A Solaris Bus at the Gateway to the Arctic
One of the 12 metre Solaris airport buses operated by carrier Avinor has recently started running north of the Arctic Circle. The Solaris Urbino 12 joined the fleet serving the airport in Tromsø. This is the northernmost region to see Solaris buses in action.
The city of Tromsø, located at the island of Tromsøya, is the largest metropolitan area in Northern Norway and the third biggest city worldwide located north of the Arctic Circle. It boasts Norway’s largest fishing port and the city itself is known as the Gateway to the Arctic. It is also considered one of the best places in the world to watch the Northern Lights. The city with a population of almost 80,000 offers numerous attractions, and now got another one: a comfortable ride in a Solaris Urbino 12 bus adapted to airport transfers.
Managing Director of Solaris Norge AS, Sverre Skaar, said:The presence of our buses at the main airports in Norway is a milestone for us. An added bonus is that we now also have Solaris buses in the northernmost part of our country. Norway has a continental coastline of 25148km, so we need local airports to operate and now also dedicated airport buses.
A company under the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications, Avinor is in charge of 44 state-owned airports. Over 3000 employees of the company are responsible for planning, developing and operating an efficient airport and air navigation service. Currently, a new passenger terminal is being constructed at the airport Tromsø Lufthavn Langnes and the related construction and renovation works pose certain traffic challenges. Serving as a supplementary means of transport, the airport bus Solaris Urbino 12 ensures a smooth transfer of passengers from the terminal to the aircraft.
The buses operated by Avinor are Urbino models specially adapted to airport transfers. The bus exterior stands out because of its additional doors on the left side, whereas the interior features fewer seats compared with conventional Urbino models. In lieu of these seats the bus is equipped with extra luggage racks and platforms for larger suitcases. The airport models also boast LED-displays with flight numbers and flight destinations.
The collaboration between Solaris and carrier Avinor dates back to 2013, when the first Solaris Urbino 12 joined the Norwegian fleet of airport buses. Over the following years the client received also 18-metre Solaris buses. At present, Solaris Urbino airport buses can be encountered in Norway at the following airports: Oslo Gardermoen, Stavanger Sola, Bergen Flesland, and now they are also deployed at Tromsø Langnes.
This article was originally published by Solaris Bus & Coach sp. z o.o..
