Sailing the Coastal Express with Hurtigruten

The USA has Route 66. Japan has the Shinkansen bullet train. For Norway, they have Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express. This is the original Norwegian coastal voyage, sailing the famous route that began all those years ago by founder, Captain Richard. For over 130 years, the fleet of ships has faithfully served the people of the Norwegian coast every year, every season, every week, through sun, snow, and storms. Its ships have brought food, medicine, letters, and loved ones from near and far, and connected the nation together.

As a guest of Hurtigruten, I was able to experience first-hand the Coastal Express from Kirkenes to Bergen last May. It operates year-round, offering guests the flexibility to choose from a full 12-day roundtrip voyage or shorter half voyages. The 12-day voyage visits 34 ports twice; ports visited at night on the northbound route are then seen by day southbound. Alternatively, guests can opt for the seven-day northbound or six-day southbound route. On these original voyages, passengers visit an average of six ports daily, spending anywhere from ten minutes to four hours in each port. With over 70 optional seasonal excursions, guests can enhance their journey with immersive experiences that deepen their connection to Norway. From various activity levels to diverse themes, these add-ons allow travellers to customise their voyage to their interests, creating unforgettable memories as they explore further, experience more, and discover the true essence of Norway.

Travelling with Hurtigruten means travelling with a true Norwegian company that has sailed these waters for over 130 years. Guests will peer deeper into everyday life here, share in authentic culture, and meet genuine people who call the coast home. The voyages are designed to be an escape from the stresses of a fast-paced world. Settle into the soothing rhythm of life at sea, admire the beauty of Norway’s coast unfolding, and appreciate the moments of wonder. The ships are big enough for guests to find quiet spots for some quality alone time, but small enough to create a cosy atmosphere that makes it easy to chat with like-minded shipmates. Norwegians are down-to-earth people and don’t believe in dress codes onboard. Guests can choose to wear hiking shoes to dinner or slippers to breakfast. They can swap stories in the bar, read in the lounge, or do a jigsaw puzzle. It’s up to them. Hurtigruten is their home at sea.

The ships are floating kitchens, sourcing ingredients where they sail on the bountiful Norwegian coast. The fjords are the fish tanks, the mountains the herb garden. Over 80% of the in-season food and 60% of the drinks offered on board come from 80 local suppliers from all over Norway, delivered direct and fresh-as-can-be to the ships at the ports they sail to. Showcasing Nordic cuisine on the ships for the past 130 years, no one else has a network of local Norwegian food and drink suppliers like Hurtigruten does, to give guests a true taste of Norway. Enjoy freshly caught flaky Arctic char from Sigerfjord in Vesterålen, award-winning goat cheeses from Aalan farm in Lofoten, and tangy handpicked cloudberries nicknamed ‘Highland Gold’.

Ask my about your trip sailing the Norwegian Coastline.