Norway · Lofoten, the coastal express & the Arctic Circle
Nordland ferry routes & schedules
Nordland has the longest and most far-flung ferry network in Norway. Stretching across the Arctic Circle from Helgeland up to the Lofoten and Vesterålen islands, it leans heavily on fast passenger boats (hurtigbåt) that serve island communities no road will ever reach — as much a lifeline as a way to travel.
- 550
- Connections
- 1
- Operators
- 213
- Quays
- 31m
- Avg crossing
About
Ferry travel in Nordland
Where the boat is the only road
More than almost anywhere else in Norway, ferries in Nordland are essential infrastructure. Along the Helgeland coast and out to the islands off Bodø, whole communities depend on the express boat for school, work and hospital trips. That gives the network a distinctive shape: long, multi-stop hurtigbåt routes that thread between dozens of small quays, plus the car ferries that carry the E6 and the roads into Lofoten across the widest sounds. Our Nordland ferry network guide maps how it all fits together.
Gateway to Lofoten & Vesterålen
The classic approach to Lofoten by sea is the car ferry across the Vestfjord from Bodø to Moskenes, and the shorter crossings that link the islands to the mainland further north toward Vesterålen. These fill quickly in summer, and unlike the short fjord hops further south, the popular Lofoten car ferries can be worth reserving ahead. Express passenger boats add faster, foot-passenger links to Svolvær and the smaller island villages — our Lofoten by ferry guide covers the routes, seasons and how to combine them.
Weather & the Vestfjord
Weather matters here more than in the sheltered south: the Vestfjord is open water, and sailings can be delayed or cancelled in winter gales — always check the day's status before relying on a connection. Nordland is also a link in Norway's Hurtigruten and Havila coastal voyage, the long-distance line that calls at ports the local ferries don't.
Destinations
Places to reach by ferry in Nordland
Travel guides to the islands and fjords this region's ferries serve.
Lofoten Islands
The Lofoten Islands rise straight out of the Norwegian Sea in a wall of granite peaks, red fishermen's cabins and white-sand beaches, roughly 200 km inside the Arctic Circle. The car ferry from Bodø to Moskenes is the classic gateway, landing you a few minutes' drive from the postcard villages of Reine and Å at the archipelago's southern tip.
Lofoten Islands travel guideVesterålen
Vesterålen is the archipelago just north of Lofoten where the drama softens into wide beaches, whale-rich seas and fishing villages that tourism has barely polished. Andenes, at its northern tip, is Norway's whale-watching capital and the terminus of the summer car ferry across to Gryllefjord on Senja.
Vesterålen travel guide
Quays
Ferry quays in Nordland
213 quays with published connections. Open a quay for every route that calls there.
- Bodø hurtigbåtkai19
- Ørnes hurtigbåtkai16
- Onøy hurtigbåtkai14
- Rødøy hurtigbåtkai13
- Sørarnøy hurtigbåtkai11
- Terråk hurtigbåtkai11
- Tonnes hurtigbåtkai11
- Brottøy hurtigbåtkai10
- Røytvoll hurtigbåtkai10
- Sandvær hurtigbåtkai10
- Storselsøy hurtigbåtkai10
- Sørvær hurtigbåtkai Fleinvær10
- Brønnøysund hurtigbåtkai9
- Forvik hurtigbåtkai9
- Selsøyvik hurtigbåtkai9
- Bindalseidet hurtigbåtkai8
- Bolga hurtigbåtkai8
- Drag hurtigbåtkai8
- Hildring hurtigbåtkai8
- Inndyr hurtigbåtkai8
- Lonkan hurtigbåtkai8
- Nesna hurtigbåtkai8
- Sandnessjøen hurtigbåtkai8
- Sommerset hurtigbåtkai8
- Stokkasjøen hurtigbåtkai8
- Storå hurtigbåtkai8
- Støtt ferjekai båt8
- Sundøy hurtigbåtkai8
- Sørfugløy hurtigbåtkai8
- Tjøtta ferjekai8
- Tjøtta hurtigbåtkai8
- Tro ferjekai8
- Våg hurtigbåtkai8
- Bærøyvågen hurtigbåtkai7
- Flostad hurtigbåtkai7
- Gardsøya kai Vega7
- Givær hurtigbåtkai7
- Helligvær hurtigbåtkai7
- Indre Kvarøy hurtigbåtkai7
- Jektvik hurtigbåtkai7
- Mesøy hurtigbåtkai7
- Onøy ferjekai7
- Skogsholmen hurtigbåtkai7
- Skotnes hurtigbåtkai7
- Stokkasjøen ferjekai7
- Stokkvågen hurtigbåtkai7
- Sørlandegode hurtigbåtkai7
- Teksmona hurtigbåtkai7
- Træna hurtigbåtkai7
- Tunnstad hurtigbåtkai7
- Visthus hurtigbåtkai7
- Bliksvær hurtigbåtkai6
- Bodø ferjekai6
- BrasøyFK hurtigbåtkai6
- Forvik ferjekai6
- Gjersvikgrenda hurtigbåtkai6
- Harangsfjord hurtigbåtkai6
- Helnessund hurtigbåtkai6
- Herøy ferjekai6
- Husvika hurtigbåtkai6
Show all 213 quaysShow fewer
- Jektvik ferjekai
- Kilvågen hurtigbåtkai
- Kilvær hurtigbåtkai
- Kjøpsvik hurtigbåtkai
- Meløysund ferjekai
- Meløysund hurtigbåtkai
- Mevær hurtigbåtkai Fleinvær
- Myken hurtigbåtkai
- Selvær hurtigbåtkai
- Sleneset hurtigbåtkai
- Stokkvågen ferjekai
- Storselsøy ferjekai
- Stuvland hurtigbåtkai
- Tonnes ferjekai
- Valøy hurtigbåtkai
- Visten hurtigbåtkai
- Vågaholmen hurtigbåtkai
- Vågsodden ferjekai
- Værøy ferjekai
- Øksningøy hurtigbåtkai
- Aldra hurtigbåtkai
- Bogøy hurtigbåtkai
- Grønnøy hurtigbåtkai
- Helgenes hurtigbåtkai
- Hestmona hurtigbåtkai
- Hulløyhamn hurtigbåtkai
- Ingelsfjord hurtigbåtkai
- Kilboghamn hurtigbåtkai
- Kjerrvika hurtigbåtkai
- Mindland ferjekai
- Nordfugløy hurtigbåtkai
- Nordskot hurtigbåtkai
- Rørøy hurtigbåtkai
- Sandvik hurtigbåtkai
- Sleneset ferjekai
- Sørnesøy hurtigbåtkai
- Telnes hurtigbåtkai
- Træna ferjekai
- Vassdalsvik ferjekai
- Vågsodden hurtigbåtkai
- Øksnes hurtigbåtkai
- Aursletta hurtigbåtkai
- Austbø ferjekai
- Austringen hurtigbåtkai
- Barkestad hurtigbåtkai
- Bjørn ferjekai Dønna
- Bjørn hurtigbåtkai
- Bognes ferjekai
- Brennsund hurtigbåtkai
- Børøy
- Finnvåg hurtigbåtkai
- Gjerøy ferjekai
- Gjerøy hurtigbåtkai
- Grytåga hurtigbåtkai
- Grødset hurtigbåtkai
- Handnesøya ferjekai
- Handnesøya hurtigbåtkai
- Hestøya ferjekai
- Holkestad hurtigbåtkai
- Holmen hurtigbåtkai
- Horn ferjekai
- Horsdal ferjekai
- Hundåla ferjekai
- Igerøy ferjekai
- Indre Kvarøy ferjekai
- Kilboghamn ferjekai
- Kirkefjord hurtigbåtkai
- Langøy hurtigbåtkai
- Lovund ferjekai
- Lovund hurtigbåtkai
- Løkta ferjekai
- Melfjordbotn hurtigbåtkai
- Moskenes ferjekai
- Musken hurtigbåtkai
- Nesna ferjekai
- Nordnesøy hurtigbåtkai
- Nordsolvær hurtigbåtkai
- Reine hurtigbåtkai
- Rendal hurtigbåtkai
- Rostad hurtigbåtkai
- Rødøy ferjekai
- Røst ferjekai
- Sandnessjøen ferjekai
- Sandøya hurtigbåtkai
- Sanna hurtigbåtkai
- Sauren ferjekai
- Selsøyvik ferjekai
- Sigerland hurtigbåtkai
- Skipnes hurtigbåtkai
- Skrova ferjekai
- Skrova hurtigbåtkai
- Skutvik ferjekai
- Skutvik hurtigbåtkai
- Smines hurtigbåtkai
- Strandbukta hurtigbåtkai
- Støtt hurtigbåtkai
- Sund ferjekai
- Sunderøy hurtigbåtkai
- Svolvær ferjekai
- Sørarnøy ferjekai
- Sørfjorden ferjekai
- Sørfjorden hurtigbåtkai
- Søvik ferjekai
- Vikholmen ferjekai
- Vikholmen kai
- Vindstad hurtigbåtkai
- Vokkøy hurtigbåtkai
- Ylvingen ferjekai
- Ylvingen hurtigbåtkai
- Øyen hurtigbåtkai
- Bolga ferjekai
- Bønå hurtigbåtkai
- Kaljord hurtigbåtkai
- Mindland hurtigbåtkai
- Mosjøen ferjekai
- Myre hurtigbåtkai
- Selvær ferjekai
- Skålvær hurtigbåtkai
- Stokmarknes hurtigbåtkai
- Sørnes ferjekai
- Tinden hurtigbåtkai
- Andalsvåg ferjekai
- Brasøy ferjekai
- Digermulen ferjekai
- Drag ferjekai
- Evenes hurtigbåtkai
- Festvåg ferjekai
- Finnvik ferjekai
- Fiskebøl ferjekai
- Forøy ferjekai
- Hanøy hurtigbåtkai
- Hellmobotn hurtigbåtkai
- Holm ferjekai
- Hysværøyan hurtigbåtkai
- Kjeldebotn hurtigbåtkai
- Kjøpsvik ferjekai
- Levang ferjekai
- Lødingen ferjekai
- Melbu ferjekai
- Misten ferjekai
- Nesna lokalbåtkai
- Nordnesøy ferjekai
- Skarberget ferjekai
- Skjellfjord hurtigbåtkai
- Solfjellsjøen ferjekai
- Svolvær hurtigbåtkai
- Tomma ferjekai
- Tomma kai
- Tro hurtigbåtkai
- Vandve ferjekai
- Vennesund ferjekai
- Ågskardet ferjekai
- Ørnes ferjekai
At a glance
Which Nordland crossings run most often?
The busiest published crossings, ranked by number of listed sailings.
| Route | Crossing | Sailings | Operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodø → Moskenes | 3h 15m | 37 / wk | 1 |
| Misten → Festvåg | 8m | 30 / wk | 1 |
| Bjørn ferjekai Dønna → Sandnessjøen | 25m | 28 / wk | 1 |
| Sandnessjøen → Bjørn ferjekai Dønna | 25m | 28 / wk | 1 |
| Skarberget → Bognes | 25m | 27 / wk | 1 |
| Bognes → Skarberget | 25m | 27 / wk | 1 |
| Skrova → Svolvær | 30m | 25 / wk | 1 |
| Svolvær → Skrova | 30m | 25 / wk | 1 |
| Bognes → Lødingen | 1h | 24 / wk | 1 |
| Forøy → Ågskardet | 10m | 23 / wk | 1 |
| Ågskardet → Forøy | 10m | 23 / wk | 1 |
| Lødingen → Bognes | 1h | 23 / wk | 1 |
Timetables
Ferry routes in Nordland
545 routes departing Nordland.
Showing the 150 busiest of 545 routes departing Nordland.
150 routes
Operators
Who runs the ferries in Nordland?
Guides
Planning ferry travel in Nordland
Practical guides to fares, booking and the crossings worth building a trip around.
- Nordland Ferry Network: Norway's Hurtigbåt & Coastal FerriesComplete guide to Nordland's ferries and hurtigbåt express boats — Helgeland, Lofoten, Vesterålen & Bindal routes, tickets, and Reis Nordland booking.
- Lofoten Islands by Ferry: Routes, Times & TipsEvery ferry to and around the Lofoten Islands — Bodø–Moskenes, the Bodø–Svolvær express boat, seasonal shortcuts, and practical tips for cars and foot passengers.
- Hurtigruten & Havila: Norway's Coastal Voyage (Bergen-Kirkenes)How Norway's Bergen-Kirkenes Coastal Express works: Hurtigruten vs Havila, segments, cabins, seasons and practical tips.
- Are Ferries Cancelled in Bad Weather?When ferries are delayed or cancelled, why high-speed services are most affected, and what to do if your sailing is called off.
- Norway's Ferry Network: Your Comprehensive Route GuideExplore Norway's extensive ferry network, from the iconic Western Fjords to the Arctic. Discover car ferries, express boats, and coastal routes.
- Ferry Prices in Norway: AutoPASS, Free Crossings & How Payment WorksNorway's road ferries bill your number plate automatically, discount prepaid AutoPASS accounts and carry foot passengers free. Here is how the pricing system works, including rental cars and foreign plates.
- Are Ferries Free in Norway? The 2026 List of Free Routes (and the New Summer Fares)Yes, many low-traffic and island ferries are free in Norway, but three counties reintroduced summer vehicle fares for 2026. Here is the current picture.
- AutoPASS for Ferry in Norway: Ferjekort vs Brikke — Which You Actually Need (2026)The ferry card and the toll tag are not two rival products — one runs on top of the other. Here is which you actually need in 2026.
Travel updates
Latest updates for Nordland
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Lofoten by ferry, and how long does it take?
The main sea route is the car ferry across the Vestfjord from Bodø to Moskenes at the southern tip of Lofoten, which takes roughly 3–3.5 hours. Foot passengers travel free and don't need to pre-book; drivers taking a car in the busy May-to-September season should book ahead, as only part of the deck is sold in advance and weekend sailings fill days ahead.
Do I need to book the Bodø to Moskenes ferry?
Not as a foot passenger — you can simply turn up and board (an optional paid reservation exists if you want a guaranteed place). With a vehicle it's a different story in summer: only about half the car deck is pre-bookable, so reserve ahead for May–September travel and, if a sailing shows sold out online, arrive early to queue for the remaining places.
Are Nordland's express boats just for tourists?
No — they are primarily a lifeline service. Along the Helgeland coast and the islands off Bodø, the fast passenger boats (hurtigbåt) are how residents commute, reach school and get to hospital, which is why many routes make numerous stops at small quays.
How many ferry routes are there in Nordland?
Nordland has 550 ferry and express-boat connections across 213 quays. Each route page lists the timetable, crossing time and operator.
Who operates ferries in Nordland?
Boat and ferry services in Nordland are run by 1 operator, including Nordland fylkeskommune. Most are part of Norway's county public-transport network.
How long are ferry crossings in Nordland?
Across Nordland's active crossings the average sailing takes about 31m, while the longest runs roughly 3h 45m. Each route page shows the exact duration.
Explore
Other ferry regions in Norway
Reviewed by Serhat Özçelik, Founder & Editor of Ferry Schedule Hub · Last updated July 19, 2026.