Trondheim Airport, Værnes: where to stay, areas and recommended hotels

Værnes airport is almost 33 km from Trondheim, in the municipality of Stjørdal: the Trønderbanen links the two stations in 32-37 minutes with trains every 30-60 minutes, while a taxi or driving yourself covers the same route in about the same time via the motorway. In Stjørdal, 2.5 km from the terminal, there is also a hotel designed for those flying at dawn or arriving late at night; for all other cases Norway's third city has a life of its own and the train journey is worth it, with very different districts: the historic centre on the river, Bakklandet with its little wooden houses, Solsiden among bars and shops, and the more peripheral area of Lerkendal, handy for those with a car or heading to the stadium and the university campus.

City centre and Brattøra

City centre · From Trondheim S station the Trønderbanen reaches Værnes in 32-37 minutes; the hotels in this area are all within 10-15 minutes on foot from the station.

Best for: Those who want the airport train a few minutes on foot and Trondheim's main attractions reachable without transport.

Pros

Central station, the Nidelva river and Nidaros Cathedral all within walking distance
A wide price range, from the bed and breakfast set up in a former bakery to the large convention hotels

Cons

The Brattøra district, on an artificial island in the harbour, is still partly an urban building site around the newer hotels
On fair and conference weekends the rooms in the big downtown hotels sell out fast

Recommended hotels in this area

Best Western Plus Hotel Bakeriet: Housed in a nineteenth-century bakery 350 metres from the central station: the oven in the inner courtyard still bakes fresh bread every morning, and period photos tell the building's history in the common rooms.
Radisson Blu Royal Garden Hotel, Trondheim: On the Nidelva river in the centre, built around four indoor atriums with glass roofs and lush vegetation: the 298 rooms look out onto the covered gardens or the water.
Clarion Hotel Trondheim: One of Scandinavia's largest conference hotels, with 400 rooms and 18 meeting rooms in Brattøra, the new harbourside district; the panoramic rooftop bar is known for its fjord sunsets.

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Solsiden

Neighbourhood · About 10 minutes on foot from the central station and the train to Værnes; the Nidelva river flows 100 metres from the hotel.

Best for: Those who want to dine and go out in the evening without moving around, in a former shipyard district now full of restaurants and shops.

Pros

Restaurants, bars and shops a short walk away, with no need to take transport in the evening
The old town and the centre are 5-10 minutes on foot along the river

Cons

A lively district even at night: those seeking absolute silence may find it noisy on weekends
The same distance from the station as the historic centre, so no real advantage for the transfer to the airport

Recommended hotels in this area

Scandic Solsiden: In the heart of the Solsiden district, a former shipyard area converted into restaurants and shops; Trondheim's old town is 5 minutes on foot along the river.

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Bakklandet

Neighbourhood · You cross the old Gamle Bybro bridge to reach the centre and the station in 10-15 minutes on foot; for Værnes you still need the train from the central station.

Best for: Those who want to stay in Trondheim's most photogenic district, among colourful seventeenth-century wooden houses, cafés and boutiques.

Pros

Cobbled lanes, painted wooden houses and independent bars right under the hotel's windows
Nidaros Cathedral reachable on foot across the historic bridge

Cons

A pedestrian district with narrow streets: those travelling with heavy suitcases have to walk a bit more than elsewhere
Fewer late-night dining options than Solsiden

Recommended hotels in this area

Scandic Bakklandet: A modern hotel from 2011 built on the bank of the Nidelva, in the historic district of Bakklandet with its seventeenth-century wooden houses; the pedestrian bridge Gamle Bybro leads to the centre and Nidaros Cathedral in a few minutes.

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Lerkendal

Neighbourhood · 2.1 km from central Trondheim, connected by city buses; for the airport you still need to return to the central station and take the Trønderbanen.

Best for: Those with a car, attending a match or event at the stadium, or needing to reach the NTNU campus, accepting to stay about 2 km from the centre.

Pros

183 metres from Lerkendal stadium, handy for those following Rosenborg or other events
Generally lower prices than the hotels in the historic centre

Cons

Outside the historic centre: for the river, the cathedral and Bakklandet you need a bus or a 20-25 minute walk
A more residential and university area, with less evening life than Solsiden or the centre

Recommended hotels in this area

Scandic Lerkendal: 183 metres from Lerkendal stadium and close to the NTNU campus, about 2 km from central Trondheim: the most affordable choice among the city's Scandic hotels for those who don't need to stay in the historic heart.

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