening we tried out the onboard dining, opting for the ‘cheaper’ and more casual eating area beside the more formal setting (although this meant we couldn’t sit next to the captain’s table!). The food we chose was delicious, sampling local dried fish in the form of bacalau, alongside freshly made fish burgers.

From Rørvik to Molde

The next morning saw us wake bright and early, a glint in our eyes and the smell of salt spray on the air as we stepped from the gangplank in Trondheim.

Although there is no obligation to do so, I definitely recommend hopping off the Hurtigruten when it pulls into Trondheim harbour at around 6.30 or 7 in the morning. In our whistle-stop tour we made our way on foot from the dockside to the centre of the city (around 15 minutes).

The friendly barman onboard the Nordkapp had given us a recommended route of his Trondheimian hometown, so we took in the royal residence, the town square, the spectacular Gothic cathedral (the most northerly example of a Gothic cathedral) and the gentrified dockside area.

 

Former warehouses and factories have been converted into office spaces, bars, clubs, cafes and restaurants, it was here to grabbed a delicious morning coffee and bun before heading back to the boat, feeling fresh and ready for more whale watching!

Sadly no whales were spotted on our way south from Trondheim, and by the time we reached Kristiansund in the afternoon we were ready to stretch our legs along the harbourside and enjoy the birthplace of the legendary Manchester United player Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Our final evening on the boat saw us enjoying a pizza in the casual dining room, before heading up to the panoramic lounge to watch the sun set over the islets of the fjords and watch the Tour de France highlights!

Finishing our Hurtigruten tour in Bergen

The next morning, we woke to see the MS Nordkapp wending its way through the sometimes narrow fjord towards Bergen.

For a boat, which a few days ago had been passing besides inhospitable mountains in the Arctic Circle, it was extraordinary to see the outskirts of the large city emerging, with summer houses facing onto the fjord and busy roads ferrying commuters to work.

Once at the dock, the cars were unloaded from the lower decks while we disembarked from the gangplank, passing a queue of happy travellers ready for their journey to the most northerly parts of Norway from which we’d just come.

We had a truly fantastic few days aboard the Hurtigruten and I hope you enjoyed this travel log and consider the beautiful Norwegian fjords as a future holiday destination.

Below, you’ll see a few of my sketches from onboard the Nordkapp, and a few links to other articles of mine which might help you plan your Scandinavian adventure.

Planning a trip to Scandinavia?

Why not check out my guides to Aarhus and Gilleleje in Denmark, Gothenburg in Sweden, or explore the rest of the Scandi Culture Experiences to find out what’s on offer.

Enjoyed this article?

Leave a comment and subscribe to the mailing list below for more updates and travel guides.

Visit the Lofotens

Incredible landscapes, beautiful beaches and amazing culture