Farther than you think â and worth every minute
Varanger is located some distance away. From Oslo it is a couple of hours in the air to Kirkenes or Vadsø, and then an hour's drive to many of the destinations in the region. The distances are manageable â and they are part of the experience. The point is that you travel here, not just pass through.
âď¸ By plane
The easiest is to fly to Kirkenes Airport (KKN) via Oslo. SAS and Norwegian operate this route daily, often with 1â2 departures per direction. Travel time from Oslo is approx. 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Vadsø Airport (VDS) is an alternative with shorter transfer to the center of Varanger. Widerøe flies here from Kirkenes several times daily, as well as direct flights from Tromsø.
Bardufoss and Tromsø are other entry points if you plan to drive east along the coast â this offers a classic Northern Norway trip that is highly recommended.
đ By bus
Snelandia operates Varangerexpressen (route 064) between Kirkenes, Varangerbotn, Vadsø and Vardø. Departures are 3 times daily on weekdays and Sunday, and the journey from Kirkenes to Vadsø takes approx. 3 hours. Tickets are purchased at snelandia.no.
The bus service is good enough to get between the larger towns, but to explore the fjords, the national park and the more remote destinations, a car is clearly recommended.
đ By car
A car gives you the most freedom in Varanger. From Tromsø it is approx. 8â9 hours along E6 to Vadsø. From Kirkenes it is approx. 2.5 hours. The roads in Finnmark are spacious and well maintained, but winter driving requires studded tires and good preparation.
Cars can be easily rented at Kirkenes Airport (Hertz, Avis, Europcar). Remember that distances in Finnmark are large: from Vadsø to Vardø it is approx. 70 km, and from Vadsø to Berlevüg it is 1.5 hours.
â´ď¸ By Hurtigruten
Both Hurtigruten and Havila Kystruten call at Vadsø, Vardø, BĂĽtsfjord and BerlevĂĽg on their daily route between Bergen and Kirkenes. The ship takes approx. 5â6 days from Bergen, and many choose to take a shorter section â for example from Tromsø to Kirkenes.
Havila and Hurtigruten are a great alternative for those who want to see the coastal landscape from the sea, but it is not the fastest alternative.
âď¸
~2h 15min
OsloâKirkenes by plane
đ
~3h
KirkenesâVadsø by bus
đ
~8â9h
TromsøâVadsø by car
â´ď¸
5â6 days
BergenâKirkenes by Hurtigruten
Practical tips
- âď¸Winter driving requires studded tires (mandatory in Finnmark from October to April). Check road conditions at vegvesen.no.
- â˝Refuel in larger towns. Between Tana and Vardø there is a long distance between stations.
- đśMobile coverage is variable out in nature. Download offline maps (Google Maps or Maps.me).
- đ¨Book accommodation early â there are not many beds in Varanger, and popular places fill up quickly.
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