1. Preparing for your trip to Tromsø
Mind the weather! Historically, September is a relatively mild month ─ by Arctic standards. Last year, the average temperature was around 9 ºC, but it can get all the way down to 3 ºC, so please pack warm clothes. Make sure you have a waterproof jacket with a hood or a small umbrella in case it rains (for some reason, nobody really seems to use umbrellas here in the Arctic).
The good news is that temperatures inside campus buildings are always very mild and comfortable (and there is underground transit between them, so you don’t have to go outside to move around if you don’t want to). Therefore, the winning combination is: warm jacket + not-that-thick inside clothes. If you are curious, you can follow the weather forecast for the Workshop days at Yr (available in English).
2. Arrival and transport from the airport
So, you landed at Tromsø Airport. Welcome! The town centre and the University are located on the small island of Tromsøya, so distances are short, and the airport is very close to everything. There are several ways to get to the city from the airport:
· Bus: regular local transport can easily get you from and to the airport. There are two lines that get there, number 40 and number 42. Both buses go to the centre (Sentrum), and also to Giæverbukta (close to Jekta Storsenter, the largest mall in Tromsø) ─ the main transport hub where you can change buses and take any other line. See below for further info on regular buses.
· Taxi: taxies are expensive in Tromsø ─ a taxi from the airport to the city center costs on average 250 NOK, approximately $30 (for a 10 minute ride!) However, it might be a good option if you share. The taxi line is located right outside the airport, to the right.
· Airport Express Coach (Flybussen): A one-way ticket costs 60-70 NOK, and it stops at some of the major hotels. It no longer departs from the airport itself, but from the same stop as local buses (on the road outside the airport), losing a great part of its appeal.
3. Using the local buses
3.1. Tickets and fares, and where to buy
A one-way ticket costs 50 NOK if bought from the driver (note that buses do not accept cards, only cash!), or 36 NOK if bought in advance. There are, however, two main ways to make this cheaper. The first is to buy a temporary travelcard (periodebillett mini) with unlimited travel: 100 NOK for a 24-hour ticket, and 240 NOK for a 7-day one. If you decide to get the temporary card, you can buy it directly at the airport. When you exit the arrivals area, you will see right in front of you a shop called Point, where they sell them. You can pay with card here.
The second way to save is to download the Troms Mobillett app on your smartphone. With this app, which can be set in English, you can buy single tickets (at a discounted price, 32.40 NOK) as well as 24-hour and 7-day travel cards. You can also buy tickets for the night bus (80 NOK). You need to associate a debit or credit card with Troms Mobillett for it to charge the tickets there. To download it, click on your phone type: Android ─ iPhone
You can find more information about buses here (if the page is not in English by default, click on the British flag on the top right).
3.2. Routes and timetables
The same website also has this information. You can search for bus connections between two stops, and you can also search for street names and it will automatically give you the closest stops. Again, for a smartphone experience, you can download the official route planner app, Troms Reise, which includes the same features plus a GPS function: Android ─ iPhone
3.3. Getting to the bus stop
Do not exit the airport on the same floor you have arrived at (that will only take you to the taxi stop)! Instead, take the elevator down one level. You will end up in a parking garage ─ go straight ahead, crossing the garage, and you
will see a street. Across the street is the bus stop for regular buses going in the direction you are interested in (Sentrum). Taking the bus from the other side of the street (the one closer to the airport) would take you to the nearby island of Kvaløya, which offers picturesque views, but it might not be the best thing to take a trip there with your luggage.
3.4. In the bus
If you have a smartphone-ticket or need to buy a ticket with cash, always enter the bus through the first doors, so the driver can validate your ticket/sell you one. Also, be aware that stops are not announced and that the bus does not stop unless the Stop button is pressed beforehand. So if you need to get off at a certain stop and you do not know where it is, it is best to ask the driver and/or other passengers to point it out to you. Generally, people are very helpful and friendly, and most bus drivers speak English.
3.5. Where to get off?
If you are staying in the city centre, your destination is on the route of buses 40 (get off at Wito) and 42 (get off at Sjøgata S3). If not, you can change either around the centre area (last stop for both of them), or at Giæverbukta ─ which you will recognize because there are a lot of buses parked there, and by its proximity to the Jekta Storsenter and some relatively big supermakets. Use the route planner on the website or on the Troms Reise app to plan your trip. The airport stop is called Flyplassen.
4. Getting to the conference venue
Our workshop takes place at the main UiT campus, and it is very easy to get there with local buses. The main ones that go there from the centre are 20, 21 and 34 (although there are others). You can find their timetables on the website or in the Troms Reise app, but there should be one of these coming every 5 to 10 minutes. You want to get off at the bus stopp called UiT. There is another stop, UiT/Planetariet, which is also close. For those of you staying at the Clarion Hotel The Edge, for example, here is how you get to the bus stop where you can take bus 20, 21 or 34 for the University (the bus stop is number F6, around 3, Fredrik Langes gate):
(If you are staying elsewhere, click on the map to go to Google Maps and search for a route from a different address)
4.1. Finding the rooms
The campus is relatively big, but luckily there is a map. The workshop will take place in the HUM building (Faculty of
Humanities, number 1 on the map). There will be signs at the nearby bus stops and also on the main building to guide you to the site.
5. Facilities on campus
5.1. Internet
Eduroam is widely available on campus. UiT also has guest networks, in case you don’t have access to eduroam ─ once on site, we will give you instructions on how to get online.
5.2. Projectors
If your have slides for your presentation, there will of course be a computer and projectors in all rooms. However, we advise you to have both your laptop with a relevant adaptor, and the presentation on a USB stick, just in case. For the latter, remember that not all computers have special fonts/symbols/IPA/etc, so it is generally a good idea to use a PDF version of the presentation so that everything looks as you designed it.
5.3. Handouts
Unfortunately, there is no possibility of printing your handouts on site. Please bring them already printed. The total
number of participants is going to be around 40, so we advise you to bring at least 40 copies of your handout.
6. Other matters
6.1. Currency, cash and exchange
Norwegians mostly rely on cards, so you can pay with one in virtually all places (hotel, supermarket, shops, restaurants, bars…) Check with your bank if you can make payments abroad, as it might be cheaper for you than taking out cash or exchanging it. The fees for international payments depend on your own bank. The only place where you will need cash is the local bus (if you pay for each trip individually to the driver, which is really not recommended, see above).
There are no ATMs on campus, but there are a few in the town centre (where the banks are: SpareBank, DNB, Nordea). Banks do not exchange currency, so if you need to do that, you can go to the post office (not very convenient) or use the exchange machine in the airport right when you arrive. It works for NOK, EUR, USD, SEK and GBP. Bear in mind that exchange rates are not very advantageous, and that fees are relatively high.
6.2. Other activities
If you are staying for more than the strict workshop days and you want to visit the town and its surroundings, all the relevant information on attractions and activities can be found in this page. There is also a tourist office downtown.
