Fjellheisen Cable Car
Fjellheisen
A four-minute ride to the summit of Storsteinen at 421 meters, with views over Tromsøya, the bridge and the snowy fjords. It is also the most convenient place in town to watch the northern lights.
The Fjellheisen cable car opened in 1961. In four minutes it climbs from the lower station on the mainland to the Storsteinen viewpoint at 421 meters above sea level, offering views over the whole of Tromsøya island, Tromsø Bridge, the Arctic Cathedral and distant snowy fjords. It is the city's most classic viewpoint. The summit has the Fjellstua restaurant and an outdoor terrace. In winter, after 21:00, city lights and the northern lights appear together. In summer, you can watch the midnight sun slowly move along the ridges. A hiking trail at the top leads to the higher peak of Fløya (about 1.5 hours round trip in summer). A round-trip ticket costs about 400 NOK for adults (2025), and online booking lets you pick a time slot to avoid queues. One-way tickets are also available, and many people in summer walk up the Sherpa stairs (1,200 steps, about one hour) and ride the cable car back down. Winter peak periods and nights with strong aurora activity see long queues, so book in advance and reach the top before 22:00. Getting there: take bus 26 from the city center to the Fjellheisen stop, or walk across the bridge and past the Arctic Cathedral, about 30 minutes. Note that the cable car stops in high winds or thunderstorms, so check the official website before you set out. The summit is about 5°C colder than the city and very windy, so bring extra layers.
Opening hours
10:00–23:00 (until 01:00 in summer); suspended in strong winds
Nearby sights
- Arctic Cathedral
- Tromsø Bridge
- Skansen
- Polar Museum
- Northern Norway Art Museum
- Winter Whale Watching
- Perspektivet Museum
- Tromsø Cathedral