For over 130 years, Hurtigruten has been serving local communities up and down the Norwegian coast from Bergen in the south of the country, across the Arctic Circle and up to Kirkenes in the far north. Visitors to the country have naturally been drawn to this 2,500-mile voyage as it features some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, from dramatic fjords to dramatic mountains and other-worldly Arctic islands. We can offer packages including the full route of the Coastal Express or book port-to-port journeys to tie in with a bespoke rail holiday to Norway.

What to Expect

There are a number of ships in varying sizes which make the Coastal Express voyage. But you can always expect a choice of dining venues, an onboard boutique and a selection of lounges. Most ships also feature a hot tub and gym as well as a laundry. There are 34 stops along the full route, ranging from small fishing communities to big cities. The ship will stop at larger destinations for up to 4 hours and at smaller ones for around 15 minutes.  Stops can happen at any time during the day or night and this is important to factor in when you’re planning a bespoke itinerary. For example, the current timetable has a stop at Bodø northbound at around 3pm but on the southbound route, this is at 3am!

Cabins

All cabins are provided with towels and almost all have hair-dryers. If your cabin does not have a hair-dryer, you can get one at reception. Limited free Wi-Fi is offered onboard but you’ll need to sign up to Hurtigruten’s membership scheme for full Wi-Fi. This is free to do. The vast majority of cabins have en suite facilities, in all categories.

Polar Inside – These cabins generally have twin beds, one of which can be turned into a sofa. Some cabins have upper and lower berths (to accommodate a third passenger). These cabins are on the lower decks, with no windows. However, they are generally the same size as polar outside cabins.

Polar Outside – All ensuite, these cabins have twin beds, one of which can be turned into a sofa. As with polar inside cabins, some have upper and lower berths. Some cabins have a port hole and some have bigger windows though occasionally these can have a limited view due to obstructions such as lifeboats.

Upgraded cabins – These vary by ship and can be hard to secure as they sell out quickly. The option most commonly available is the Arctic Explorer cabin which features a TV and tea / coffee making facilities. These have either twin beds or double beds on refurbished ships.

Dining

Hurtigruten pride themselves on their locally sourced produce. They support 50 local farms, bakeries, and producers from across Norway and offer dishes which put this produce at centre stage.

The majority of ships will have a main restaurant with a table d’hôte menu, a bistro-style café and a fine-dining restaurant with an a la carte menu. Dining rooms will generally have floor-to-ceiling windows so that you can admire the passing scenery while you dine. There are cabin only, half-board and full-board packages available.

The majority of ships will have a main restaurant with a table d’hôte menu, a bistro-style café and a fine-dining restaurant with an a la carte menu. Dining rooms will generally have floor-to-ceiling windows so that you can admire the passing scenery while you dine. There are cabin only, half-board and full-board packages available.

Excursions

There’s a great choice of shore excursions which you can pre-book or sign up for once you’re onboard (subject to availability). These include hikes, fjord cruises, kayaking, city tours and unique experiences like dog sledding in Tromsø, a bird watching safari from Honningsvåg or a visit to a marble mine from Bergtatt.

These are all seasonal and dependent on the Coastal Express timetable. Once your voyage is booked, you’ll be able to see which tours are available for your journey.

Coastal Express Map

If you would like to incorporate a voyage with Hurtigruten into your Scandinavian holiday, please give us a call on 020 3322 7741 or send us an email to info@tailormaderail.com with your plans and we can help put together the perfect trip for you.