READ MORE FROM THIS TRIP
Introduction: From Cold To Hot and Checking The #1 Country Off of My Bucketlist
• Review: Plaza Premium Lounge (Toronto Airport)
• Review: Air France / KLM Lounge (Toronto Airport)
• Review: Air France A350 (Business Class); Toronto – Paris
• Review: Air France A320 (Business Class); Paris – Stockholm
• Experience: Best Way To Travel From Arlanda Airport to Downtown Stockholm
So you’ve planned an amazing trip, coordinated all the fine details, touched down, been to the bathroom and breezed through passport control but forgot one small detail…how are you going to get from the airport to downtown (and/or back to the airport)?
Don’t worry, it happened to me so I’ve made a guide to help you.
THE OPTIONS
The good news is that there are quite a few options to assist in your arrival to the city centre. Some are cheaper than others, but all will get you there in less than an hour. So let’s start with…
THE FASTEST WAY: THE TRAIN
If you’re in a rush and need to get from Stockholm Arlanda to downtown ASAP, the fast and efficient Arlanda Express trains are the best choice.
You’ll pay a rather steep 295 SEK (~$31 USD) for a one-way ticket for this convenience, however, the Arlanda Express has zero stops and you’ll arrive at Stockholm Central Station in less than 20 minutes.
PRO TIP: You can get a sizable discount by booking online at least seven days ahead, however, the Early Bird Simple rate is non-flexible and non-refundable. The final price will be a cool 195 SEK (~$20 USD).
THE CHEAPEST WAY: PUBLIC TRANSPORT (2 Options)
Looking to save money and time isn’t a huge factor? Take public transport and you have two options…
OPTION #1: The local commuter train leaves from Arlanda Central Station (located at the airport) to Stockholm City Station (located next door to Stockholm Central). The journey will take, approximately, 40 minutes and costs 152 SEK (~$16 USD). You can view times and buy ticket HERE. However…
OPTION #2: The public bus also leaves from the airport. The journey will take, approximately, 60 minutes and costs 32 SEK (~$3 USD). Be aware that this isn’t the fastest option but the savings are phenomenal and it’s by far the cheapest option of them all.
I chose this route so here are the steps:
1) Buy ticket from the information desk (inside the airport) and walk to the bus stops located outside the terminal
2) Bus #583 departs from outside the terminal (every 15 minutes)
3) The bus makes a few stops but the final stop is Märsta station. Get off there (this part takes approximately 15 minutes)
4) Catch the #41 (or #42X) commuter train bound for Nynäshamn. Your train ticket is included in the price of your bus ticket. Just show the attendant your bus ticket and they will open the gate. The train takes 45 minutes.
5) The last stop of this train is Stockholm City (aka downtown) where you can also also transfer to other trains and buses if your journey goes beyond downtown.
THE CHEAP (BUT DIRECT) WAY: THE AIRPORT BUS
Perhaps, you prefer a direct route that doesn’t require changing buses or trains and doesn’t cost a mint? You can take Flixbus! Similar to option #2 above, it’s also cheap. The bus goes straight from Arlanda to City Terminalen (or vice versa), it takes about 45 minutes, there are a few stops but buses run every 30 minutes between 6:30AM – 11:15PM.
I took this route when I returned to the airport. One-way tickets cost as little as 39 SEK (~$4 USD) and can be bought online but I bought mine at the station.
PRO TIP: I didn’t have any problem buying a ticket but, similar to airlines, the fare increases the more seats are sold. If you can book in advance, you’ll save some money during busy times.
If you are interested in this option but your times fall outside of the 6:30AM-11:15PM timeframe, you can also catch the Flygbussarna airport buses.
They operate around the clock, connecting the airport with the main bus terminal in downtown. The buses leave every 10–15 minutes from 6:30AM–midnight, and operate a bit less frequently through the night. This journey also takes around 45 minutes (and has free wifi onboard) however, this bus is a bit more expensive with one-way tickets costing 99 SEK (~$11 USD).
THE “BALLER” WAY: TAXI/Uber
Many tourists immediately jump into a taxi or uber when they are attempting to get to/from the airport. Although you may think this is the quickest option, in Stockholm it’s not!
The journey takes approximately 35 minutes and is very expensive. Most taxi companies have fixed-rate fares to downtown (500-600 SEK / $52-$63 USD). However, similar to taxi drivers in most cities, you’re bound to get scammed and/or overcharged.
Uber is present in Stockholm but the prices from Downtown to the Airport were pretty much identical to regular taxis.
THE “MONEY AIN’T A THANG” WAY: PRIVATE HELICOPTER
I don’t fall in this circle but if ‘time is money’ and you need to travel from the airport to downtown Stockholm even faster, you can always charter a helicopter with THIS COMPANY. You will arrive on their private helipad in the middle Gamla Stan. It doesn’t get any more central than that!
FINAL STAMP
…And that concludes my guide for traveling from the Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) to downtown Stockholm (or vice versa).
Typically, I plan out the major details of a trip (e.g. flights, accommodations, transportation, etc.) and go with the flow concerning the the day-to-day details. But, somehow, I had arrived in Stockholm without having the slightest clue about how I was going to get to the hostel.
Fortunately, I was not in a rush so I explored ALL the options (hence this guide).
I hope this helps if you ever find yourself in the same situation.
Have you ever traveled to Stockholm? How did you arrive in the city?
1TattedPassport 