| Hurtigruten | |
 | |
| Itinerary type | Naval |
|---|---|
| State | Norway |
| Start | Bergen |
| end | Kirkenes |
| Time | 6-7 days |
| Tourism site | |
Hurtigruten (Norwegian Coastal Steamer) is an itinerary that takes place in Norway thanks to the Norwegian ferry service that every day sails along the coast of the Scandinavian country from Bergen (in the southwestern part) a Kirkenes (in the north, not far from the Russian border).
Introduction
Hurtigruten (literally "fast route") is a ferry line along the rugged coastline of the Norway. It is often called "the most beautiful sea voyage in the world". It is essentially a journey to see the coast, not the fjords; during the summer season, however, the Hurtigruten makes a detour to Geiranger. A one-way trip takes 6-7 days, while the round trip takes 12.
How to get
 | To learn more, see: How to get to Bergen. |
The journey can start from south to north, departing from the port of Bergen, the second largest city in Norway, or vice versa.
Preparations
Hurtigruten is quite expensive; a full loop from Bergen to Kirkenes and back costs almost NOK 10,000 / person (~ € 1,200) in the low season in a cabin with a shared bathroom and no window. If you are traveling in the summer season the price will be doubled; if you want a more beautiful cabin with window, add an additional 30/100% to the price. The best suite in the height of summer costs NOK 72,000 / person. On the plus side, the ships are very clean and virtually no noise on board. However, you can only make the journey for part of the journey. The cost for such a trip is calculated in part for the distances traveled and the type of cabins. Most ships are capable of carrying cars (usually 40). This could make the possibility of a round trip interesting. Clothing aboard the ship is casualbut remember to bring warm clothes if you want to walk the deck. In Northern Norway temperatures can drop as low as 10 ° C in the height of summer; in winter temperatures are more likely - 20 ° C or less. The wind from the Atlantic to the Arctic Sea will be even colder.
The southern stop for the Hurtigruten is Bergen. The northern stop is Kirkenes, on the border between Norway is Russia. It is possible to board the ship in all ports where the ship stops. Check-in (and ticket sales if you haven't booked) is on board after entry.
The fleet
- Fram
- Midnatsol
- Trollfjord
- Finnmarken
- Nordnorge
- Polarlys
- Nordkapp (cruise ship)
- Nordlys
- Richard With
- Kong Harald
- Vesterålen
- Narvik
- Lofoten
- Nordstjernen
- Lyngen
The ancient ship Finnmarken, (previous to the current Finnmarken) built in 1956, it has been converted into a museum on land and is used to show how Hurtigruten has evolved over the years. There are still two ships, still functioning, dating back to the same years as the old one Finnmarken, the Nordstjernen (built in 1956) and the Lofoten (1964), although they are used only to replace the much more luxurious ships that make Antarctic cruises during the same period. All other ships are built between 1982 and 2003, most of them between the late 1990s and early 2000s.
A new ship, the Fram, named in honor of the ship Fram of Fridtjof Nansen's expedition is under construction and should finally take the place of the veterans Lofoten is Nordstjernen by the end of 2007.
Shopping
There is a souvenir shop on each ship.
Meals on board
The ship's self-service restaurant serves a rich buffet breakfast (NOK 135), lunch (NOK 285) and dinner (NOK 395).
Stages
Hurtigruten: full screen map.The Hurtigruten touches the following ports, listed from south to north:
- 1 Bergen
- 2 Florø
- 3 Måløy
- 4 Torvik
- 5 Ålesund
- 6 Geiranger - Probably Norway's most iconic fjord (summer only, April 15 - September 14)
- 7 Molde
- 8 Kristiansund
- 9 Trondheim - Third largest city in Norway with an impressive cathedral
- 10 Rørvik
- 11 Brønnøysund - Located near the famous mountain Torghatten
- 12 Sandnessjøen
- 13 Nesna
- 14 Ørnes - The first port north of the Arctic Circle.
- 15 Bodø
- 16 Stamsund
- 17 Svolvær - Access from the south to the archipelago of Lofoten.
- 18 Stokmarknes
- 19 Sortland
- 20 Risøyhamn
- 21 Harstad - Access from the north to the archipelago of Lofoten.
- 22 Finnsnes
- 23 Tromsø - The largest city in northern Norway.
- 24 Skjervøy
- 25 Øksfjord
- 26 Hammerfest
- 27 Honningsvåg - Near North Cape, referred to as the northernmost point of Europe.
- 28 Kjøllefjord
- 29 Mehamn
- 30 Berlevåg
- 31 Båtsfjord
- 32 Vardø
- 33 Vadsø
- 34 Kirkenes - The door for Russia is Finnish Lapland
Safety
The ships themselves are very safe and it is unlikely that anything bad will happen on board, barring a little seasickness for those who normally suffer from it. A number of sections are exposed to the force ofAtlantic Ocean.
Around
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Hurtigruten
Commons contains images or other files on Hurtigruten
