Getting around Longyearbyen

5 min read Updated October 2026

Longyearbyen is small enough to walk, and Visit Svalbard calls it a good place for walks in summer and winter alike. What makes getting around unusual is the edge of town. Svalbard has only about 40 kilometres of road in total, none of them leads to another settlement, and outside the settlement area you need protection against polar bears.

On foot in town

The tourist information sits at the upper end of the pedestrian street, at Vei 221.1, and is a good first stop. It opens daily from 10:00 to 16:00, with longer hours until 17:00 from June to August. Nybyen, the former miners' quarter with guesthouses and a gallery, lies about two kilometres south of the centre, so allow for a longer walk if you stay there.

Where there is no pavement, the community guidelines ask you to walk on the left side of the road. In winter the streets are often icy, and Visit Svalbard recommends spikes for your shoes. During the polar night a reflective vest helps drivers see you; the tourist information lends them out, along with slippers for indoor visits. Most shops and attractions also open on Sundays.

In winter, snowmobiles are part of the street scene. The community guidelines allow you to photograph parked ones but ask you not to touch them. Views from above are off the list as well, because drones are banned within five kilometres of the airport, an area that covers all of Longyearbyen.

Taxis, bikes and hire cars

Two taxi companies drive around town, up the valley and out to the airport, and both operate around the clock. The airport bus runs for every scheduled flight and stops at all places to stay; more on it is on our page about getting to Longyearbyen.

In the polar summer you can rent a city bike at the tourist information. For a car, Visit Svalbard lists Arctic Autorent. To drive a car, snowmobile or ATV on Svalbard you need a valid licence. A class B car licence is enough, and licences from the EU and EEA meet the requirements, but digital licences only count if they were issued in Norway.

Where the safe zone ends

Within a marked zone in Longyearbyen you do not need any equipment for polar bear protection. Outside the settlements, the Governor of Svalbard requires everyone to carry suitable means of scaring off polar bears, and carrying a loaded firearm inside the settlement area is forbidden. Visit Svalbard advises visitors never to leave town without a local guide who has the training to keep the group safe. The tourist information can show you where the zone ends, and our page on polar bear safety explains the rules in more detail.

Weather and phone coverage are further reasons to go with a guide. Mobile coverage is almost non-existent outside town, and the weather can change quickly. Local operators also include search and rescue insurance in the price of booked activities.

Beyond the roads

Motor traffic away from roads is basically prohibited, with snowmobiles on snow-covered, frozen ground as the main exception. If you drive on a snowmobile tour, the licence itself must come with you, as Visit Svalbard points out. Some tours add their own conditions, such as an international driving permit, so read the description before booking. Since 2025, motor traffic on the sea ice of selected fjords has been banned after 1 March.

The Russian settlements are the classic trips beyond town. Barentsburg lies 60 kilometres west on Grønfjorden, Pyramiden about 110 kilometres north-northeast on Billefjorden. In winter you get there by snowmobile, in summer by boat, and most of these tours collect you from your accommodation. Both settlements are run by the Russian state-owned company Trust Arktikugol, and Visit Svalbard currently does not market trips there. What a tour includes is set out in its description.