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Norway’s glacial fjords, snowy ski slopes and breathtaking northern lights may soon get just that bit easier for Brits to access. A new direct ferry route has been proposed for between the UK and the Scandinavian country.
Newcastle City Council has said it will look into reinstating the ferry service running between Newcastle and Bergen. Nothing is confirmed yet, with local officials still needing to find an operator for the potential voyage.
Two decades ago, travelling from Tyneside to the Scandi city meant a simple boat journey across the North Sea. But operator DFDS closed the route in September 2008, chalking the decision up to rising oil prices. After that, the quickest way to travel between the two cities has been by plane, via a stop in Amsterdam.
Last year Jet2 launched a direct flight from Newcastle to Bergen, taking a brisk 1 hour and 25 minutes, but there are several reasons why you might prefer sea travel to the air. For one, ferry travel is usually much more environmentally friendly than flying.
The new ferry route plans were suggested by Newcastle City Council leader Karen Kilgour, who said in a meeting on January 21 that she would ‘love to see the return of the ferry’ and would ‘continue to work with partners and our friends in Bergen to explore all ways of bringing it back’.
So, why does Newcastle specifically want a ferry connection to Bergen? Well, the Toon has a longstanding relationship with the Scandi city which dates all the way back to World War II, when the Norwegian city started presenting Geordies with a Christmas tree each year. The exchange ended in 2022 due to environmental concerns, but the cities’ mayors still swap baubles to celebrate the festivities and keep the tradition alive.
Other attempts have been made to reinstate the ferry over the years, but none have been successful and local officials have their work cut out to get the route back up and running. Kilgour said that, at this point, the ferry trip isn't yet ‘economically viable’. Heightened border restrictions will also make things more complicated than they were in the past.
Bergen, AKA the ‘Gateway to the Fjords’, is Norway’s second city and famed for its oh-so-Scandi colourful wooden houses, working mountain funicular and retro-style bars – what’s not to love? Plus, 2026 is shaping up to be the best year in a decade to journey to the northern lights, so the ferry can’t come soon enough.
If and when the new Newcastle-Bergen ferry arrives, Time Out’s essential guide to Norway has everything you need to know.
More ferry news: did you see that the UK is getting a new direct ferry service to Europe in 2026?
Plus: a new high-speed railway line has been proposed between two of England’s greatest cities.
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