❄️ Svalbard: an Arctic workation without the hustle and bustle

Longyearbyen is a rare spot on the map where polar silence coexists peacefully with fast internet and convenient city logistics. During the day, there are phone calls and mail, and in the evening, there is the polar night and sometimes the aurora borealis. Below is a brief, practical overview: where the connection is most stable for video calls, what winter activities are possible after 6 p.m., and what to bring as an original business gift without breaking local rules.

📡 Is the internet fast enough for video calls and where is it most stable? [Lock: Longyearbyen]

The village's internet is based on a double underwater fibre optic cable to the mainland: this is critical infrastructure with ‘virtually unlimited bandwidth’ — it provides the basis for stable operation.

The local operator's 4G network works reliably in the town; in Longyearbyen itself and the surrounding neighbourhoods, mobile internet is suitable for video calls, but there is almost no coverage outside the settlements — plan your calls within the town limits.

For a short session on the road, LYR Airport will come in handy: the terminal offers four hours of free Wi-Fi (AIRPORT network, you can log in again). A quiet ‘work window’ during the day and evening is provided by Longyearbyen bibliotek with meråpent 08:00–22:00 (self-service with a card).

Quality benchmark: 1.2–3.8 Mbps (720p–1080p) is sufficient for Zoom in HD, and ~1–1.5 Mbps for Teams in HD. These speeds are easily achievable in hotels/guesthouses and co-working spaces in Longyearbyen.

🌌 What evening activities are available in winter? [Winter]

The polar night is no reason to stay in your room. Aurora hunting is available after work: trips on snowmobiles, dog sleds, snowshoes or even walking/snowshoeing; there are also intimate ‘evenings in the tundra’ with dinner and storytelling — groups usually start in the evening.

For a warm end to your Friday, check out Svalbard Bryggeri — the brewery bar is open on Fridays from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. (drop-in, no reservation required). It's a great setting for an informal get-together after work.

🛍️What to bring as a business gift and where to buy it?

The most ‘local’ option is a piece of coal: at the end of the tour of Gruve 3, you can take a small piece of coal with you — it's a legal souvenir with a clear background in the industrial history of Longyearbyen.

Other places to visit: the Svalbard Museum shop (woollen items, jewellery, polar-themed items) and local boutiques in the centre, such as Longyear 78 and Frost (some of the items are made from local materials, including coal and stone).

Important: do not collect ‘souvenirs’ in nature — the removal of natural/cultural objects is prohibited by the archipelago's security laws; buy items from official sellers/workshops.

The working formula is simple: phone calls — inside the village (preferably in a hotel, library or co-working space with a ‘mainline’ fibre connection), a short break — evening hunting for the aurora or an intimate dinner in the tundra, Friday informal gathering — brewery bar. For gifts, choose ‘stories, not stones’: a piece of coal from a tour of Gruve 3, museum pieces, and local crafts.

Observe polar ethics, and Longyearbyen will reward you with the peace and quiet that people fly here for.