Transport
Rovaniemi to Tromsø by Bus
The direct winter bus connection between Rovaniemi and Tromsø. Sleep on board overnight or ride through the fjords in daylight.
There is no train to Tromsø, and flying means routing through Helsinki or Oslo for the better part of a day. The bus is the direct way, and in winter it is the good way: you cross the Finnish fell country, pass Kilpisjärvi and the Three-Country Cairn, and drop down through the Norwegian fjords into Tromsø.
Two buses run this route and they solve different problems. The Aurora Express is an overnight double-decker with semi-reclining seats, a blanket and breakfast on arrival, and it saves you the price of a hotel room. The daytime Arctic Route runs the same corridor in daylight, which is the point if you want to actually see the landscape rather than sleep through it.
Both are operated by Best Arctic. We list them because guests kept asking us how to combine Rovaniemi with Tromsø, and the honest answer was always this bus.
Sleep on board and wake up in Norway
Aurora Express Nightliner
- Type
- Overnight bus
- Duration
- Approx. 10 h
- Season
- 7 December – 31 March
- Suitable for
- Age 4+
From 3,000 NOK per person
See the fell country and the fjords in daylight
Arctic Route Daytime Bus
- Type
- Daytime bus
- Duration
- Approx. 10.5 h
- Season
- 1 December – 31 March
- Suitable for
- All ages
From 475 NOK, depending on the segment
How it works
Pick your bus
The overnight Aurora Express saves you a hotel night. The daytime route lets you see the fjords.
Book your seat
Choose your date and stop in the calendar below. Booking is handled by Best Arctic, who operate the route.
Be there 15 minutes early
Your ticket names the exact stop. Bring your passport: you are crossing into Norway.
Sleep on board and wake up in Norway
Aurora Express Nightliner
- Type
- Overnight bus
- Duration
- Approx. 10 h
- Season
- 7 December – 31 March
- Suitable for
- Age 4+
The Aurora Express is the northernmost nightliner in Europe: a double-decker running overnight between Rovaniemi and Tromsø, calling at Levi and Kilpisjärvi on the way. You get a semi-reclining seat, an eye mask, ear plugs and a blanket, a snack box at departure, and breakfast when you arrive.
The practical case for it is simple. You travel while you would have been asleep anyway, and you do not pay for a hotel room that night. The route runs directly beneath the Aurora Oval, and when the sky is clear the driver stops at spots chosen for Northern Lights viewing.
Check dates and book
From 3,000 NOK per person
Included
- One-way night journey in the direction you choose
- Semi-reclining seat
- Eye mask, ear plugs and blanket
- Free Wi-Fi and power outlets on the upper deck
- Light snack box at departure
- Hot and cold drinks
- Breakfast on arrival
Not included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Travel insurance
- Extra luggage beyond the included allowance
Where to catch it
Rovaniemi: the bus station, plus Santa Claus Village on selected departures. Tromsø: Prostneset Bus Terminal. Your ticket names the exact stop.
Open in Google MapsPractical detail
- End-to-end travel time is roughly 10 hours.
- Finland is one hour ahead of Norway. Every time on your ticket is local to the stop, so read it carefully in both directions.
- One hand baggage item plus one checked item up to 23 kg and 200 cm total dimensions is included. More can be bought during booking.
- Look for the red Aurora Express double-decker and be at the stop 15 minutes before departure.
What to bring
- Valid passport or other accepted travel document
- Comfortable winter clothing
- Personal medication and travel essentials
- Phone charger or power bank
Good to know
- Northern Lights are never guaranteed. The route improves your odds; it does not promise anything.
- Children must be at least four. Under-fours travel only if you bring a suitable baby car seat.
- Arctic road and weather conditions can stretch the journey.
- No animals on board except guide dogs.
- You are responsible for your own passport, visa and border-entry requirements.
See the fell country and the fjords in daylight
Arctic Route Daytime Bus
- Type
- Daytime bus
- Duration
- Approx. 10.5 h
- Season
- 1 December – 31 March
- Suitable for
- All ages
The daytime route covers the same corridor with the lights on. You leave Rovaniemi in the morning and travel through Levi, Kittilä, Muonio, Karesuvanto and Kilpisjärvi before the road drops into the Norwegian fjord landscape and runs into Tromsø.
It is a long day, but it is the one to take if the landscape is the reason you are going. There is a bus change at Kilpisjärvi and a longer stop at Karesuvanto where you can buy food.
Check dates and book
From 475 NOK, depending on the segment
Included
- One-way ticket for the segment you choose
- Comfortable coach transport
- English-speaking drivers
- Toilet on board on the Arctic Route section
- Free Wi-Fi, USB and charging between Tromsø and Kilpisjärvi
- Scheduled stop at Karesuvanto
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Travel insurance
- Extra luggage
Where to catch it
Rovaniemi departures serve Santa Claus Village, the railway station and the bus station. Tromsø departures leave from Prostneset Bus Terminal. Pick the right stop when you book.
Open in Google MapsPractical detail
- End-to-end travel time is roughly 10.5 hours.
- Finland is one hour ahead of Norway. Every time on your ticket is local to the stop.
- You change buses at K-Market Kilpisjärvi. Follow the driver's instructions there.
- One hand baggage item plus one checked item up to 23 kg and 200 cm total dimensions is included.
- Bring food or buy it during the longer Karesuvanto stop.
What to bring
- Valid passport or other accepted travel document
- Warm, comfortable clothing
- Food and water for the day
- Phone charger or power bank
Good to know
- Free cancellation up to 48 hours before departure.
- Arctic road and weather conditions can change the timetable.
- No animals on board except guide dogs.
- Child seats can be arranged in advance by contacting Best Arctic.
- You are responsible for your own passport, visa and border-entry requirements.
Prices are set by Best Arctic and shown in Norwegian kroner, since they are a Norwegian operator. The figures here are the published starting prices; the live price for your date is in the booking calendar.
On the route
Questions
Bring it. Finland and Norway are both in Schengen so there is usually no routine check, but the operator requires a valid passport or accepted travel document, and border controls can be reinstated at short notice. A driving licence is not enough.
Take the Aurora Express if you want to save a hotel night and do not mind sleeping in a seat. Take the daytime route if seeing the fells and fjords is the reason you are making the trip. The daytime bus is also the easier one with small children.
Often, yes. The route runs under the Aurora Oval and the Aurora Express makes viewing stops when the sky is clear. Nobody can guarantee an aurora, and neither do we.
Best Arctic is a Norwegian operator, so they price and charge in NOK. The booking calendar shows the current price and your card issuer handles the conversion.
Finland is one hour ahead of Norway. Departure and arrival times on your ticket are always local to that stop, which trips people up on the return leg.
No. This is a winter connection, roughly December to March. Exact first and last departures are in the booking calendar.
Write to us at info@rovaniemiinsider.com and we will help, the same as with any of our partner products. Best Arctic receives your booking directly and will also be in touch with you about your departure.
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