Bodo Airport Mini Guide
Why go to Bodo?
Many people visit Bodo each year to see the Norwegian countryside and coast in the raw. Although a city, Bodo has a small town feel as it is stretched thinly along the coast. The harbour is very pretty and home to a ferry that can take you out to the island-built lighthouse for great views looking back at the city. Outside Bodo, the landscape is bleak and unforgiving, sometimes even in summer, still, it’s very popular with hikers. Many walk to the bay where the world’s largest maelstrom is found and where the fishing is unmatched. The city’s airport is home to the U2 high altitude research plane which can be seen taking off regularly from Bodo.
How do I get to Bodo?
Just outside of the city is Bodo International Airport which is renowned for the U2 atmospheric data gathering aircraft and was once used for the testing of Concorde. Today it accepts many flights from across Norway and several seasonal holiday flights from Europe and the Mediterranean. No flights operate there from the
UK but flying into
Bergen,
Oslo,
Tromso or
Trondheim will allow you to make a connecting flight. To get to the city centre from the airport, take a taxi or the local bus for a journey of less than fifteen minutes.
What is the Airport Like?
Bodo is a modern airport and arranged very efficiently. The main terminal building has concourses and air bridges arranged as spokes off a semi-circular gate area meaning that at no time will you need to walk far to the airport exit. Bodo is also a ‘silent’ airport with no verbal announcements so you’ll have to watch the overhead displays very carefully.
What Should I Expect When I Land at Bodo?
Some larger flights dock at the air bridges for direct transfer into the airport whilst smaller flights ask you to walk down the aircraft steps and up another flight of steps into the terminal building. This can be quite a shock in the depths of winter! Inside, once you have been through passport control, you’ll be in the main public area. A customer service desk is there to help passengers with transport and airport related questions whilst two ATMs dispense currency should you need it.
The car rental companies are located in the airport terminal but the cars are often a little distance away. The companies will drop them off for you at the terminal doors, especially in winter when they’ll also be de-iced and preheated. Public transport is available and you simply have to wait at the bus stop for the bus to arrive.
What are the Airport’s Facilities Like for When I Leave?
As you’d expect from a relatively small regional airport, facilities are a little light at Bodo. There is a single shop which you’ll find just after check in. This doubles as a café serving cold snacks and coffee and sells books, magazines, some groceries, toys and travel essentials. There are also two further places to eat; a café called Picnic which serves pizza and hot dogs amongst other lights snacks, and a bar serving alcoholic drinks together with snacks. You’ll be pleased to hear that like many Norwegian airports, Wi-Fi access is free.