Kristiansand is one of Norway’s main international passenger ferry ports and the principal southern gateway for ferries from Denmark. Color Line and Fjord Line operate several daily passenger and vehicle services between Kristiansand and Hirtshals.
Port overview: The ferry terminal is close to central Kristiansand and forms part of the E39 transport corridor. Both Color Line and Fjord Line operate from the port, with year-round conventional ferries and additional high-speed capacity during the main season.
Last checked: 7 September 2026.
Current ferry services from Kristiansand
Kristiansand’s current international passenger ferry network is focused on one major corridor: Kristiansand-Hirtshals.
The route is served by both Color Line and Fjord Line and carries foot passengers, private vehicles and commercial freight.
| Destination | Operator | Typical crossing | Service pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hirtshals, Denmark | Color Line | About 3 hours 15 minutes | Year-round |
| Hirtshals, Denmark | Fjord Line – Fjord FSTR | About 2 hours 25 minutes | Mainly March-September |
| Hirtshals, Denmark | Fjord Line conventional ferries | About 3 hours 45-55 minutes | Year-round |
Fjord Line’s conventional vessels also connect Kristiansand with Stavanger and Bergen during parts of their wider route rotation.
Kristiansand-Hirtshals ferry
Hirtshals is Kristiansand’s principal international ferry destination.
The route has a long history and remains one of the busiest passenger and vehicle ferry connections between Denmark and Norway.
Color Line operates SuperSpeed 1, while Fjord Line provides both high-speed and conventional services.
See the Hirtshals-Kristiansand ferry route for a detailed comparison.
Color Line at Kristiansand
Color Line operates its Kristiansand-Hirtshals service with SuperSpeed 1.
The ferry operates throughout the year and takes approximately three hours and fifteen minutes under the normal timetable.
SuperSpeed 1 is home-ported in Kristiansand and can carry more than 2,000 passengers together with substantial vehicle and freight capacity.
Fjord Line at Kristiansand
Fjord Line operates both high-speed and conventional services from Kristiansand.
Fjord FSTR provides the fastest Hirtshals crossing during its main March-September operating season.
Stavangerfjord and Bergensfjord provide year-round conventional ferry capacity and also form part of Fjord Line’s wider western Norway network.
Kristiansand ferry terminal
Kristiansand’s ferry terminal is close to the city centre and the main road, rail and bus connections.
Fjord Line lists its Kristiansand terminal at:
Vestre Strandgate 31
4611 Kristiansand S
Norway
Color Line’s terminal area is within the same wider ferry harbour.
Passengers should follow signs for their individual operator because check-in arrangements differ.
Getting to the ferry terminal
Kristiansand ferry harbour is particularly well connected with local and national transport.
The bus and railway stations are close to the terminal area. Fjord Line states that both are approximately 50 metres from its terminal building.
For motorists, Kristiansand is connected directly with the E18 and E39 road network.
The E39 continues west towards Stavanger and is an important reason why the Hirtshals-Kristiansand ferry corridor works as an extension of the Scandinavian road network.
Passenger and vehicle access
The main ferries from Kristiansand accept foot passengers and private vehicles.
Cars, motorcycles, motorhomes, caravans and commercial vehicles can travel subject to the relevant operator’s booking conditions.
Commercial freight is also an important part of activity at the port.
Kristiansand as a Norway gateway
Kristiansand is particularly useful for travellers heading to southern and western Norway.
The city provides direct road access towards Stavanger and the west coast via the E39, while the E18 leads east towards Arendal and the Oslo region.
This makes Kristiansand different from Larvik, which is generally the more direct ferry gateway towards south-eastern Norway and Oslo.
Alternative Norway ferry ports
Travellers from Denmark can also sail from Hirtshals to Larvik with Color Line.
Fjord Line operates direct services from Hirtshals to Stavanger and Bergen for travellers heading farther west.
The best arrival port therefore depends on the final destination within Norway rather than only the ferry crossing time.
Main ferry operators at Kristiansand
- Color Line
- Fjord Line
Both operators serve Hirtshals, although they use different vessels and seasonal patterns.
Browse FerryLines ferry operator profiles.
Seasonality
Kristiansand has year-round ferry service to Denmark.
Color Line operates throughout the year, and Fjord Line’s conventional ferries also maintain a year-round connection.
Fjord Line adds Fjord FSTR during the main spring and summer operating season.
Exact departure frequency is higher during peak travel periods and can change between seasons.
How Kristiansand fits into the ferry network
Kristiansand is the closest major Norwegian ferry gateway to Hirtshals and forms one of the key international entry points into southern Norway.
The port links directly with Denmark and, through Hirtshals, with the wider European road network.
It also connects naturally with Norway’s domestic road and coastal transport systems.
See Norway ferries for the wider national network.
Explore ferries from Kristiansand
- Hirtshals-Kristiansand ferry
- Hirtshals ferry port
- Norway ferries
- Denmark ferries
- North Sea ferries
- Browse ferry routes
- Browse ferry ports
- Browse ferry operators
Sources and verification
Current ferry services were checked against official information from the Port of Kristiansand, Color Line and Fjord Line.
The Port of Kristiansand currently identifies Color Line and Fjord Line as the operators of the Hirtshals route and describes the port as Norway’s second-largest ferry terminal.
Routes, schedules, check-in arrangements and vessel deployment can change. Current port and operator information should be checked before travel.