Getting to Kristiansand by ferry
This is the fastest way into Norway: two and a half hours at sea from Denmark, and you land in the middle of a seaside town rather than in an out-of-town port zone.
It is also the only route where two operators compete for the same passengers, which shows in the prices. The flip side: Kristiansand is in the south, and the rest of the country starts here — four and a half hours to Oslo, seven to Bergen.
Which ferries go to Kristiansand?
Hirtshals to Kristiansand, the only line
Color Line and Fjord Line both serve it, up to four sailings a day in summer, one or two in deep winter. Count two and a half to four hours depending on the ship, and 105 to 110 euros for two people and a car.
The two operators are not selling the same thing: ships, timetables and onboard formulas differ, and the prices move independently. It is the one crossing to Norway where comparing two quotes actually means something.
Today's sailing times, the fare scale by vehicle length and frequently asked questions on the route page. See the route page →
Compare prices and book →When it is genuinely worth it
- To enter Norway without spending the night on board. Two and a half hours, by day: this is a crossing, not a stage of the journey.
- To make competition work. Two operators, two price grids, and a gap that can exceed half the ticket in high season.
- To start in the south. The Sorlandet coast, its white wooden villages and its archipelago begin at the terminal gate — this is where Norwegians themselves go in summer.
- For anyone not driving. The train from Kristiansand reaches Oslo in four hours and Stavanger in three.
Boat trips from Kristiansand
The archipelago starts at the end of the quay: dozens of pink granite islets, wooden houses and coves, ten minutes from the centre. Three ways of getting out there.
The archipelago by RIB, the most popular outing
EXCURSION ⚡ RIB · small group, max 12 · 55 min In 55 min, the RIB alternates bursts of speed in the open bay with slower passages between the rocky islands and pine forests of the Kristiansand archipelago, with photo stops and the skipper's historical stories about the coastal villages of Sørlandet.
- Flotation suit if cold + life jacket provided · small group, max 12
- Departs from Nodeviga (10-min walk from cruise port + station) · hotel pickup available
- ⚠️ From age 6 (min. 110 cm) · not for pregnant women · not for fragile backs/necks
And also
The pontoon boat trip with the DS Hestmanden, slower and more narrated, for anyone who would rather look than feel the spray.
Where to stay in Kristiansand on arrival
The ship docks in the centre: everything is walkable from the terminal. Two well-rated addresses, and all the others just below.
The Citybox formula in Kristiansand: tidy rooms, minimal service, everything central.
- City beach and cathedral within walking distance
- Shared kitchen and lounge
- No breakfast served on site
A large hotel on the Kristiansand waterfront, at the foot of the Markens Gate pedestrian street and a six-minute walk from the ferry terminal.
- Three restaurants, including the Club 21 skybar and the Telford Pub
- Free fitness room, Green Key certified
- Much-praised morning buffet: vegan, gluten-free and takeaway options
What to do in Kristiansand
- Posebyen, the quarter of white wooden houses that survived the fires — a grid of low streets and gardens in the middle of town, steps from the harbour.
- Dyreparken wildlife park, ten minutes away by car: it is the most visited attraction in Norway, and the only reason many Norwegian families come this far south.
- Bystranda beach and the Kilden, the city beach and the curved timber concert hall facing each other on the waterfront — the town was redrawn around both.
The silent cruise, if you only have half a day
An electric boat, no engine noise, and a route that threads between the inhabited islands. The calm version of the RIB run.
EXCURSION 🔇 Electric boat · 2 hrs · archipelago wildlife For 2 hrs, a small modern electric boat glides silently between the rocky islands of the Kristiansand archipelago, with stops for seals and seabirds, coffee or water and, depending on the season, cherries from the captain's garden. Often semi-private.
- Eco-friendly approach + wildlife watching · maritime heritage stories
- Small group (often private if fewer than 4) · slow pace
- ⚠️ Guide in EN only · boat sometimes less silent than advertised, according to 1 review
