Harbours in Tromsø (Norway): Arrival, harbour information and sailing destinations

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Tromsø lies in northern Norway on the island of Tromsøya, around 340 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, between fjords and the islands off the coast of Troms. Here you'll read how to reach the harbours in Tromsø for your departure, which harbour is where, where to park and shop, what sailing weather to expect, which sailing destinations are nearby and what skippers need to bear in mind when berthing.

Which harbours are there in Tromsø?

Two harbours in Tromsø are important for visiting yachts, both on the island of Tromsøya on Tromsøysund: the guest harbour in the city centre, south of Tromsøbrua, and Skattøra Marina around five kilometres further north on the same sound.

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The guest harbour belongs to the municipal harbour authority Tromsø Havn. Its floating pontoons lie in the inner harbour between the city square Stortorget and the harbour terminal Prostneset, where the mail ships and fast boats also berth. Skattøra Marina is a boat harbour with fuel station and crane. Other boat harbours such as Tromsdalshavna on the mainland side opposite the centre only allocate permanent berths; they have no berths for visitors.

Getting to Tromsø for your departure

The easiest way to reach Tromsø is by air. The airport lies on the same island as the centre and both harbours; the distances are short.

From Tromsø airport to the harbours

Tromsø airport lies in the Langnes district, around five kilometres from the city centre; to the guest harbour it's around four kilometres as the crow flies. There are several flights daily from Oslo; they take about one hour and 50 minutes. There are also direct flights from several European cities.

To the guest harbour in the centre you have three options:

• Taxi: The taxi rank is directly in front of the arrivals hall; into the centre takes about ten minutes.
• Airport bus: It goes to several hotels in the centre and to the university and takes 10 to 15 minutes into the centre.
• City bus: Routes 40 and 42 stop at the airport and take 15 to 20 minutes to the centre. You can buy tickets at the machine at the stop or in the Troms public transport app "Svipper".

To reach Skattøra Marina, it's best to take a taxi; it's located north of the centre on the east side of the island.

By coastal steamer, express boat, train or bus

The coastal steamers on the route between Bergen and Kirkenes call at Tromsø twice daily throughout the year. From the south it's around 24 hours from Bodø, around 7 hours from Harstad, and from the north around 4 hours from Skjervøy. They berth at the Prostneset terminal, just a short walk from the guest harbour.

Express boats run two to four times daily via Finnsnes to Harstad and once to Skjervøy (except Saturdays). For a particular departure, buy your ticket in advance, otherwise you won't have a guaranteed seat. The express boats depart from a floating pontoon in the centre.

Tromsø has no railway station. The nearest stations are Narvik, with trains from Sweden via Kiruna, and Fauske on the Norwegian line from Trondheim. Long-distance buses run from there to Tromsø.

Which harbour is mine?

The guest harbour is right in the city centre on the waterfront, between Stortorget and the ferry terminal. Skattøra Marina, on the other hand, is at Skattøraveien 27, around five kilometres to the north. Tell the taxi driver either "gjestehavna i sentrum" or "Skattøra Marina".

Parking in Tromsø

The entire city centre is a parking prohibition zone: you may only park where a sign expressly permits it. On-street parking is usually limited to one or two hours, payment required on weekdays from 08:00 to 20:00 and Saturdays from 08:00 to 18:00, at the meter or by app.

For the duration of a sailing trip, two car parks are suitable:

• Fjellet car park: It's located inside the mountain beneath the city centre and has space for about 900 cars. You take a ticket on entry and pay before leaving. The entrance height is 2.20 metres.
• Seminaret car park: It's located at the entrance to the centre from Tromsøbrua. The upper deck is public, and the charge applies around the clock. The entrance height is 2 metres.

If you want to park for longer than 14 days, arrange this in advance with the city parking company Tromsø Parkering. Skattøra Marina has its own car park.

Showers and sanitary facilities

The guest harbour in the centre has no dedicated sanitary building with showers. Electricity, water and waste containers on the quay are included in the berthing fee. As of October 2026, Skattøra Marina is using a temporary sanitary container; a new service building with showers is under construction.

Shopping for the trip

For the guest harbour: The nearest supermarket is an Extra shop at Grønnegata 64, about five minutes' walk. More food shops, restaurants and stores are within walking distance in the city centre. Throughout Tromsø, food shops generally open weekdays from 08:00 to 23:00 and Saturdays from 08:00 to 22:00. Most shops are closed on Sundays, with only a few supermarkets, petrol stations and kiosks open. Therefore, plan your provisions before Sunday if possible.

For a large shop by car, the Jekta shopping centre is about ten minutes from the centre towards the airport, open weekdays until 21:00. From Skattøra Marina, you drive to shop either there or in the centre by car or taxi. Supermarkets sell beer only until 20:00 on weekdays and until 18:00 on Saturdays. Wine and spirits are only available from the state monopoly shop Vinmonopolet, which opens weekdays from 10:00 to 18:00 and Saturdays from 10:00 to 16:00.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

There is a pharmacy in the Alti Nerstranda shopping centre at Strandtorget in the centre. Outside surgery hours, you can reach the medical emergency service (Legevakt) on the nationwide number.

• 113: medical emergency
• 112: Police
• 110: Fire brigade
• 116 117: medical emergency service
• At sea: VHF channel 16, the coast radio stations monitor it around the clock and also receive DSC distress alerts.

The harbours in Tromsø at a glance

The guest harbour is central and usable year-round; Skattøra Marina offers more facilities but is located outside the centre.

Feature	Guest harbour in the centre	Skattøra Marina
Location	City centre, inner harbour basin south of Tromsøbrua	East side of Tromsøya, around 5 km north of the centre
Operator	Tromsø Havn KF (municipal harbour)	Skattøra Marina AS
Guest berths	Floating pontoons	10 guest berths
Facilities	Electricity (16 A), water, waste disposal included in berthing fee	Electricity, water (summer only), petrol and diesel, crane, slipway
Contact	VHF channel 12, telephone +47 91 10 74 44	Telephone +47 480 44 909

In the guest harbour you berth at floating pontoons. In winter you draw water only at the long pontoon; in summer at every other post on all pontoons. You pay the harbour dues there by app — more on that in the section for skippers. Skattøra Marina, like the guest harbour, is open in winter, but water is only available there in summer.

What's the weather like for sailing in Tromsø?

In summer the wind along the Troms coast blows mostly from north to north-east and flows inland through fjords and valleys. In winter it comes mostly from south-east to south-west, often as a cold katabatic wind blowing out from the fjords onto the sea. From November to April, polar lows may pass through: small, difficult-to-forecast lows with snow showers in which the wind can rise from light to storm force within a short time.

Tides at Tromsø raise and lower the water by an average of just under 1.80 metres, and by just over 2.30 metres at spring tides. In the outer coastal areas there is occasional fog in summer. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute issues a gale warning for the coast from 15 metres per second mean wind, which is force 7.

Which sailing destinations lie near Tromsø?

From Tromsø you head either north through Grøtsund to the islands of Karlsøy and on towards Skjervøy, or south through Rystraumen out to the west side of Kvaløya. When heading north you pass under the Tromsøbrua from the guest harbour.

Distances are rounded sea miles on the usual course from the guest harbour; for exact planning use the sea chart.

• Hansnes on Ringvassøya: about 25 nm to the north. From here the ferry crosses to the islands of Reinøya, Karlsøya and Vannøya.
• Karlsøya: about 30 nm to the north, one of the five inhabited islands of Karlsøy municipality.
• Sommarøy: about 30 nm, through Rystraumen and along the outside of Kvaløya. The fishing village on the west side of Kvaløya is known for its white sandy beaches.
• Skjervøy: about 55 to 60 nm to the north-east, past the mouth of Lyngenfjord. The fishing harbour lies on an island between Lyngenfjord and Kvænangen; the village's wooden church dates from 1728.

A strong tidal stream runs in Rystraumen south of Tromsø. Because of this current and its wildlife, the sound is a marine protected area. Anchoring and fishing remain permitted there.

If you want to continue into the Arctic after your trip: you can fly to Svalbard from Tromsø in about an hour and a half. You can read more about the harbour there in the profile of Longyearbyen harbour.

What can you do on a day ashore in Tromsø?

From the guest harbour you can reach destinations in the centre on foot. The cable car and the Arctic Cathedral are on the mainland side in Tromsdalen, across the Tromsøbrua or by bus. From Skattøra Marina you travel by bus or taxi into the centre.

• Polar Museum: in former customs buildings in Søndre Tollbodgate, the museum tells the story of seal hunting, polar winters, polar expeditions and the history of Svalbard. It opens daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Polaria: The experience centre by the water, a short walk from the centre, is the world's northernmost aquarium. It shows fish and animals of the Arctic, including bearded seals.
• Arctic Cathedral: the church in Tromsdalen stands right at the end of the Tromsøbrua. On foot across the bridge takes about 20 minutes; bus routes 20, 24, 26 and 28 stop at the church.
• Fjellheisen cable car: from the valley station in Tromsdalen the cabin takes about five minutes up to Storsteinen at 421 metres, with a café and views over the town and sound. It runs daily from 9 a.m. to midnight. Get there on bus route 26 from Torgsenteret in the centre.

For skippers: berthing and sea weather in Tromsø

You can reach the municipal harbour with the guest harbour on VHF channel 12 via the harbour watch (Havnevakta) or by telephone on +47 91 10 74 44. You can reach Skattøra Marina by telephone on +47 480 44 909. Monitor channel 16 as the distress and calling channel.

Registration and berthing in the guest harbour

• In the guest harbour you make fast to the floating pontoons, properly moored and with fenders.
• You pay the harbour dues within 30 minutes of arrival via the payment app the harbour uses. Anyone who doesn't pay also pays a control fee equal to one day's harbour dues. If you can't use the app, you pay by arrangement with the harbour watch at their mobile card terminal, for which an additional fee applies.
• For leisure craft, one day costs 360 kroner up to 11 metres length, 425 kroner from 11 to 15 metres and at least 535 kroner over 15 metres. A short stay of up to three hours costs 73 kroner for boats under 15 metres (as at October 2026). Electricity at 16 amperes, water and refuse are included.

Harbour rules

• Night-time quiet hours apply from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• If you leave the boat unattended for longer, someone in Tromsø must look after it, and you report this to the harbour watch.
• Boats in the guest harbour may not be used as a dwelling or rented out as accommodation.

Approach

Four approaches lead to Tromsø: from the south through the Rystraumen, from the north through the Grøtsund, the Langsund or the Kvalsund. The visitors' harbour lies on the Tromsøysund between Tromsøya and the mainland. Two bridges are important for the mast:

• Tromsøbrua across the Tromsøysund, north of the visitors' harbour: 36.5 metres clearance above highest astronomical tide, 60 metres wide.
• Sandnessundbrua across the Sandnessund west of Tromsøya: 41 metres clearance above highest astronomical tide, 120 metres wide.

Overtaking in the fairway is prohibited under both bridges. For this sailing area you need Norwegian charts 87 and 466. Because the clearance heights refer to the highest water level, you have more clearance under the bridge at normal tide.

Which marine weather forecast applies in Tromsø?

For the Norwegian coast, the national weather service Meteorologisk institutt (MET Norway) issues the official forecasts and warnings. You can find them on the weather portal yr; gale and storm warnings are also broadcast by the coast radio on VHF. The warning thresholds for the coast are explained by MET Norway on its website.

The coast radio stations monitor channel 16 around the clock and broadcast weather reports and navigational warnings every three hours. A current forecast is available on request by radio.

Trips from Tromsø on Törnfinder

In October 2026 there are 10 trip dates on Törnfinder in the next twelve months departing from or arriving in Tromsø. Most start in April, October and September; typically 11 days.

Trips along the entire Norwegian coast can be found under cabin charter in Norway, offers in all sailing areas in the trip overview.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Tromsø Airport to the visitors' harbour?

Quickest by taxi – about ten minutes' drive to the centre. Cheaper options are the airport bus with 10 to 15 minutes' journey time or city bus routes 40 and 42 with 15 to 20 minutes.

Where can I park when starting a trip in Tromsø?

In the Fjellet car park beneath the centre or on the public deck of the Seminaret car park. For more than 14 days, arrange parking in advance with Tromsø Parkering.

Are there showers at the visitors' harbour in Tromsø?

No, the visitors' harbour in the centre has no sanitary facilities of its own. Skattøra Marina north of the town has a sanitary container; a new service building is under construction.

Can I go shopping in Tromsø on Sundays?

Only to a limited extent: most shops are closed on Sundays; some supermarkets, petrol stations and kiosks are open. On weekdays, food shops usually open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

When does the midnight sun shine in Tromsø?

From 20 May to 22 July the sun does not set in Tromsø. During this period you sail in daylight even at night.

Which VHF channel does the port of Tromsø use?

Channel 12 for the municipal harbour including the visitors' harbour, where the harbour watch responds. You can reach them by phone on +47 91 10 74 44; monitor channel 16 as the distress and calling channel.

How high is the Tromsøbrua?

The clearance is 36.5 metres above highest astronomical tide with a width of 60 metres. The Sandnessundbrua west of the island is 41 metres high.