Hey! Im new here at svalbard I’ve been here for almost a month now, just want to have somebody to go to the gym with hmu! 22m

Basically in the title, thinking about booking a snowmobile tour with them to Barentsburg. Does anyone have any experience with them or used them before? Also called Grumant Arctic Travel Company.

Hello!

My husband and I are coming June 8th-June 13th. We are stuck between two options:

1. This mini-cruise https://hurtigrutensvalbard.com/en/mini-cruise/sunday-to-friday - this looks awesome (we can't do a 10+ day cruise as we are combining this with elsewhere in Norway but this feels like a good way to get a taste of it). The downside is we wouldn't do any of the activities we had originally planned...(see below)

2. Don't do the cruise but do daily excursions found through visitsvalbard.com. This would include: glacier kayaking, Trollsteinen Hike, a boat trip or two (catch of the day, walrus safari, maybe Boat trip to Pyramiden if it is running...).

Thoughts? Interested in seeing polar bears but obviously are aware that is pretty rare and certainly not to be expected, though i also understand the multi day cruise might give us more opportunities. Also highly interested in seeing glacier/glacier activity.

Would love to see people's thoughts!

Hi guys I am visiting Svalbard in the first week of March. I came across this half day boat cruise to Pyramiden and also includes "Nordenskiöld Glacier & Pyramiden" by Svalbard Cruise Wanted to know what usually is the status of ice during that period and if this tour is worth trying out whole in Svalbard

Also in general what are the chances of watching NL during that time? I know the days are longer and it cannot be predicted, but just wanted to know if anyone has spotted NL during that time period

Hi Folks, will be travelling to Svalbard next month for 2-3 days, and need some good recommendations for the activities.

Also, need some personal advice, should we book the activities beforehand or would it be better to book on the spot? Got to know from one of my friends, that booking in advance is actually not a good idea, since the weather is very unpredictable. So what would be your advice folks, should I book in advance or on the spot?

I will be travelling to Longyearbyen early March to record a radio documentary. The main event will be the Solfestuka, or the sun festival, when locals gather to watch the sun rise above the horizon for the first time in months.

But I'm also looking to speak to a diverse range of residents who would be willing to speak to me about their connection to Svalbard, why they moved there and what the return of the sun means for them personally.

I know that Longyearbyen is home to Thai, Filipino, Russian, Ukrainian and Swedish natives, among others. It would be lovely to speak to people from as many different background as possible to paint a fuller portrait of this momentous transition from dark to light!

If you think you'd like to participate or knows someone with a unique connection to Svalbard, please send me a message and we can take it from there.

Thanks!

I am going to Svalbard right around late March - early April. I understand the summer may be a better time to go to view wildlife, especially the bears, but it is not the easiest place to get to and this is the only time I can go. It appears like there are not many (or any) boat tours offered during this time. However, I have read some places that some might become available a short time before once it is determined how much ice there is? Also, I am going to be that guy. I want to do everything to maximize my chances of seeing a Polar Bear. I understand this is realistically going to be extremely unlikely, but I would still like to take all the tours I can to get the best chance possible. I will be there for 3-4 nights. So I guess my questions are about the possible boat expeditions, the best activities I can do to see a bear, and also any other excursion you all would reccomend for this time of year. Thanks!

I'm coming to Longyearbyen in February and it looks like there is a small climbing wall in the sports hall

https://www.lokalstyre.no/svalbardhallen.466982.no.html

Does anyone know if it's possible to visit during my stay? I am a keen climber and happy to do a belay test, and it looks like there is a Facebook group where I could potentially find a partner.

I will have two days to spend in town, plus some evenings, so I would love if I could climb or potentially swim!

However it seems like you need to be a member of the sports hall, and I'm not sure if this is possible for tourists. Does anyone know?

Happy New Year People of Svalbard!

I collect postcards but I don't have one from Svalbard.

Can someone send me a postcard from there?

Thank you in advance! :)

Hello,

Soon I will be arriving to Svalbard for a Polar Jazz Festival. I got all the tickets with the exception for Eva Weel Skram on Sunday as is sold out. Will be there selling any extra tickets before the show?

Regards !

Very niche post here. Info, not whining.

I'm a heavy user of YouTube Premium. It lets me watch without ads, download for offline watching/listening, listen to podcasts with phone locked, etc.

So, I arrived here, tried to turn on my usual sleep music, and it informed me that premium features are not available here. I'm guessing that the no-visa, no-customs environment is also lax on DRM/copyright issues?

In any case, just documenting it here, in case it helps someone else. And, YAY, I was able to get it working with a VPN 😊

If anyone feels compelled to comment that I am a sad, sorry, little man - I won't be offended 🤣

the title basically

Hi everyone, For the oil and gas workers out there, I’m wondering if there are any companies or services in Svalbard that specialize in well testing. If so could anyone help me with their info. Best regards

Are you able to buy small appliances for heating food, like, hot plates or a small microwave? What about pots and pans?

Hi Svalbardians,

I know tourists are not allowed to leave the town limits without a guide or a rifle, but to rent a rifle you'd have to be licensed and everything, so most tourists probably don't carry their own rifles. In every forum on the internet, a million people ask every day "is it a bad idea for me to go solo hiking in Svalbard?" and everyone says "YES don't do it."

What about locals? Contrastingly, I've seen posts where someone asks what people in Svalbard do in their spare time, and the answer is snowmobiling or hiking. Are locals going solo hiking? Is that because it's considered less stupid for locals because most of them are licensed and more practiced with carrying rifles? Or are they getting together in big groups of friends when they want to go hiking? What if all your friends have different work schedules, you can just never go?

Just trying to picture the day to day life. One of the biggest benefits of living there would be the nature, but then it sounds like you can't really get out into it.

Thanks!

I will be in Longyearbyen rom Feb 2nd to Feb 22nd, and I'm wondering if there will be anyone in town doing tattoos? I know there are a few artists that travel up to Longyearbyen from time to time, but I'm not sure where to get in touch with them.

Looking for friends in Svalbard, I’m 34y/o male would love to have some local friends to hangout and show me around the places.

Hi!

I am looking for info on having gear sent to Longyearbyen from France...
What delivery services actually operate there? It seems like UPS does not... I'm trying to have a quote for packages that could be up to 35Kg, 1m3 or more.

Thanks a lot!

Hi everyone,

I’m an independent filmmaker traveling to Svalbard with two friends during the first week of March as part of a documentary project. We’re incredibly fascinated by the culture, history, and the environment of this unique region, and a key focus of our project is visiting the Seed Vault and its connection to global food security in our modern world.

We’re hoping to connect with locals or others who might be open to meeting with us while we’re there. We’d love to hear your stories, learn about your way of life, and gain a deeper understanding of what makes Svalbard so special.

We completely understand if this request feels a bit forward or unusual, but our approach is rooted in genuine curiosity and respect. If anyone would be willing to share their experiences or even meet in person, we’d be so grateful for the opportunity.

Thank you for considering, and feel free to comment or DM me if you’re interested in connecting!

Coming to visit from NYC and considering doing one of these from visit svalbard website

So I’ve heard that if you kill a polar bear without reason you will get the maximum sentence that apart from that will only be spoken for murder.

I can’t find any sources to back up this claim made by a Svalbardian guide last summer.

Is it true? Can anybody refer to a source?

Okay I almost feel bad posting this because it feels like half of the posts here are "what do I wear?"-related (I know, I've read each and every one). BUT! I still have a dumb question. How do cold weather pants work?? And let me know if I missed a post that already answers this :)

We're visiting during the winter. I'm bringing all my thermal base layers and my ski pants, which are the only cold weather outerwear pants I own.

• Do people usually wear a mid-layer between the legs base layer and ski pants? And if so, what?
• What do you do when you go into town? We're staying at the coal miners' cabin and were planning on walking to town. But I'm guessing you don't wear bulky pants all over town, or maybe you do?
• Or if you do wear bulky pants in town, do you just wear them around or do you take them off somewhere?

I realize these are probably really stupid questions. I feel ready for lots of outdoor activities, based on the "what to wear" videos on visitsvalbard.com. I just also want to go to Cafe Huskies lol.

I'm taking any answers here as both travel and life advice.

Hello dear people of Reddit!

I know that around 40% of the posts here about people wanting to move to this beautiful island, so I would like to provide a bit more about myself, instead of the 97th vague post with 0 information.

So, I speak English fluently, obviously I would have no problem with learning the language( I am a native Hungarian, so I know a bit or two about how hard a language can be)

I have a military background, I also worked industrial construction for a good bit and my actual education is in IT.

I am mainly interested in the first two, the latter not so much.

So I'm curious, are there any security jobs available or would a company be willing to employ me if I'd reach out to them, I highly doubt that I would be allowed into the police, seeing how I don't speak the language, but maybe a research centre, or whatever else might be out there.

Construction I'm not really hopeful for, its a very little island and I doubt there is a need for a permanent construction worker, especially one that didn't work in the civilian sector.

I have no delusions about how hard it is to find a job there, so I'm not looking for a job offer, I'm simply looking for pointers to what company/entity should I approach.

From what I could understand from the official government page housing is provided for the employees and its pretty much impossible to rent long term housing, so I would like to secure a job, instead of just going there only to be turned back because I don't have a place to stay at.

I do have a decent sized chunk of money saved up, so initial hickups or unexpected spendings would not be a problem(to a certain degree).

Thank you for reading my post and I appreciate any help you guys will provide!

I’m a figure skater visiting Longyearbyen and I wanted to see if anyone in town skates/plays hockey. Even if there’s no skate rental, I would love to just come watch! Does anyone have any info? TIA!

good day can anyone tell me. i have money to build house on svalbard in one-2 months. but i dont know who can help with land. i know it just for rent. but who gives land and how much. thnks

Hey everyone,

I’m thinking about taking a quick solo trip to Svalbard next week to experience the polar night. It‘s been on my bucket for a very long time but I‘ve always been a bit hesitant to do it.

It would be a pretty short trip (Friday to Sunday), and I’m not sure if it’s enough time to really enjoy it.

I’ve checked out all the subreddit recommendations, and they sound amazing, but I’m wondering if it’s doable or recommended for a solo traveler with such limited time.

Has anyone done a similar short trip and can share their experience?

Grateful for any decision-making help!

Thanks a lot and happy new year to everyone :)

Paul

Typical tourist question but outside of the museum and husky cafe are there any other places I can visit to fill my time? Late January (so in a few weeks) I do already have a few touristy things going on (caving, snowmobiling etc) but i also do love a local visit

I only have a few days but I want to squeeze in as much as humanely possible.

I also will be alone so I don’t want to do something that might make me look like a lemon.

Hello all, Happy New Year. I will be visiting Longyearbyen in the last week of Jan for the end of Polar Night, and the one thing I am super excited about is the northern lights. I have been looking at a few tour options, of which I could find 5 for my travel dates. They all sound pretty close but at various price points. Is there one you recommend, or are they all the same and can go with anyone?

Available options https://en.visitsvalbard.com/activity-planner/northern-light-chase-see-and-explore-p4595133

https://en.visitsvalbard.com/activity-planner/chasing-the-dancing-aurora-northern-lights-longyearbyen-guiding-p6983943

https://hurtigrutensvalbard.com/en/activities/wilderness-evening/northern-lights-evening?from=2025-01-28&to=2025-01-30

https://en.visitsvalbard.com/activity-planner/northern-lights-wilderness-hunt-small-groups-snowfox-travel-p6842433

https://en.visitsvalbard.com/activity-planner/the-exclusive-northern-light-chase-spitzbergen-adventures-p5013793

Apart from exploring the museum and town, I have planned to take a tour with a local guide and visit the coal mine. Is there anything else that I should consider/add?

I appreciate your help and am excited to make the trek far north.

Some friends and I are looking to visit Svalbard in June, does anyone have suggestions of what to do? We're interested in nature, boat tours, hikes, and we're also wondering if it's possible to visit Pyramiden (the Soviet mining village)?

Thanks in advance!!

I'm arriving in Longyearbyen on an 11am flight on 1/3, but I can't check into my AirBnb until 3. I asked about dropping my bags off and they said no.

I'm planning to go to the museum, which their website says has free storage lockers. I'm only traveling with two travel backpacks, but would prefer not to lug those around for 3+ hours and doubt I'll spend that entire time in the museum.

Is there someplace I can store my luggage in town? Or, would the museum be nice enough to let me leave my stuff there for a couple hours after I'm done there? Back up option is probably go to the café and hang out.

(I also might run into this on my way out as well, as I have a 3pm flight to Tromsø but have to check out at 11)

Thanks for any help!