Mo i Rana

Mo i Rana is a town in the municipality of Rana, Nordland, Norway, located just south of the Arctic Circle. It is the second largest town in Nordland.

The city is located at the head of Ranfjord, just on the southern side of the Saltfjellet mountains with the Svartisen glacier, Norway's second largest. The river Ranelva meets the Ranfjord in Mo i Rana. Rana and Saltfjellet are famous for their numerous caves, two of which are developed as attractions: Grønligrotta and Setergrotta. Mo i Rana is situated about 80 kilometers south of the arctic circle.

Understand

As of July 1, 2005, the population of Mo i Rana was 17,800.

Climate

The climate in Mo i Rana varies a lot throughout the year. The Gulf Stream, a powerful, warm ocean current, follows the coast line of Norway all the way north. The stream has a heavy influence on the climate, helping to keep the temperatures from getting too low in the winter, despite the city being located about 70 kilometres from the coast line. The distance from the coast does give it slightly lower temperatures than more coast-near areas in the winter, however. In the summer, the coast winds are often calm, heating the air. The weather can be very unpredictable, and change quickly. Blizzards can go on for hours, potentially creating traffic difficulties and cancelling flights. Because of Mo i Rana's latitude, summer days are very long and winter days are very short on daylight. In the winter season, the Northern Lights can be seen on the night sky. It varies in intensity, coloured from white green to deep red, and comes in different shapes, such as beams, arches and draperies. The 24-hr average temperature in July is 13.2 °C (56 °F), and the 24-hr average temperature in January is -6 °C(21 °F).

Get in

By train

Travel to Mo i Rana by train. You take Nordlandsbanen railroad from Trondheim to Mo i Rana. The journey takes from 6-8 hours. Trains leave and arrive several times a day, but only two a day come all the way from Trondheim (a day train and a night train). They are great if you want to have a look at Norwegian scenery and nature. Tickets from 199 NOK are available on Internet, remember to book early.

By plane
  • 🌍 Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll (MQN  IATA Norwegian: Mo i Rana lufthavn, Røssvoll). Is a regional airport serving Mo i Rana in Nordland, Norway. In 2005 Mo i Rana Airport had 71,454 passengers. It is operated by Avinor. 

The airport is served by Widerøe with Dash 8 aircraft connecting the community to Bodø, Trondheim and other communities in Nordland and Nord-Trøndelag. The routes are operated on public service obligation with the Norwegian Ministry of Transportation and Communication. Tickets are expensive so families often drive to Bodø Airport (229 km), Trondheim Airport (447 km) or Umeå Airport (478 km) for further flights. Another option is to use the Swedish airport of Hemavan (98 km from Mo i Rana).

By car

European route E6 from Oslo comes via Trondheim to Mo i Rana and continues toward Finnmark in the north.

E12 comes from Helsinki, Finland, via ferry Vaasa–Umeå. From Vaasa it coincides with the tourist route the Blue Highway, which comes from Petrozavodsk in Russia.

By ferry

Hurtigruten calls in Nesna, some 60 km west from Mo i Rana.

Do
  • 🌍 Grønli cave (Grønligrotta) (some 20 km north from the town: 13 km along E6, turn toward the airport, follow signage), ☏ +47 75-13-25-86. 10:00–18:00 in main season (ca 20 June–15 August), 10:00–16:00 later in August, check for other times. About 100 m deep and 2 km long cave. Artificial lighting inside. Also for families, but check if your walking or health are issues. Grottekroa by the cave offers food and beverages, souvenirs, tickets and accommodation. 165/110 kr. (updated Dec 2015)
  • Seter cave (Setergrotta), ☏ +47 95-97-44-97, fax: +47 75-12-76-01, . summer, tours can be booked off season. 3.4 km long cave, with underwater connection to Grønligrotta. The cave is close to natural state. Headlight, helmet and overall included in the tours, own good footwear required. Physically challenging but prior experience not needed. Groups of more than five should book in advance. 350 kr/person, 320 kr for groups of more than two. (updated Oct 2017)

Sleep
  • Stålkameratene, Soederlundmyra, ☏ +47 41926215. The only hostel in Mo I Rana 

Go next
Routes through Mo i Rana
Trondheim ← Stjørdal ←  SW  NE  → Arctic Circle → Fauske → Narvik
END ←  NW  SE  → Hemavan → Umeå


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