The transportation system in Greenland is very unusual in that Greenland has no railways, no inland waterways, and virtually no roads between towns. Historically the major means of transportation has been by boat around the coast in summer and by dog sled in winter, particularly in the north and east. Nowadays air travel, by helicopter or other aircraft, is the main way of travel.
What kinds of driving licences are available in Greenland?
You must have a valid driving licence to drive a car, lorry or bus in Greenland. Motorcycles are not permitted in Greenland, but mopeds and snowmobiles are. It is compulsory to wear a helmet when riding a snowmobile or a moped.
Driving licences are divided into three categories:
- Category B – ordinary car
- Category C – lorry
- Category D – large car
It is not possible to drive a motorcycle in Greenland. Mopeds may be driven by anyone over the age of 18, without a driving licence.
Just because you cannot take your bike there does not mean that you shouldn’t go.
Do you need a driving licence for a snowmobile?
You do not need a driving licence for a snowmobile in Greenland. However, you must be over the age of 18 to drive a snowmobile. This also applies to the so-called ‘children’s snowmobiles’. It is compulsory to wear a helmet when riding a snowmobile.
Importing and registering a bike is not allowed on Greenland.
There are two registered bikes there that remains since before the motorbike ban so they must be at least early eighties bikes.
If there were not a law against it, I would certainly be taking my bike with studded tires for ice.
Requirements
| Carnet de Passage | motorbikes are banned |
| Insurance | n/a |
| International driving permit | not required |
| Travel Visa | no requirements, 90 days within a 180 day period |
Snowmobiles
While snowmobiling is possible in most of Greenland during winter, there a few destinations, best described as hot spots, for snowmobiling that offer real adventure tours.
Sisimiut has the largest accessible back country, and the mountainous area offers the possibility for lengthy tours between Sisimiut and the airport settlement of Kangerlussuaq; easy family friendly excursions to local sightseeing points; tours climbing up to the top of 1400 meter tall glacier, and alpine skiing challenges for daredevils that defy the hold gravity has on humans.
In Tasiilaq, on the East Coast of Greenland the winter landscape opens to the opportunities for exploration of a wild and almost impassable terrain, flanked on one side by the icy Strait of Denmark towards the east, and on the other side, the Ice Cap towards the west. A local tour operator offers the possibility of combining alpine skiing in the back country with snowmobiling support.
On the island of Qeqertarsuaq, adjacent to Ilulissat, large valleys and flat-topped volcanic mountains create the framework for snowmobile safaris that may be combined with dogsled tours. Especially the tour to the top of the 800 meter tall Lyngmarks glacier provides a rewarding view of the entire Disko Bay area, in towards the ice fjord and going south along the west coast of Greenland.
Please note, this page was correct when written in January 2025.