Visitor harbour in Svolvær (Lofoten): getting there, harbour info and sailing destinations

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Svolvær visitor harbour lies in the very centre of Svolvær, the largest town in the Lofoten, in the eastern harbour basin right on the quayside promenade. Here you can read how to get to the start of your sailing trip, exactly where the visitor harbour is, where to park and shop, what sailing weather to expect, which destinations are nearby and what skippers need to bear in mind when berthing.

Where is the guest harbour in Svolvær?

Svolvær lies on the southeast side of the island of Austvågøya, facing the Vestfjord. Svolvær guest harbour is part of the eastern harbour basin, Østhavna: the guest pontoons lie in front of the quayside promenade and the old ferry quay, right in the town centre. The offshore islands of Svinøya and Kjeøya, both linked to the centre by bridges, shelter the basin to the southeast.

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To the west, in Osanpollen, lies a second, deeper harbour basin, Vesthavna, with industrial quays, a shipyard and the ferry terminal. For visiting yachts, Østhavna with its guest pontoons is the right harbour.

Arriving for the start of your sailing trip at Svolvær guest harbour

Svolvær has its own small airport, the postal ships of the coastal route call in every day, and a fast boat and a ferry link the town with the mainland.

From the airport to the guest harbour

Svolvær Helle Airport (SVJ) is a regional airport for smaller aircraft, around six kilometres east of the town. There are several flights a day from Bodø, while connections from Oslo generally run via Bodø or Tromsø. For the short journey into town you can take a taxi, which is best booked in advance; the taxi dispatch can be reached on 07550.

Many travellers from abroad fly to Harstad/Narvik Evenes (EVE), around 170 kilometres from Svolvær. An airport bus runs from there to Svolvær all year round, and there is also regional bus route 300 from Narvik via Evenes along the E10 to the centre.

By car, bus, fast boat or ferry

By car, you reach Svolvær via the E10, which has linked the Lofoten Islands to the mainland without a ferry since 2007. Regional buses run from Svolvær to Narvik, to the Vesterålen islands and westwards via Leknes to Å. From Bodø there is a daily bus connection with a change at Lødingen. There is no railway line to the Lofoten Islands; the nearest stations are Bodø and Narvik.

The Bodø–Svolvær fast boat runs along the coast between islands and skerries and, as things stand (November 2026), stops en route at Helnessund, Nordskot, Bogøy, Skutvik and Skrova. It does not take cars, but bicycles are allowed. You can get tickets via the Reis or Entur apps.

The postal ships of the Bergen–Kirkenes coastal route call at Svolvær every day. Heading north, they arrive in the evening from Bodø and Stamsund. If you are travelling by car, in summer you can also take the ferry from Skutvik via Skrova to Svolvær; the crossing takes around two hours. In winter, the ferry only runs between Svolvær and Skrova. As things stand (November 2026), the ferry is free of charge for passengers and vehicles, and reservations are not possible.

Parking

The nearest public car parks are on Johan E. Paulsens gate and on Lamholmen, both around 100 metres from the guest harbour. A little further away, around 200 metres, is the car park on Storgata. The Alti Svolvær shopping centre in the town centre has 320 free parking spaces for its customers.

Svolvær Airport has car parking that you can book in advance. It is around six kilometres from the airport into town.

Shopping for the trip

You will not have to walk far for provisions: Kiwi Svolvær sentrum and Bunnpris & Gourmet are each around 300 metres from the guest harbour, Rema 1000 around 350 metres, Extra around 400 metres and Spar around 450 metres. The Alti Svolvær shopping centre has more than 30 shops, including a supermarket, a pharmacy and a branch of the Vinmonopolet. All the larger supermarkets are within walking distance in the town centre, so you do not need a car for the big shop.

Try to do your big shop before Sunday. In Norway, most shops stay closed on Sundays and public holidays; as a rule, only small grocery shops with up to 100 square metres of sales area may open. At Alti Svolvær, Bunnpris is open on Sundays from 10 am to 11 pm. Supermarkets sell beer from Monday to Friday until 8 pm and on Saturdays until 6 pm, or for shorter hours depending on the municipality. Wine and spirits are only available from the Vinmonopolet, which generally opens Monday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

The nearest pharmacy is Apotek 1 Svolvær, around 350 metres from the guest harbour. Two doctors' surgeries are very close by: Legetorget, around 200 metres away, and the Svolvær legesenter, around 250 metres away. The nearest hospital is the Nordlandssykehuset Lofoten in Gravdal.

• 113: medical emergency
• 112: Police
• 110: Fire brigade
• 116 117: out-of-hours medical service (Legevakt)
• At sea: VHF channel 16. The coast radio station Kystradio Nord in Bodø monitors it around the clock; it operates in the same building as the main rescue coordination centre for northern Norway.

What does Svolvær guest harbour offer?

Svolvær guest harbour consists of municipal floating pontoons in the eastern harbour, right next to the town centre. It is operated by Vågan Havnevesen, the harbour authority of Vågan municipality, which also manages the guest harbours in Henningsvær, Kabelvåg and Skrova.

Feature	Details
Location	Østhavna, on the quayside promenade in the centre of Svolvær
Operator	Vågan Havnevesen KF (municipal harbour authority)
Depth limit of harbour basin	7 m
Berthing fees (2026 tariff)	up to 13 m: 350 NOK per day without electricity, 400 NOK with electricity; up to 20 m: 450 NOK without electricity, 525 NOK with electricity (as of: November 2026)
Payment	GoMarina app or Vipps (number 88901)
VHF	Channels 12 and 16 (harbour watch)
Phone	Harbour watch +47 76 06 79 90

Equipment

Shore power is available at the visitor pontoons, and the daily rate with electricity is slightly higher than without. If you are only staying briefly, you pay a reduced rate for up to three hours, and for a full week there is a 20 per cent discount. The harbour watch helps with mooring, connecting to shore power and fresh water, accepts rubbish and waste oil, and allocates berths.

Just above the visitor pontoons you will find restaurants, shops and the tourist office at Torget.

What is the weather like for sailing in Svolvær?

In Nordland the wind mostly blows from the southwest, but it often changes. Lows from the area between Iceland and Jan Mayen move quickly eastwards, and the Lofoten and Vesterålen islands often form a weather divide. On calm summer days the wind on the coast is usually from the north or northwest. In winter, cold katabatic winds from the southeast and east are common and can reach gale force at the fjord mouths.

Important for Svolvær: in bad weather from the southwest, a pronounced swell builds up in the eastern harbour. At the tide gauge in neighbouring Kabelvåg, mean high water springs is around three metres above chart datum and mean low water springs around half a metre. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute issues a coastal warning from a mean wind speed of 15 metres per second, which is force 7.

Which sailing destinations are near Svolvær?

From Svolvær you can sail west along the south side of the Lofoten, north into the sounds, or across the Vestfjord to the mainland.

• Skrova: This small island group lies roughly 4 to 5 nautical miles south of Svolvær in the Vestfjord (rounded distance over water; use the chart for precise planning). The harbour is well sheltered by breakwaters, but the main approach from the southwest is difficult in bad weather. A lift bridge blocks the passage from the north. The municipal floating pontoon north of the lift bridge, with a water depth of 0.8 to 1 metre, is only suitable for small boats.
• Henningsvær: This fishing village at the southwest tip of Austvågøya, around 25 kilometres overland from Svolvær, lies on several small islands. It has a good approach and two municipal floating pontoons with a depth of 2.5 metres inside Heimsundet. The cultural environment has been protected since 2022.
• Trollfjord: This fjord arm branches off from Raftsundet to the west into the island of Austvågøya. It is around 2.5 kilometres long and only about 100 metres wide at the mouth, with mountains rising above 1,000 metres on the south side and at the head of the fjord. There is no road to it.
• Reine: This fishing village on Moskenesøya in the southwest of the Lofoten lies in front of the mouth of Reinefjord between steep mountains.
• Bodø: The town lies on the mainland; you can find out more in the profile Bodø Marina.
• Tromsø: The town lies further north. The berths there are described in the profile Tromsø harbours.

What can you do on a harbour day in Svolvær?

You can reach most attractions on foot from the visitor harbour, as the centre begins right at the quayside promenade.

• Svinøya and Fiskerkona: From Torget it is around 600 metres to the Svinøy bridge, and then across the island to the breakwater. At the very end stands the 4.5-metre-high sculpture Fiskerkona by Per Ung, gazing out to sea. From Torget to the sculpture it is 2.7 kilometres, around an hour there and back. The path is flat, but in strong winds and high waves you should not walk all the way to the end of the breakwater.
• Art on Svinøya: At the Vågan kunstsenter on Svinøya, the Nordnorsk kunstnersenter and Atelier Lofoten show their galleries.
• Lofoten Krigsminnemuseum: The museum commemorates the war years, and its starting point is the British Lofoten raid of March 1941.
• Magic Ice: The ice gallery displays ice sculptures all year round. It is located at the southern end of the Dampskipskaia.
• Linken: To reach the start of the path up to this small viewpoint summit at 105 metres, walk from the centre for about 20 minutes towards Kabelvåg until you are past the fire station. A gravel track leads up, and from the top you look out over the town and the mountains. Above the town, on Fløyfjellet, you can also see the rock pinnacle Svolværgeita with its two horns.

For skippers: berthing and marine weather in Svolvær

You can reach the Svolvær visitor harbour on VHF channel 12 or 16 via the harbour watch of Vågan Havnevesen, or by phone on +47 76 06 79 90. The harbour watch is staffed on weekdays during the day and in the evening, and at weekends in the evening.

Registration and Berthing

• You moor at the municipal floating pontoons in front of the quayside promenade. The harbour watch allocates berths and helps with mooring.
• You pay the berthing fee via the GoMarina app or via Vipps to number 88901 for Svolvær. In GoMarina, first search for the harbour where you are moored. The harbour fees of Vågan municipality are listed in the Price list of Vågan Havnevesen.

Approach

The approach to the eastern harbour is comparatively easy, and the basin has enough room to manoeuvre. Watch out for commercial traffic: along roughly 400 metres of quay, the mail ships of the coastal route, cruise ships, freighters and high-speed boats berth, while fishing boats and excursion boats use the remaining quays.

Which marine weather forecast applies in Svolvær?

For the Norwegian coast, the national weather service Meteorologisk institutt (MET Norway) issues the official forecasts and warnings, which you can find on the weather portal yr. Strong wind and gale warnings are also broadcast by coast radio on VHF, for northern Norway by Kystradio Nord in Bodø, and by NRK on digital radio. The warning thresholds for the coast are explained by MET Norway on its website.

Sailing trips from Svolvær on Törnfinder

You can find sailing trips around the islands under Cabin charter in the Lofoten, sailing trips along the whole coast under cabin charter in Norway and all sailing areas in the trip overview.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Svolvær airport to the guest harbour?

The easiest way is by taxi: Svolvær Helle airport is about six kilometres east of the town. You can reach the taxi dispatch on 07550, and it is best to book in advance.

How do I get to Svolvær without flying?

By express boat from Bodø, by the postal ships on the coastal route, which call in daily, by regional bus 300 from Narvik and Evenes, or in summer by car ferry from Skutvik.

Where do I park at the start of my sailing trip in Svolvær?

The nearest car parks are on Johan E. Paulsens gate and on Lamholmen, each about 100 metres from the guest harbour. At Svolvær airport you can book parking spaces in advance.

Can I go shopping in Svolvær on a Sunday?

To a limited extent: on Sundays, generally only small grocery shops are allowed to open. In the Alti Svolvær shopping centre, Bunnpris is open from 10 am to 11 pm on Sundays, but wine and spirits are not sold on Sundays.

How much does a berth in the Svolvær guest harbour cost?

For a boat up to 13 metres you pay 350 NOK per day without electricity and 400 NOK with electricity; for boats up to 20 metres it is 450 and 525 NOK respectively. For a week there is a 20 per cent discount.

Which VHF channel does the Svolvær guest harbour use?

Channel 12; the harbour watch of Vågan Havnevesen also monitors channel 16. You can reach them by phone on +47 76 06 79 90.