Bodo is one of the largest cities in northern Norway and a perfect starting point for your trip to the Lofoten Islands. All you need to do is jump on board a car ferry that goes from Bodo to Moskenes. However, even though the Bodø-Moskenes ferry is extremely popular, it has quite a confusing schedule, and we often receive many questions, like:
❓Why should you take the car ferry from Bodo to Moskenes?
❓What is the ferry schedule? (2024)
❓How much does the Bodo – Moskenes ferry cost?
❓Can it be done for free?
❓Do you need to make a reservation?
❓Can you take your pet on board?
So, here’s everything you need to know about the Bodo – Moskenes ferry!
* Please note that we are not affiliated with the ferry company. We also do not deal with ticket reservations, cancellations, or customer service on behalf of the ferry company, so you need to contact Torghatten for these services.
For those of you who prefer watching videos over reading, we have summarized all the important information about the Moskenes Bodo ferry in this video. Check it out!
Table of Contents
Why should you take the ferry from Bodo to Moskenes?
Bodø is easily accessible by plane from other Norwegian airports, and it is the northernmost place in Norway where you can arrive by train. There are direct daily flights from Oslo and Bergen to Bodø Airport, which is conveniently located just 3 kilometers from the Bodø ferry terminal.
You can rent a car at Bodø Airport, perhaps also explore the surroundings of Bodø, and then you can continue your road trip by taking a ferry to Lofoten.
The crossing of the Vestfjord from Bodø to Moskenes is a beautiful scenic route, even though it can sometimes be rough, that takes you right into the most stunning part of Lofoten. If your initial destination is Reine or anywhere west of Leknes, then the Bodø-Moskenes ferry is the best option.
OUR TIP:
If you have time, make the crossing into a scenic voyage via the islands of Røst and/or Værøy. Especially Værøy, which is, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful places in the whole of Lofoten.
The Island of Røst
The Island of Værøy
Bodø-Moskenes Ferry Routes
First, you must know that you can choose from two different routes when sailing between Bodø and Moskenes.
Direct ferries sail up to eight times daily (in the summer) between Bodø and Moskenes. The travel time is 3-4 hours.
You can also take a longer route, Bodø – Røst – Værøy – Moskenes. The ferries on this route sail up to four times a day (in the summer). The journey takes about 7 hours.
There is a direct ferry going between Bodo and Moskenes and a longer route that stops at the islands of Værøy and/or Røst.
Bodø – Moskenes Ferry Timetable 2024
There is a different schedule for the summer months (June 1 – September 1, 2024) and the rest of the year when there are fewer departures.
I will not go into the details here, but beware that the Bodo-Moskens schedule is pretty confusing.
So triple-check that you are looking at:
❗The correct season (summer vs. winter schedule)
❗The right day of the week (in the summer, there is one timetable for departures on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, another timetable for Tuesdays and Thursdays, yet another one for Saturdays, and one more for Sundays)
❗The correct route (direct route vs. long route via Værøy and Røst)
OUR TIP:
If you feel it is too complicated to understand the Bodø-Moskenes ferry schedule, you can use the Norwegian national travel planner entur.no or look it up on the webpage of the ferry companyTorghatten.
Bodo Moskenes Ferry Summer Timetable
Bodo Moskenes Ferry Winter Timetable
Learn more about other ferry routes and speed boats in Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja.
Read the Guide
Ferry Moskenes Bodø Price
The ferry price depends on several factors, like your travel date, the length of your car, whether you have a fossil or zero-emission vehicle, and whether you have an AutoPASS chip with a discount.
OUR TIP:
You can usea ferry ticket price calculator to check which prices apply to you. If you have an autopassferje agreement and want an overview of the price you have been charged, you canlog in here.
If you do not have any discount cards and you own a conventional vehicle (non-electrical), be prepared to pay (2024):
👉383 NOK per motorcycle (including the reservation fee)
👉764 NOK for a car up to 6 meters (including the reservation fee)
👉1710 NOK for vehicles between 6 and 8 meters (including the reservation fee)
OUR TIP:
The Bodø – Lofoten (Moskenes) ferry is free for foot passengers, and there is no need to prebook a spot on board. Pedestrians rarely would be denied access on board due to full capacity.
If you want to prebook the ticket to be 100% sure that you will get a place on the ferry, remember that you will pay NOK 250 as a reservation fee.
Prices for the Bodø – Moskenes Car Ferry (2024) (without the reservation fee)
Bodø – Moskenes Ferry Booking
The place guarantee on the Bodø-Moskenes ferry comes with a 250 NOK fee per reservation for pedestrians and cars up to 6 meters long. The cost of a reservation fee for cars longer than 6 meters is 550 NOK.
Note that only 50% of the ferry’s capacity is open for pre-booking. This means that when the booking page indicates that the ferry is sold out, it only includes the spots that can be pre-booked. Therefore, you can still secure a place on the ferry if you arrive early enough to queue.
If you travel by car and you have booked a reserved spot, you must be in the queue marked “Reserved/Prepaid” 45 minutes before departure.
For passengers without a vehicle, 20 tickets are available for guaranteed seating on every departure. You can only book two of these tickets at a time, and you must register 45 minutes before departure.
The booking for reserved spots must be made before 20:00 on the day before departure.
Torghatten just released a new reservation system (February 2024). Beware that there are two webpages—www.torghatten.no, where you find the reservation system, and www.torghatten-nord.no, which is the old webpage that is still online, but you can not reserve tickets there.
Step 1: Select the date and destinations
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 1: Select the date and destinations
Step 2: Choose the mode of transportation
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 2: Choose your mode of transportation. If you travel by a rental car, write RENTAL instead of the registration number. (Edit: After the last update, filling in the registration number is voluntary, so you can leave the field blank.)
Step 3: Select the departure
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 3: Select the departure
Step 4: Fill in the information about the travelers
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 4: Traveller Information
Step 5: Confirm the order
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 5: Order confirmation
Step 6: Proceed to payment
Pre-booking the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes. Step 6: Payment
When do you need to arrive at the ferry terminal?
If you have pre-booked the tickets, you should arrive no later than 45 minutes before the ferry departure.
There is no rule of thumb about how soon you should start to queue up in case you did not prebook your tickets. It all depends on the date, day in the week, time of the day, weather, and other factors that are hard to predict.
OUR TIP:
If youare dependent on the ferry to get to the Bodø train station/Bodø airport on time, we strongly advise you to prebook the tickets no matter the time of the year.
A good tip is also to follow the Norwegian Public Roads Administration’s webcam to see how many cars are queuing up at the ferry terminal.
▶️ Moskenes Ferry Terminal Webcam
June 19, 2024: After the ferry departed at 11:00, there were 3 lines of cars left standing at the terminal as there wasn’t enough space on the ferry. It is a common issue throughout the summer.
Where to Stay in the Lofoten Islands?
Accommodations in Lofoten
Bodø – Moskenes Ferry Terminals
Bodø Ferry Terminal
The ferry terminal in Bodø is right next to the train station, just a short walkfrom Bodø city center. The coastal express Hurtigruten and Bodo-Moskenes ferry share the same terminal building.
The terminal has a heated waiting room that is open 24/7 and has restrooms.
The ferry terminal is in Bodø. Remember to check the correct line based on your final destination. If you pre-booked your tickets, line up in the reserved lanes 1, 2, and 3.
Hurtigruten and the car ferry heading to Moskenes, Røst, and Værøy share the same ferry terminal. If you want to take the passenger-only speed boat to Svolvær, you need to walk to another terminal in the city center (about 10 10-minute walk).
At Bodø train station, you will find luggage storage, where you can leave your suitcases while exploring the city. The price is 60-80 NOK/day, depending on the size of your luggage. The maximum renting period is seven days.
Bodø is the northernmost train station in Norway. You can take a train here from Trondheim or Oslo (via Trondheim). Getting to Narvik by train is also possible, but you need to go through Sweden.
You can store your luggage at the train station in Bodø.
Moskenes Ferry Terminal
Moskenes is a small village that does not offer much more than a ferry terminal and a camping place.The terminal hasa small, sheltered, heated waiting room with public restrooms. However, beware that sleeping/camping there is not allowed.
The closest grocery store to Moskenes ferry terminal is in Sørvågen, about 2,5 kilometers away. So, do not expect that you will be able to buy any snacks or food. There is a small buffet/canteen on board the ferry.
Next to the waiting room, there is a bus stop.The bus departures and arrivals more or less correspond to the ferry departures.
However, there won’t be any bus service if you arrive/depart early in the morning or late at night. Ivar and I are currently working on establishing a shuttle service for the Moskenes-Bodø ferry.
About 50 meters away from the dock, you will findMoskenes Car Rental pick-up/delivery point.They are somewhat old-fashioned regarding online booking but provide some of the cheapest rental cars in Lofoten. The best way to contact them is via phone or Facebook. If you purchase our Camping map of Lofoten, you will get a 5% discount on your car rental with Moskenes Car Rental.
Note: There is no ferry from Bodo to Reine
Some people think the ferry from Bodø goes to Reine, not Moskenes. Please beware that it is a 5 km walk from Moskenes to Reine. Moreover, some consider Hamnøy, where they booked accommodation in Eliassen rorbuer, a part of Reine. The distance from Eliassen rorbuer to Moskenes ferry terminal is 9 km.
Reine rorbuer in Reine (5 km walk from the Moskenes Ferry Terminal)
Eliassen rorbuer in Hamnøy (9 km walk from the Moskenes Ferry Terminal)
Boarding the Bodo – Moskenes Ferry
On most ferry connections in Norway, you do not need to book a ticket in advance. Usually, when you arrive at the ferry terminal, you line up in a queue, and when the ferry docks, you drive on board. You pay for the ticket via the electronic toll system that registers your car’s license plate (AutoPass users) or through the FeryPay system.
However, the car ferry between Bodo and Moskenes in Lofoten is extremely popular, especially during the busy summer. Therefore, Torghatten – the company operating on this route, introduced the possibility ofreserving your spot on board.
Place your car in the correct line
When arriving at Moskenes ferry terminal, pay attention to the signs and line up correctly. Some ferries go directly from Moskenes to Bodø, while others take a detour via the small islands of Værøy and Røst.
Lines 17 and 18 are for the cars heading to Værøy Island, while line 16 is reserved for those heading to Røst Island. The rest of the lines are for vehicles going to Bodø, with lines 8-11 reserved for those who pre-booked their tickets.
Check the correct lines for your destination and park your vehicle in line with the lowest number.
Lines for those who bought a pre-paid ticket
First come – first serve lines
The two Værøy lines often fill up in the high season. Then, instead of creating a long parking queue behind the second Værøy line, essentially blocking traffic on the dock, it’s acceptable to park at the neighboring Røst line. The ferry crew will ask you if you are going to Røst, and they will ensure you get placed correctly on the ferry.
Are you wondering what to do in Lofoten apart from hiking?
15 Best Summer Activities in Lofoten
Pedestrian-only Express Boat Between Bodo and Svolvær
In addition to the Bodo-Moskenes car ferry, there is also a pedestrian-only express boat that goes once daily between Bodø and Svolvær in the eastern part of Lofoten. This ferry is not for free.
While the Hurtigruten and Bodø-Moskenes Car Ferry share the same ferry terminal, the passenger-only speedboat to Svolvær leaves from Bodø sentrumsterminalen kai.
Travel Pass Nordland
If you plan to travel in Lofoten using public transport, you might want to purchase the Travel Pass Nordland. It costs 1290 NOK for 7 days of unlimited public transport in Nordland county, which includes the whole of Lofoten, Bodø, and the areas south of Bodø.
This ticket also includes the express boat going between Bodø and Svolvær!
To take advantage of the express ferry with your Travel Pass Nordland, you go to Reis Nordland, and in the ticket section, you scroll down until you find the Travel Pass Nordland. Since the express boat is included in the Travel Pass Nordland, you do not pay anything but still need to pre-book your spot.
Bodø – Svolvær Passenger Only Express Boat Price (2024)
The Bodø-Svolvær speedboat has traditionally been quite pricey. However, between 2023 and 2024, the price decreased substantially after an ongoing discussion about the ferry needed to be cheaper.
👉435 NOK per adult, down from 745 NOK last year (2023)
👉 218 NOK per child, student, and senior, down from 373 NOK last year
Free Car Ferry between Bodo and Lofoten
Since July 1, 2022, the ferry connections in Norway, which had less than 100,000 passengers in 2019, are free of charge for passengers and cars.
In Lofoten, this applies to the Svolvær – Skrova – Skutvik ferry operated from June 1 to August 31. But also the stretch between Moskenes – Værøy – Røst – Bodø!
Let me explain a bit more about the second one. The ferry between Moskenes and Bodø has two different routes. Some ferries go directly from Moskenes to Bodø, completing the crossing in about 3,5-4 hours. Some ferries stop along the way on the islands of Værøy and Røst, extending the trip between Moskenes and Bodø to 7 hours.
The direct trip from Moskenes to Bodø can cost you over 2000 NOK if you travel with a big campervan. However, you will not pay anything if you plan a stopover on one of the islands (Værøy or Røst).
The only condition is to disembark the ferry on one of these islands and continue your trip on board another ferry.
Passengers traveling without a vehicle do not pay anything, even on the direct route.
Spot guarantee on the Bodø – Røst – Værøy – Moskenes Ferry
Here comes the catch. Prebooking the “free” ferry on the route Bodø – Røst/Værøy and Røst/Værøy – Moskenes does not include the 250 NOK booking fee if you travel with a vehicle.
However, if you want to prebook the ferry as a pedestrian, you will have to pay the 250 NOK reservation fee as of now.
We contacted Torghatten Nord about this ridiculous rule, and they replied that it is a precaution for the locals to be able to get a spot on the ferry.
We believe it would be better if locals had the right to board the ferry before tourists. To address this, there should be dedicated lines at the ferry terminals reserved for local residents and industry so they can get on the ferry without paying the reservation fee. Since introducing the free ferry, the islands of Værøy and Røst have become popular pit stops, making it increasingly difficult for locals to secure a spot on board.
Værøy
OUR TIP: SPEND A DAY AT VÆRØY
We recommend spending a day at Værøy, a small island about 30 km (18 miles) from the western coast of the Lofoten Islands. It’s a tiny, concentrated version of Lofoten that offers a lively fishing community, stunning landscapes, fascinating history, and numerous well-signposted hiking trails. The highlight is the hike to Håheia, but you can easily spend three days exploring the island.
There is no designated campsite on the island. However, all campervan and motorhome owners are asked to park/camp on the island’s northern side at the former airport. The airport was recently sold, and parking there is no longer free, though.
Cancellations of the Bodø – Moskenes Ferry
The crossing of Vestfjorden between Bodø and Lofoten is Norway’s longest and roughest ferry route. If you are prone to seasickness, check the weather forecast before your trip and use medication to control your symptoms.
If the weather forecast predicts particularly stormy weather (be alerted if the wind speed should be higher than 18m/s), the ferry might get canceled. The cancellations usually occur during the autumn/winter; however, they can also happen in summer.
For example, we had a big storm a few years ago, in July of 2021, when the low pressure brought strong winds and large amounts of precipitation. In several places in Lofoten, wind gusts reached a speed up to 27-30 meters, and all ferry connections between Lofoten and the mainland were canceled.
Unfortunately, you will not be informed about any ferry cancellations even though you preordered your tickets. If the weather forecast predicts strong winds, watch Torghatten´s webpage and translate the service messages to English.
Hydrogen ferries between Bodø and Lofoten
The project introducing hydrogen ferries on the Bodø-Moskenes stretch aims to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable maritime transportation. The hydrogen ferries have been commissioned and are expected to start operating by the end of 2025. These ferries will use a hydrogen facility in Bodø for fueling, eliminating the need for hydrogen transportation.
The Landegode ferry, currently powered by natural gas and introduced in 2012, will be replaced. The two new hydrogen ferries will maintain the same capacity and schedule, with the primary change being the significant reduction in emissions.
Enjoy your trip to Lofoten, and let us know in the comments if you have any questions regarding the Bodo-Moskenes ferry.
FAQ About the Bodø - Moskenes Ferry
It is free for pedestrians and bicyclists. The motorists pay NOK 563 for a vehicle up to 6m and NOK 1160 for a vehicle between 6 and 8 meters (excluding the reservation fee).
The Bodø-Moskenes ferry is free for pedestrians and cyclists. Motorists have to pay between NOK 788 – 1710.
If you want to save money, you can extend your trip and stay on the island of Værøy or Røst. In that case, you will not pay anything for the routes Bodø —Værøy (Røst) and Værøy (Røst)—Moskenes.
You can pre-book your ticket online on the Torghatten website and pay via your card. In addition to the ticket price, there is a reservation fee of 225 NOK.
If you do not reserve your ticket, you can drive directly onto the ferry and have your license plate scanned. You will receive an invoice later, which includes an additional processing fee. To avoid this fee, you can register with FerryPay.
From Bodø, you can either take the car ferry to Moskenes or a passenger-only speed boat to Svolvær.
Yes, you can travel with your dog or pet. However, during the journey, the dog must be in the vehicle or in a cage in a designated place outside the lounge.
This is because pets must not be in the same room where food is served. In addition, it is also to be considerate of people with allergies.
On the ferries MF Landegode, MF Værøy, MF Barøy, and MF Lødingen, there is a designated area for pets, with a cage and water supply. It is possible for the owners to look after their animals during the crossing.
It is tough to say. However, cancellations occur more often during autumn and winter, when stormy weather can make the crossing dangerous. Monitor the weather forecast (especially wind speed) and check the Torghatten webpage for updates if the forecast predicts strong winds.
Yes, you should pay that 250NOK extra to get a spot guarantee on the Bodø-Moskenes ferry, especially between June and September. If you travel without a vehicle, then it is unnecessary (at this stage) to reserve the ticket. You simply walk on board.
Ivar & Radka
Hi! We are Ivar & Radka, an international couple who runs the Guide to Lofoten. We met in Trondheim and lived together in western Norway, Narvik and Tromsø. At the moment we call western Lofoten our home. We hope our page will make it easier for you to explore the beautiful places that made us chose Norway for our home.
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