Kirkenes town, in the far northeastern part of Norway.
Details
Accessibility
https://www.visitkirkenes.info/en/generalinfo/public-accessibility-universal-design/
Brief description
https://www.visitkirkenes.info/en/generalinfo/public-accessibility-universal-design/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkenes
"Kirkenes (Norwegian; pronounced [ˈçɪ̂rkəneːs] ⓘ)[4], Girkonjárga (Northern Sami; pronounced [ˈkir̥ː.ko.ˌɲaːrːka][4], or Kirkkoniemi (Kven)[4] is a town[1] in Sør-Varanger Municipality in Finnmark county, in the far northeastern part of Norway. The town lies on a peninsula along the Bøkfjorden, an arm of the large Varangerfjorden, and is located just a few kilometres from the Norway–Russia border.
The 2.29-square-kilometre (570-acre) town has a population (2023) of 3,404 and a population density of 1,486 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,850/sq mi). When the neighbouring suburban villages of Hesseng, Skytterhusfjellet, Sandnes and Bjørnevatn are all included with Kirkenes, the urban area reaches a population of almost 8,000.[2]
- The midnight sun in summer
- The Aurora Borealis in winter
Although Kirkenes is the Norwegian town closest to the Russian border, the town of Vardø to its north is located further east in Norway.
Due to its close proximity to Russians, Finns and Skolt Sami, the town is also known as Kirkkoniemi (Finnish), Киркенес (Russian), and Ǩeârkknjargg (Skolt Sami).[5]"
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kirkenes#Q209423
"The municipal tourist information is at the public library downtown."
"The main church for Kirkenes is Kirkenes Church, located in the Haganes area of the town."
Address
Avinor AS avd Kirkenes lufthavn Airport
Gnr 11 Bnr 1 Fnr 31 Snr 4
9912 Hesseng
Norway
Phone
Website
https://www.visitkirkenes.info/en/home/
Directions
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kirkenes#Q209423
"Note the time zone difference if coming from Finland (1 hour) or Russia (varies according to daylight saving). Check what timezone is used in timetables for international services.
2025:Kirkenes is at the very end of the all-through-Norway 2,500 km long highway E6. Visitors can also enter by road from northern Finland (about 7 hours from Rovaniemi, either via Utsjoki or Sevettijärvi), and north-western Russia (about 4 hours from Murmansk, including border formalities).
- From southern Norway or Germany by car, the shorter and faster route is through Sweden and Finland. The normal route would be over Rovaniemi as above, although from Sweden there is a shortcut over Pajala and Kittilä which is shorter but slower. Kirkenes is some 2,600 km from Hamburg through Sweden, through Norway well over 3,000 km. It is advised to visit interesting places along the way, even if this takes time, not just drive as much as possible per day.
- An alternative for bringing a car from continental Europe without spending days and days behind the steering wheel is the car ferry from Travemünde to Helsinki, and then the car carrying train overnight from Helsinki to Rovaniemi.
- From Russia, the road from Saint Petersburg to Petrozavodsk and further via Murmansk to Kirkenes (M18 «Кола»; P-21?) is the main option. From Petrozavodsk onwards there are few alternatives. Note that you need separate car insurances for Russia and Norway (the West). The routes from Russia via Finland are closed, due to tensions caused by the war on Ukraine.
Sør-Varanger is finally (2025) being signposted as part of the all-through-Europe route 13. From the Finnish border to end point Grense Jakobselv, passing through Hesseng (4 km from Kirkenes) on the way. The dedicated cycling path is only about 10 km of a total of 103 km, but the remainder is mostly low traffic, except peak hours on the approach to the airport.
A bicycle can be carried on the Kystruten (Hurtigruten and Havila) coastal passenger ships."
Opening Times
Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change
Transport
https://www.visitkirkenes.info/en/generalinformation/ (2020)
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kirkenes#Q209423
2025: "Note the time zone difference if coming from Finland (1 hour) or Russia (varies according to daylight saving). Check what timezone is used in timetables for international services.
Local buses. Long distance buses leave outside the main shopping center in the middle of town. Some buses only take cash, however there is an ATM inside the shopping centre.
- Long distance buses, with connections to most of Norway.
- Regional buses
- Buses from Finland (direct connections in summer, in winter you have to transfer at Tana or some distance before). Search for connections to Utsjoki or Nuorgam, the border villages on the Finnish side, and check details of the route. You may have to walk over the border to a suitable stop on E6.
There are no passenger trains to Kirkenes, but it is possible to go by public bus from cities with railway station.
- The Russian rail network reaches Murmansk, for travelling from as far as Moscow, Vladivostok, Ulan Bator and Beijing.
- The closest Finnish stations are Kolari and Rovaniemi (some 500 km away).
- The northernmost railway station in Norway is Narvik (on the "iron ore line"), while Kiruna, Luleå and Boden are stations in Sweden on the same line. The Norwegian railways are even farther away, with railhead in Bodø
- Kirkenes Airport, Høybuktmoen (KKN IATA) (some 15 km outside town). Due to its remote location, most visitors arrive and depart by plane. Daily flights from Oslo, Tromsø and others by Norwegian, SAS and Wideroe. Also flights from Russia and Germany (summer only). Most flights have a bus to town waiting outside (timetables snelandia.no), kr 85, credit cards accepted. A taxi will set you back some kr 300.
Kirkenes Airport, Høybuktmoen on Wikipedia"}">
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On certain occasions it is considerably cheaper to fly into Ivalo in Finland, some 240 km away, mainly if you are a small group or a family and plan to rent a car anyway. Rental cars are not cheap in Northern Norway.
- Kirkenes is the northern terminus port (Bergen being the southern) of the Hurtigruten, arguably the most beautiful sea voyage in the world, covering most of the Norwegian coast in 5–6 days."
Amenities
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kirkenes#Q209423
"The municipal tourist information is at the public library downtown."
"The main church for Kirkenes is Kirkenes Church, located in the Haganes area of the town."
Hertz Car Rental - Kirkenes Ap & Selfservice Kiosk
Hoeybuktmoen
9912 Kirkenes
Norway
+ Avinor AS avd Kirkenes lufthavn Airport
Gnr 11 Bnr 1 Fnr 31 Snr 4
9912 Hesseng
Norway