Visiting Kirkenes is a very special experience, with this rather small town being closer to the Russian border than any neighboring city. It’s in a remote place far north in Norway, and the easiest method of getting to Kirkenes is by flying an airplane to Kirkenes airport Høybuktmoen.
But the problem is that Høybuktmoen is about 15 kilometers away from Kirkenes city center, so you will need to ride some type of transport to get to the city. Let’s take a closer look at how to get from Kirkenes Airport Høybuktmoen to Kirkenes city.
The easiest method of getting from Kirkenes airport Høybuktmoen to Kirkenes is to ride Barents Buss’ Flybuss. This is a bus line that departs from outside the main airport exit and drives to the city center a little while after the train from Oslo arrives. Tickets cost 120 NOK, and the travel time is 30 minutes.
Since Kirkenes airport is such a small airport with only a few planes, the airport express bus times its departures with the incoming flights. So you will find that the bus leaves a little while after the plane arrives.
This means that the bus drives twice daily (since there are pretty much only two daily plane arrivals at the airport), and do return to the airport for when you need to get back. The price for the shuttle bus between Kirkenes and Kirkenes airport is 120 Norwegian kroner per adult
You can see the departing times and book tickets at Barents Buss’s website.
The travel time when riding the bus is around 30 minutes. It stops at the city center, the main hospital, as well as at the most popular hotels in the town, so you have a good chance of being able to ride the bus until your hotel.
Other options for getting to Kirkenes city
The shuttle bus is the most popular method of getting between Kirkenes and the airport, but it’s not the only option. Let’s see what choices you got!
Get to Kirkenes by taxi
The only other option of public transport to Kirkenes is to ride a taxi. The 13 kilometer long drive will usually cost around 300 – 400 NOK, so it’s not too expensive compared to if the whole family is going to pay for a bus ticket.
Taxis will usually wait outside the main exit from the airport, and they tend to stick around for a little while after the few flight arrivals. If there’s no taxis waiting there, go to the taxi central (just a minute away from the main exit) and call the number there to get a taxi to come and pick you up.
The main taxi operator in the area is called Kirkenes Taxi. So get in touch with them to pre-book a taxi if you don’t want to wait outside the airport.
What about a rental car?
There are car rental agencies at Kirkenes airport Høybuktmoen if you’re looking to rent a car, and both Avis, Europcar, Sixt and Hertz operate at the airport. I recommend booking a car in advance to have it ready by the time you arrive, saving you a lot of time when you arrive at the airport.
Taxis or cars use around 15 to 20 minutes from the airport to the city center. There will usually be a few available rental cars at the airport, but there might be a shortage during the most popular weeks in the tourism season in the middle of summer.
Walking to Kirkenes
Some people might be tempted to walk from Kirkenes airport Høybuktmoen to Kirkenes, but that’s a very long walk that will take you around 2 to 3 hours.
You can walk along E6 the entire way during the summer, but this is not a road that’s intended for foot traffic alongside it, so cars will pass by at high speed. You could do this alone if you are up for a walk, but don’t even consider this if you are travelling with children or heavy bags.
Other bus options
The airport express Flybussen used to ride between Kirkenes airport and the city, but they stopped their departures due to covid, and are seemingly not going to open these again. The article will be updated if Flybussen changes their mind and returns to Kirkenes airport.
Driving instructions for getting from Kirkenes airport Høybuktmoen to Kirkenes
The drive from Kirkenes airport Høybuktmoen to the city center of Kirkenes is actually incredibly easy, and all you need to do is to head east on E6 when you leave from the airport (it will have signs pointing towards Kirkenes).
Now just keep driving on E6 for 15 minutes until you are in the middle of Kirkenes. It’s really that easy! If you’re unsure, just take a look at the interactive map below to see for yourself.
Frequently asked questions about getting between Kirkenes airport and Kirkenes city
What is the fastest way to get from get from Kirkenes Airport Høybuktmoen to Kirkenes city?
The fastest way to get from Kirkenes Airport Høybuktmoen to Kirkenes city is by ordering a taxi to wait for you outside of the airport, ready to pick you up. This should take around 15 minutes to get you to Kirkenes.
What is the cheapest method to get from Kirkenes Airport Høybuktmoen to Kirkenes city?
The cheapest method of getting from Kirkenes Airport to the city center is to walk. This is free, but will take you several hours. The cheapest non-walking option is the bus, which will cost you 120 NOK per adult.