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Direct ferry link between UK and Norway could be set for return

A ferry link between Bergen, Stavanger and Newcastle could return after Bergen Cruise Line announced it would begin raising the funds to bring the route back.

Published: 7 July 2022 11:00 CEST

Pictured is a ferry in Norway.

A ferry route between Newcastle and Norway could return by 2026. Pictured is a ferry in Norwegian waters. Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

Since 2008 there has not been a ferry link between England and Norway after the old ferry between Bergen and Newcastle stopped operating.

Now, however, the route could be set for a return from 2026 after Bergen Cruise Line announced it would raise capital to fund a new ferry between Bergen, Stavanger and Newcastle.

“We will re-establish an all-year direct high quality, cost-efficient, low emission cruise-ferry route between Norway & England,” Bergen Cruise Line said in a press release.

The company has said it would offer departures three times a week during peak season and twice-weekly trips throughout the low season.

Beginning in Bergen, the ferry would stop in Stavanger before continuing to Newcastle in the northeast of England.

According to Bergen Cruise Line, the ferry would be more than 200 metres long and have the capacity for 2,380 passengers.

In the autumn, the firm would begin the process of raising 2.1 billion kroner for the project.

Several companies have tried to bring the route back before. Both in 2013 and 2016, projects were launched to bring the ferry between Norway and England back, but to no avail.

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Why a Norwegian airline wants to charge tourists more than residents

The airline Widerøe has propsoed a new approach to ticket pricing, over concerns that the recently halved maximum prices on short-haul flights provided by the government may actually make travel less accessible for residents in Norway’s rural districts, regional newspaper Brønnøysunds Avis reports.

The airline has suggested adopting a Spanish model, where different fares apply to permanent residents and tourists, the newspaper reported on Tuesday.

This model, according to the airline, would aim to strike a balance between making air travel in rural areas accessible for local residents while ensuring that routes are not filled up by tourists.

Norway’s FOT route system

In Norway, the vast majority of air traffic operates under commercial arrangements.

However, to maintain a comprehensive network of flight services across the country, the government pays for transportation by procuring flight route services through public competitions among airlines on routes that may not be economically viable for commercial operators.

These routes are primarily located in western Norway and northern Norway (you can find the full list on the Norwegian government’s website), and Widerøe is one of the largest providers of these flights.

These arrangements, known as FOT routes (forpliktelser til offentlig tjenesteytelse på flyruter in Norwegian roughly translates to a ‘public service obligation on flight routes’), impose requirements such as maximum ticket prices, capacity, frequency, and routing.

Typically, the contract is awarded to the airline offering the lowest cost to the state, granting them exclusive rights to scheduled traffic on the designated route for the contract period.

Higher demand prompts reaction from Widerøe

Effective from April 1st, 2024, and August 1st, 2024, new agreements will govern these FOT routes. One of the tweaks will see the maximum prices that airlines can charge on some routes halved.

While these agreements are expected to enhance accessibility and affordability for travellers across Norway, Widerøe has already noted a surge in demand on some of the routes, particularly from holidaymakers and leisure travellers.

Concerns have also been raised regarding potential adverse effects on patients reliant on air transportation for medical purposes.

Lina Lindegaard Carlsen, Widerøe’s communications advisor, acknowledged the issue and suggested exploring alternative pricing models to address them effectively.

“It remains to be seen how it will actually turn out, but if it becomes difficult to get people in need to be served, then we believe that other price models will work better for those completely dependent on aeroplanes as public transport,” Lindegaard Carlsen said.

The communications advisor added that Widerøe had recommended to the Ministry of Transport that a new price model be considered. Under this model, residents along the FTO network would get a solid discount on flights, regardless of whether the journey consists is a FTO or commercial flight.

“This would ensure a low price for the residents of Norway’s districts while at the same time ensuring that the most popular departures are not filled up by holiday and leisure travellers many months in advance,” Carlsen said.

Widerøe was formally acquired by Norwegian Airlines in January 2024.

When the takeover was first announced in July 2023, Norwegian CEO Geir Karlsen said, “With this transaction, we will now create a streamlined and more comprehensive offer for all customers, and we look forward to offering seamless travel across our entire route networks.”

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