Are you visiting Stavanger or perhaps you're new to the city? Either way, here's how to get around the city on public transport.
Located on Norway’s southwestern coast, Stavanger offers industrial hubs, charming wooden houses, and a vibrant street art scene that captivates both visitors and new residents alike.
From its picturesque old town to the stunning Lysefjord nearby, Stavanger is a gateway to some of Norway's most enjoyable sights. With so many things to do in Stavanger, it's a great option for a city break.
Whether you've just moved to the city or are here to explore, understanding the best ways to get around is essential for making the most of your time.
Introduction to Public Transport in Stavanger
Bus travel in Stavanger is operated by Kolumbus, who offers a network of routes comprehensively covering the Stavanger and Sandnes areas.
Most longer-distance bus routes terminate at Byterminalen (City Terminal), which is conveniently located in the city centre next to the train station. Local routes terminate on the roads nearby.
Stavanger railway station is the terminus of the long-distance Stavanger to Oslo route, which skirts the south of Norway via Kristiansand, taking between 8 and 9 hours.
There is also a night train which offers good value. A popular local service runs four times an hour between Stavanger and Sandnes, with one per hour continuing on to Egersund.
Kolumbus also operates a number of passenger ferries to hard-to-reach places, including Lysebotn, Ryfylke, Tau, Kvitsøyruten, Hjelmeland, Haugesund and the city islands.
Norled operates a twice-daily express boat to Bergen, which takes four-and-a-half hours. Without a car, it's the speediest and most comfortable way to zip between the two cities.
Zones and Pricing
The Stavanger Region is split into zones for bus and train travel pricing. The city of Stavanger itself is mostly contained within one zone, but you will need to travel through three zones to get from the city to the airport, or from the city to Sandnes.
Like everywhere in Norway, period passes offer great savings over the walk-on fare. A single ticket fare for the central zone costs NOK 45. Prices are NOK 100 for a 24-hour pass, NOK 310 for a 7-day pass, and NOK 680 for a 30-day pass.
However, do bear in mind that the majority of the city's attractions are walkable, and ones further afield (such as the Lysefjord) will require other transport. More information about zones and pricing is available on the Kolumbus website.
How to Buy a Ticket
There are three ways to buy a ticket, with all tickets available using each method. The easiest way is via the smartphone app, which you can load up with money or connect it to your debit/credit card. A smart card known as the Kolumbus card is also available and works in a similar way to the app.
Lastly, tickets can be bought with cash or debit/credit cards at a customer service centre or at one of the ticket machines located at bus stops around the city centre.
Cash is also accepted on board, but not cards. It's best to use the app even if you're just visiting, assuming you have a data plan that isn't too expensive.
Transport Options to/from Stavanger Airport
The Airport Express coach (Flybussen) offers the most convenient way to travel between Stavanger and the Airport at Sola.
A single ticket costs NOK 169 for the 25-min journey and a return (to be used within 30 days) is NOK 254. These are the prices when bought online in advance. Prices are considerably higher when bought on the bus.
For those on a budget, check out the options for local bus routes to both Stavanger and Sandnes using the journey planner on the Kolumbus website.
To get to Stavanger you'll need to take two buses, although one NOK 45 ticket is valid for the full journey.
A taxi into Stavanger will set you back at least NOK 500. Given the options above, a taxi isn't necessary unless you're travelling in a group, with a lot of luggage, or are staying somewhere that isn't central.
What do you think of the public transport options in Stavanger? Let us know down in the comments.
Would be good to have some info on how to buy a ticket please
Updated
I am traveling to Sverd i fjell, are there return tickets? Once I buy a bus ticket how long can I use it for? Just the trip?, one hour? More?
Thanks for the information.
It’s valid for one hour.
The bus line 9 is discontinued. You have two alternatives, bus lines 2 and 42 or 3 or 42. Both costs 35 NOK, and take (almost) the same time (50 vs 46 min).
You can use http://www.kolumbus.no/en/travelplanner/ in english.
How can one travel from the port/cruise ship to most of the city sightseeing locations? What is the cheapest and fast way to do so?
Hi. I will be arriving at 11:45pm. What would be the cheap transport option to Sandnes? Thank you.
Nice summary! Since I’ve been reading up on it myself a bit, therefore a few updates for Dec. 2019:
– The fares need to be adjusted slightly for 2019/2020.
– NSB is now named Vy, but wil be replaced by the British Go-Ahead in December 2019. Fares, timetables and regulations remain approximately the same though, as far as I can tell.
– Two zone tickets seem to be totally sufficient for most of Jæren (incl. airport and Sandnes, and use of all trains), according to sonekartet.
– Kolumbus’ website will *not* tell you how to get from the airport to downtown without Flybussen (the more expensive airport bus). I figured out that the bus 42 towards Sandnes, and then the X30 to Stavanger will do fine for me, since I will be buying a 7-days-2-zones ticket anyway (saves me 2* NOK 136 for Flybussen, but takes 65 instead of 29 minutes).
Thanks for the great work! I love this city, and I am reading up on it anyway with your help. (First time public transport user ;-))
This was incredibly helpful, thank you so much!