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Getting there · From India

How to reach Tromsø or Rovaniemi from India

There are no direct flights from India to the Arctic, but both hubs are an easy one or two stop trip. Here's the smartest way to reach each of them, and how to do it cheaply.

By Nikita Bhandari & Ashutosh Pandey · March 2026

Reaching Rovaniemi Reaching Tromsø
1 stop from India
There are no direct flights, but one connection is enough
10+ European cities
Fly direct to Tromsø in winter
Book on one ticket
So a delay does not cost you the next flight

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Both aurora hubs are simpler to reach than they look. Rovaniemi is a single, clean connection through Helsinki. Tromsø takes one or two stops, but you get to pick a fun European city to pass through on the way.

Finnish Lapland

How to reach Rovaniemi from India

💡 The best route Delhi → Helsinki → Rovaniemi, all on Finnair. Book it as one ticket (single PNR): your layover stays short, your connection is protected if the first flight is delayed, and your bags are checked all the way through to Rovaniemi.
DelhiHelsinkiRovaniemi

Best flights from India to Rovaniemi

  • The only nonstop from Delhi to Helsinki, daily, about 9h 50m.
  • From other Indian cities, a quick domestic hop to Delhi puts you on the same nonstop.
  • Often one of the cheapest ways into Europe from India on cash.

Helsinki to Rovaniemi: flight or train

Fastest

Fly

Finnair, several daily, about 1h 20m. Keep it on the same ticket as your Helsinki flight.

Most fun

Overnight sleeper

The Santa Claus Express (VR), about 12 hours, with sleeper cabins from about ₹22,000. Sleep your way north and save a hotel night.

Prefer daytime? A regular Intercity train does Helsinki to Rovaniemi in about 8 scenic hours, from about ₹5,400.

Where we save people the most money

Award flights & points

Rovaniemi is one of the easiest Arctic trips to book on points, because the whole routing runs on Finnair and its Avios partners.

  • Delhi to Helsinki: book with Avios on any partner, usually cheapest through Qatar Airways. Then add Helsinki to Rovaniemi on cash, or on Finnair points. These would be two separate PNRs.
  • One PNR on points: the only way to book Delhi to Rovaniemi on a single award ticket is directly via Finnair.
  • Indian credit card tip: several HDFC premium cards (Infinia and Diners Black among them) and Axis premium cards transfer points into airline programmes, including Finnair Plus, Aeroplan and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Once your points are in Finnair Plus as Avios, they move freely between Finnair, British Airways and Qatar Airways. Transfer partners and ratios change, so check your card's current list before you plan a trip around it.
Search Delhi to Rovaniemi flights → Book the Santa Claus Express
The approach into Tromso
Coming in over the snow-capped islands into Tromsø
Northern Norway

How to reach Tromsø from India

📍 The basics There are no direct flights from India to Oslo, and none to Tromsø. So you'll connect once or twice. The good news: you get to choose where.
Recommended

Via a European hub

Fly to a city with a direct winter flight to Tromsø, then hop north.

Simple

Via Oslo

Take a Middle East carrier to Oslo, then a quick, frequent hop to Tromsø.

Option 1: flights to Tromsø via a European hub

IndiaEuropean hubTromsø
  • Hubs with direct winter flights to Tromsø: Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Milan, Paris, Amsterdam and more.
  • Getting to the hub: fly Air India or the hub's home carrier, or connect on a Middle East carrier (Qatar or Emirates).
  • Bonus: pick a hub you'd enjoy and turn it into a stopover. See our guide on which countries to pair.

Option 2: flights to Tromsø via Oslo

IndiaDoha / DubaiOsloTromsø
  • Direct to Oslo from the Gulf: Qatar (Doha) and Emirates (Dubai).
  • Oslo to Tromsø is the busiest route into Tromsø, with flights all day and about a 2-hour hop.

Where we save people the most money

Award flights & points

Tromsø has no single best award route, but several good ones. A few that work well from India:

  • Via Oslo on Qatar (oneworld): Delhi to Doha to Oslo on Avios. Book it as a single PNR so you don't need a Qatar transit visa. Cheap saver seats often mean a long Doha layover, which you can turn into a bonus with Discover Qatar. We booked exactly this ourselves; it got cancelled by the conflict between Iran and Israel, but the routing is solid.
  • Via Munich or Frankfurt: Delhi to a German hub on Lufthansa or Air India (book with Singapore KrisFlyer, Aeroplan or Air India), then Lufthansa onward to Tromsø on points or cash.
  • Via Milan: Delhi to Milan on Air India points, then a cheap easyJet hop to Tromsø on cash.
  • Many more: we flew in from Zürich on points. Download our itinerary for the exact flights, or book a consultation and we'll find you the best award options.
Download our itinerary Get help finding award flights
Search flights to Tromsø →
At a glance

Tromsø vs Rovaniemi: which is easier to reach

Rovaniemi (Finnish Lapland)Tromsø (Norway)
Best routeDelhi → Helsinki → Rovaniemi, on FinnairIndia → European hub → Tromsø
Stops from India1 (via Helsinki)1 to 2
Nice alternativeOvernight Santa Claus Express trainMiddle East carrier to Oslo, then a hop
Cheapest tipFinnair on cash, or Avios awardsMatch your hub to your stopover country

Winter routes are seasonal (roughly Oct to Mar) and change year to year. Always confirm current schedules before booking.

Landing at Tromso airport
Landing at Tromsø airport
Once you land

Local transport in Tromsø and Rovaniemi

Both centres are small and walkable, so you rarely need much beyond your feet, an app, and the odd bus or taxi.

Tromsø

  • The centre is walkable. Most hotels, restaurants and tour pickups sit within a flat 1 to 2 km, so on foot is usually enough.
  • Uber and local taxis. We used Uber both ways, to and from the airport, and it worked well. Local taxi apps like Taxifix and Tromsø Taxi are a good alternative. Either way, budget about ₹3,300 to ₹3,800 from the airport to the centre.
  • From the airport: the airport express bus takes about 20 minutes with dedicated luggage space, or city buses 40 and 42 are cheaper, with tickets in the Svipper app.
  • Longer distances: there's no train to Tromsø, so regional trips go by bus (the Arctic Route towards Narvik, Lofoten and beyond). For trains and buses elsewhere in Norway, book through Vy.
Book the Tromsø airport express →

Rovaniemi

  • The centre is walkable. Arktikum, the restaurants, tour offices and city-centre hotels are within a 15-minute walk. Santa Claus Village is about 8 km out, by bus or taxi.
  • Uber works here. Unlike Tromsø, Uber runs in Rovaniemi (alongside local apps like Menevä and 02Taksi), with clear in-app pricing. A city-centre ride is usually reasonable.
  • From the airport: the shared airport shuttle bus is about ₹900 per person (roughly 10 minutes), or a taxi is about ₹3,100 to ₹3,900 for the car. The local Linkkari bus 8 also links the airport, centre and Santa Claus Village.
  • Longer distances: book trains with VR (including the Santa Claus Express) and long-distance buses with Matkahuolto.
Book it right

How to book cheap flights to the Arctic

  • Single ticket where you can. One PNR means short, protected connections and bags checked through to your final stop, especially into Rovaniemi via Helsinki.
  • Book early. Winter is peak, and the Santa Claus Express sleeper cabins sell out first.
  • Line up your stopover. For Tromsø, choose a hub you actually want to visit.

Want us to build the whole route? We help Indian travellers piece together the cheapest, smoothest way to the Arctic: flights, points, stopovers and trains, all in one plan.

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FAQ

Northern Lights flights from India: FAQs

Are there direct flights from India to Rovaniemi or Lapland?

No. The simplest route is Delhi to Helsinki on Finnair, the only nonstop and daily, then a short hop to Rovaniemi by air or on the overnight Santa Claus Express train. From other Indian cities, connect to Delhi first.

Are there direct flights from India to Tromsø or Oslo?

No. You connect once or twice: either through a European hub such as Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Milan, Paris, Amsterdam and more that have direct winter flights to Tromsø, or through the Middle East (Qatar or Emirates) to Oslo, then on to Tromsø.

What is the cheapest way to reach the Arctic from India?

Finnair to Helsinki is often one of the cheapest ways into Europe from India on cash, and has good award availability if you book with Avios. Booking early and travelling midweek helps.

Should I fly or take the train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi?

Fly (about 1 hour 20) for speed, ideally on the same ticket as your Helsinki flight. Take the Santa Claus Express overnight sleeper if you want to save a hotel night and enjoy the experience.

What is the best way to reach Tromsø?

Fly to a European hub with a direct winter flight to Tromsø, or route via Oslo on a Middle East carrier and take the very frequent Oslo to Tromsø hop.

How far ahead should I book?

At least two months for winter, and earlier for the Santa Claus Express sleeper cabins and festive dates, which sell out.

Keep planning. Our full Northern Lights series covers when to go, how to reach, where to stay, what to pack, what it costs and what to eat.

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