Svalbard Airport – LYR Longyearbyen
Svalbard Airport is the primary airport catering Svalbard, Norway. It is the northernmost airport in the world approximately five kilometers northwest of Longyearbyen. Other than Longyearbyen, the airport also serves Barentsburg, a nearby Russian settlement. Avinor is the operator and the owner of the airport. The airport was opened on 1975. Every flight in the airport goes under the approval of the Norwegian CAA. It was only in 2017 that the airport lost its international status and no longer accepts flights to and from outside of Norway.
Best Time to Visit
Svalbard Airport is a small airport with limited facilities. It only has a snack bar and two shops and Wi-Fi is only available for two to four hours. The airport operates from 10 am to 4 pm daily. There are no rest and shower zones available. In 2014, the airport handled more than 150,000 passengers. It serves flights with destinations to Oslo and Tromso under Scandinavian Airlines, Lufttransport and Norwegian Shuttle Air. The runway is 8,146 feet long with instrument landing services. It also has 200 free parking spaces outdoor.
What to Do & Area Attractions
Because the Svalbard Airport operates under certain hours and has limited services and amenities available, it is best to spend the night in nearby hotels. Radisson Blu Polar Hotel Spitsbergen Longyear is 10 minutes away from the airport having shuttle services to the airport with a certain fee. Svalbard Hotel and Basecamp Hotel are at around the same distance but has no shuttle services available; nevertheless, taxis are readily available going to the airport.
