Tag: Sweden

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Sweden Things to Do

Top 7 beaches in Sweden

While Swedes are known to escape to winter sun destinations, during summer they often decide to stay put and enjoy the sun in their own back yard. Prices can be cheaper than in the Mediterranean and best of all, you won’t see exclusive five star resorts here.

Sweden offers a lot of sandy beaches and there are many activities available for everyone. Do remember though that pets aren’t allowed on all beaches in Sweden.

1. Böda Beach , Öland

The beach stretches for 20 km and has plenty of facilities. It’s one of the beaches which welcome pets. Watersports, cycling and golfing are available for those into more active days at the beach. Others might just love the saunas.

2. Långholmsbadet Beach, Stockholm

If you don’t plan to leave the capital, then the popular Långholmsbadet Beach is a good option for a day of soaking up the sun. There are facilities for swimmers, there are places to eat and recreational areas, but the beach tends to get crowded in the summer.

3. Smedsuddsbadet Beach, Stockholm

Also in Stockholm, Smedsuddsbadet Beach offers recreational areas , places to eat and facilities for those who want to swim. Just like the other beach in the capital, it gets crowded during summer.

4. Ribersborg Beach, Malmö

This is a real city beach with shallow water, ideal for families with children. You can eat in restaurants or make your own BBQ (in specialized areas). The beach has a nude section and welcomes pets.

5. The Sudersand Beaches, Gotland

It is the most popular and most beautiful beach in Gotland. There are plenty of recreational activities to try, including a mini golf course, there are restaurants and a kiosk.

6. Varamon Beach , Östergötland

It is the “Pearl of Vättern” and is blessed with 80 more hours of sun per year than the rest of Sweden. You can play various sports – windsurfing, volleyball -, and there are plenty of cafes and restaurants. It’s a good option for families with children.

7. Skutberget Beach, Karlstad

It is located on the northern shore of Lake Vänern and includes a campground. There is a playground for children and the activities you can try here range from hiking to mountain biking and playing football. There are restaurants and cafes available, too.

Photo credits: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ,7- A beach on Lake Vänern

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Sweden Transportation

Getting from Stockholm to Helsinki

Scandinavia is a superb area in Northern Europe, offering plenty of things to do. Many travelers prefer to visit all of the Scandinavian countries during a single trip, which means there’s the need to find the best rates for getting between the cities (and mostly between the capitals).

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, a picturesque city located on 14 islands and offering plenty of things to do, whether you look for history, nature, nightlife or shopping.

Helsinki is the capital of Finland, rebuilt by the Russians along the lines of a miniature St. Petersburg. It still has a small town feel but it’s actually an international metropolis. The best time to visit is during summer. Don’t miss visiting the Suomenlinna Fortress, the “Gibraltar of the North”, which used to be one of the greatest sea fortresses in the Baltic Sea.

Summary

The only viable options for traveling between Stockholm and Helsinki are the ferries and the planes. Take into account the transfer fares (to/from the airports; to/from the ferry terminals) when you compare the fares. Overall, a deck seat in the summer might be the cheapest option.

Flights from Stockholm (airport code: ARN) to Helsinki

Helsinki is served by the modern Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport (HEL), which handles both domestic and international travel. It is located 20 km from the capital, to which it’s connected by buses and taxis. The airport is hub for many airlines including: Air Finland, Blue1, Finnair, Flybe Nordic, Norwegian Air Shuttle and TUIfly Nordic.

Stockholm is served by four airports, but only two of them operate flights to/from Helsinki:

  • Arlanda Airport (ARN) , which is the main international airport serving Stockholm. It is located 37 km from the city, to which it’s connected by express rail, regular rail, express buses, regular buses and taxis. It is hub for many airlines including: Norwegian Air Shuttle, Scandinavian Airlines and TUIfly Nordic. Flights to/from Helsinki are operated by Blue1, Finnair and Norwegian Air Shuttle.
  • Bromma Airport (BMA) is a small airport serving Stockholm, located just 10 km from the city center, to which it’s connected by buses. It is not hub for any airline. Flights to/from Helsinki are operated by Finnair ( Flybe Nordic).

For flights in mid-July 2012, the cheapest ticket is offered by Norwegian Air Shuttle, flying between Arlanda and Helsinki. The single fare is €32 and the flight time is 55 min. A return flight during the same period starts at €70 (Finnair). By mid-October flights get a bit more expensive, the single fare starting at €42 on Norwegian Air Shuttle.

>>book a flight to Sweden

Trains and ferries from Stockholm to Helsinki

Just look at the map and you’ll see there are no direct train connections between the two cities. However, you can travel by ferry and train.

There are three possibilities to get by train and ferry between the two cities and all requite a stop along the way (in Turku satama). The travel time is between 13h and 14 h. They are listed by Obb Scotty , but tickets cannot be purchased online.

Buses from Stockholm to Helsinki

Buses aren’t a viable option either. There would be a possibility to mix train and bus, going via Luleå or Boden, then to Haparanda or Kemi, before continuing further to Helsinki. Still, unless you want to see more of the country, the travel times are long and it’s not a good option.

By ferry

There’s the possibility to take the ferry between the two cities. Viking Line operates a direct ferry every day between Stockholm and Helsinki. It departs Stockholm at 4:45 p.m. and Helsinki at 5:30 p.m. every day. The travel time is 16 h and 15 min.

During the cold time of the year (September to May) you need to book both a passenger ticket and cabin. The passenger fare is €40 one way for travel between Saturday and Thursday and €70 for travel on Friday. The economy cabin is €21 one way per person from Saturday to Thursday and €48 on Friday.

During summer, the passenger fare is €50 one way every day of the week. In the summer, there are also some dock seats sold (passenger fare only). The economy cabin is €47 one way per person every day.

Driving from Stockholm to Helsinki

You can rent a car and travel by road and ferry between Stockholm and Helsinki. There are two routes, one through Sweden, the Åland Islands (Finland) and Finland mainland; and the other through Sweden , Estonia and Finland. In either case you’ll be traveling through countries which are part of the Schengen area, so you won’t pay any surcharges when you rent the car; however, make sure to let the car rental agency know which countries you plan to cross and ask whether it’s possible to do that.

Both routes take about the same time and involve ferry crossings and toll roads. Viking Lines operates ferries between Helsinki and Stockholm. During summer the price for crossing with a car is €74 one way (€45 the rest of the year). Add the passenger fare and cabin fare to the car price, too. Packages for car and 2-4 adults are also available. The ferry departs Helsinki once a day, at 5:30 p.m. and arrives in Stockholm at 9:45 a.m.; on the way back, catch the ferry from Stockholm at 4:45 p.m. every day.

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Sweden Transportation

Getting from Oslo to Stockholm

Many travelers choose to visit the capitals of the Scandinavian countries during a single trip. That’s means, they fly into one of the major airports – typically the one which the cheapest fares offered – and then travel between the countries by land.

Oslo is the capital and the largest city in Norway. It’s known as the most expensive city in the world to love in (and visit). So saving some money while visiting is something everybody is looking to do. There are a lot of interesting buildings to visit while here and when you decide the city has offered enough, you can always plan a walk in the forest.

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, a very picturesque town located on 14 islands. There are a lot of things to do here, such as visiting museums, spending time in nature or exploring the shopping opportunities.

Summary

The buses are the cheapest way – from €25.50 one way – to get between Oslo and Stockholm, but pay attention to companies (some are more expensive than trains!). Trains aren’t very expensive either but the fares depend on how far in advance you purchase the ticket (you can easily get away with fares from €36 one way). If you fly outside the high season , it’s possible to find cheap flights – from €39 one way – but you also need to add the cost of transfer to/from the airport.

Flights from Oslo (airport code: OSL) to Stockholm

Oslo is served by three airports, but the flights to/from Stockholm are operated only from Gardermoen Airport (OSL). This is the main airport serving Norway’s capital and is the second busiest in Scandinavia. It is located 35km from the capital, to which it’s connected by express train, regular train and buses. The airport is hub for many airlines, including: Scandinavian Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia and TUIfly Nordic.

Stockholm is served by four airports, but only two of them handle flights to/from Oslo:

  • Arlanda Airport (ARN): is located 37 km north of the city and is the largest airport in Sweden. It is hub for many airlines including: Nextjet, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Scandinavian Airlines and TUIfly Nordic. It is connected to the city by express train, regular train and buses. Flights to/from Oslo are operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle and Scandinavian Airlines.
  • Bromma Airport (BMA): is a smaller airport, located just 10 km from the city center , to which is connected by express and regular bus. It is not hub for any airline but low cost carriers prefer to use this airport. Flights to/from Oslo are operated by Flybe Nordic.

It’s slightly cheaper to fly into Arlanda than into Bromma (not considering the additional baggage taxes, for example). The flight time is 1 h and, in late June 2012, expect to pay from €55 one way to Arlanda on Norwegian and from €59 one way to Bromma on Flybe. The cheapest return flight would be €96 in late June but fly into Arlanda and out of Bromma.

By mid-October 2012, it’s much cheaper to fly into Bromma. Single fares start at €39 on Flybe, while return flights start at €81 (fly in/out of Bromma).

>>book a flight to Sweden

Trains from Oslo to Stockholm

SJ – the largest Swedish train operator – offers two direct trains per day between Oslo and Stockholm. The trains depart Oslo at 7:25 a.m. and 3:49 p.m. daily and the single non-refundable fare is 325 SEK / €36. On the way back catch the first train from Oslo at 8:25 a.m. and the last at 12:21 p.m. The single non-refundable fare starts at 213 SEK / €23.70 but it does depend on how much in advance you purchase the ticket. The travel time is between 5h 40 min and 6 h 7 min. Connecting trains (with a change along the way) are also available but not worth it.

Buses from Oslo to Stockholm

The following bus companies offer direct links between the two cities:

  • Swebus : offers 5 departures per day , out of which 3 are direct. Buses leave Stockholm at 8:45 a.m. , 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m. , 10:30 pm. and 10:45 p.m. The single non-refundable fare starts at 199 SEK / €22.10 on the connecting bus; and 229 SEK / €25.50 on the direct bus. The travel time is between 7 h 30 min and 8 h for the direct buses. On the way back, catch the direct buses from Oslo at 8:45 a.m., 1 pm. and 10 p.m. The same fare applies.
  • GobyBus and Bus4You operate , together, 2 buses per day from Oslo, departing at 8:15 a.m. and 10:30 am . The travel time is 10 h and 12 h 25 min respectively. The single fare is 649 SEK / €72.20 for an adult. On the way back, catch the bus from Stockholm at 7:50 a.m. The single fare is 799 SEK / €89.

Driving from Oslo to Stockholm

You can rent a car and drive the 523 km between the two cities. Although Norway is not part of the European Union, both Norway and Sweden are part of the Schengen area, so taking a rental car across the border should imply paying surcharges. However, make sure to ask the rental company whether you are allowed to cross the border.

The travel time is about 6 ½ h and the route has tolls.

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Sweden Transportation

Getting from Copenhagen to Malmo

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and although it’s served by an important international airport, if you fly from certain European destinations it’s cheaper to fly into Malmo and then travel to Copenhagen by land. If you plan to visit Copenhagen, don’t miss its museums and the palaces.

Malmo is the third largest city in Sweden , easily explored by bicycle. Visit the three squares – Gustav Adolf, Big and Little – which are located in the heart of the city , and don’t miss Malmöhus Castle, either.

You can either visit Copenhagen as a day trip from Malmo, or the other way around, depending on where you prefer to set your base.

Summary

Considering the short distance between the two cities, it’s not necessary to fly. In fact, many fly into Malmo if they want to visit Copenhagen, because it’s possible to find cheaper flights from certain European destinations. The cheapest way to get between Copenhagen and Malmo is by bus, with fares starting at €5.50 one way. Trains aren’t very expensive either, as fares start at €12 one way.

Trains from Copenhagen to Malmo

SJ – the largest Swedish train operator – lists both their trains and those operated by Öresundstågen (the Danish train operator). There are trains departing Malmo every 20 min , night and day. The high speed train operated by SJ takes 28 min and the single fare starts at 135 SEK / €15 (non-refundable). The other trains take 35 min and the single fare starts at 107 SEK / €12 (non –refundable). On the way back, the same fares apply and trains run on the same schedule.

Buses from Copenhagen to Malmo

The following bus companies operate buses between the two cities:

  • GoByBus (attention: the website doesn’t offer English!): there are two departures from Malmo daily, at 6:05 a.m. and 5:55 p.m. The travel time is 55 min and the adult fare is 49 SEK / €5.50 one way. The youngster fare (under 30 years old) is the same. On the way back, catch one of the three buses from Copenhagen, leaving at 8:30 am., 1 pm. and 10 p.m. The same fares apply.
  • Gråhundbus (attention: the website doesn’t offer English!) operates bus 999 between Copenhagen and Malmo . The single fare is 80 DKK / €10.80 and you can also get a one day return ticket for 120 DKK / €16.20. There are seven departures per day.

Driving from Copenhagen to Malmo

You can rent a car and drive the 46 km between Copenhagen and Malmo on E20. Both countries are part of the European Union and the Schengen area, so you won’t be paying any surcharges. But it’s best to ask the rental company if you can take the rental car across the border.

The route has tolls and the travel time is about 40 min (but depends on the traffic).

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Sweden Transportation

Getting from Copenhagen to Gothenburg

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark, a city well known for its cultural life and entertainment options. The shopping is not bad either. Plus, there are interesting museums to visit and you can even spend time at the beach.

Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden , offering plenty of things to do and see. Make sure to visit the Skansen Kronan (Crown Keep), which is hilltop fortification, and step by the Fish Market, too. There are plenty of museums to keep you busy and of course, some interesting churches , too.

Summary

The cheapest option to get between Copenhagen and Gothenburg is the bus. Fares start at €24.30 one way and the travel time is about 4 ½ h. Slightly more expensive option – from €46.40 one way on the direct train – is the train, but there are trains departing by the hour between 6 a.m. / 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily.

Flights from Copenhagen to Gothenburg

Copenhagen is served by Kastrup Airport (CPH) , the main international airport serving the capital. It is located just 8 km from the city center and is hub for the following airlines: Blue1, Jettime, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Novair, Primera Air, Scandinavian Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia, TUIfly Nordic, Copenhagen Air Taxi and Star Air. The easiest way to get from the city center to the airport is by train.

Gothenburg is served by two airports, but only Landvetter Airport (GOT) operates flights to/from Copenhagen. It is the second largest airport in Sweden , located 20 km from the city and is hub for the following airlines: City Airline, Scandjet and TUIfly Nordic.

Scandinavian Airlines is the only airline operating flights between Copenhagen and Gothenburg. The flight time is 45 min. If you plan to fly by the end of June 2012, expect to pay from €80 one way. A return flight starts at €154 during the same period. The fares remain the same during the year.

>>book a flight to Sweden

Trains from Copenhagen to Gothenburg

SJ – the largest train operator in Sweden – and Öresundstågen offer connections between Göteborg (Gothenburg) and Köbenhavn (Copenhagen) .

There are direct trains which depart from Göteborg (Gothenburg): every hour at 42’ from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. (so 6:42 a.m is the first one and 8:42 p.m. the last time). The travel time is 3 h 46 min and the single fare starts at 417 SEK / €46.40 non-refundable.

On connecting trains (1 connection, travel time 6 h 16 min) the fares start at 293 SEK / €32.60 non-refundable.

On the way back, catch the trains in Köbenhavn (Copenhagen) every hour at 32’ from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. (so 5:32 a.m. is the first train and 8:32 p.m. the last train). The same fares apply for the direct trains.

Buses from Copenhagen to Gothenburg

The following bus companies operate between the two cities:

  • GoByBus (attention: website only in Sweden!) : offers two connections per day , leaving Gothenburg at 2:35 a.m. and 2:30 p.m ; the travel time is 4 h 25 min. The adult ticket is 219 SEK / €24.30 one way. On the way back, choose among three buses leaving Copenhagen, at 8:30 a.m, 1 p.m. and 10 p.m. On the first two buses the adult single are is 259 SEK / €28.80. Please note that an adult is considered anyone between 30 and 59 year old (anyone under 30 is a “youngster” and the fares are cheaper; i.e. 169 SEK / €18.80 one way).
  • Bus4You work together with GoByBus, so you can book on this site the same buses (at the same prices).

Driving from Copenhagen to Gothenburg

You can rent a car and drive the 317 km between Copenhagen and Gothenburg. Both countries are part of the European Union and Schegen area, so there shouldn’t be a problem taking the rental car across the border. Still, it’s a good idea to ask the rental company about it.

The travel time , on E20, is about 3 ½ h but depends on the traffic.

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Sweden Transportation

Getting from Copenhagen to Stockholm

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark , known for the good shopping, excellent nightlife an interesting sights.

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, a city which spreads on 14 islands, offering history, nightlife and nature.

Many travelers choose to visit all of the Scandinavian countries during a single vacation, so traveling between their capitals is usually the easiest and cheapest way to tackle the transportation.

Summary

When you plan to travel between Copenhagen and Stockholm, the bus is the cheapest option but takes at least 10 h. The airplane ticket is cheaper (as listed on line) but you need to take into account the booking fees (which depend on the method of payment) and the money paid to get to/from the airport. Overall, the flight might be just as expensive as taking the slower train, which has the advantage of leaving you right in the city center.

Flights from Copenhagen to Stockholm

Copenhagen is served by Kastrup Airport (CPH), located 8 km from the city center. It is hub for Blue1, Jettime, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Novair, Primera Air, Scandinavian Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia, TUIfly Nordic, Copenhagen Air Taxi and Star Air. The easiest way to get to/from the airport is by train.

Stockholm is served by four airports, but only 2 of them handle flights to/from Copenhagen:

  • Arlanda Airport (ARN): is the main international airport serving Stockholm and is located 40 km from the city center. It is hub for Amapola Flyg, Nextjet, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Novair, Scandinavian Airlines, Skyways Express and TUIfly Nordic. To get from the airport to the city center, you can catch the express train, the regular train, the airport coaches or the regular bus. The flights to/from Copenhagen are operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle and Scandinavian Airlines.
  • Bromma Airport (BMA): is a smaller airport located just 10 km from the city center. It is not hub for any airline and is mostly used for flights to/from other Scandinavian countries. The flights to/from Copenhagen are operated by Flybe Nordic.

In mid-August 2012, expect to pay from €43 one way on Flybe Nordic. Slightly higher fares – from €48 one way – are offered by Norwegian Air Shuttle. The flight time is 1h 30 min to BMA and 1 h 15 min to ARN.

A return flight in mid-August will set you back from €82 (Flybe Nordic) ; while in mid-October 2012, you’ll pay from €41 for a single flight (Flybe Nordic) and €82 for a return flight on the same airline.

>>book a flight to Sweden

Trains from Copenhagen to Stockholm

SJ – the main train operator in Sweden – operates high-speed trains and regular trains from Copenhagen (Danish: Köbenhavn) to Stockholm Central. There are two direct high speed trains per day (11:37 a.m. and 2:29 p.m.) as well as 4 slower trains which require a stop in Malmo.

The cheapest fare (553SEK / €61.63) is on the train which departs Copenhagen at 1:12 pm. and takes 6 h 25 min to get to Stockholm. On the high speed train, the cheapest fare is 1074 SEK / €120 (at 11:37 a.m.) and the travel time is 5h 13 min. The return fares differ, because they also depend on when you purchase the ticket and when you travel.

Buses from Copenhagen to Stockholm

There are two companies which operate direct buses between the two capitals:

  • Swebus : look for buses from Stockholm to Kopenhamn ; there’s one direct bus, which leaves Stockholm at 10:45 p.m. and there are two buses with a stop along the way which leave at 11:05 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. The direct one takes 9 h 20 min and the single fare starts at 529 SEK / €59. The bus which leaves at 5:20 pm. takes 14 h and the single fare starts at 449 SEK / €50. On the way back, catch the direct bus at 8:35 a.m. and the indirect ones at 10:10 am and 9:05 p.m. The fares are not always the same as they depend on when you travel and when you book the ticket.
  • Eurolines : operates a bus per day between the two capitals, every other day and it leaves Stockholm at 1:45 p.m. The travel time is 9 h 45 min and the single fare is 385 DKK / €52.

Driving from Copenhagen to Stockholm

You can rent a car and drive between the two capitals without any problems. Both countries are members of the EU and Schengen so you won’t pay any surcharges for crossing the border. However, do ask the rental company if you are allowed to cross the border with the rental car.

The shortest route is on E4. The 658 km can be tackled in about 7 hours (of course, it depends on the traffic).

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Photo credits : Stockholm Airport ; Stockholm train station

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Featured Articles Sweden Things to Do

Top Ten Museums in Stockholm

There are more than 100 museums in Stockholm to choose from, but here is a selection. See websites for admission and opening hours.

1. The Vasa Museum (Djurgården) – The world’s only intact 17th century ship, the Vasa, which sank on her maiden voyage in Stockholm’s habor in 1628.

2. Moderna Museet (Skeppsholmen) – Contemporary art from 1900, and photography from the 1840s. The permanent collection includes works by artists such as Duchamp, Picasso, Dalí and Matisse.

3. The National Museum (Blasieholmshamnen, next to the Grand Hotel) – The national gallery and Sweden’s largest art museum. More than 16,000 paintings and sculptures and an extensive collection of applied art, design and industrial design dating back to the 14th century.

4. The Nordic Heritage Museum – Swedish and Scandinavian cultural history.

5. Stockholm City Museum – History and development of the Swedish capital. Free admission.

6. Skansen (Djurgården) – Open air museum with historical buildings, a zoo and an aquarium. Open year round.

7. Ethnographic Museum (Djurgården). Rotating exhibitions on various world cultures.

8. Junibacken (Djurgården). The kids will love this real-life rendition of Astrid Lindgren’s stories. Meet Pippi Longstocking and the rest of the gang.

9. Nobel Museum (Gamla Stan). Located in the old Stock Exchange building in Stortorget, the big square in the Old Town. Learn all about the great minds who have won the prestigious Nobel Prize awarded in Stockholm every December.

10. Abba Museum. It’s not opening until June 2009, but tickets have already gone on sale to see this tribute to the most famous Swedish pop stars of all time.

Photo by: AbhijeetVardhan