Svalbard

  • Svalbard, Where to Stay

    Where to Stay in Longyearbyen, from a Tour Leader’s Perspective

    Where to Stay in Longyearbyen from a Tour Leader's Perspective

    Longyearbyen has understandably transformed into this incredible tourist destination. Thanks to modern means of travel, it is now possible to go to a place that was once inhospitable. Us visitors no longer have to rough it like the explorers did just over 100 years ago; today accommodation choices make you feel like you’re in Oslo or Bergen. They are modern, trendy, but still maintain a cozy feel that highlights the incredible natural surroundings.

    I’ve been to Longyearbyen a few times both for work as a tour leader but also as a tourist. At first the hotels felt overwhelming, but after getting my bearings in Longyearbyen, I can see the variations of choice available.

    There is no such thing as budget travel to Svalbard, which I actually believe is a good thing as it prevents mass tourism. Still, there are ways to keep to a budget when travelling to Longyearbyen, and as you’ll see in this guide, one of the ways is by choosing the right place to stay. 

    I’ve put together this comprehensive but to-the-point guide for where to stay in Longyearbyen based on your preference. 

    Tip: The most popular hotels sell out months in advance, so it’s important to plan well ahead of time. For this guide I looked at hotels 10 months in the future (March 2025) and already some hotels were sold out. 

    Tip: No matter where you stay, the excursions you book will pick you up from your hotel. 

    Tip: The airport bus doesn’t stop at every hotel, but it stops close enough to many of them. 

    Price guide:

    • Budget friendly: 1500 NOK a night or less (marked green on the map)
    • Mid-range: 1500 NOK – 3000 NOK a night (marked blue on the map)
    • High end: 3000 NOK+ a night (marked red on the map)

    Affiliate Links:

    None of the hotels recommended here are paid placements or have sponsored this article in any way. I wrote this guide after visiting all the hotels when I went to Longyearbyen in March 2024. That said, if you book through the link provided here, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you, and that money contributes to this website. I appreciate the support!

    In this article...

    Svalbard Travel Guide

    Be sure to check out my Svalbard travel guide, which includes practical information about travelling there but also information about the various settlements and wildlife. 

    Map of Svalbard

    Here is my overall map of Svalbard. The hotels are coloured according to their price (green = budget friendly, blue = mid-range, pink = high-end).

    Longyearbyen Centre

    Why Stay Here?

    Yes, there is such a thing as a city centre in Longyearbyen. This is the perfect spot to stay if you don’t want to be more than a 10 minute walk from the shops and restaurants. This is especially perfect in the winter months, where the temperatures of -20C don’t exactly make it appealing to walk to the way into the city. 

    However, the convenient location does mean prices are a little higher. 

    High End

    Svalbard Hotell the Lodge

    Svalbard Hotell the Lodge is expensive (prices for March 2025 for two people/two nights was 15000NOK!) but there’s a reason for it. The Lodge isn’t a traditional hotel; in fact it’s self-serviced apartments! Meals aren’t included here (you can add breakfast for an additional fee) but what you get instead is a full apartment with your own kitchen. This can be a way on cutting down costs if you don’t want to go out every night. To be honest, I’m not sure the high price justifies it. Also, on their website they say this:

    “Some of the apartments are subjected to noise from the pub on the first floor, especially during the weekends”

    So, I’m not sure it’s worth the price tag. Still, it comes down to personal preference. 

    Check Availability & Prices

    Mid Range

    Radisson Blu Polar Hotel

    This is where I stayed on my most recent visit, and I absolutely loved it! I know online it has a reputation for being the ‘tourist hotel’, but I was travelling as a tourist. Some excursions only start from one spot (so you have to make your own way there), and more often than not that one spot was the Radisson Blu. The airport bus to the airport also leaves from right outside here. It took me 5 mins to walk to the shops, 5 mins to the museum, and 15 mins to the old town. It was perfectly located.

    This hotel was the first hotel that was built in Longyearbyen. It opened in 1995 and the buildings are from the Lillehammer Winter Olympics 1994. 

    There are a couple restaurants located inside and the included breakfast is perfection. The rooms are big and I got a spectacular view of the mountains from my room. 

    I also want to add that the staff were some of the nicest I’ve encountered, and there’s a fantastic shop in the lobby. 

    This hotel is borderline high-end, with prices hovering between 2,500 and 3,000 NOK a night. 

    Check Availability & Prices

    Basecamp Hotel

    I’ll admit, when I saw this hotel I kind of wished I had booked it instead. If you are trying to go for a more rustic Svalbard vibe, this hotel is a great option. Basecamp Hotel is designed to look like one of the historic cabins where hunters would stay. The recycled interiors are inspired by Arctic trapper’s huts. 

    Breakfast is included and the wonderful Kroa restaurant is part of the complex. The hotel also organises their own excursions.

    This hotel is practically across the street from all the shops. 

    This hotel is mid-range with prices starting at 2,300 NOK per night, but it can easily go into the high-end category if you want a larger-than-standard room. 

    Check Availability & Prices

    Tip: If travelling in the summer months, be sure to pack a sleep mask. Not all hotels have black-out curtains, or curtains that work efficiently, so it’s important to bring one to get some sleep!

    Svalbard Hotell Polfareren or the Vault

    Please note that these are two different hotels under the one chain. Svalbard Hotel Polfareren is located on the main street, while the Vault is located a couple blocks away. However, I’ve included them under one because they are priced similarly. 

    Svalbard Hotel Polfareren is a boutique hotel taking inspiration from Svalbard’s distinctive character. The Norwegian explorer Eivind Astrup (1871-1895) was the inspiration for the hotel. He was Norway’s youngest recipient of the Order of St. Olav, so keywords such as rustic, timeless and robust are the reasons for the hotels design. The restaurant Polfareren is inspired by Nordic cuisine and changes with the season.

    Svalbard Hotel The Vault is a little more functional (rather than stylish) and takes inspiration from the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The restaurant located here is Nuga, a Japanese restaurant.

    Honestly, I can’t see a huge difference between the two! I guess it comes down to price and location.

    Check Availability & Prices (Polfareren)

    Check Availability & Prices (The Vault)

    Longyearbyen City Outskirts

    Why Stay Here?

    If nature is why you’re here, there are a number of excellent choices in the ‘suburbs’ of Longyearbyen. The prices vary a lot, from luxury accommodation to budget friendly travel.

    Keep in mine that it takes at least 20 minutes to walk to where the shops and restaurants are, so there will be a bit of back and forth. There’s no public transportation in Longyearbyen, but there are taxis. 

    High End

    Funken Lodge

    Funken Lodge is the most expensive place to stay in Longyearbyen. Rooms are large and modern and there’s a French restaurant in the property. The hotel has more amenities than other hotels in Svalbard, including a luxury gym and champagne bar. 

    It is a 10-15 minute walk into Longyearbyen from Funken Lodge. 

    Check Availability & Prices

    Mid Range

    Mary-Anns Polarigg

    This is another contender for ‘places I wish I stayed at’. Mary’Anns is a quirky hotel located inside wooden miners barracks. The prices here vary a lot (which is why I marked it as mid-range), as there are cheaper rooms with shared bathrooms but also suites. But you don’t come for the rooms – it’s the shared areas that are everything. The mining-themed interior has reading nooks, a bar, an excellent restaurant, and laundry services. 

    Check Availability & Prices

    Budget Friendly

    Coal Miners Cabins

    If you are looking for good quality budget accommodation, the Coal Miners Cabins are a great choice. Almost all of the rooms have a shared bathroom, but there a few where you can pay more for a private bathroom (though that will go into the mid-range category).

    The building is a former miners barracks in the neighbourhood of Nybyen, about 20 minutes on foot from the main shopping street.

    Check Availability & Prices

    Gjestehuset 102

    Gjestehuset 102 is another excellent budget accommodation choice. All the rooms have a shared bathroom, and that is one of the reasons for the lower price. The hotel, like Coal Miners Cabins, is located in the neighbourhood of Nybyen and about 20 minutes walk from the main shopping street. Gjestehuset 102 offers mixed 4-person dormitories as well as single and twin rooms. Breakfast is included. 

    Check Availability & Prices

    Haugen Pensjonat

    Haugen Pensjonat is located closed to the city than the other two options, but still has affordable prices. The hotel is primarily self-catering, with no reception. There are different types of rooms plus apartments, and bathrooms are shared between 2-3 rooms each. 

    Check Availability & Prices

    Out of Longyearbyen

    Why Stay Here?

    You’ve come for the adventure! You want to be out of civilisation and experience the raw nature of Svalbard. I completely get it. 

    Due to the various environmental rules and regulations on Svalbard, plus the risk of polar bears, choices for outside Longyearbyen are limited to the campground, which for some may not be what you’re after. 

    Budget Friendly

    Longyearbyen Camping

    Longyearbyen Camping is the cheapest accommodation on offer in Svalbard. The campsite is located next to the airport, meaning that you can’t simply walk into the city centre (the airport is outside the city limits). Camping gear is available for rent and to protect the campers from polar bears, there is an electric fence and guard dogs.   

    Check Availability & Prices

    Are there Airbnbs?

    Yes! Since many of the locals work in tourism and may be gone for long stretches of time, they put their apartments up on Airbnb.

    The apartments come with kitchens and bathrooms, and the prices vary from budget-friendly to high end. 

    Click here to view a cabin for rent on a husky farm out of town. 

    Final Thoughts on Where to Stay in Longyearbyen

    Longyearbyen is undoubtedly becoming a huge tourist town, and because of this you’ll always have lots of choice for where to stay. 

    Just be sure to book early since places are extremely limited and do sell out! The hotel should be one of the first places you book for the trip (after flights!). 

    Svalbard Travel Guide

    Be sure to check out my Svalbard travel guide! Here you can find all my recommendations of things to do and see, plus practical information for visiting the archipelago. 

  • Svalbard

    How to get from Svalbard Airport (LYR) into Longyearbyen

    How to get from Svalbard Airport to Longyearbyen

    Svalbard Airport

    Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago located in the Arctic Ocean, is a unique destination known for its stunning landscapes and wildlife. If you’re arriving at Svalbard Airport Longyear (LYR), getting from the airport to the main town, Longyearbyen, is relatively straightforward despite its remote location. I’ll admit, when I was preparing for my trip back in March I got so confused on how it all works. I ended up having to contact my hotel asking for help. Now that I’ve done it, I can’t believe how straightforward it is. How do you get from Svalbard Airport to Longyearbyen?

    So, I’ve written this guide to help you out. I’ve tried to keep it as to-the-point as possible so you find the journey easy. Here’s my guide to help you navigate the journey from Svalbard Airport to Longyearbyen. 

    How to get from Svalbard Airport to Longyearbyen

    Modes of Transport

    Airport Bus

    This is the most popular way to get to the city from the airport. There is an airport bus (Flybussen in Norwegian) that goes from the airport to most of the hotels in Longyearbyen.

    A one-way ticket is 100 NOK for adults, while an adult roundtrip ticket is 170 NOK. There are small discounts for students and children.

    The bus doesn’t stop at every hotel. However, Longyearbyen is small enough that it’s easy to walk to your hotel even if it isn’t listed below. Just choose the hotel closest to yours. Click the button below to see the route they take. 

    Airport Bus Route

    Taxi

    There is a taxi company in Longyearbyen and they operate 24/7. If you are staying somewhere unique, need to get to town quickly, or just want a more high-end experience in Longyearbyen, it is possible to get a taxi from the airport to the city.

    There is a taxi rank outside the airport, but no guarantee there will be taxis there. It’s best to call in advance and reserve a taxi.

    The cost for a taxi is approximately 200 NOK. Be prepared to pay with bank card.

    • Longyearbyen Taxi, phone (+47) 79 02 13 75
    Svalbard Buss and Taxi, phone (+47) 79 02 13 05

    Getting to Longyearbyen

    There is no schedule for the bus online! Rather, the bus is timed with the flights. When I landed in March, there were two buses. Tell the driver the name of your hotel, and they’ll point you to which of the two buses is going there.

    Since Longyearbyen is small, keep in mind they may announce one hotel and your hotel is right next door, so be aware of what’s around your hotel. They don’t stop at every hotel based on requests.

    Airport Bus Route

    You drop off your bag and sit on the bus. Once everyone has boarded, the driver comes around with a card machine and you pay for the ticket. You can buy a roundtrip ticket or one-way ticket. If you purchase a roundtrip ticket, you’ll get a printed copy. When taking the bus back to the airport, show the ticket to the driver.

    The buses wait until 40 minutes after the flights arrival, or when the luggage belt is empty.

    Once the bus (finally) leaves, it takes only 10-15 minutes to get to your hotel. 

    Getting to the Airport

    Inside your hotel will be a schedule for when the bus comes past. I stayed at the Radisson Blu and they had a clear timetable and a bus stop located outside the hotel on the road. The bus was punctual, thankfully – it was -20C outside when I was waiting!

    The Radisson Blu was the last stop before going to the airport.

    Because flights come in at different times every day, the airport bus schedule is not regular and you need to check the most up-to-date schedule. You can find the updated schedule on the Svalbard Buss og Taxi website below. 

    City to Airport Schedule

    The schedule varies every day depending on the flight, so please check with your hotel or online for when the bus will be heading to the airport.

    At the Airport

    Once you’re at the airport, it’s a fairly quick and straightforward process. There are self-service ticket machines or a manned counter, and you go through security as you would in any Norwegian airport. There’s only one gate (see picture above) so you can’t get lost!

    From the Airport to Longyearbyen

    Hopefully this guide has cleared up how easy it is to get from the airport into Longyearbyen and then back again.

    If you have any questions, please ask in the comment section below!

    Svalbard Travel Guide

    Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Svalbard, including all the settlements and itineraries for different times of the year. 

  • Svalbard

    Unique Facts about Life on Svalbard

    Unique Facts about Life on Svalbard

    Longyearbyen (March 2024)

    Svalbard is part of Norway, but is also very different than what you experience on the Norwegian mainland. In many ways, Svalbard is its own unique country with rules and regulations defined by protecting the vulnerable environment. 

    I’ve gathered some unique facts about Svalbard both from research online but also from when I visited and spoke to the locals there. 

    Here are my unique facts about Svalbard. 

    Table of Contents

    Geography & Nature

    With a surface of over 61,000 km2 (23,550 sq mi), Svalbard is about twice the size of Belgium. Glaciers cover about 60% of Svalbard’s landmasses, barren stone covers 27%, and just 13% is vegetation.

    Longyearbyen is closer to the North Pole (1,338km/831 miles) than it is to Oslo (2,313km/1,437 miles). 

    In March, the temperate is around -13C. That’s not so cold considering the latitude – the western side of Svalbard receives the warm Atlantic current and helps moderate the temperatures in Longyearbyen.

    As of 2021, Longyearbyen is the fastest-warming town in the world. Since 1971, temperatures on Svalbard have risen five-times faster than the global average. Winters are now more than seven degrees C warmer than they were in the 1970s. In 2020, Svalbard recorded its hottest ever temperature – 21.7C (71.1F).

    According to the Norwegian Meterological Institute, annual precipitation on Svalbard has increased by 30-45% over the past fifty years, mostly in the form of winter rain.

    In Longyearbyen, the midnight sun lasts from 20 April until 23 August, and the polar night lasts from 26 October to 15 February. Still, not the entire period of the polar night is completely dark. In November and February it is light for some time during the day.

    Svalbard is one of the few easily accessible places in the world where you can see daytime auroras (during the polar night when it’s pitch dark during the day).

    Demographics

    Longyearbyen is the world’s northernmost settlement with a population over 1,000.

    There are around 2,500 people living on Svalbard. Most of them are Norwegian (from Northern Norway), but the biggest non-Norwegian groups are Swedes, Russians and Thai. 

    Some people call Svalbard their true home – up until recent times, it was possible for babies to be born on Svalbard. I mean, it still technically is, but pregnant women are sent to the mainland three weeks before their due date. Some older people living in Longyearbyen were either born here or moved here as children when their parents got a job. 

    Longyearbyen

    Longyearbyen has several neighbourhoods. Gamle Longyearbyen is the place where the oldest settlement of Longyearbyen was. Sverdrupbyen is located in the upper part of the Longyear Valley outside the polar bear protection area. Nybyen is within the polar bear safety zone but still somewhat outside Longyearbyen centre.

    The streets in Longyearbyen have numbers rather than names.

    There is a serious housing shortage in Longyearbyen, so while it may be relatively easy to get a job, finding accommodation is hard – unless your employer provides accommodation. 

    Drinking water in Longyearbyen comes filtered from the lake, Isdammen, and is of very good quality. In Barentsburg, the pipes are very rusty and it is recommended that, if you are going to drink it, you let the water run from the tap for a while before doing so.

    One mine is still operating (mine 7) but it will close in two years and the city will rely on diesel for energy. Locals aren’t so happy about this because of the effort required to bring the diesel in.

    Longyearbyen has a problem with house fires because Svalbard is a desert and everything is so dry.

    A boat comes from the mainland every 10 days bringing supplies and large deliveries. The boat then takes back garbage. Flights come in almost every day with fresh food. 

    There are four Icelandic horses on Svalbard. They are located in a pen close to the airport (outside the city limits). 

    Rules for Living Here

    Cats are banned in Svalbard since they hunt and kill native birds.

    You can’t be buried on Svalbard. The ground is made of permafrost, so the bodies buried here do not decompose and therefore are a risk of carrying disease.

    It is highly recommended to not give birth on Svalbard as the clinic does not have the adequate medical supplies. Three weeks before a woman’s due date, she must return to the mainland to give birth.

    It’s customary to remove your shoes when entering hotels, shops and restaurants. This is a tradition that dates back to the coal mining days, as a way to prevent coal dust being tracked into the buildings.

    It’s not illegal to walk beyond the polar bear signs, but it is highly discouraged. You should be carrying a rifle, or with someone carrying a rifle.

    It’s an old custom not to lock your house in Svalbard. That way, if a bear shows up in town, people can always find a place to hide.

    There is a dog hotel just outside of Longyearbyen, where people who live in apartments, can keep their dogs. Most huskies and sled dogs aren’t used to living inside and they would also be too warm.

    Politics & Government

    The Svalbard Treaty defines that you do not need a visa to live and work in Svalbard. Norwegian law is applied here, and people can’t be discriminated against based on their nationality. 

    Sysselmesteren is the Governor of Svalbard. 

    The coal company Store Norske and the government are the biggest landowners, and most people living here have to rent their land from the government for a period 100 years.

    Svalbard Travel Guide

    Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Svalbard, including all the settlements and itineraries for different times of the year. 

  • Svalbard

    How to Get to Svalbard

    How to get to Svalbard

    Flying into Longyearbyen (March 2024)

    Svalbard is one of the most special places on earth. This remote archipelago between Norway and the North Pole has for centuries been a notoriously challenging place to get to – many ships have wrecked off the coast of Svalbard and many early forms of flight have crashed or gone missing. Even the famous explorers like Roald Amundsen were not immune to Svalbard’s harsh location.

    Thankfully, technology has arrived at a place where we can travel to Svalbard relatively comfortable. Just fifty years ago, flights in and out of Svalbard were infrequent and challenge. Today, it is pretty easy!

    Here is my guide on how to get to Svalbard. 

    Flying into Svalbard

    Where do flights leave from?

    The only flights allowed into Svalbard depart from either Oslo or Tromsø. Some tour companies that have a ship in Longyearbyen will charter special flights from other destinations, but it is not possible to book a seat on those planes. 

    The gate in Oslo (with stopover in Tromso)

    Which airlines fly to Longyearbyen?

    In Norway, both Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Norwegian offer flights to Longyearbyen. SAS offers a daily service, while Norwegian operates both days.

    Tip: If you are planning to fly to Longyearbyen and are flexible on when you can go, I recommend signing up to the newsletters of SAS and Norwegian and wait for them to email you about a sale. Flights to Longyearbyen can be up to 50% cheaper if you wait for the right sale! I did just that and got round-trip flights for 3000 NOK (it’s normally at least twice that).

    Delays and Cancellations

    While it feels easy enough to get to Svalbard these days, keep in mind that the region is still exposed to bad weather and strong winds. Since Longyearbyen Airport has a short runway, conditions have to be good for planes to land there. There is a chance (especially in the stormier seasons) that flights will be delayed or cancelled.

    If you are joining a cruise in Svalbard, aim to be there 24 hours in advance. If booking excursions, don’t book them for the same day you land! 

    Longyearbyen Airport Website

    Direct from Oslo to Longyearbyen

    If you are flying direct to Longyearbyen from Oslo, your gate will be in the non-Schengen zone. That means that you will have to clear passport control before heading to the gate. This is because Svalbard isn’t in the Schengen region (see below about vias). 

    The gate at Tromsø

    Oslo to Longyearbyen via Tromsø

    Some flights to Longyearbyen from Oslo stop in Tromsø. When this happens, you have to get off the plane in Tromsø, go through passport control, and then get back on the plane. I did this when I went to Longyearbyen in March and it was a rushed but easy process. 

    Tip: Which side of the plane to sit on? Most of the time, the plane comes into Longyearbyen from the north, meaning you get spectacular views of the town from the A seats (left side of the plane). 

    When leaving, most planes fly south out of Longyearbyen, and I’ve found the best side to be the F seats (right side of the plane). 

    View of Longyearbyen landing at the airport (June 2023)
    The view flying over Svalbard

    Longyearbyen to Oslo via Tromsø

    I just want to quickly mention the journey back to Oslo via Tromsø. We got off the plane in Tromsø and had to clear passport control, collect our luggage from the luggage belt, head upstairs and re-check our bags in, and then go through security. This was a very stressful process! 

    Since Tromsø gets many international flights, there was a bit of a wait at the passport control. It then took time for our bags to come out, and the queues upstairs to drop off the bags were crazy. Thankfully staff opened up a line just for those coming from Longyearbyen and going to Tromsø, so that sped things up again. At security (another 10-15 min wait) we had to throw out water and so on, so keep that in mind. 

    At the moment Tromsø Airport is undergoing a huge renovation so things there are a little messy. 

    Why am I telling you all this? I wasn’t quite prepared for this hectic 40 minute process, so it caught me off guard. If you can get a direct flight to Oslo, or want to spent a few days in Tromsø, prioritise that instead!

    Cruising into Svalbard

    Svalbard Express

    The main ‘public ferry’ going between the Norwegian coast and Svalbard is Hurtigruten’s Svalbard Express. However, it doesn’t work like a ferry like how the coastal route does. You board the ship in Bergen and spend a few days docking along the coast before making your way to Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund. The ship then heads back south to Bergen, stopping off in some ports along the way. 

    Svalbard Express

    Cruise Ships

    Some cruise ship companies go from the Norwegian mainland to Svalbard. These include:

    National Geographic

    Some cruise companies combine Svalbard with Greenland or other Arctic regions. These include:

    Quark Expeditions

    Oceanwide Expeditions

    Fred Olsen

    However, if you are serious about seeing wildlife in Svalbard, prioritise booking a cruise that circumnavigates the island. 

    Visa Requirements

    There is no visa required for Svalbard, but you must transit through Norway to get here, and therefore you need to follow the entry rules for Norway.

    When leaving Norway to Svalbard, you will have your passport stamped. Svalbard is not part of the Schengen zone.

    Norway Government Rules - Svalbard Entry

    How to Get to Svalbard

    Hopefully this guide has cleared up exactly how to get to Svalbard from other places. Please use the comment section to ask any questions you may have!

    Svalbard Travel Guide

    Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Svalbard, including all the settlements and itineraries for different times of the year. 

  • History, Svalbard

    The History of Longyearbyen

    The History of Longyearbyen

    If you’re going to Svalbard, you will be going to Longyearbyen. The only settlement open to the public to stay at, Longyearbyen is the hub of Svalbard and starting point for all the expeditions and day trips around the archipelago. 

    While today Longyearbyen as a vibrant, modern and lively town centre, this is all very recent. For the first several decades of the towns existence, Longyearbyen was a harsh and inhospitable place cut off from the rest of Norway. However, people chose to come here because of the mining activity that has been taking place here since the towns inception.

    Before you to go Longyearbyen, be sure to understand a little of the settlements history. Here is my History of Longyearbyen. 

    In this article...

    Svalbard Travel Guide

    Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Svalbard, including all the settlements and itineraries for different times of the year. 

    Early years of Longyearbyen

    Longyearbyen, nestled in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, boasts a captivating history woven with exploration, mining, and Arctic survival. While it was a place where there were hunters and explorers from the 17th century onwards, many consider Longyearbyen’s beginnings to be mining, but that’s not totally true. In fact, the first reason for people coming to Longyearbyen was tourism. In 1896, Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab (later Hurtigruten) started tours to Hotelneset, the name of the peninsula where the airport is today. A prefabricated hotel was built and two families lived on the property all year round. A post office operated by the Norwegian Postal Service was even established here. However, this wasn’t a successful business because of the cost of maintaining the property.

    John Longyear & the Discovery of Mining

    The American industrialist John Munro Longyear visited Spitsbergen in 1901 as a tourist and met an expedition prospecting for coal. Two years later he came back and got more information on the coal fields. Longyear bought the Norwegian claims on the west side of the Adventfjord, and in 1906 started the Arctic Coal Company. Mine 1a was the first mine to operate at Longyearbyen. The company had American administration but mostly Norwegian labourers and they built accommodation and docks for the workers. The name of the settlement – Longyear City. The aerial tramway that is still visible on the mountainside was used to transport the coal from the mine to the port. Mine 2a opened in 1913.

    Longyearbyen in 1908

    The American-owned company did not last too long. Financial difficulties during World War I led to the mining operations being bought by the Norwegian company Store Norske, which was incorporated in Oslo in 1916. Store Norske built five new barracks and a hospital. Store Norske owned a great deal of the town. Store Norske even had their own money (with approval from Norges Bank), consisting entirely of banknotes at par with the Norwegian krone.

    Mine 1 closed in 1920 after 26 men were killed in a coal dust explosion. Remains of the mine are still visible on the mountainside.

    Establishing Longyearbyen as a Town

    As mentioned above, a hospital and even money were brought to Longyearbyen in the 1910s. In 1920, the Church of Norway appointed Svalbard’s first vicar and teacher – Thorleif Østenstad. A school was established jointly by the church and Store Norske. At first, there were 8 students here. The first church in Svalbard opened in 1921, though was eventually destroyed during World War II.

    Because Store Norske now owned mining activities, the town was renamed Longyearbyen in 1926.

    Tourism began in 1935, when SS Lyngen started calling regularly during the summer season. In 1938, Longyearbyen’s first road was completed and linked the town with Sverdrupbyen further down the valley.

    World War II

    During World War II, Longyearbyen gained strategic significance due to its coal resources and suffered bombings by German forces in 1943. Initially Longyearbyen was unaffected by the war, but soon it became clear that Svalbard was of strategic important. On 3 September 1941 the population (765 people) were evacuated from Longyearbyen to Scotland. A small Nazi garrison and air strip was established in Adventdalen, mostly to provide meterological data. After the British Operation Ftirham regained control of Barentsburg, the Nazis left Longyearbyen without combat.

    Ruins from World War II in Longyearbyen

    In September 1943, the Kriegsmarine dispatched two battleships, Tirpitz and Scharnhorst, and nine destroyers to bombard Longyearbyen, Barentsburg and Grumant. Only four buildings in Longyearbyen survived – the hospital, power station, office building and a residential building. The first ship leaving the mainland to repopulate Longyearbyen left on 27 June 1945.

    Immediate Post-War Development

    Post-war, the Norwegian government took control of mining operations, leading to further development and stability. By 1948, coal production had reached the pre-war level. The neighbourhood of Nybyen was established in 1946 and consisted of five barracks, each housing 72 people.

    The first issue of the Svalbardposten newspaper was published in November 1948. A year later, Longyearbyen got a telephone connection to the mainland. The cemetery that had been established in the 1920s closed in 1950 because the bodies were not decomposing due to the permafrost and keeping them risked disease. Since then, bodies have been sent to the mainland for burial. The community centre Huset opened in 1951.

    'Normalising' Longyearbyen

    In the 1960s, the town began its modernisation process. The first snowmobile was brought here in 1961, and by 1969 there were 140 registered snowmobiles against 33 registered cars. Television broadcasting equipment was installed in 1969, with the schedule of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation being aired with a two-week delay. Television became live in 1984.

    In 1971, a new school building opened along with a gymnasium and swimming pool. In 1978, an upper secondary program was introduced at the public school.

    The Svalbard Council was established on the 1st of November 1971 and it consisted of three different groups: Store Norske employees, government employees and others.

    The airport opened in 1975 and initially provided four weekly services to mainland Norway and semi-weekly services to Russia.

    Do you remember the Store Norske money that was introduced back in the early days? That was taken out of circulation in 1980 and the Norwegian kroner has been used since then.

    Svalbard Samfunnsdrift, a company responsible for public infrastructure and services, was established by Store Norske in 1989. They are responsible for healthcare, the fire brigade, the kindergarten, roads, rubbish disposal, power production, the water and sewer system, cinema, cultural activities, and the library. Ownership was taken over by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 1993.

    Modernisation of Mining

    Mines continued to open around Longyearbyen in the 1970s. Mine 3 opened in March 1971, and Mine 7 opened in 1972. In 1973, the Ministry of Trade and Industry bought a third of Store Norske – eventually it owned 99.94% of the company.

    From 1982, Store Norske permitted private individuals to own and operate cars, and by 1990 there were 353 registered cars and 883 snowmobiles. Store Norske moved their headquarters from Bergen to Longyearbyen in 1983.

    Modern Times

    Over time, Longyearbyen modernised, improving infrastructure and amenities for its residents. This process has been called ‘normalisation’ and included introducing a full range of services, a varied economy, and a local democracy.

    Yet, economic challenges emerged in the latter half of the 20th century as coal prices declined, prompting a shift towards diversification. Mining is planning on closing in Longyearbyen altogether. The first major hotel opened in 1995 (now the Radisson Blu), the Longyearbyen Community Council was established in 2002, and the University Centre in Svalbard opened on 6 September 1993 and had 30 students. Telenor mobile was introduced in 1995, and in 2004 the Svalbard Undersea Cable System opened, providing fiber-optic cable connection to the mainland. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened in 2008.

    Today, Longyearbyen’s economy revolves around tourism, research, and education. As a base for scientific expeditions, Longyearbyen hosts research institutions studying climate change, wildlife, and geology. However, it also faces unique challenges, such as extreme Arctic conditions and the impacts of climate change. Despite these obstacles, the town has adapted, implementing measures to ensure safety and sustainability.

    Longyearbyen’s cultural heritage is preserved through museums, historic sites, and local traditions, celebrating its diverse influences from Norwegian, Russian, and American backgrounds. Ultimately, Longyearbyen’s history embodies human resilience and exploration in one of the world’s most unforgiving environments.

    Svalbard Travel Guide

    Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Svalbard, including all the settlements and itineraries for different times of the year. 

  • History, Norway, Svalbard

    The History of Svalbard (Summarised)

    The History of Svalbard

    Svalbard, an archipelago located in the Arctic Ocean, holds a history as vast and rugged as its icy landscapes. While the first people to visit Svalbard is disputed, there’s no denying that the island was of great importance for European hunting and trade in the 17th and 18th centuries. While the basis for interest in the archipelago was the exploration of its natural resources, today the interest in Svalbard is largely scientific.

    When travelling to Svalbard, you’ll of course be doing many excursions to see the incredible nature. However, it’s good to understand how Svalbard came to be what it is today. I’ve written this short historic overview of Svalbard with additional information on how to visit these places today, and hopefully this will make your trip to Svalbard even better!

    Here is my History of Svalbard. 

    In this article...

    Svalbard Travel Guide

    Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Svalbard, including all the settlements and itineraries for different times of the year. 

    When did the first peoples reach Svalbard?

    It’s not known exactly when the first peoples were on Svalbard. Some explorers have claimed that they have found Stone Age tools on Svalbard from around 3,000BC, but there is little support of these claims. However, during the 19th century Norwegian historians proposed that Norse seamen founded Svalbard in 1194, and this is based on documents stating that “Svalbarði” is four days sailing from Iceland. This is where the name ‘Svalbard’ comes from. However, there is no further written sources about the Norse exploration to Svalbard. Russian historians have proposed that the Pomors (North Russian traders) may have visited the island in the 15th century.

    The first undisputed discovery of Svalbard was an expedition led by the Dutch cartographer and navigator Willem Barentsz (the Barents Sea is named after him), who was searching for the Northeast Passage to China. He spotted Bear Island (just south of the main island Spitsbergen) on 10 June 1596 and then saw the north-western tip of Spitsbergen on the 17th of June. His documents did not mention Svalbard’s natural resources, such as oil and fur – what the region would soon become famous for.

    The First Peoples of Svalbard & Early Whaling

    Svalbard’s natural resources were not ‘discovered’ until 1607, when the English navigator Henry Hudson found whales, walruses, and seals in the water around Spitsbergen. This gave rise to a claim of Spitsbergen in 1614 by the Muscovy Company on behalf of King James I of England.

    The Dutch started whaling activities in the Arctic around the year 1612, and they established the first settlement on Svalbard – Smeerenburg – in 1619. It is possible to visit Smeerenburg only on cruises that visit the north-west coast of the island. The Dutch ended up dominating the whaling industry with the help of experienced Basque harpooners, who boiled whale blubber in large copper pots. By the late 17th century, there were between 200 and 300 ships and up to 10,000 whalers around Spitsbergen. The first group overwintered (accidentally) in 1630. The first planned overwintering was by the Dutch at Smeerenburg in 1633. Smeerenburg was abandoned in 1750.

    Cornelis de Man's 1639 painting of whaling at Smeerenburg
    remains of smeerenburg history of svalbard
    Smeerenburg today

    Eventually the interest in other resource arose, with the goods being taken back to Europe to be sold. The Pomors (Russian traders) were the ones who started hunting animals for fur. They hunted polar bears, foxes, seals, and walruses. They built many hunting stations around Svalbard, and many of these stations, complete with Russian Orthodox crosses, have been excavated. The Pomors would also overwinter on Svalbard. The large Pomor settlement at Russekeila became known for its famous inhabitant, Ivan Starostin, who spent 39 winters on Svalbard. Cape Starashchin is named after him.

    Who owns Svalbard? Political Conflicts over the Archipelago

    The European whalers let to an international political conflict. Who owned Svalbard? Who had a right to kick others out? The Dutch rejected that the English had exclusive rights, and King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway claimed that he had the rights to all of the Northern Sea as Greenland was an old Norwegian tax-land. England offered to purchased the rights from Denmark-Norway, but the offer was turned down and then England went back to claiming exclusive rights. In 1615, Denmark-Norway sent men to collect tax from English and Dutch whalers, but they refused to pay. This ended in political deadlock.

    As mentioned above, the Russian Pomor traders came in the late 17th century and established their own settlements. In the 1790s, there were 2,200 Russian hunters in Svalbard. However, the Pomors found it difficult to compete with the Norwegians who reached the hunting grounds earlier and eventually took over. The Norwegians began overwintering in Svalbard in 1795.

    Seal hunting was started by the Germans in the late 17th century and was taken over by Norwegians and the Danes in the 18th century. Seal hunting wasn’t as profitable, though.

    Norwegians reached Svalbard in the 18th century, and the first Norwegian citizens to reach the island of Spitsbergen were a number of Sami people from Hammerfest, who were hired as part of a Russian crew for an expedition in 1795. From the 1820s Norwegian hunting expeditions grew and Tromsø became the main port from which the expeditions began. Elling Carlsen was a well-known seal hunter and explorer, and circumnavigated the whole archipelago in 1861.

    Exploration in the 19th Century

    While the interest in Svalbard was certainly associated with hunting, there was also an interest in studying Svalbard. Exploration on the archipelago began in the early 17th century by the whaling companies. In 1650, it was established that Spitsbergen was an island not connected to Greenland. However, it was only really the coast that was studied at first.

    The first scientific expedition to Svalbard was the Russian Čičagov Expedition between 1764 and 1766, which passed Svalbard in an unsuccessful attempt to find the North Sea Route. The second expedition was organised by the Royal Navy and led by Constantine Phipps in 1773. They collected zoological and botanical samples and measured water temperatures.

    Scientific exploration increased throughout the 18th century, with the most extensive surveys being carried out by William Scoresby, who published several papers on the Arctic. Baltazar Mathias Keilhau (a Norwegian) was the first to carry out expeditions on the interior of Svalbard. Swedish exploration started with Sven Loven in 1837, which led way to Sweden dominating scientific investigations in the last half of the century. Martin Conway (United Kingdom) was the first to produce a map of the interior of Svalbard.

    Airship Norge in Ny-Ålesund 1926

    Svalbard was used as the starting point for expeditions to the North Pole. Ny-Ålesund (the second main settlement of Svalbard, only accessible on guided tour) was the basis of four attempts to the North Pole between 1925 and 1928, including Roald Amundsen’s first attempt with a flying boat. Amundsen’s airship Norge is credited as the first to reach the pole. Umberto Nobile’s airship Italia crashed in 1928, resulting in the largest search in polar history.

    Industrialisation of Svalbard

    While hunting was important for the growth of interest in Svalbard, the next phase of Svalbard’s money-making history was the industrialisation of the archipelago following the discovery of coal. No rules governed who could claim land, and between 1898 and 1920 over 100 land claims were made.

    The first attempt to create a permanent settlement on Svalbard was carried out by Sweden’s Alfred Gabriel Nathorst, who established Kapp Thordsen in 1872 with the goal of mining phosphorite, but it was never carried out. The Swedes set themselves up to mine at Svea, while the Russians began mining at Barentsburg and Pyramiden. The two British companies were the Scottish Spitsbergen Syndicate and the Northern Exploration Company.

    Industrial mining of coal began in 1899 (the whalers and hunters had been using the coal long before then), but the first commercially viable mining company was the American John Munroe Longyear’s Arctic Coal Company, which established the town Longyear City (in 1925 it was renamed Longyearbyen). By 1910, 200 men worked for the company and by 1912 the company was extracting 40,000 tons of coal a year. The town and the mines were bought by the Norwegian-owned Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani in 1916.

    Longyearbyen in 1908

    The first school in Longyearbyen was built in 1920 by the Church of Norway. Svalbard Radio started broadcasting in 1911, and an early version of a hotel was completed in 1896.

    Swedish interests established mines at Pyramiden (no longer accessible due to the war in Urkraine) and Sveagruva (recently abandoned and torn down), which Dutch investors established Barentsburg (not accessible due to the war in Ukraine). Norwegians established coal mining in Ny-Ålesund in 1916.

    Norway Claims Svalbard (The Svalbard Treaty)

    During all this time, Svalbard was a terra nullius (land without government). The work to establish an administration was established in 1871. Fridtjof Nansen’s endeavours raised the Norwegian public’s consciousness of the Arctic, which again brought forth public support for the annexation of Svalbard.

    The Government of Norway took initative in 1907 for negotiations between the involved states mining in Svalbard. Conferences were held in 1910, 1912 and 1914. The break through came at the Paris Peace Conference – Germany and Russia had both been excluded, while Norway enjoyed much goodwill after their neutral ally policy and was seen as a harmless country.

    The Svalbard Treaty of 9 February 1920 granted Norway full sovereignty over Svalbard, although with two major limitations: all parties to the treaty had equal rights to economic resources and Svalbard was not to be used for “warlike purposes”. That is why there’s no military on Svalbard, and why Russia owns Barentsburg and Pyramiden.

    Svalbard was to be administered by the Governor of Svalbard. It is regarded as “part of the Kingdom of Norway” but is not a county. A mining code was passed in 1925 and by 1927 all mining claims were resolved. All unclaimed land was taken over by the Norwegian government. Although the Soviet Union was sceptical to the treaty, they were willing to trade a signing of it in exchange for a Norwegian recognition of the Soviet regime.

    By the 1930s, only the Norwegians and Russians were mining on Svalbard.

    World War II

    Ruins from World War II in Longyearbyen

    Svalbard was initially unaffected by the Nazi occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany on 9 April 1940. However, following the Nazi attack on the Soviet Union, Svalbard became of strategic importance to secure supplies between the allies. All Norwegian and Soviet settlements were evacuated, and Nazis occupied Longyearbyen, where they built an airstrip and a weather station. Svalbard is one of the best weather prediction places for the sea and temperatures in Northern Norway, so it was of strategic importance for them. In May 1942, a Norwegian expedition was sent to liberate the island and they were attacked by the Nazis. Eventually the Nazis left Svalbard, but destroyed Barentsburg, Grumand and Longyearbyen in the process. The towns were rebuilt after the war, and in Longyearbyen it’s possible to see the remains of the town before the war.

    Cold War & the Kings Bay Affair

    Pyramiden, a now abandoned Soviet mining town

    In 1944, the Soviet Union proposed that Svalbard become a condominium under joint Norwegian and Soviet rule. The proposal was discussed in Norway but ultimately rejected.

    Political tension between Norway and the Soviet Union became heated after Norway joined NATO in 1949. The Soviet Union issued memorandums to Norway stating that Svalbard could not be under NATO command, but this was rejcted by Norway.

    21 miners were killed in an accident in Ny-Ålesund, which led to the King’s Bay Affair. Basically, the Kings Bay Mining Company was a coal mining operation based in Ny-Ålesund that was owned by the government. After the miners were killed in an accident, the Norwegian government established an investigatory commission that ended up finding deficiencies in the management of the mine, especially culpability on part of the minister of industry at the time, Kjell Holler. The non-socialist opposition to the Labour Party government demanded that Holler be dismissed, but Prime Minister Einar Gerhardsen claimed that the Kings Bay operations were not accountable to the parliament. Gerhardsen was forced to appear before parliament and answer for his cabinet’s actions. The opposition found unity in proposing a vote of no-confidence to the parliament, claiming that a government that owns a corporation that is mismanaged should be held accountable. This led to the Gerhardsen cabinet resigning.

    Oil drilling was started by Caltex in 1961. They were granted claims based on indications, rather than samples, of oil, which was a privilege not given to the Soviets, leading to strained relations. No commercially viable wells were found.

    Both the Kings Kay Affair and the Caltex Affair initiated public debate about the administration of Svalbard, and in particular the lack of resources and control of Soviet settlments. The Governor of Svalbard increased its activities in Soviet settlements.

    After mining ended in Ny-Ålesund, the Norwegian Polar Institute took a dominant role in converting it to an international research station.

    In 1973, more than half of the archipelago was protected through four national parks, fourteen bird sanctuaries and four nature reserved.

    'Normalisation' & Modern Times

    “Normalisation” was a term coined in the 1970s to transform Longyearbyen from a company town to a regular community. In 1971, the Svalbard Council was established for the Norwegian population.

    The civilian airport at Longyearbyen was built in 1975 and was built to serve both the Norwegian and Soviet towns.

    The 1990s saw a large reduction in Russian activity. Schools were closed in 1994 and children and mothers were sent to the mainland, reducing the population of Barentsburg to 800 and Pyramiden to 600. Pyramiden was abandoned in 1998. From 1990 to 2011, the Russian and Ukrainian population fell from 2,300 to 370, while the Norwegian population increased from 1,100 to 2,000.

    Tourism has emerged as a major livelihood for Svalbard with hotels being built on Spitsbergen from 1995.

    Research and education is also of crucial importance to Svalbard in modern times. Since the 1990s, several high-tech institutes and research centres have established themselves, including the University Centre in Svalbard, the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association, the Svalbard Satellite Station, the Svalbard Undersea Cable System, and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

    In 2002, the Longyearbyen Community Council was incorporated with many of the same responsibilities as a municipality.

    Today tourism is important to Svalbard and the largest industry on the archipelago, though research still plays an important role for the basis of settlement there. 

    Further Reading

    For a more detailed overview of Svalbard’s history, I recommend reading this document from VisitSvalbard (click here). 

    Svalbard Travel Guide

    Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Svalbard, including all the settlements and itineraries for different times of the year.