Cheapest method of getting to Tromso to see the Northern Lights

morningpeasant

My friend from Japan is in Ireland for the next four months. She's always wanted to see the Northern Lights and really wants to try and do so while she's in Europe, as getting here from Japan is so expensive.
It seems that Tromso in Northern Norway is where we would be most likely to see them, but Ryanair don't fly there. Anybody have any suggestions on the cheapest method of getting there?

susie-q

Dont quote me on this but cant you see them from northern ireland..?

quick google gives link:

http://www.gm.tv/weather/52043-northern-lights.html

sean_d

Norwegian.com is the local low-cost airline. They fly Dublin-Oslo, and then connect to Tromso. You can get really great fares on their website.
Tromso's a nice place, especially if you're into hiking and the outdoors - the scenery is spectacular.
Everything is very expensive though, flying there will be the cheapest part of the trip.

Myyra

You should also look up airBaltic, I reckon they still fly from DUB to Tromso thru Oslo ? Might be worth checking out, they sometimes have pretty good deals too?:)

paddymacsporran

you can see them from the north of Scotland, cheap flight with flybe from belfast to inverness, bus it up to wick, thurso and see them there.

Depends on hitting good weather though - seen them in the summer in thurso myself, spectacular!!!

Aurora Borealis

I saw them from outside Reykjavik ten days ago and the trip was considerably less expensive than when I first looked into going there some years back. Maybe a smidge more expensive than here for beer and to eat out but so so worth it! There is so much to do there and I'd go back in the morning. Beautiful and incredibly unique scenery, cool to the core people who are super friendly and the deadliest bars and cafés all nestled in and around the very easy to negotiate and wonderful city itself.

http://www.icelandexpress.com/ will get you there reasonably enough with a ryanair connection and http://www.hostel.is/Hostels/Reykjavikdowntown/ looks good for accommodation.

To see the northern lights, as the auld username may suggest.. was a long standing dream of mine and it was most definitley worth the effort. They weren't as bright as some pictures I've seen but were without doubt as eerily beautiful as I had hoped.

AB.

Spannerman

1. Dublin to Aberdeen with Ryanair. Return fights are available for < 50 €. Take a train to northern Scotland. It will probably cost more than the flight.
2. Dublin to Oslo Rygge. Return fights start from around 60 €. Train from Oslo to Tromso. Very long trip. However, it's one of the best railway journeys in the world.

You are unlikely to get a return flight from Dublin to anywhere in Norway or Iceland for less than 500 € (Ryanair exceprted).

sean_d

Spannerman wrote: »

2. Dublin to Oslo Rygge. Return fights start from around 60 €. Train from Oslo to Tromso. Very long trip. However, it's one of the best railway journeys in the world.

Difficult, as the most northerly point on the Norwegian network is Bodo, ~500km south of Tromso. There are connecting buses, however, but its easier and maybe cheaper to fly.

Spannerman wrote: »

You are unlikely to get a return flight from Dublin to anywhere in Norway or Iceland for less than 500 € (Ryanair exceprted).

Incorrect - recently 2 of us did a 3-leg tour of Norway from Dublin taking in Tromso, Bergen and Oslo for 250each, including baggage fees etc. with norwegian.com
(Incidentally, the 4th leg was the Bergen-Oslo train with a side-trip to Flam - a spectacular journey worth every penny)

Myyra

One valid option is to fly to with Ryanair to Tallinn, they are opening a new route this december, then take a ferry over to Finland and overnight train from Helsinki somewhere high enough like Rovaniemi?

Aurora Borealis

Spannerman wrote: »

You are unlikely to get a return flight from Dublin to anywhere in Norway or Iceland for less than 500 € (Ryanair exceprted).

My return flight with Iceland Express plus the Dub - Gatwick return flight with Ryanair totalled at €325 and I suspect you may get cheaper as I was travelling during the Airwaves festival in Reykjavik. Worth looking into in any event..