Getting to Longyearbyen
Visa and Passport Requirements for Svalbard:
Svalbard is part of Norway but is not part of the Schengen Area. There is no separate visa requirement for entering Svalbard. However, all participants must carry a valid travel document, normally a passport.
Participants who require a visa to enter Norway/the Schengen Area must obtain a valid Schengen visa with at least two entries, since travel to Svalbard involves leaving the Schengen Area and subsequently re-entering it when returning to mainland Norway.
Participants are strongly advised to check the visa requirements applicable to their nationality and to apply well in advance of their journey.
Going to Svalbard by Air: The vast majority of visitors travel to Longyearbyen by air. The Norwegian companies Scandinavian Airlines System SAS and Norwegian operate regular scheduled flights between Oslo (OSL) and Longyearbyen (LYR). Depending on the season and timetable, flights may be direct or include a short stop in Tromsø (TOS). There are also separate connections between Tromsø and Longyearbyen.
From international destinations: The easiest way to reach Longyearbyen from abroad is via Oslo Airport (OSL), which has direct connections with a large number of European and intercontinental destinations. From Oslo, simply connect to a scheduled SAS or Norwegian flight to Longyearbyen.
Preliminary flight information per 31.08.26 Important: Airline schedules can still change before November 2026. Per 31.08.26 both SAS and Norwegian has a OSL-LYR flight 1st November. Norwegian has a afternoon return flight on 4th November. SAS has a return flight on Thursday 5. November. Participants should verify exact flights with SAS/Norwegian before booking as they may change on short notice.
PLEASE NOTE: ARRIVAL FLIGHT AND DEPARTURE FLIGTHS
The conference program starts early Monday morning. Registration and gettogether starts Sunday afternoon from ca 1700. We therefore recommend all to book the Sunday 1st November SAS flight from OSLO to LONGYEARBYEN, which arrives LYR in the early afternoon. Very lately an Norwegian flight is also scheduled on Sunday morning. NORWEGIAN has also newly scheduled a retur flight in the late afternoon 4 November from LYR to OSLO. We therefore recommend all to book this return flight or the SAS return flight Thursday 5. November (unless you want to extend your stay).
The Prices of the travel OSL to LYR is pretty reasonable from 1000-3000 NOK (4000 - 6000 T/R). It might be an idea to buy tickets with refund options, so that you are ensured to do changes close up to the conference date.
Airport Transfer: Longyearbyen Airport is located approximately 5 km northwest of the town centre. Airport shuttle buses meet all scheduled flights and stop at the main hotels in Longyearbyen, including Funken Lodge, the conference venue. The journey takes approximately 10–15 minutes. Taxis are also available outside the terminal.
Departure from Longyearbyen airport: Participants should arrive at Longyearbyen Airport at least approximately 1.5–2 hours before scheduled departure. Please allow sufficient time for check-in, baggage drop and security control. The bus departs normally from the hotels ca 2 h before airport departures, so make sure at the hotel reception the exact bus departure times for each return flight from each hotel.
By Sea: Longyearbyen can also be reached by expedition, cruise ships, Hurtigruten (the coast steamer), but only during the summer season. For participants attending PTS 2026, air travel is therefore the only recommended option.
For info on what to do in Longyearbyen and if you want to extend your stay and combine PTS 2026 with an Arctic holiday, please visit the ACTIVITIES webpage