At a glance
- Fjord1 has cancelled its Geiranger to Hellesylt car ferry for the rest of the 2026 season and will publish information about 2027.[1]
- Fjord Tours still sells a car ferry between Geiranger and Hellesylt from 390 NOK, with its season listed as 1 May to 15 December 2026.[5]
- The crossing takes approximately 65 minutes on Fjord1's timing and 1 hour 5 minutes on the Fjord Tours listing.[1][5]
- Cruise Service sails passenger catamarans for 175 and 200 people daily from May to December; a one-way transfer is listed from US$42.[6][8]
- Before the cancellation, Fjord1's 2026 price list charged from NOK 580 for a car up to 6 metres including its driver, and from NOK 310 for an adult.[4]
- One-way catamaran from US$42 Duration1 hourOne way or returnOne way, Hellesylt to GeirangerCommentaryHost in EnglishRating4.43 from 15 reviews See this tour
- From Hellesylt, 4 hours from US$84 Duration4 hoursOne way or returnFrom Hellesylt, stop in GeirangerCommentaryHost in EnglishRating4.63 from 68 reviews See this tour
- Hellesylt guided boat from US$75 Duration75 minutesOne way or returnGuided trip from HellesyltCommentaryLive guide in EnglishRating4.81 from 279 reviews See this tour
To make a round trip it takes in total 2,5 hours including half an hour waiting in Hellesylt for the ferry back to Geiranger. If you plan to continue your journey from Hellesylt, the ferry is a good option.
Capacity is limited, especially for larger vehicles, so advance booking is recommended.
Ferry, catamaran or a round trip
If you are driving
Taking the ferry: Geirangerfjord crossings in 2026
The most important fact about this crossing is a recent one. Fjord1, which ran the Geiranger to Hellesylt car ferry with MF Veøy and MF Bolsøy, has cancelled the route for the rest of the 2026 season and says it will come back with more information about the 2027 season.[1]
The background is a zero-emissions requirement. On 8 May 2026 the Norwegian Maritime Authority gave Fjord1 a temporary exemption for both ferries, which would have kept them sailing until the end of October, and the Ministry of Climate and Environment later revoked it following a complaint from a competitor. Both vessels have protected status from the Directorate for Cultural Heritage.[2]
In a press release of 3 September 2026, Fjord1 said Oslo District Court had lifted the interim injunction that had allowed it to keep operating since July, and that it would appeal.[2] Other crossings are still on sale between the two villages: a car ferry from Fjord Tours, passenger catamarans run by Cruise Service, and sightseeing round trips.[5][6][7]
The Geirangerfjord car ferry, and which boats take cars
If you are driving, you need a car ferry. Fjord1's ferry took both foot passengers and all types of vehicles, and warned that capacity was limited, especially for larger vehicles.[1] With that route cancelled, Fjord Tours still sells a car ferry between Geiranger and Hellesylt, which can start from either end and is described as a silent ferry ride.[5]
Fjord Tours lists the crossing at 1 hour 5 minutes and prices it from 390 NOK, with its season running from 1 May to 15 December 2026 and again in March 2027. Travellers choose their ticket type in its booking box, which is also where the departure times are shown.[5]
The Cruise Service boats are a different product: passenger catamarans for 175 and 200 people, sailing between Hellesylt and Geiranger daily from May to December, with indoor and outdoor viewing areas.[6] A traveller on foot can use the car ferry or a catamaran; a traveller with a car needs the car ferry.
Steep cliffs above the Geirangerfjord on the crossing between Hellesylt and Geiranger
How long the crossing takes, and the 2026 timetable
Whichever boat you take, the crossing between the two villages is about an hour. Fjord1 timed its sailing at approximately 65 minutes, Fjord Tours lists 1 hour 5 minutes, and the one-way fast catamaran transfer is listed at one hour.[1][5][8]
Fjord1's Geiranger ferry schedule for 2026, published before the cancellation, shows how busy the route was. From 1 June to 13 September there were seven sailings from Geiranger, from 10:00 to 18:45, and seven from Hellesylt, from 08:30 to 17:30. May and 14 to 30 September had four each way, and April and October three each way.[3]
The catamarans run on their own timetable. On Cruise Service's 10:00 and 13:00 departures from Hellesylt, the boat stops at the Friaren waterfall so passengers can collect and taste the water.[6]
What Hellesylt Geiranger ferry tickets cost
Fjord1's 2026 price list shows what the car ferry charged before the cancellation. An adult paid from NOK 420 on a regular sailing and from NOK 310 on the 08:30, 17:30 and 18:45 departures, a child from NOK 160, and children under four travelled free. Adults and children got 50% off the return leg.[4]
Vehicle fares included the driver. A car up to 6 metres cost from NOK 810 on a regular sailing and from NOK 580 on the cheaper departures, and on a regular sailing a car of 6 to 10 metres cost from NOK 1,550 and the longest class, 14 to 17 metres, from NOK 2,200. A package for a car up to 6 metres with its driver and four passengers cost from NOK 1,420, and a bicycle or a kayak from NOK 100.[4]
Fjord Tours prices its car ferry from 390 NOK.[5] On the passenger side, a one-way fast catamaran transfer from Hellesylt to Geiranger is listed from US$42 and rated 4.43 from 15 reviews, and Fjord1 allowed changes and refunds up to 48 hours before departure.[1][8]
2026
Fjord1 has cancelled its Geiranger to Hellesylt car ferry for the rest of the 2026 season, with news about 2027 to follow.[1]
Ferry or sightseeing cruise
The ferry and the sightseeing boats pass the same waterfalls. Fjord1 names the Seven Sisters and the Bridal Veil among the waterfalls on its crossing, and Fjord Tours names the Seven Sisters as a highlight of a crossing guided in several languages.[1][5]
The difference is what the trip is for. Geiranger Fjordservice describes the car ferry as mainly transport between the two villages, one hour each way, and a ferry round trip as 2.5 hours including half an hour waiting in Hellesylt. If you are going on from Hellesylt, the ferry does the job; if you are coming back, the same operator recommends its sightseeing cruise, which it says takes less time, gets closer to the waterfalls, has a fuller audio guide and costs less.[11]
For anyone starting in Hellesylt, a round trip with time in Geiranger is the alternative to the Geirangerfjord ferry from Hellesylt. Cruise Service's four-hour trip starts there and includes 2.5 hours ashore in Geiranger, with a stop to taste the Friaren waterfall.[7] A four-hour fjord tour from Hellesylt with a stop in Geiranger is also bookable from US$84, rated 4.63 from 68 reviews.[9]
Booking ahead and checking in
Fjord1 strongly recommended booking during the high season from May to September. Drop-in was possible, but a place was not guaranteed, while a pre-booked ticket secured space on that departure.[1] For the Fjord Tours car ferry, departure times and ticket types are shown in its booking box before you pay.[5]
Fjord1 asked vehicles to check in 30 minutes before departure and foot passengers 15 minutes before, and treated anyone who arrived later as a no-show without a refund. On board there was a kiosk with refreshments, toilets and a café serving its Ferdamat food.[1]
The passenger listings compared here all offer free cancellation, and the Dalsnibba coach tour this site books cancels free up to 24 hours ahead.[8][9][10][12] If extreme weather delayed or cancelled a Fjord1 sailing, customers who had booked in advance were told by email and refunded automatically.[1]
Arriving in Hellesylt, and the day in Geiranger
From Hellesylt you can go straight back onto the fjord. The guided Geirangerfjord boat tour from Hellesylt runs 75 minutes with a live guide who speaks English, starts from US$75 and is rated 4.81 from 279 reviews.[10] Coming the other way, Cruise Service's 2.5-hour round trip from Geiranger gives you an hour ashore in Hellesylt before the boat returns.[7]
At the Geiranger end, the tour this site books spends 3.5 hours on the road above the fjord, stopping at Flydalsjuvet, Dalsnibba, Djupvatnet and Eagle Bend, from US$116 and rated 4.61 from 2,636 reviews.[12] The Cruise Service four-hour trip from Hellesylt leaves 2.5 hours in Geiranger, less than the coach tour takes, so pair the two only if you are staying in Geiranger or travelling on by a later boat.[7][12]
Travelling on foot from Hellesylt, the Cruise Service catamaran's 10:00 and 13:00 departures are the ones that stop at the Friaren waterfall for the water tasting. The one-way catamaran transfer to Geiranger is listed at one hour, with a host who speaks English, and is marked as wheelchair accessible.[6][8]
Fjord1's 2026 fares on a regular sailing
One-way fares from Fjord1's 2026 price list; the route is cancelled for the rest of 2026.[1][4] Every figure is a from price.
Price a day between Hellesylt and Geiranger
Every figure is a "from" price for one adult and not a quote. Child prices may differ, so check the listing for your own party before you book.
What sails when on the Hellesylt route
Crossing to Hellesylt
Decide whether the car comes
Drivers need the car ferry; the Cruise Service catamarans are passenger boats.[5][6]
Check what is sailing
Fjord1 has cancelled the rest of its 2026 season; Fjord Tours lists its car ferry to 15 December.[1][5]
Check the car ferry fare
Fjord Tours lists its car ferry from 390 NOK; choose the ticket type in its booking box.[5]
Pick one way or a round trip
Coming back the same day? The Geiranger operator recommends a sightseeing cruise over a 2.5-hour ferry round trip.[11]
Plan the hours in Geiranger
The Dalsnibba coach tour booked from this site takes 3.5 hours on the road above the fjord.[12]
Arriving in Geiranger? See the fjord from above on the Dalsnibba tour
from US$117Reserve now & pay later
