Nordland fylkeskommune Schedules 2026

Nordland fylkeskommune runs the ferries and fast boats of Norway's Nordland county — the long stretch of coast that includes the Lofoten and Vesterålen islands, Helgeland and the Arctic Circle. Distances here are real: this network contains both ten-minute fjord hops and a three-hour open-sea crossing.

The main crossings

Bodø–Moskenes is the one most visitors need — the car ferry to the Lofoten islands, roughly 3 hours 15 minutes across Vestfjorden. It is the only vehicle link to the southern Lofoten, and in summer it is heavily booked.

Bognes–Skarberget carries the E6, Norway's main north–south highway, in about 25 minutes. Sandnessjøen–Bjørn (25 minutes) serves Dønna on the Helgeland coast, and Festvåg–Misten is a short 8–10 minute hop near Bodø.

🔑 Passengers free, vehicles on a summer tariff

Foot passengers travel free on these ferries. Many crossings are free for vehicles too — but from 1 May to 31 August 2026 Nordland applies a summer tariff to vehicles on the otherwise free routes, and the way out of it is unusual:

• A vehicle pays for its first six crossings on a given route. From the seventh onward that route is free for the rest of the summer.
• The count is per route and per vehicle, and runs across the whole period — six trips in June means free travel on that route through August.
• Trips paid for on board do not count. You need an active agreement: AutoPASS ferry prepayment, AutoPASS via a tag issuer, or FerryPay.
• The first six trips are discounted by agreement type: 40–50% with AutoPASS prepayment, 10% via a tag issuer, no discount with FerryPay.

Neighbouring Møre og Romsdal runs a similar scheme with a four-trip threshold, so do not assume the rules carry across county lines.

Fast boats: book, and check your quay

The hurtigbåt services work differently from the car ferries. Buy in the Reis app no later than 60 minutes before departure, and be at the quay at least 15 minutes before. Carry photo ID if you are travelling on a discounted ticket.

The detail that catches people out is behovsanløp — request stops. Some quays are only called at if someone has booked them. Buying through the app handles this automatically; if you travel without an app ticket, check whether your quay requires a booking, because otherwise the boat sails past. The journey planner and timetables mark which quays are affected.

Tickets can also be bought by card on board, at the Sentrumsterminalen in Bodø (Sjøgata 3), or through Entur.