Car hire Kirkenes

Introduction

Kirkenes is a town in the Finnmark region, in the far northeast of Norway. Many tourists visit Kirkenes to experience the midsummer night sun or to see the polar lights.

Population

The town itself has less than 3,500 inhabitants. Including the surrounding villages Hesseng, Sandnes and Bjørnevatn, over 7,000 people live in Kirkenes and environs.

Location

Kirkenes is located in the far northeast of Norway on the Bøkfjord, a part of the bigger Varangerfjord. It's the part of Norway located east of Finland, close to the border with Russia. Because of the extreme northern location (400 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle) the midsummer night sun can be admired between 17 May and 21 July.

Economy

Local economy relies on mining (iron ore) and trade with Russia via the natural harbor in the Bøkfjord. There is also a base of the Norwegian army. The last few years there is also increased searching for oil and gas in the Barents Sea. Tourism is of increasing importance to Kirkenes.

Airports

Høybuktmoen Airport lies just outside Kirkenes. The airport is easily reachable by rental car. From the town you follow the E6 south, which bends to the west near Hessing, to the airport. The route is clearly signposted.

Public Transport

Bus company FFR arranges public transport between Kirkenes and the surrounding villages. At night and during weekends service is limited.

Traffic and Parking

A rental car is an ideal means of transportation to explore this remote part of Norway. The roads are good but beware of suddenly crossing reindeers. There are thousands of them in this area!

Hotels

There's a limited supply of accommodation in Kirkenes, but because the town doesn't experience swarms of tourists you can usually find a hotel room. Rooms can also be rented in private houses and in summer months there's a campsite just southwest of Kirkenes, along the road to the airport.

External Sources

For more information about Kirkenes we recommend Google and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Kirkenes
• Official website Kirkenes (Norwegian, English)
• Tourist Information Kirkenes (multilingual)