Weather
0 °C at noon, wind 7 m/s, gusts 9, dry. 00:00 0, 03:00 0, 06:00 -2
Flights
14:10 SK4414 from Oslo, landed 13:52
14:55 SK4425 to Oslo, departed 14:41
Ships
Booked: no calls on 29 or 30 October. Next listed: Kronprins Haakon, research vessel, 31 October, 08:00.
In Isfjorden at 21:00 on 29 October, 4 ships: Advent Supplier, port tender, at the quay in Longyearbyen, 20:52; Polarsyssel, law enforcement, at the quay in Longyearbyen, 20:52; Longyear 2, port tender, at the quay in Longyearbyen, 20:51; Elling Carlsen, pilot, at the quay in Longyearbyen, 20:51.
Thursday 29 October 2026No. 4Updated 23:59
Polar night, day 3 of 112. The sun returns 16 February.
The Governor of Svalbard has decided to introduce a traffic ban on Road 300, from the junction with Road 501 all the way up to and including Sverdrupbyen.
No entryFor reference
Governor of Svalbard, 29 October, 14:00
Numbered discs: the day's listed events.
Thursday 29 October
Kåre Tveter: An Artist's View of Svalbard
Exhibition.
Cold Coasts short film screening
Culture. Nordover kunstsenter og kino. Ticket included in the admission price, or sold separately.
Culture. Membership or single ticket; Vipps and card accepted.
Culture. Nordover kunstsenter og kino.
Culture. Nordover kunstsenter og kino.
Children's Halloween activities at Nordover
Culture. Nordover kunstsenter og kino.
Culture. Nordover kunstsenter og kino.
Also reported
The council closes Svalbardhallen pool for national swim meet
On Saturday 31 October the water will be colder than normal, and baby swimming is cancelled. On the weekend of 6-8 November a national swimming competition is held in Svalbardhallen, and the swimming pool is therefore closed from 2:00 pm on…
Lokalstyre, 29 October, 17:08. Original title: Viktig informasjon fra Svalbardhallen-kaldere bassengvann og nasjonalt svømmestevne
Longyearbyen fire and rescue urges Halloween fire safety
Halloween is a fun and exciting evening for many children and adults, but Longyearbyen lokalstyre urges everyone to give fire safety some extra thought during the celebrations.
Lokalstyre, 29 October, 16:04. Original title: Halloweenhilsen fra Longyearbyen brann og redning
Court keeps Professor Molchanov under arrest in Barentsburg
The court also ordered Arktikugol to reimburse the Ukrainian companies in full for their legal costs, totalling 2,882,000 Norwegian kroner.
The Barents Observer, 29 October, 12:29
UNIS holds an avalanche evening in Møysalen on 17 November
Tuesday 17 November Møysalen, UNIS 19:00-21:00 / 7 PM to 9 PM (UTC+2) The lecture will only be held in-person and in Norwegian. During the avalanche evening you will learn more about, among other things:, What is avalanche terrain?, How do you make safe route choices?, What is Varsom Regobs and how do you use the Avalanche Warning?, What equipment must […]
UNIS, 28 October, 08:54. Original title: Skredkveld i Møysalen
Hotellneset power plant: streets dug up from 2028, plant ready in 2031
The Governor of Svalbard (Sysselmesteren), 28 October, 05:00. Original title: Høring: Utredningsprogram for hovedkraftstasjon og tankanlegg på Hotellneset | Sysselmesteren på Svalbard
Earlier, from 26 October
Storting wants Norwegian film support rules to cover Svalbard
The Government, 27 October, 05:00. Original title: Prop. 1 S (2026-2027), Kultur- og likestillingsdepartementet
Longyearbyen lokalstyre marks Personal Preparedness Week 2026
These simple steps make it easier to get important information and stay in touch with others.
Lokalstyre, 26 October, 07:00. Original title: Vi markerer Egenberedskapsuka 2026
Longyearbyen council asks Avinor to act on Tromsø route cuts
NRK, 26 October, 05:00. Original title: Lokalstyret krever Avinor-grep etter kutt i Svalbard-ruter via Tromsø, NRK Troms og Finnmark
Registration deadline for the business forum, 4 November
6 days left, 24 October to 4 November. Registration through the link on the page, deadline Wednesday 4 November at 16:00. Speaking time can be requested at registration.
For: Local business community.
Deadline for temporary installations applications, 2026-2027 winter season
17 days left, 24 October to 15 November. Applications are sent to firmapost@sysselmesteren.no.
For: Those applying to set up temporary installations for camping by the general public for one week or more during the winter season.
Extra air freight flight to Longyearbyen, 7 November
9 days left, on 7 November. Contact Pole Position Logistics directly for capacity, prices and booking.
For: Businesses and other parties that need to send goods by air.
Road 300 closed, no-access order from 29 October
Today, on 29 October.
Today, on 29 October.
Svalbardhallen: colder pool water, baby swimming cancelled
2 days left, on 31 October.
For: Swimming hall guests, baby swimming participants.
Application deadline: regional cultural fund grants
13 days left, 30 October to 11 November. Application form linked on the Longyearbyen lokalstyre page.
For: Teams, associations, businesses and other actors registered in the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities (Enhetsregisteret) and active in Longyearbyen.
Registration deadline for the UNIS, hva nå? seminar, 10 November
12 days left, 3 November to 10 November. Register via the website of NVP (NVPs nettside).
Governor's office closed to the public
8 days left, on 6 November.
Water shut-off near the Customs House and Fire Station
11 days left, on 9 November. Owners and businesses are asked to register contact information for the property at Varslemeg.no.
For: Subscribers and owners of properties, commercial buildings, shops and businesses affected by the work.
Swimming hall closed to public swimming from 14:00, 6 November
8 days left, on 6 November.
9 days left, on 7 November.
Swimming hall closed to public swimming all day, 7 November
9 days left, on 7 November.
Swimming hall closed to public swimming all day, 8 November
10 days left, on 8 November.
Environmental station closed on Friday
8 days left, on 6 November.
For: Household and business customers.
Application portal opens for experienced Svalbard guides
15 days left, on 13 November.
For: Experienced guides applying for approval as a Svalbard guide.
Sysselmesteren (the Governor of Svalbard)
Northern Lights Chase by car
Departures, prices and places from each operator's own booking system; where an operator has none, from the Visit Svalbard booking system.
This week in history, 31 October
1932
The Dutch owners sold Barentsburg to the Soviet state company Arktikugol in 1932. That autumn the steamer Tawaritsch Stalin, bringing workers and machinery for the Soviet mine, ran aground at the mouth of Isfjorden and was pulled off by a Soviet ship and British trawlers.
History Store norske leksikon
From the timeline, Discovery and whaling
1607
Only when the Englishman Henry Hudson came to Svalbard in 1607 did people notice the hunting possibilities. English, Dutch, German, French, Danish and Norwegian vessels joined in, and there were several armed clashes between ships from different countries.
History Store norske leksikon
The timeline by era
Svalbard 
