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Regulations for fares and discount schemes for boats in Hordaland county

Applies from 1 February 2024 until further notice.

1. General

This policy applies to Skyss boat services in Hordaland; Sunnhordland-Austevoll-Bergen and local boat Austevoll.

Note:  Kleppestø — Bergen (boat to Askøy) and Knarvik-Frekhaug-Strandkaiterminalen (boat to Nordhordland)  is included in the bus/lightrail price and discount policy.

County boat services are divided in different price categories. Fares are calculated on the basis of where the passenger gets on and off. Prices are specified in price tables, as updated. All prices are rounded to the nearest krone (single fare tickets) or 5 kroner (season tickets).

1.1. Valid travel document

Provided the passenger has boarded or embarked the vessel before the ticket expires, the passenger is considered to have travelled with a valid ticket. Passengers must be able to present valid travel documents at all times. This means you must have a valid ticket for the time period and distance in question, as well as valid documentation if you are travelling with a discounted ticket (ID, student Id/concession card, etc.).  Discounts apply regardless of country of residence and nationality.

Tickets may come in different formats, depending on where it was purchased:

  • Skyss Ticket app: The ticket is available in the app.
  • Webshop at skyss.no: Choose between Skyss Travel Card, print the ticket or send it to e-mail/SMS text message.
  • Ticket machine: The debit/credit card you use for payment serves as your ticket. You can also send the ticket as an SMS text massage.
  • On board: Passengers are issued a paper ticket. If you pay with debit/credit card, the card you use for payment will also serve as your ticket.
  • Service Centre: Passengers are issued paper tickets for single fares and 24-hour tickets. If you are purchasing a season ticket for a longer time period, you need the Skyss travel card.

2. Ticket purchase

2.1. Skyss Ticket app

“Skyss Ticket” is a smartphone app for iOS, Android and Huawei devices, where passengers can purchase all types of tickets, both single fares and season tickets, for all of Hordaland, except journeys that involve a combination of bus/boat. Tickets purchased in the app need not be presented upon boarding, but passengers must be able to present valid travel documents in a ticket inspection.

Payment methods: debit card, Vipps, travel account

2.1.1. Mobile account - Mobil travel account

Mobile account is a means of payment in the Skyss Ticket App. Deposits to the mobile account must be at least NOK 200, and the maximum balance is NOK 5000. In order for you to pay with your mobile account, the balance must at least be equal to the purchase price. You can top up your mobile account balance in the following ways:

  • With a VISA or Mastercard and Vipps
  • With a transfer from online Send an SMS text message WITH “KID” to 2412 for more information.

2.2. Webshop

Passengers can buy all types of single fare tickets and season tickets for all of Hordaland in the webshop on skyss.no. If you are purchasing a season ticket, you need the Skyss travel card. If you are purchasing a single fare or a 24-hour ticket, you can choose to use a Skyss travel card, to print your ticket, or to have your ticket sent to you via text message or e-mail. Tickets purchased in the webshop need not be presented upon boarding, but passengers must be able to present valid travel documents in a ticket inspection.

Payment methods: Debit card, Vipps

2.2.1. Skyss travel card

The Skyss travel card is a card that can be used for travel with public transport in Vestland, and passengers can use it when they purchase season tickets online at skyss.no. Passengers do not need to register the Skyss travel card upon boarding in Hordaland, but the travel card must be presented in a ticket inspection, along with valid documentation if you are travelling with a discounted ticket.

2.3. On board

You can purchase all types of single tickets and round-trip tickets. You will receive a paper ticket as a receipt. If you pay with a debit card, the debit card used for payment will also serve as the ticket. There is no need to register tickets purchased on board, but a valid travel document must be presented during inspection.

Payment methods: debit card, cash

2.4. Customer Service Centre

You may buy all types of tickets for Hordaland at the Skyss customer service centre at the Bergen bus station. Tickets purchased from the Customer Service Centre need not be presented upon boarding, but passengers must be able to present valid travel documents in a ticket inspection.

Methods of payment: Debit card, cash

3. Ticket types

3.1. Single fare

Valid transfers are specified on the ticket and vary depending on the journey.

3.1.1. Single fare, boat — one journey

A single fare boat ticket is valid for one journey on a specific distance by boat.  Single fare boat tickets are available in the categories adult, child, concessionary student and military.

3.1.2. Round trip, boat

On longer distances, adult passengers get a discount of approx. 50-percent on the return journey if they purchase a round trip boat ticket. Eligible distances are specified in the price table, as updated. The return journey must be made within 15 days. No refunds on unused return tickets.

The round trip ticket cannot be combined with other discounts. Other passenger groups may also purchase a round trip ticket, but no additional discount is given.

3.2. Season ticket

Season tickets are non-personal and may be used by several persons, but they may only be used by one person at a time. The person using the season ticket must be able to present a ticket and documentation of age and other discount requirements.

On journeys outside the specific distance for which a passenger holds a valid season ticket, single fare tickets must be purchased. You pay for the distance you do not already hold a ticket for.

3.2.1. Boat season ticket: 7, 30 or 180 days

7-, 30- and 180-day boat season tickets are valid for an unlimited number of boat journeys on a specific distance.

Season tickets are available for adults, children, students and concessionary card holders.

The maximum price for 7-, 30- and 180-day season tickets is specified in the price table, as updated.

3.2.2. Youth season ticket — for passengers aged 16 to 20

You can use a youth season ticket from the day you turn 16 until the month you turn 21. Upper secondary school pupils who have not yet turned 16 may also purchase this ticket, but must carry documentation of their status as an upper secondary school pupil.

30-day youth season tickets are valid on all Skyss buses in Vestland, as well as on the Bergen Lightrail. In addition, the youth pass is valid on the following:

Other bus services:

  • Kolumbus bus services (including night buses) in the Municipalities of Haugesund, Karmøy, Bokn, Tysvær and Vindafjord in Rogaland
  • “Trygt heim” bus routes
  • Airport express buses in Førge and Sogndal
  • Note: Does not include the Airport Express in Bergen

Boat:

  • All boat connections in Vestland, with the following exceptions:
    • Osterfjorden boat service
    • Geitanger– Knappskog
    • Tourist route Hardanger (Norheimsund - Herand - Utne - Kinsarvik - Lofthus - Ulvik - Eidfjord)
  • Norled’s express boat connections between Sogn and Bergen, and between between Nordfjord and Bergen. You can book a seat in advance if you are travelling with a youth season ticket. See norled.no for more information.

Ferry:

All ferry connections in Vestland. Most ferry connections in Vestland use the AutoPASS regulations, where passengers travel for free. If the ferry is not free, your youth pass will be valid.

Express buses:

Vy and NOR-WAY express buses in Vestland County, with the exception of express bus routes around Bergen:

  • Between Bergen bus station and Knarvik
  • Between Bergen bus station and Halhjem
  • Between Bergen bus station and Trengereid

In order to be guaranteed a seat on an express bus, you need to book in advance. Use the channels provided by Vy or NOR-WAY to do so.

Train:

  • Departures between Bergen and Myrdal (Vossebanen/Arnalokalen).
  • Note: Youth season tickets are not valid on regional/long-distance trains (trains between Bergen and Oslo) or on Flåmsbana.

The youth season ticket is not valid on other private bus and boat connections in Vestland.

Don’t forget your receipt:

If you are travelling on an express bus, train or express boat, you must present your receipt and identification.

4. Categories

Passengers pay different rates, depending on which category of passenger they belong to:

4.1. Adult

Passengers aged 16–67 are considered adults and pay full price for all ticket types.

4.2. Children

Passengers aged 4–15 are considered children and pay approx. half price (compared to full price) on single fare tickets and season tickets.

Children under age 4 travel for free. If there is any doubt about the passenger’s age, ticket inspectors may demand that the passenger present identification.

4.3. Senior’s and concessionary discounts

Senior’s and concessionary discounts are applicable to

  • persons over 67 years of age
  • persons with a concessionary card from NAV. This applies to persons who receive a disability pension pursuant to the Norwegian National Insurance Act with a disability rate of 50 per cent or more, persons receiving equivalent disability benefits from another EEA country and refugees with disabilities who receive supplementary benefits.
  • persons with blindness or deafblindness with additional identification cards
  • spouse or partner (registered in accordance with the Norwegian Marriage Act) who travels accompanied by a person with a senior’s discount / concessionary discount ticket.

Passengers who qualify for a concessionary rate pay approx. half price on single fare tickets and season tickets.

Everyone travelling with tickets with a discounted price must be able to present valid proof upon ticket inspection that they are entitled to a discounted price.

If you are over 67 years of age, a photo ID showing your age will be considered valid proof that you are entitled to a discount.

If you are under 67 years of age, the following applies when you are travelling with a concessionary discount ticket:

  • Persons who receive a disability pension pursuant to the Norwegian National Insurance Act with a disability rate of 50 per cent or more, and persons with equivalent disability benefits from another EEA country, must present a blue concessionary discount card from NAV and photo ID.
  • Refugees with disabilities who receive supplementary benefits must present a blue concessionary discount card from NAV and photo ID.
  • Persons with blindness who do not receive a disability pension must present an additional identification card from the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted in addition to photo ID.
  • Persons with deafblindess who have a right to free travel for one companion must present an additional identification card (green concessionary discount card) issued by the Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Deafblindness in addition to photo ID.

NAV issues concessionary discount cards to persons who are entitled to it. Persons with deafblindness and persons with blindness receive additional identification cards from the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted and the Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Deafblindness.

4.4. Student

Students under 30 years old qualify for a discount of approx. 40 % (compared to full price) on single fare tickets and 7-, 30-, and 180-day season tickets. No special students discounts are offered on round-trip journeys.

The student category includes:

  • Full-time students or pupils in upper secondary school, vocational school, university, university college or other educational institution accredited by the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund. This discount is also extended to Norwegian students abroad. The programme must be longer than 3 months, and for higher education, the programme must be equivalent to 30 or more credits per semester. For upper secondary school, the workload must be equivalent to a full-time programme.
  • Full-time apprentices and trainees, provided the training complies with the provisions of Chapter 4 of the Education Act.
  • Adult foreign-language speakers who are learning Norwegian and taking social studies, or refugees in the introduction programme.

When requested by the driver or ticket inspector, the student passenger must be able to present documentation of attending school/getting training that semester. Passengers who are not able to document to ticket inspectors that they qualify for the student discount, will incur a fine. Valid documentation must include name, date of birth and place of study and must specify being valid for the current semester:

  • Student ID, electronic student ID confirming your status as a student this semester.
  • Documentation from the school confirming enrolment in the current semester, along with another form of valid photographic ID.
  • Students enrolled in edcuational institutions abroad must have an ISIC card (ANSA cards are not accepted).
  • Foreign students must carry identification and acceptance letters from the school.

Student IDs for the spring semester are valid until the end of August, and student IDs for the autumn semester are valid until the end of January. If you are in your last semester, you will not be eligible to purchase student season ticket after 31 July or 31 December.

For apprentices/trainees, valid forms of identification are:

  • Personal ID issued by your training establishment, marked “apprentice” or “trainee”.
  • Copy of apprenticeship contract (digital or paper copy)
  • Certificate issued by your training establishment, confirming that you are an apprentice/trainee and specifying your training period, as well as your name and date of birth.

4.5. Military

Military discounts are available to conscripted personnel (initial service) and eligible persons pay approx. half price (compared to adult price) on single fare tickets.

This discount is valid during the service period specified on the Ministry of Defence identity card (FD-ID). The FD-ID serves as identification. For call-up journeys, the call-up order may be used as documentation.

The military discount is only offered to Norwegian nationals with a connection to the Norwegian Armed Forces.

4.6. Travel companion

Travel companions of disabled persons, who carry a companion card, travel for free with a disabled person who holds single fare ticket or season ticket. A separate ticket for the travel companion is not required.

5. Discounts

If several people travel together, or if bus travel is combined with other modes of public transportation, various discounts are available.

5.1. Family

On longer journeys, there is a price cap on single fare tickets for children travelling with a paying adult. The maximum price per child is specified in the price table, as updated, and applies to up to four children per adult.

5.2. Group 

Adult get a 25-percent discount when 10 or more passengers travel together with a single fare ticket. Children, concessionary card holders, students and military do not get an additional discount, but do count as passengers in the group. Children under age 4 travel for free and are not included as passengers in the group.

Group discounts cannot be combined with other discounted tickets.

5.3. Combination journeys

When purchasing a season ticket for combination travel by bus/boat, passengers can obtain a discount. The discount varies depending on where you travel.

This discount is not available in the Skyss Ticket app.

6. Baggage, etc.

6.1 Hand luggage

Passengers may bring hand luggage for free. 

6.2. Pushchairs, wheelchairs and skis

Pushchairs, wheelchairs and skis can be brought on board for free, if space allows.

6.3. Animals

Animals travel for free.

6.4. Bikes

Bicycles/electric bicycles can be brought on board for free if space allows.

7. Refunds

Single-fare tickets and round-trip tickets are non-refundable. 7-, 30- and 180-day boat season tickets and youth season tickets are refundable. Contact the Skyss Customer Service Centre for settlement and transfer of the remaining value to your bank account.

The school ticket can only be used by the person to whom it has been issued, and entitles you to two journeys per school day between home and school. The school ticket for primary schools are valid from the hours of 05:00 to 19:00, and until 23:00 for upper secondary school. The ticket cannot be used on Saturdays, Sundays and during school holidays.

The pupils can choose to have the school ticket in the Skyss ticket app or in the Skyss school card.

Pupils who lose their school card must cover their own travel expenses until they receive a new card. If it is the school that manages the school card, you must contact the school to receive a new card. The rules for school transport are set out in the school transport regulations. Individuals who use a Skyss school cards must show valid identification upon ticket inspection. Read more about the Skyss School Ticket in the Skyss ticket app here (Norwegian only).