Ferry from Bergen to Kristiansand

Bergen Guide

Located on the west coast of Norway, the city of Bergen lies on the peninsular of Bergenhalvoyen and is often referred to as the City of The Seven Mountains. The city, which mainly lies on the shore of Byfjorden, is an internationally renowned centre for shipping, petroleum and for higher education.

The Norwegian Fjords which surround the city have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the world's most spectacular natural tourist attractions. The Fjords are characterised by high, snow topped, steep mountains which surround them and are themselves deep and narrow. There is evidence that the area has been inhabited for centuries and today the area has a number of farms which some are by the fjords and some higher in the mountains.

Bergen is Norway's busiest and largest port. There are regular ferry services departing from the port to Hirtshals in Denmark. Passenger catamarans also run from Bergen south to Haugesund and Stavanger and north to Sognefjord and Nordfjord. Bergen is also the southern terminus of Hurtigruten, the Coastal Express, which operates with daily services along the coast to Kirkenes.

Kristiansand Guide

The Norwegian town and port of Kristiansand is located on the Skagerrak and until the Kiel Canal opened between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, it was an important route militarily and geopolitically. This resulted in the town serving as a military stronghold for centuries which began as Harald Fairhair's royal residence, then as a Danish/Norwegian fortress and later as a garrison town. Kristiansand is the gateway for many Norwegians to and from the continent with frequent ferry services departing to Denmark. It is also the terminus of a railway line that operates along the southern edge of southern Norway.

The city takes its name from King Christian IV who founded the town in 1641. The 'sand' part of the name refers to the sandy headland upon which the city was built. Kristiansand is a popular tourist destination, especially during the summer, and popular sites include Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement Park which is located to the east of the town. Animals that can be seen in the zoo includes wolves, tigers, lions and lynx.

From the town's port, ferry services depart to Gothenburg (starting and ending in Newcastle, UK) and to Hirtshals in Denmark.