The Lysefjord ferry season 2027

Which ferries sail to Lysebotn, and which one runs all year?

The Kolumbus local ferry runs all year from Lauvvik. Rødne's scenic car ferry runs in summer only. Both call at Flørli.

Since the 2026 contract change, Kolumbus lists one vessel on the Lysefjord: "Kombibåten i Lysefjorden er MS Rygerlys", the combi boat. It is a new 46 m electric catamaran that Rødne runs for Kolumbus on a ten-year contract, taking up to 97 passengers and up to 12 cars. The older fjordnorway listings that name a separate fast boat and car ferry describe the setup before 2026.

The summer boat is bigger. Shippax reported in March 2026 that Rødne would put the 1997-built PETTER DASS, with room for 299 passengers and 50 cars, on the route from mid-May to the end of September each year, mainly for tourists. Rødne sells it as the Lysefjord Scenic Car Ferry.

Neither leaves from Stavanger. Lauvvik is a ferry quay on the Sandnes side of the fjord mouth, so you need a car or a bus to get there. Without a car, the RIB to Flørli from Stavanger is the simple way deep into the fjord.

What does the winter ferry timetable look like until March 2027?

Two main sailings each way on weekdays, a separate weekend pattern, and pre-booking at every small quay. Vehicles cannot use Lysebotn quay until 15 November 2026.

Kolumbus route 560 has a winter timetable valid from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The main weekday sailings leave Lauvvik at 06:00 and 13:00 and Lysebotn at 08:00 and 15:00, with Flørli an hour from Lauvvik. Weekends run to their own column in the same PDF; read it before planning a Saturday. Older Lysefjord timetables had no Saturday boat at all, and Flørli's ferry page still says the Kolumbus ferry "does not operate on saturdays" for its summer table.

Booking is the part that catches people. Every intermediate stop is marked B on the timetable: vehicles and passengers must book at billetter.kolumbus.no no later than two hours before the boat leaves its first quay, or the ferry may not call. Online sales close 120 minutes before departure from the start of the route. Lysefjorden365 adds that Kolumbus releases tickets in batches and does not publish when new dates open; Flørli's page says about a month ahead.

One temporary change: from 7 October to 15 November 2026 the Lysebotn quay is being renovated, and Kolumbus says on its traffic page that only foot passengers can travel to and from it in that period. No cars on or off at Lysebotn until mid-November.

When does Rødne's summer car ferry run in 2027, and when can you book?

Mid-May to the end of September, as every year. Bookings for 2027 open in November 2026, and prices for 2027 are not set yet.

In 2026 the scenic car ferry ran from 15 May to the end of September, with Rødne's page giving 29 September and Flørli's site 30 September as the last day. The 2026 fares were NOK 595 for adults, NOK 350 for children aged 4 to 15, NOK 1,290 for a car up to 6 m with its driver, and NOK 1,990 for a car package with up to five people. The crossing takes about 2.5 hours one way, with a lift from the car deck to the lounge, a kiosk and an English audio guide.

For 2027, Lysefjorden365 says booking "will open in November 2026" and that the 2027 prices are not yet set. Rødne's page shows the ferry as closed for the winter. Book early if you are bringing a car in July: space is limited and Rødne recommends booking ahead.

Two stop details from 2026 worth checking again for 2027. Vehicles cannot drive on or off at Flørli, which is a foot-passenger stop. And from 7 September 2026 the Forsand pier was closed, with the ferry calling at Oanes instead. Songesand has to be pre-booked.

When does the road to Lysebotn open in 2027?

Usually in mid to late May, depending on snow. It closes with the first snow, normally in October or November.

The road down to Lysebotn, Lysevegen, drops over 900 m in 27 hairpins and a corkscrew tunnel. Visit Norway says it is closed in winter and that the opening date "depends on snow and driving conditions", usually closing in November and reopening in late May. Fjord Norway puts it more loosely: closed from the first snowfall, usually October or November, and usually open again in mid-May.

This is why the summer car ferry exists. The classic loop is the ferry up the fjord from Lauvvik and the road out over the mountains, or the other way round. Before the road opens, a car taken to Lysebotn has to come back by boat. Do not book a one-way car crossing for early May 2027 until the road is confirmed open.

When is Kjerag season in 2027, and can you get there by ferry?

May to October. From Lysebotn quay, a shuttle bus runs up to the Øygardstøl car park.

Fjord Norway gives the Kjerag season as "May to October inclusive", about 11 km and 6 hours return from the car park at Øygardstøl. Visit Norway lists 800 m of ascent and 6 to 10 hours, and says the season follows the mountain road. Outside it, Fjord Norway's advice is not to go alone.

By water, take the ferry to Lysebotn and the shuttle bus up to Øygardstøl, as Fjord Norway describes. The car park sits at the top of the hairpins, far above the quay, so this is a long day: check the last ferry back before you start walking. From the water you can see the Kjerag wall from the ferry, but no sightseeing cruise from Stavanger goes that far.

How do you get to Flørli by boat?

On the Kolumbus ferry or the summer car ferry from Lauvvik, both as foot passengers, or on a RIB day trip from Stavanger.

Flørli has no road. The 4,444 wooden steps climb 740 m beside the old pipeline from the quay, and the season for them runs mid-April to the end of October. Ferries stop at Flørli on request, which is why booking matters: no booking, no stop.

From Stavanger, the Flørli RIB and stair hike skips the drive to Lauvvik. The RIB takes about 1 h 15 min each way and leaves you roughly four hours at Flørli for the full staircase, the shorter 750-step route or the café. The listing sets a minimum age of 8 and asks for hiking shoes. From $204.

Stavanger to roadless Flørli by RIB, about four hours ashore for the 4,444 steps, and back the same day. No ferry booking needed.

★ 5.0 · 7 hours · from $204

Explore the Flørli RIB and stair hike → Tour details

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