How to get to Lofoten: Bodø turboprops, the Evenes drive, the Moskenes ferry or the coastal ship.

Option 1: fly via Bodø into Leknes or Svolvær

Widerøe's Dash 8 turboprops connect Bodø with Leknes and Svolvær several times a day, with Bodø itself served by jets from Oslo, Trondheim and Bergen. The flights are short and the airports are close to the towns: Leknes about 1 km from the centre, Svolvær about 6 km east at Helle. Both have rental cars; Svolvær has no airport bus, so a taxi or the rental car covers the last leg.

The catch is capacity and price. The aircraft are small, the fares are high compared with the jets to Evenes, and winter weather diverts or cancels flights. Book early, avoid tight connections in Bodø and keep the first evening free of commitments.

Option 2: jet to Evenes and drive the Lofast road

Harstad/Narvik Airport at Evenes has frequent jets from Oslo on SAS and Norwegian and seasonal international routes. Since the Lofast road opened in 2007, the drive to Svolvær is about 160 to 170 km on the E10 through tunnels and along fjords, about 2.5 hours in summer and closer to 3 hours in winter with stops. Buses also run from the airport to Svolvær for those without a car.

This is the cheapest and most reliable way in for a Svolvær or Henningsvær base, but remember the drive continues: Leknes is another 68 km and Reine another 130 km beyond Svolvær. Land by early afternoon in winter, or sleep the first night at the Svolvær end.

Option 3: the Bodø to Moskenes car ferry

Torghatten Nord runs the car ferry from Bodø across the Vestfjord to Moskenes, a crossing of about 3 to 3.5 hours that lands a few kilometres from Reine. It is the natural route for anyone driving north from the south of Norway, for travelers who fly to Bodø and rent there, and for a trip that starts at the Reine end and works north.

Reserve the car in advance for summer sailings, because departures fill and unreserved cars wait for the next boat. In winter the Vestfjord can be rough and sailings are cancelled in storms; keep a spare night at either end and check the operator's status page on the day.

• Bodø airport is about 1.5 km from the centre; the ferry quay is a short taxi or walk from the terminal area.
• Foot passengers can cross and pick up a rental car at the Lofoten end, but availability at Moskenes is limited; confirm before relying on it.
• Bodø also has a passenger express boat to Svolvær; check Reis Nordland for the timetable.

Option 4: the coastal ships

Hurtigruten and Havila sail the coast between Bergen and Kirkenes and call at Stamsund and Svolvær in Lofoten, northbound and southbound. The northbound ships pass through Raftsundet and, in season, into the Trollfjord. Arriving by ship suits a trip that links Lofoten with Tromsø or Bodø without flying, and the ports sit at the Leknes middle (Stamsund, about 12 km from Leknes) and the Svolvær end.

Port times are short and fixed, so the ship is a way to arrive or leave, not a way to see the islands. Book the cabin and the onward rorbu around the sailing date, and keep a buffer if a tour ends late on the departure day.

Rental cars, buses and getting around

The E10 is the spine of the islands, and a rental car is the practical way to use it. Cars are available at Evenes, Bodø, Leknes and Svolvær airports and in the towns; they sell out in July, at Easter and for the March photo weeks, so book with the flights. Winter rentals come with winter tyres, but you still need to drive to the conditions and check road status daily.

Without a car, local buses run along the E10 between Svolvær, Leknes, Reine and Å a few times a day, with connections to Evenes and Narvik. Check times on Reis Nordland or the Entur journey planner before building a day around them, because a missed afternoon bus can mean a night in the wrong village.

• Evenes arrival: Svolvær base, E10 westbound.
• Bodø ferry arrival: Reine base, then north.
• Leknes flight: the middle; both ends within about 70 km.
• Coastal ship: Svolvær or Stamsund, then the bus or a rental car.