On 1 July, ferry routes in Norway with less than 100,000 passengers a year have become free to travel with. The government has agreed on a total of NOK 89 million for free ferries in 2022. This concerns 61 connections. – It has been a matter of the heart for me to get a free ferry to the small coastal communities, says Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) to news. He is on the island of Tomma in connection with a Helgeland tour to mark the introduction of the free scheme. – Once it has become free, I think it will be very difficult for any new government to introduce payment. – Can you promise that during your period it will be free on all connections? – There will be even more, and then prices will go down. ON THE FERRY LEAD: Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) met people at the ferry berth on the island of Tomma in Nesna municipality on Friday morning to mark that today it has become free to travel here by ferry. Photo: Lars-Petter Kalkenberg / news In the state budget for 2022, ferry prices were reduced by 30 percent on all ferry connections in Norway. This corresponds to almost NOK 490 million in reduced ferry fares. And Vedum says that the goal is for that percentage to be increased to 50 – that is, a halving of the ferry prices compared to 1 January 2021. At Løkta, they are brilliantly satisfied that the ferry has now become free. – We are jubilantly happy we who have received it, and hope that everyone who has no other way than ferry also gets a free ferry, says leader of the local team on the island, John Erik Skjellnes Johansen. These ferry connections have become free Nordland Digermulen – Finnvik Stokkvågen – Træna Mosjøen – Hundåla Igerøy – Tjøtta Nordnesøy – Kilboghamn Sund – Horsdal – Sørarnøy Ørnes – Vassdalsvik – Meløysund – Bolga – Støtt Svolvær – Skrova – Skutvik Nesna – Slnagenene Stneskvene Jektvik – Kilboghamn Tjøtta – Forvik Horn – Igerøy Vestland Hisarøy – Mjånes Barmen – Barmsund Ortnevik – Måren – Nordeide Klokkarvik – Lerøy – Bjelkarøy – Hjellestad Daløy – Haldorsneset Fjelberg – Sydnes – Utbjoa Kinsarvik – Utne Fedjeal – Masje Rund – Sævrøy Krakhella Husavik – Sandvikvåg Troms og Finnmark Mikkelsby – Kongshus Øksfjord – Bergsfjord – Sør – Tverrfjord Øksfjord – Tverrfjord Mikkelvik- Bromnes Strømsnes – Kjerringholmen Rotsund- Havnnes- Uløybukt Nyvoll – Eidsnes (Korsfjord) Bellvik- Vengsøy Bothamn- Hasvik- Hasvik- Lauksundskaret Hansnes- Karlsøy- Vannøy Hansnes- Reinøy Møre og Romsdal Molde – Sekken Festøya – Hundeidvika Småge – Orta – Finnøya – Sandøya – Ona Arasvika – Hennset Sæbø – Leknes – Skår – Trandal – Standal Trøndelag Dypfest-Tarva Storfosna-Leksa-Værnes Sula – Mausund – Dyrøy Garten-Storfosna Skei – Gutvik Rogaland Hauges Stavanger – Lysebotn Innlandet Agder Source: Regjeringen.no. PS: The list may be incomplete Stop can provide free ticket Some of the most popular tourist routes, however, still cost to travel with. But a “loophole” in the scheme means that you can avoid paying a ticket. If you are going to take the car on the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes in Lofoten, you must pay 754 kroner in ticket. But if you make a stop at Røst or Værøy on the crossing, the whole ferry trip will be free. The prerequisite is that you drive ashore on one of the two islands, and then drive on board the same ferry again. This results in connections that are below the limit of 100,000 passengers. FAR: Traveling via Røst and Værøy to Moskenes takes almost seven hours. If you travel directly from Bodø to Moskenes, the trip takes just under four hours. Nordland County Municipality confirms that “free passengers” can arise with the new scheme that comes into force today. – Yes, our passengers can easily get off the ferry, but with the uncertainty that they will not continue. In practice, this will probably not be a big problem. This is what Monika Sande, county councilor for transport and infrastructure in Nordland county municipality, says. – Motorhome tourists on a trip to Lofoten can probably decide to take a day on Værøy or Røst – but in that case it is only a good thing for the tourism industry in these places. So far, the county municipality has no systems in place to close the loophole. Free passengers Such multi-edge connections are common in the ferry county of Nordland. Further south, on Helgeland, you will find several examples of loopholes in the ferry connections. The stretch Sandnessjøen – Dønna too large to trigger a free ferry. But if you choose a detour via the middle town Løkta, the trip will be free. Here you see the ferry that you can first take to Løkta, drive ashore, then take the ferry on to Dønna to get a free ferry ride from Sandnessjøen. Illustration: Egil Ursin Now it is hoped that potential free passengers take an extra stop at Løkta. – I think maybe those who have a good time can take advantage of the opportunity to get a free ride by traveling via Løkta. In that case, I hope that they are over a ferry departure and look around the island here, says Skjellnes Johansen. POSITIVE: John Erik Skjellnes Johansen is the leader of the local committee on the island of Løkta on Helgeland. He hopes the free ferry can lead more people to their place of residence. Photo: Rune Nordgård Andreassen / news The small island on the Helgeland coast has around 120 inhabitants. – We are not so many who live here. We want to get to know the world better, and that the world gets to know us better. A couple of miles further south on Helgeland you will find the same loophole on the connection Søvik – Austbø – Herøy – Brasøy. Here it is also free – unless you travel directly from Søvik to Herøy, which is over the limit of 100,000 passengers. MARKING: People on the island of Løkta celebrated with sparkling water on Friday morning when the ferry to the island community became free. Photo: Private Excited about the consequences On Værøy, mayor Susann Berg Kristiansen (Værøylista) is happy that the ferry will be free, but is also excited about the impact it will have on the inhabitants of the municipality. MAYOR: Susann Berg Kristiansen represents Værøylista and is excited about the impact that a free ferry will have for the island municipality. Photo: private – As it is not free from Bodø to Moskenes, I imagine that more people will take the trip to Røst and perhaps especially Værøy. The fear is full ferries so that the municipality’s inhabitants can not get on the boat. But mainly she is positive to the introduction of free ferry. – Today we celebrate with coffee and cakes to mark that we are very happy with this. Travel habits changing It is still uncertain how many people will go on Norwegian holidays this year. With increased price growth in society and passport and airport chaos, experts are uncertain about how the summer will be in Norway. – We have a sharp rise in prices, and it can dampen the desire to travel, but it looks very promising now. That is the opinion of Siw Sandvik in NordNorsk Reiseliv. Free ferry, with or without loopholes, can help. – This is only positive. But she does not think the loophole will lead to major detours. – The guests who have pointed out a goal, go where they have decided to go. And then there are many who travel a little on happiness and piety and take it a little as it comes. This has always been the case, she believes. This is what it looked like in the summer of 2020 when there was ferry chaos on Helgeland when “everyone” was going on a Norwegian holiday: 2020: This is what it looked like on the ferry queue from Forvik to Tjøtta.
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Many ferries were free in Lofoten and on Helgeland today – news Nordland
