Longyearbyen — the capital of Svalbard

Location

At 78° north, Longyearbyen is the administrative centre of the Svalbard archipelago and the northernmost town of its size anywhere in the world. What began as a coal-mining settlement in 1906 is now a community of roughly 2,500 people from more than 50 nationalities, strung along a valley between glaciers and the shore of Adventfjorden.

Facts

It's a place of striking contrasts. Brightly painted timber houses stand on stilts above the permafrost. Snowmobiles outnumber residents. Polar bears outnumber both, which is why you'll see rifle racks outside the supermarket and signs marking where the town ends and the wilderness begins. In late July and early August, the sun never sets — expect broad daylight at midnight.

life

Longyearbyen is also more than a departure gate. There's a surprisingly good restaurant scene, a university centre, the world's northernmost brewery, a well-curated Svalbard Museum, and the Global Seed Vault cut into the mountainside just outside town. If your schedule allows, arriving a day or two early is well worth it.

flights

For the 2027 North Pole Marathon:

‍Arrange your own flights to and from Longyearbyen (LYR). Arrive by July 26, 2027 for embarkation on July 27, and book your return flight from LYR for August 9 or later.

Alternatively, you may purchase the Paris –Longyearbyen charter flights. Arrive in Paris by July 26 for the July 27 charter flight. The return charter to Paris will be on August 8, so book your home flight for August 9 or later.

Accommodation in Paris or Longyearbyen is not included and must be arranged separately on your own.

World's Coolest Marathon^®

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