Svalbard Airport, the world's northernmost with regular commercial flights, serves Longyearbyen, the main settlement on Norway's Arctic archipelago, about 3 km from the center.
Svalbard, about 1,300 km from the North Pole, offers polar bears, glaciers, and one of the world's most pristine Arctic landscapes accessible to visitors.
How to get to Svalbard Airport, Longyear
By Car
By Train
By Bus
Average travel time to LYR
Parking near Svalbard Airport, Longyear
In front of the terminal is a small parking lot available for passengers.
Private cars are rare given the limited road network of the archipelago.
How to get to Longyearbyen from LYR
By Train
By Bus
By Taxi
Need an airport transfer?
Compare taxis and shuttles on Booking.com
Car rental at Svalbard Airport, Longyear
Some local car-rental companies are present, though Longyearbyen's road network is very limited: most journeys outside town happen via guided tours.
Keep your driving license, passport, and credit card handy.
Hotels near Svalbard Airport, Longyear
Central Longyearbyen
Flybussen in 10-15 minutes from the airport (about 4 km), 100 NOK one way or 170 NOK return, with stops in front of the main hotels; a taxi is an alternative for about 200 NOK.
Best for: Those who want restaurants, the Svalbard museum and Arctic tours a short walk away, with the Flybussen stopping right outside the hotel.
- Restaurants, shops and the Svalbard museum within walking distance along the single main street
- The Flybussen with a stop right outside the hotel, handy also during the midnight sun or polar night season
- Outside the settlement it is forbidden to walk without a rifle or an armed guide, because of the risk of polar bears
- In high season the glacier and fjord tours need to be booked well in advance
Recommended hotels
- Radisson Blu Polar Hotel, Spitsbergen On the main street, a few minutes on foot from the Svalbard museum; the city's largest hotel, often a meeting point for organised tours. View availability
- Basecamp Hotel Trapper style with furs, reclaimed wood and period maps on the walls, right on the central pedestrian street; about 15 minutes by car from the airport. View availability
- Svalbard Hotell | Polfareren A central 4-star hotel, a few minutes from the Svalbard museum and the university; reception open around the clock and free breakfast included. View availability
Nybyen and Skjæringa
Skjæringa is 6-8 minutes on foot from the centre, with a Flybussen stop right outside the hotel; Nybyen, at the foot of the mountains, is about 2 km away (15-20 minutes on foot, not advised without a guide because of the bear risk) or a few minutes by taxi/shuttle.
Best for: Those who prefer to sleep in the old miners' barracks, in a more isolated and quiet atmosphere a few minutes from the centre.
- An authentic atmosphere in the restored miners' barracks, amid the mountains and the remains of the mines
- Quieter and more isolated from the traffic of the main street, a good base for night-sky watching
- In Nybyen you don't walk towards the centre without an armed guide because of the risk of polar bears, especially in the dark
- Fewer restaurants nearby: for dinner you often go back to the centre
Recommended hotels
- Mary-Ann's Polarrigg A former miners' boarding house in the Skjæringa district, 6-8 minutes on foot from the centre, with the Flybussen stopping right outside; rooms furnished in period style. View availability
- Funken Lodge On the hill of Haugen, about 10 minutes on foot from the centre; the city's most scenic hotel, overlooking the bay and the mountains. View availability
- Coal Miners' Cabins Miners' barracks from the 1940s converted into simple lodgings in Nybyen, at the foot of the glaciers; the area's most affordable and authentic option. View availability
Airport services
Shopping & Duty Free
Lounges & relaxation
Connectivity & Wi-Fi
Families & Children
Terminal guide
The terminal, the world's northernmost with regular commercial flights, is compact in size.
The recommended advance notice for flights is 2 hours.
Map of Svalbard Airport, Longyear
Frequently asked questions
Q. Is it true that you need to carry a weapon against polar bears in Longyearbyen?
Yes, anyone leaving the settlement must carry protection against polar bears or be accompanied by an authorised armed guide: this rule is taken very seriously given the real presence of these animals on the archipelago.
Q. How far is Svalbard from the North Pole?
About 1,300 km, making it one of the world's permanently inhabited areas closest to the North Pole.
Q. Why are hotels in Longyearbyen so expensive?
The extremely remote location and complex supply logistics make all costs, including accommodation, significantly higher than in the rest of Norway.
Q. Do you need a visa to enter Svalbard via Longyearbyen airport?
No: under the 1920 Svalbard Treaty the archipelago is open visa-free to citizens of any signatory nation, although almost all flights stop over in mainland Norway, where normal Schengen rules apply.
Flight board
Real-time status of arriving and departing flights
