Nordland Ferry Network: Norway's Hurtigbåt & Coastal Ferries

Nordland is one of Norway's most fragmented coastlines — a scatter of islands, fjords and skerries between Bodø and the Helgeland coast held together by an unusually dense network of car ferries and express passenger boats. If you've been searching for a specific route number, a village that's only reachable by boat, or simply "Nordland ferry schedule," here's how the network fits together.

Reis Nordland: the network behind the name

Nordland fylkeskommune (Nordland county) runs the region's public transport — buses, car ferries and hurtigbåt express boats — under the shared brand Reis Nordland. The two types of boat work very differently, and knowing which one you need matters:

• Ferje (car ferry) — carries vehicles and foot passengers on short crossings, usually with no need to book ahead.
• Hurtigbåt (express boat) — a fast, passenger-only boat linking a chain of coastal villages and islands, often the only way in or out for places with no road connection.

How the car ferries work

Since August 2023, passengers travel free on Nordland's county-owned car ferries — you only pay for the vehicle, based on its length category. Payment is handled automatically through AutoPASS (an account linked to your number plate) or FerryPay, or by card on board if you don't have an account; there's no need to book a ticket in advance. A handful of routes are run by other operators outside the free-passenger scheme, so it's worth checking the specific route before you travel.

How the hurtigbåt express boats work

Express boat tickets are bought through the Reis app or Reis Nordland's online ticket shop, and — unlike the car ferries — booking ahead is worth doing on longer routes, since seats are limited. Frequent travellers can buy a multi-day Travel Pass Nordland covering unlimited bus and boat travel, useful if you're island-hopping over several days. On the smallest stops, boats may only call "on request" (behovsanløp) — arrange this in advance rather than assuming every boat stops everywhere.

The Helgeland archipelago chain

South of Bodø, a long chain of hurtigbåt hops links the Helgeland islands end to end: Træna–Selvær, Selvær–Myken, Myken–Rødøy, Rødøy–Bolga, Bolga–Grønnøy, Grønnøy–Ørnes, Ørnes–Støtt and Støtt–Sørarnøy on to Bodø. A parallel branch serves Nesna–Sandnessjøen via Bjørn, with further connections out to Vågaholmen, Gjerøy, Selsøyvik, Tonnes, Indre Kvarøy and Onøy. This chain runs as part of the Nordlandsekspressen (NEX) service operated by Boreal, alongside more local Helgeland routes.

Nordlandsekspressen: the flagship coastal route

Nordlandsekspressen is the express boat spine of the network, run by Boreal on two linked legs: NEX1 between Bodø and Sandnessjøen (around 5 hours, with island stops along the way), and NEX2 between Bodø and Svolvær in Lofoten via Steigen and Hamarøy (around 3 hours). In summer, NEX1 adds extra calls at islands including Lovund, Træna, Myken, Rødøya, Bolga and Støtt.

The Lofoten and Vesterålen chain

NEX2 links Bodø to Lofoten through a chain of small stops: Svolvær–Skrova, Skrova–Skutvik, Skutvik–Bogøy, Bogøy–Nordskot and on to Helnessund and Bodø, with a further branch via Brennsund and Holkestad.

This is also the boat you need for one of Lofoten's best-known walks: the passenger boat from Reine to the car-free village of Vindstad, the usual starting point for the hike to Bunes Beach. Sailings run several times a day in summer but need to be pre-booked by phone in winter, since the village has no road access at all.

The Bindal and Sør-Helgeland chain

Further south, a separate chain connects Terråk–Hildring, Hildring–Bindalseidet, Bindalseidet–Harangsfjord, Harangsfjord–Skotnes and on to Røytvoll and Øksningøy–Øyen — a quieter corner of the network, mostly serving local travel rather than tourism.

Why you might see "177 Nordland" mentioned

If you've come across references to "177 Nordland," that's a legacy: 177 was Norway's old free national phone number and web brand for regional public transport timetable enquiries, used before Reis Nordland became the unified brand. Some older listings and local habits still refer to it, even though schedule information now lives on Reis Nordland's own site and app.

Planning your trip

• Car ferries: no booking needed, pay by AutoPASS/FerryPay or card on board, passengers ride free.
• Express boats: book ahead in the Reis app, especially for remote islands with limited daily sailings.
• Winter travel to the smallest stops, such as Vindstad, often needs a phone booking rather than a walk-up ticket.
• See the Nordland fylkeskommune operator page for the full list of routes and current schedules.