Here is an overview of how to get to and from the Lofoten Islands. This paragraph contains direct links to the official sites of transport companies. To help you read the timetables, please refer to the box below (How to read timetables in Norway).

THE SIMPLEST WAY

By plane

1) Flight Paris (or other city)-Oslo: with SAS or Norwegian (low-cost Norwegian airline)
2) Flight Oslo-Bodø: with SAS or Norwegian (low-cost Norwegian airline).

N.B. If you choose Norwegian, make sure you will not have to spend the night in Oslo (airport) because there might be no connections between Paris (or an other city)-Oslo and Oslo-Bodø flights in the same day with this company (you will have to allow for a night in a hotel as well). Check carefully before booking.


3) Flight Bodø-Leknes (in the centre of the Lofoten Islands) or Bodø-Svolvaer (to the north of the Lofoten Islands) with: Wideroe (a subsidiary of SAS, tickets can be purchased on the SAS site)

Average cost of flights:
 - Allow for approximately € 700 for a return trip Paris/Leknes. About the same price from other European cities.
 - Allow for approximately € 550 for a return trip Paris/Bodø (provided you book in time!). About the same price from other European cities.

IF YOU HAVE THE TIME

Plane/Train + Boat:

 

1) Flight to Bodø or train to Bodø. Bodø is the terminus if you come from the south of Norway by train  - on-line booking site for trains in Norway.

2) Then a choice of three boats to the Lofoten Islands:

• Hurtigruten coastal express Bodø-Stamsund: you arrive in the centre of the islands (crossing 4 h).
Average price per person. 600 NOK.
You can purchase tickets for the crossing on board the boat or book them at: hurtigruten.com

• Bodø-Moskenes ferry: takes you to the south of the islands (crossing 3 h 15). This boat also carries vehicles.
Average price per person 205 NOK.
Timetable: Torghatten.no

• Norlandsekspressen high-speed boat Bodø-Svolvaer: takes you to the north of the islands (3 h 35).
Average price per person. 680 NOK (student and pensioner's card will give you discount).
Timetable: Torghatten.no

Direct access to timetable


By car:

Moskenes pier - LofotenIf you travel to Norway by car you can reach the Lofoten Islands directly without taking a ferry or other boat. You can use any of the many bridges and tunnels that connect the archipelago to the Norwegian mainland via Narvik and then take the E10 to Bjervik. But the quickest if you arrive by car from the south of Norway (i.e. south of Bodø) is to put your car on the Bodø-Moskenes ferry.

(photo landing dock in Moskenes)
Link to road map of Norway: http://www.norgeskart.no/

 

HOW TO READ TIMETABLES IN NORWAY (Bus, Ferry, etc.):

The days are rarely written out but shown as numbers 1 to 7 (Monday to Sunday).

List of common abbreviations:

D = daglig/every day
1 = mandag/Monday, 2 = tirsdag/Tuesday, 3 = onstag/Wednesday, 4 = torsdag/Thursday, 5 = fredag/Friday, 6 = lørdag/Saturday, 7 = søndag/Sunday.
X = untatt/except on ... (followed by a figure)

Examples:
15:45 DX1 = leaves every day at 15h45, except Monday
DX26 = Every day, except Tuesday and Saturday
4 = Thursday only
67 = Only Saturday and Sunday


Exceptions are usually followed by an asterisk (*)

Kun i perioden … =  only in the period…
Untatt i perioden…= except in the period

Example:
17 :15 D*
-----------------
* : kun i perioden 12/03/13 til 25/05/13
= leaves 17h15 every day, but only from 12/03/13 to 25/05/13.

Other abbreviations/formulas:

F.o.m : from …inclusive
t.o.m : to … inclusive
N = neste dag /next day (for departures in the evening, arrival the next day, for example)
Innstilt = cancelled

Examples :
« F.o.m. 14.06.13 t.o.m. 18.08.13 » = from 14/06/2013 up to and including 18/08/2013.
12 :15 –  05 :30N = departure 12h15, arrival 05h30 the following day