Tromsø city buses — routes, fares and how to use them
How much does a bus cost in Tromsø?
A single adult fare is 48 NOK (around €4) on the Tromskortet card. You can also pay by contactless card on the bus. Children under 6 travel free; ages 6–17 pay half fare.
Getting around Tromsø without a car
Tromsø’s city-centre island (Tromsøya) is compact — roughly 4 km long and 1.5 km wide — and most of the main attractions are walkable from the harbour. That said, the bus network operated by Troms fylkestrafikk is reliable, affordable, and worth understanding if you plan day trips, need to reach the airport, or want to cross to Kvaløya.
This guide covers the routes you actually need as a visitor, not the full regional timetable.
| Where | Tromsøya island and connections to the mainland |
| Cost | 48 NOK single fare; 120–140 NOK for a 24-hour pass |
| Time needed | Most in-city trips take 5–15 minutes |
| Getting there | Board at any marked stop; pay by app, contactless card, or Tromskortet |
| Best time | Daytime (06:00–23:00) for full frequency |
Key routes for visitors
Bus 40 / 42 — airport and Kvaløya
Routes 40 and 42 are the most useful for arriving visitors. Both serve TOS Airport (48 NOK, 20–25 min from the city centre) and continue to or from Kvaløyvågen on Kvaløya island.
Route 40 runs: Tromsø Airport → Breivika → city centre (Prostneset) → Kvaløya Route 42 runs: Tromsø Airport → city centre (Prostneset) → Sandnessund → Kvaløya
Frequency: every 20–30 minutes during the day (roughly 06:00–23:00). Night service hourly.
Bus 26 — Fjellheisen and inland Tromsøya
Route 26 runs from Prostneset through the city centre and up towards the Fjellheisen cable car lower station at Solliveien. If you want to ride the cable car to Storsteinen summit (421 m) for panoramic Arctic views, this is your bus. Journey time: 8–10 minutes from the terminal.
The 26 also serves Tromsdalstinden trailhead if you continue to the end of the line — useful for the multi-hour summit hike in summer.
Bus 20 / 24 / 37 — city loop
These routes circulate through the main city-centre streets (Storgata, Strandvegen, Fr. Langes gate). They pass within walking distance of:
- Polaria aquarium (Strandvegen stop, ~200 m)
- Polar Museum / Polarmuseet (harbour area)
- Arctic Cathedral (bus 20, stop Ishavskatedralen)
- Mack Brewery / Ølhallen (city centre)
If you are staying in a hotel on the main island, you are unlikely to need buses for anything within the city-centre core — it is faster to walk.
Bus 44 — Tromsøya ring road
The 44 loops around the outer edge of Tromsøya, useful for reaching accommodation in Breivika (university area) or the Ishavshotel in the north of the island.
Fares in 2026
| Ticket type | Price (Tromskortet card) | Cash / contactless at terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Adult single (adult ≥18) | 48 NOK | 55 NOK |
| Child single (6–17) | 24 NOK | 28 NOK |
| Under 6 | Free | Free |
| Night bus (Nattbuss) | 96 NOK | 110 NOK |
Monthly passes are available for residents but rarely worth it for tourists unless you are staying for 3+ weeks.
90-minute transfer rule: A single fare covers all transfers within 90 minutes of first validation. If your sightseeing loop involves two bus rides within that window, you pay once.
How to pay
Troms Reise app (recommended)
Download before you travel. The app allows you to:
- Buy single or multi-trip tickets
- Top up a digital Tromskortet pass
- See real-time departures at any stop
Tickets activated in the app are scanned at a contactless reader when you board. This is the most reliable method, especially if your foreign bank card’s contactless fails on the bus terminal.
Contactless bank card
Most buses have a Vipps/card terminal that accepts VISA and Mastercard contactless. The terminal charges the standard single adult fare automatically — no need to confirm the amount. American Express is generally not accepted.
Pitfall: Some foreign bank cards charge a foreign transaction fee per tap. If you are on a Wise, Revolut, or Monzo card, transactions will be in NOK at the live exchange rate with no fee. Traditional bank cards may add 1–3% per transaction.
Tromskortet physical card
Available from Narvesen convenience stores and the Troms fylkestrafikk office. Requires a 50 NOK refundable deposit and a minimum top-up. Rarely worth getting for stays under 5 days unless you prefer a physical card.
Real-time departures and apps
The Ruter app widely used in Oslo does not work in Tromsø — that is a common mistake. Use:
- Troms Reise (official, iOS and Android) — journey planning, tickets, real-time boards
- Google Maps or Apple Maps — both show real-time Troms fylkestrafikk departures and are accurate enough for planning
Bus stop signs in Tromsø display the stop number (e.g. “Prostneset 190”). Enter this number into the Troms Reise app for live departures.
Night buses
Friday and Saturday nights, Troms fylkestrafikk runs Nattbuss services between approximately 01:00 and 05:00 on selected routes. The adult fare is 96 NOK (double the daytime fare). These routes are primarily designed for nightlife returnees and cover the main routes back to residential areas and the airport.
If you are returning from an aurora tour that ends at 02:00–03:00, do not assume a night bus will be available — most organised aurora tours provide minibus return transport to the city centre. Check with your tour operator.
Winter bus operations
In heavy snowfall, buses in Tromsø continue to run — the city is well prepared for winter conditions. However:
- Delays of 10–20 minutes are common during snowstorms
- Some stops on steep inclines may be temporarily closed and the nearest alternative stop used
- Articulated buses occasionally run on icy routes, which can cause longer boarding times
If you are catching a bus to the airport for an early morning flight in winter, always add 20–30 minutes of buffer and have a taxi number saved as backup. Tromsø Taxi: +47 776 00 000.
Getting to the mainland (Lyngen, Senja, Breivikeidet)
City buses do not go to the mainland. For day trips to Lyngen (1.5–2 hours), Senja (2.5–3 hours), or Tamok Valley, you need a rental car or a organised day trip.
A few regional bus routes (not city buses) connect Tromsø to mainland towns, but they are infrequent and do not coordinate well with tourist itineraries. See car rental and winter driving for the self-drive option, or check our day trip guides for guided tour options:
Walking vs bus: honest assessment
For most visitors staying in the city centre, the bus is only necessary for:
- Airport transfers (40/42)
- Fjellheisen cable car (26)
- Cross-island trips to Kvaløya (40/42)
Everything else — Arctic Cathedral, Polaria, Polar Museum, the harbour, Storgata, Ølhallen — is walkable in under 20 minutes from any city-centre accommodation. In winter, walking on Tromsø’s lit pedestrian paths in proper winter footwear is often faster than waiting for a bus.
Do not, however, attempt to walk to the airport in winter. The bridge road has no sidewalk for most of its length and is dangerous at night.
Accessibility on Tromsø buses
All new-generation Troms fylkestrafikk buses are low-floor with ramp access. Most stops in the city centre have raised kerbs to help wheelchair users board. Real-time audio announcements are provided on most routes. For specialised transport for passengers with reduced mobility, contact TT-transport (Transporttjenesten for funksjonshemmede) through the Troms county website.
Honest verdict
Frequently asked questions about Tromsø city buses
Can I use the Oslo Ruter app in Tromsø?
No. Ruter covers Oslo and Akershus only. In Tromsø use the Troms Reise app or the Skyss app. Google Maps and Apple Maps both work for journey planning.
Is the city bus free on Sundays?
No. Standard fares apply seven days a week. There is no free public transport day in Tromsø.
What is the last bus from the city centre to the airport?
Bus 40 and 42 run until approximately 23:00–23:30 from the city. After that, taxis are the only option (250–400 NOK). The night bus does not serve the airport.
Do buses in Tromsø have WiFi?
A small number of newer Troms fylkestrafikk coaches on longer regional routes have WiFi. City buses (40, 42, 26, etc.) generally do not have onboard WiFi. Mobile 4G coverage across Tromsøya is excellent with Telia or Telenor SIM cards.
How reliable are Tromsø buses in winter?
Very. The city has decades of experience operating buses in sub-zero conditions with heavy snowfall. Minor delays (5–15 minutes) occur in bad weather, but cancellations are rare. The road network within the city is gritted and ploughed continuously during snowstorms.
Is there a tourist day pass for the bus?
Troms fylkestrafikk offers a 24-hour pass. As of 2026, this costs around 120–140 NOK for adults. It is only worthwhile if you plan four or more bus trips in a single day, which is unusual for most visitors.
Do buses stop at the Arctic Cathedral?
Bus 20 has a stop called “Ishavskatedralen” that is directly outside the Arctic Cathedral (Ishavskatedralen) on Hans Nilsen Hauge gate on the mainland side. The journey from the city centre takes about 5–8 minutes.
Do I need a rental car if I am only staying in Tromsø city?
No — for a stay confined to Tromsøya and organised day trips, city buses plus walking cover everything. See the getting around Tromsø guide for a fuller comparison of bus, taxi, and rental-car use cases.
Can I use city buses to reach whale watching or aurora tour departure points?
Most organised tours include pickup from central hotels, so a city bus is rarely needed for tour departures. If a specific meeting point is off the usual pickup route, check with the operator — city buses can supplement but should not be relied on as the sole way to reach a fixed tour departure time.
Bus routes and key attractions: a quick reference
For visitors who want a concise stop-by-stop reference without reading the full route descriptions:
| Attraction | Nearest bus stop | Route(s) | Walking from stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fjellheisen cable car | Solliveien | 26 | 1 min |
| Polaria aquarium | Strandvegen | 26, 37, 40 | 3 min |
| Polar Museum | Fiskerikaien | 20, 26 | 2 min |
| Arctic Cathedral | Ishavskatedralen | 20 | 1 min |
| Mack Brewery / Ølhallen | Rådhuset | most routes | 4 min |
| Tromsø Airport | Tromsø Lufthavn | 40, 42 | 2 min |
| Breivika ferry terminal | Breivika | 40, 42 | 3 min |
Using buses for evening aurora preparation
One practical use case for the bus that visitors often overlook: taking the bus to a viewpoint at dusk to scout before the aurora tour later in the evening. The Fjellheisen area (reached by bus 26) gives an excellent preview of the night sky conditions from 300 metres altitude without the cable car cost.
If you board bus 26 at Prostneset around 17:00–18:00, you reach the cable car lower station in 8 minutes. You can walk the path up toward Storsteinen on foot in 45–60 minutes to check cloud cover from altitude — useful data for deciding whether to book a tour for that evening.
This walk back down in the dark requires a head torch. In winter (November–February), the descent path is icy — Brodder spike attachments are essential.
Buses and sustainable tourism
Tromsø’s public transport network has been steadily electrifying. As of 2026, Troms fylkestrafikk operates a growing fleet of electric buses on city routes, reducing emissions from urban transit. Several of the routes 20–44 now run on electric buses.
For environmentally-conscious visitors, using the bus network instead of taxis for city movement is a practical step. The bus also reduces congestion in Tromsø’s city centre, which has limited parking capacity and traffic management challenges in peak tourist season.
The airport bus (40/42) remains a mix of electric and hybrid diesel depending on the current fleet rotation. Full electrification of the airport route is planned as the fleet renews.
Buses vs renting a car: which do you actually need
Most visitors overestimate how much they will use the bus network and underestimate how much they will walk. For a first-timer with a 2-day stopover sticking to the city centre and one Fjellheisen trip, city buses cover everything and a rental car is unnecessary expense. For anyone planning day trips to Lyngen or Senja, or a longer stay that includes self-drive aurora chasing, see the car rental and winter driving guide — the calculus changes once the mainland is on your list. The Tromsø daily budget guide has cost comparisons for both approaches across a typical multi-day stay.
Fitting bus travel around a Tromsø itinerary
If you are following a set plan such as the 3-days winter itinerary or the 4-days aurora itinerary, city buses handle the daytime sightseeing legs (Fjellheisen, Polaria, the Arctic Cathedral) while organised evening tours typically include their own transport for aurora chasing or whale watching further afield. Budget for the two separately rather than assuming one covers the other.
