The Hurtigruten, founded in 1893 by the Norwegian captain and shipowner Richard With, operate liner services to the port cities on the 2.700 kilometer long Norwegian coast.
The starting point of the trip is the city of Bergen; The end and turning point is Kirkenes. The original idea behind it: the ships guaranteed the regular movement of people and goods and were also responsible for the postal services. The postal division has been discontinued since 1984, the two original functions and tourist services continue throughout the year. The reward: The Norwegian state subsidizes the company for its services.
The Hurtigruten fleet - as of 2021
The Hurtigruten, the name means "fast route", currently operate 16 medium-sized ships of three ship generations. All ships used in liner service and for expedition purposes are characterized by an individual design. Some ship names are reminiscent of important explorers, such as the polar explorers Roald Amundsen or Fridtjof Nansen. Other ships were named after Nordic natural phenomena such as the northern lights (Polarlys) or the northern lights (Nordlys).
Hurtigruten Polarlys
The oldest and smallest ship, the MS Nordstjernen, was launched in 1956. The newest ships are two hybrid-powered, environmentally friendly ships: the MS Roald Amundsen and the MS Fridtjof Nansen. The two expedition ships, which were taken over in 2019 and 2020, are able to operate emission-free for a while in regions worthy of protection thanks to their large battery capacities. In terms of tonnage and number of passengers, these are the two largest Hurtigruten ships.
Fleet ships by age
- MS Nordstjernen: year of construction 1956; Beds: 150; Length: 81 m
- MS Vesterålen: built in 1983; Beds: 301; Length: 108 m
- MS Richard With: built in 1993; Beds: 458; Length: 122 m
- MS Kong Harald: year of construction 1993; Beds: 498; Length: 122 m
- MS Nordlys: year of construction 1994; Beds: 471; Length: 122 m
- MS Nordkapp: year of construction 1996; Beds: 480; Length: 123 m
- MS Polarlys: built in 1996; Norway; Beds: 503; Length: 123 m
- MS Nordnorge: year of construction 1997; Beds: 476; Length: 123 m
- MS Otto Sverdrup: built in 2002; Beds: 554; Length: 139 m
- MS Santa Cruz II: built in 2002; Beds: 90; Length: 72 m
- MS Trollfjord: built in 2002; Beds: 576; Length: 136 m
- MS Maud: built in 2003; Beds: 532; Length: 136 m
- MS Fram: year of construction 2007; Beds: 276; Length: 114 m
- MS Spitsbergen: built in 2009; Beds: 243; Length: 101 m
- MS Roald Amundsen: built in 2019; Length: 140 m
- MS Fridtjof Nansen: year of construction 2020; Shipyard: Length: 140 m
The legendary Norwegian post ship route Bergen - Kirkenes - Bergen
The mail ship route is one of the Hurtigruten classics. The route along the Norwegian coastline is one of Europe's travel highlights.
Bergen harbor with Hurtigruten ship
Between Bergen and Kirkenes lie 35 ports, over 100 fjords and 1.000 mountains. Ships pass through the Arctic Circle between the ports of Nesna and Ørnes. International guests in particular enjoy Norway's spectacular landscapes and colorful fishing villages. Optional shore excursions are offered throughout the voyage, and in the evenings, the ships' galleys serve Norwegian produce. Boredom is guaranteed not to arise. If you are still looking for a change between two excursions, the Hurtigruten ships offer good WiFi connections.
The following destinations will be headed for during the postal ship voyage:
- Day 1: Bergen
- Day 2: Florø - Molde
- Day 3: Kristiansund - Rørvik
- Day 4: Brønnøysund - Svolvær
- Day 5: Stokmarknes - Skjervøy
- Day 6: Øksfjord - Berlevåg
- Day 7: Båtsfjord - Berlevåg (turning point of the journey is Kirkenes)
- Day 8: Mehamn - Tromsø
- Day 9: Tromsø - Stamsund
- Day 10: Bodø - Rørvik
- Day 11: Trondheim - Ålesund
- Day 12: Ålesund - mountains
Ships used on the mail ship route: MS Kong Harald, MS Richard With, MS Nordkapp, MS Nordlys, MS Nordnorge, MS Polarlys and MS Vesterålen.
Hurtigruten North Norway
Hurtigruten - the leading provider of expedition travel
The world of Hurtigruten AS is big and colorful. In addition to the classic mail ship route, the company offers expedition trips accompanied by lecturers; the focus is on sustainability and the transfer of knowledge.
The Hurtigruten Group is recommended as a leading provider of discovery trips. These include, to name just a few, global destinations in Alaska, Antarctica, the British Isles, South America and many other spectacular locations around the world. The motto of the expedition trips is: "For explorers, by explorers".
Hurtigruten KONG HARALD in the port of Honningsvag
The guests experience natural phenomena and the local fauna up close. The relatively small ships head for destinations that large cruise ships cannot. The two hybrid ships in particular offer all the comfort travelers can expect from modern ships.
In addition to a variety of cruises for solo travelers, group and themed trips, a very special expedition cruise on the MS Fram in 2022 is on the program. The unique experience starts in northern Canada and leads past Greenland south to Antarctica. During the trip, the legendary Northwest Passage and the Panama Canal will be navigated. MS Fram then steers past the west coast of South America to Antarctica. During the 66-day trip, lectures on the travel destinations, scientific topics and information on sustainability are on the program. The spectacle is currently offered at prices from 35.241 euros.
Another extraordinary destination is the Galapagos Islands with their diverse wildlife. The Galapagos Archipelago is served by the completely renovated Santa Cruz II, which is designed for a maximum of 90 guests.
Hurtigruten - a guarantee for sustainable travel
A key goal and concern of the Hurtigruten Group is the idea of sustainability. Hurtigruten is the first shipping company to use hybrid-powered expedition ships. The company avoids the use of single-use plastics on board, and since 2021 all units on the mail ship route have been equipped for the supply of shore power.
