Stockholm

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is a dynamic and cosmopolitan city spread over 14 islands, connected by more than 50 bridges. Stockholm is mainly famous for its outstanding architecture, rich culture, well preserved history and beautiful waterfronts. It can offer the right mix of old and new, tradition and innovation alike, which explains why so many students and visitors from other countries come to this place. 

Explore Gamla Stan (old town): 
“The Town between the Bridges” is in the heart of Stockholm. You can wander through cobblestone streets and admire the beautiful architecture. On its main square, at Stortorget, you can visit the famous Nobel Prize Museum. On the edge of the island, there is the Royal Palace, which is the official residence of the king. 

Visit Museums: 
The Vasa Museum, ABBA Museum, and Fotografiska are must-sees for history and art enthusiasts. 

Enjoy Nature: 
Take a stroll in Djurgården or visit one of Stockholm’s many parks and nature reserves. 

Experience Fika: 
Enjoy coffee and pastries at cozy cafes while soaking in Swedish culture. 

Island Hopping: 
Take a ferry and explore the stunning Stockholm Archipelago. 

Don’t Skip Paying for Tickets: 
Public transport is efficient but requires a valid ticket. Random checks are common, and fines are hefty. 

Don’t Be Too Loud: 
Swedes value calm and quiet, especially in public spaces like buses and libraries. 

Avoid Littering: 
Stockholm is a clean city, and proper waste disposal is expected. 

Don’t Forget Layers: 
The weather can change quickly, so dress in layers to stay comfortable. 

Getting around Stockholm is pretty easy since they have a really good transport network. Stockholm often gets rated as having one of the top public transport systems globally. The public transport is mainly run by this company called Storstockholms Lokaltrafik, mostly just referred to as SL. They handle many services like buses, the metro (Tunnelbana), commuter trains, light rails, and even ferries for commuters. Plus, SL has a single ticketing system for everything, which makes it easy to use. You can find more information in the Wikipedia page and in the official SL website. 

Using your credit card – recommended for rare usage 
Just tap your contactless credit card or your phone to pay for a single ticket, which is 42 kr. A single ticket’s good for 75 minutes, and you can use it for as many trips as you want during that time. It works on the automatic barriers in the metro, on buses, and on card readers for trams and light rail, plus at commuter train stations. Oh, and you don’t have to touch out after your ride. However, if you can’t show a valid ticket, you may have to pay a penalty of 1500 kr. 

Using the SL app – recommended for longer staying
The SL app makes it convenient tool to handle public transport passes and tickets in Stockholm. You can even buy and store tickets directly in your phone, or you can fill up your purchased green SL smart card (20 kr) with it, which is equivalent of using the app for showing your ticket. It has many ticket options, from single journeys to yearly. There is a discounted category among the ticket prices, but you can only obtain one after getting a student ID (e.g. a Mecenat card). For further information, we recommend checking out the part of SL website about Fares & tickets. 

Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) is the primary international airport serving Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. It is located in between Stockholm and Uppsala, about 40 km away from both. There are plentiful options to get to the city center (Central station and T-centralen) from the airport. Here we show the most common options to do that, starting with the free option and then some fee paying, faster routes: 

Free method 
If you have a valid SL ticket, you can freely use the 579 and 583 to get out from the airport, you have to search for “SkyCity terminal 4 och 5” (“och” means “and” in Swedish), from there about a 10-15 minutes ride you can reach Märsta station, from where you can take the line 41 of the Pendeltåg commuter train. In around less then 40 minutes, your will reach the heart of Stockholm, T-centralen.  

During the late night and the early hours, there is a direct bus from the start to the end point, the bus 593, it comes every hour and take around 45 minutes ride to reach your destination. 

Train 

• Arlanda express – This high-speed train takes you from Arlanda Airport to Stockholm Central Station in only 18 minutes, but a one-way ticket for a youth (18-25 years) cost 160 kr and 340 for an adult. Trains run every 15 minutes during rush hours and every 30 minutes early in the morning or late at night. 

• Pendeltåg by SL – The line 40 is a regular commuter train to/from Uppsala, with it is possible to travel to/from Arlanda. If you have a valid SL-ticket, you only have to pay a supplement fee, which is 135 kr for students and 177 kr for adults.  

• Mälartåg – Just like the Arlanda, it can take you to Central Station in 18 minutes, but with a price of 203 kr for students, and for 218 kr for adults. It leaves in every hour. With Mälartåg’s system, it easier to get around the cities in the range of Stockholm. 

Bus 

• FlixBus– A well-known solution for travellers. This bus comes quite frequent and cost 79 kr and took about around 42-47 minutes to make that journey.  Make sure to check out the current ESN discounts on this webpage, if there any suitable for you! 

• Flygbussarna – Similar to FlixBus, it comes quite frequent, but with a cost of 99 kr for youth (8-25) and for 129 kr for adults (26 or higher) 

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To be continued …