Seeing the northern lights in Tromsø on a budget: bus tours

If you’re coming to Tromsø, then seeing the northern lights is on your checklist. And you’re quite right, because it’s something pretty incredible, and worse, it can become an addiction (don’t say I didn’t warn you!).

Except that it can quickly eat into your budget, especially if you want to see them several times and you don’t have a car (well, we’ve already seen that renting a car in Tromsø can cost an arm and a leg these days).

There are the agencies with the great northern lights guides, which is the option I always recommend, but it’s also fairly expensive (especially with fuel prices going up). So if that option doesn’t suit you and is too pricey, there are the bus tours.

Here we’ll look at the pros and cons of bus tours. And also (above all) which agencies are worth it, because there really are good ones (well, very decent ones) and not-so-good ones. So I’ll do everything I can to make sure you don’t end up with the worst ones.

The best agencies for seeing the northern lights by bus in Tromsø

Let’s get straight down to business so you don’t waste any time.

These are the northern lights bus tour agencies I recommend:

• Snow Travels, originally a small-group agency that now also runs bus tours. So it’s a serious outfit with a good reputation.
• Jeshua, a company that originally ran trips to visit Kvaløya, but now does the northern lights too, and honestly, the reviews are good
• Northern Lights Safari, yes, it’s a big operation, but surprisingly the reviews are pretty good (you can tell I’m still a bit wary here)
• Bifrost is one of the really good small-group agencies. They now offer a bus version too, but I do wonder whether they subcontract it to another big agency.

There are others, like Amazing Arctic Tours (but I’ve seen behaviour on the road that I really don’t like), or Hello Tromso (which I don’t know, but the ratings aren’t too bad)

If you want more choice, have a look at my article on the best northern lights agencies in Tromsø

The best northern lights agenciesin Tromsø

Why go on a bus tour to see the northern lights

First of all, why go through an agency to see the northern lights? Every reason is valid, and if someone tells you “no, go and see them without a guide, it’s easy”, that’s sometimes true, and sometimes not at all.

Seeing the northern lights means being mobile because no, the weather isn’t always nice in Tromsø. Quite the opposite, it’s a cloudy city and you have to drive a bit to find clear skies.

Here are the main reasons to go with an agency and a bus:

• the guides know where to go, they know how to read the forecast and they know the good spots with no light pollution
• you don’t have to drive, worry about the weather or drive at night
• quite simply because you don’t have a vehicle
• Buses are cheaper than the classic agencies

Pros and cons of taking a bus to see the northern lights

I’ve said it quite a few times, I’m really not a fan of northern lights bus tours, as an aurora lover and as a “local (or almost)”. Still, there are some advantages!

• it does the job, the buses go where they need to go. If there are northern lights to be seen, you’ll see them. They’re not “worse”, well… let’s say they take the easy route. Their goal is to get you to see the northern lights, full stop
• it’s cheaper, especially in low season. Under €100, sometimes around €50 in September and October. In very high season (February, March) it can go up to around €120, which is still cheaper than the traditional agencies

On the other hand, here are the things that bug me, but that’s personal, so everyone will see it their own way and what bothers me won’t bother others (proof: the ratings are decent):

• there can be up to 50 of you on a bus, that’s a lot of people, a lot of noise, a lot of light. I like peace and quiet and watching the northern lights in silence. So that’s a bit of a fail 😀
• the buses are big, so they stop wherever there’s room, meaning wide open spaces, and often car parks that can take several buses. One bus is already quite something, so two… that’s a downside. It’s often by the roadside, wherever they can park.
• They’re on a tight schedule, meaning when it’s time, it’s time, with little room for flexibility
• the buses don’t provide thermal suits and that sort of thing, but there’s a snack

So if your only goal is to see the northern lights, and the “setting”, the surroundings, don’t matter too much to you, then yes, buses are a good option.

If you want something quiet and better located, then you’ll need to go with the other agencies.

What are the other ways to see the northern lights without selling a kidney

The very best option is still having a car, being able to drive at night and having time to really chase the northern lights. But not everyone can afford that.

So if you’re looking for other cheap ways to see the northern lights, here are my recommendations:

• cross your fingers for clear skies in Tromsø and go and watch the northern lights at Telegrafbukta or Fjellheisen
• come in low season, September, October, early April, when the tours really aren’t expensive
• rent a car in low season: in September and October there’s normally no snow, so driving is no problem. Rentals cost less (but they still cost something!)

So basically, either you’re lucky and get clear skies in Tromsø, or you rent a car, or you go with an agency. Easy and not easy at the same time!

Practical information you need to know about the northern lights

Because you have to earn the northern lights. You can’t just step outside and bam! No, no. Here’s a quick summary of what you need to know about the northern lights:

• generally speaking, in Tromsø there are northern lights every night, with stronger or weaker activity, so the most important thing really is finding clear skies. You need to be mobile.
• there’s no set time for the northern lights to show up, it could be 6pm or 11:30pm, so you need to be patient
• no, the northern lights aren’t as green to the naked eye as they are on camera, but yes, you can see them really well when they’re active, and yes, you still see colours 🙂
• as well as clear skies, you need to find a spot with no light pollution, no power lines in front of you and an open view. That’s fairly easy to do here

A few more articles to help you plan your trip to Tromsø

Right, if you’re coming to Tromsø, it’s also because you want to do activities, see beautiful scenery and make the most of it all! So here are the articles I recommend:

• Everything you need to know about Tromsø – an article bringing together all the essential information
• Create your personalised Tromsø itinerary – no headaches, you make your picks and an itinerary is suggested!
• A one-week itinerary in Tromsø – a ready-made itinerary to get the most out of Tromsø in winter
• Where to stay in Tromsø – the best places to stay in town and outside
• Renting a car in Tromsø – hybrid or electric, which rental company to choose
• The best places to see the northern lights in Tromsø – plenty of spots to see them in the best conditions
• How to see the northern lights in Tromsø – the complete guide!
• The best northern lights agencies in Tromsø – because a little help to see them never hurts
• The best winter activities in Tromsø – dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing… let’s go through it all!

In conclusion

And there you go, I think you know everything now!

No, I’m not a fan of the buses, especially when they stop right next to me (which does let me see exactly how it all works). But one thing’s for sure: they do the job they’re meant to do, which is showing you the northern lights.

So yes, if you need cheaper transport, that’s what you need. But if you can afford it, if you want calm, silence and the chance to take in the show in peace, then go with a smaller agency.

But honestly, the reviews are pretty good, and if it’s that popular, it’s because it meets a need. So I’d never say “don’t do it!”.

The best northern lights agenciesin Tromsø