Narvik
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Downhill or ski touring? Take your pick! Get ready for some serious arctic skiing, from the mountain tops to the fjord, under the northern lights in Narvik.
The exceptionally clear skies over Narvik give you a front row seat to watch the northern lights in winter and the midnight sun during the summer. For the best viewing conditions, take the ski lift or catch the cable car to the top of Narvikfjellet mountain, one of Norway's top ski destinations. Or have a relaxing day at Langstranda beach, a great place for recreational activities.
A guided tour to the best spots in Narvik with local experts greatly increases your chances of seeing the northern lights. In the city centre, you can find many shops, restaurants and bars, including several sky bars.
While you wait for the Aurora to show up, you can visit the nearby Polar Park Arctic Wildlife Centre, where you can get close to wolves and other wildlife. You can also learn about Northern Norway’s dramatic Second World War history at the Narvik War Museum. Narvik is also a gateway to other unforgettable arctic experiences, such as ski touring and dog sledding.
Combine your visit to Narvik with a scenic train journey. The Ofotbanen railway runs from Narvik to the Swedish border, travelling through dramatic fjord landscapes.
Narvik has excellent connections to Bodø, Lofoten and Vesterålen, so you can easily combine your skiing adventure with spending a few days in other northern destinations.
The best places to see the lights
- On top of Narvikfjellet.
- Go to Langstranda beach, a 10-minute drive from Narvik.
- Join a guided tour to Efjord and Stetind.
By plane
Harstad/Narvik Airport lies 1 hour from Narvik by road. The airport has connections to Andenes, Bodø, Oslo, Tromsø, and Trondheim.
By bus
Express bus routes serve Narvik from the other regional hubs in Northern Norway.
Almost all of the major islands in Lofoten are connected to the mainland by road, and there are a variety of buses connecting Narvik to the settlements on the islands.
Travel time from Narvik to Svolvær in Lofoten is approximately 3,5 hours by bus. To Harstad, travel time is about 2 hours.
By car
Narvik is described as the gate to Northern Norway. The E6 runs straight through Narvik.
The main north-south artery has one single ferry crossing, between Bognes and Skarberget, with numerous departures.
By train
There are daily train departures to Narvik from Boden in Sweden. Travel time is around 5 hours, with an additional 17 if you are taking the train from Gothenburg or Stockholm to Boden.
From Narvik there are also trains to and from Kiruna in Sweden, a trip which takes 2,5 hours.
Within Norway, you can take the train from Oslo to Fauske and change to a bus for the last 4 hours to Narvik.
By boat
The Norwegian Coastal Voyage Hurtigruten cruises the Norwegian coastline and calls at Svolvær and Harstad, both of which are connected to Narvik by road.