Trollfjord is one of the newer Hurtigruten ships,
built in 2002. It can carry 674 passengers
Hurtigruten - Norwegian Coastal Voyage
Hurtigruten began over a century ago as a mail service and freight and passenger lifeline linking the coastal communities of west and north Norway - and it still provides that service today, with a vessel going each way every day of the year at all 34 ports along the way. In the last 20 years this has also become a very popular tourist cruise.Hurtigruten (or Hurtigruta) is translated as Express Route, but usually called Norwegian Coastal Voyage, or Norwegian Coastal Express in English.
Note that if a port is visited during the day in one direction, it will likely be a shorter stop during the night in the other direction.
Timetable
There are two timetables - one for the summer from mid-April to mid-September, and one for the winter. The major difference is that in the winter, the boat leaves Bergen later and does not go into Geirangerfjord or stop a second time in Aalesund. Beyond Trondheim, both timetables are the same. Below you can see a few of the scheduled departures.Depart Bergen 20.00 (22.30 winter) - northbound
visit Geiranger 13.30 (+1 day - summer only, northbound only)
Depart Trondheim 12.00 (+ 2 days)
Depart Bødø 15.00 (+ 3 days)
Depart Tromsø 18.30 (+ 4 days) - eastbound
Depart Hammerfest 06.45 (+ 5 days)
Depart Kirkenes 12.45 (+ 6 days) - westbound
Depart Hammerfest 12.45 (+ 7 days)
Depart Tromsø 01.30 (+ 8 days) - southbound
Depart Bødø 04.00 (+ 9 days)
Depart Trondheim 10.00 (+ 10 days)
Arrive Bergen 14.30 (+ 11 days)
Disclaimer: we provide these timings as a guide only - schedules can change
Highlights
How can you pick out a few highlights? This is a truly unique journey and you have to experience it to have any real idea of what it is like. I have been on the bridge of ships navigating through these narrow channels with cliffs and rocks all around - at night, with many lighthouses flashing their coded signal to guide the way. Some sections are in open sea, but much of the route weaves through and around the islands.I have also been in some of these small towns when the boat arrives - the buzz of people arriving, leaving, greeting, and collecting or delivering vital packages, before it rushes on its way.
Bergen to Trondheim - Geirangerfjord, plus Florø, Måløy, Ålesund and Kristiansund
Bødø to Tromsø - Lofoten with Raftsunden, Trollfjorden and other long narrow channels between the islands - timings are better southbound.
Tromsø to Kirkenes - another world of small weather-beaten fishing communities - all snow and ice encrusted in the dark winter, midnight sun in the summer. Kirkenes is close to the Russian and Finnish borders.