Longyearbyen
Plan your base in Longyearbyen: getting there, polar bear rules at the town limits, seasons, local customs and what to book before you travel to Svalbard.
Plan your trip to Svalbard
A trip to Svalbard is a big investment, and the rules here are unlike anywhere else. This guide covers what you need to plan it well: where to stay, how to get there, how to stay safe among polar bears, glaciers and sea ice, and how to choose the right trip.
Every page is checked against official and local sources, listed at the bottom of each article, and shows the date its facts were last verified.
Places
The settlements of Svalbard, from Longyearbyen, where almost every trip begins, to the research town of Ny-Ålesund and the Russian mining towns.
Barentsburg
The Russian mining town on Grønfjorden: its Dutch and Soviet history, life there today, why local operators boycott visits, and how to see it on a guided trip.
Ny-Ålesund
Visiting the research town on Kongsfjorden: its mining and airship history, radio silence and walking rules, and how to get there on a day trip or cruise.
Photo: Harvey Barrison, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Practical
What to sort out before you go: flights and entry rules, staying safe, and how to travel among polar bears.
Getting there
How to get to Svalbard: flights via Oslo or Tromsø, passport and visa rules outside Schengen, the environmental fee, arrival, customs going home and cruises.
Photo: Ssu, CC BY-SA 4.0
Seasons: when to go
When to visit Svalbard: the polar night and northern lights, the sunny winter, the midnight sun and golden autumn, with what you can do and the rules in each.
Photo: Frode Ramone, CC BY 2.0
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Safety in Svalbard
Staying safe in Svalbard: emergency numbers, limited healthcare, weather and cold, avalanches, glaciers, sea ice and water, and when to join a guided trip.
Photo: R. Henrik Nilsson, CC BY 4.0
Guides
Longer guides: what to see, do and eat in Longyearbyen, and how to choose the way you see the rest of Svalbard.
Choosing an expedition cruise
How to choose a Svalbard expedition cruise: the 2025 rules on ship size and landings, what to ask an operator, and how to behave ashore among bears and birds.
Photo: Andreas Weith, CC BY-SA 4.0
What to see in Longyearbyen
The sights of Longyearbyen: Svalbard Museum, the old coal cableway, Mine 3, the Seed Vault, galleries, the church and the old cemetery, with opening hours.
Photo: Julianfoto, CC BY-SA 4.0
What to do in Longyearbyen
Things to do in Longyearbyen: the floating sauna, brewery nights, the pool and ski slope in town, plus guided dog sledding, snowmobiling, boat trips and hikes.
Photo: Mavlyudov Boris, CC BY 2.5
Fun facts
Curious facts and short stories about Svalbard, its history, nature and everyday life.
Why Longyearbyen takes its boots off
In Longyearbyen you take your boots off at the hotel, the museum and even the library. Blame the coal: the habit goes back to the town's mining days.
Dogs per person: Longyearbyen's other population
How many dogs does Longyearbyen have? Hundreds of sled dogs in five dog yards, a lot of pets, rabies rules for every dog and no cats allowed at all.
Photo: Andreas Weith, CC BY-SA 4.0
Glaciers everywhere, but don't drink the tap water
Why Longyearbyen advises against drinking its tap water: manganese, then sulfate and nickel. A sip won't hurt you, and free drinking water is at the Coop store.
Photo: Bjoertvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0 no
