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How To Get From Stockholm To Kiruna

Sweden's northernmost city, Kiruna is the main tourist hub in Swedish Lapland. Manner up in the Arctic Circle, it's a not bad place to base of operations yourself for trips out into rural Lapland, where you tin become dog-sledding, skiing and become some of the country's best views of the northern lights.

winter in Kiruna

Why visit Kiruna?

Right in the heart of Sami country, Kiruna is a practiced identify to learn more about the traditional culture on a Sami reindeer tour. And of grade there'southward no shortage of other outdoor activities on offer, including water ice-fishing, dog-sledding and snowmobile tours.

In fact, the area around Kiruna boasts 1500km of signposted snowmobile trails, plus around 8000 snowmobiles and 3425 sled dogs, so there are plenty of ways to get effectually the snowy landscape. It's also a brusk distance from one of Sweden'due south best-known tourist sites, the Icehotel.

Rebuilt from local river water ice each winter, staying here  is a existent saucepan-list experience, and so it's worth saving up your pennies and spending the night here if yous can.

Notwithstanding, the almost unusual thing about Kiruna is that it'southward currently being moved some 3km to the east. Right abreast the world's largest hugger-mugger fe ore mine, Kiruna is at risk of falling into the void below, so the unabridged city is being demolished and should be rebuilt in its new location by 2035. Even the church is being dismantled and carefully reassembled in the new town.

For many people the big reason for visiting Kiruna is to see the northern lights. The city is far enough north to offer frequent light shows, and it also has a skillful airport, making it quick and easy to reach from Stockholm.

To get the best views of aurora borealis, though, you'll need to exit the bright lights of Kiruna behind and explore the nearby countryside.

Y'all can either go under your own steam, or accept one of the many tours on offer such every bit this husky tour, or this northern lights photography tour.

Kiruna church in the snow
Pic: Heinz Josef Lücking

How to get to Kiruna

Although it's a very long fashion from Stockholm – some 1230km to be precise – it's however worth making the trip to Kiruna, especially if you make the journeying role of the hazard. Here are the main options:

By train

The cheapest, near comfortable and probably most interesting pick is to take the direct nighttime railroad train which leaves Stockholm'south fundamental station at almost 6pm and arrives in Kiruna at around nine.xxx the following forenoon.

Tickets can be bought online and outset at effectually 465 SEK for a non-changeable, non-refundable seat, or around 845 SEK for a fold-downwardly bunk in a six-seater cabin.

Unless you book a long mode in accelerate, you're likely to pay considerably more for your trip – 1-way fares of 1200 SEK are not unheard of.

The night train is the most comfortable option for getting from Stockholm to Kiruna
Motion picture: Capri Norrman (CC)

If you opt for a sleeping carriage, yous tin choose either a mixed or single-sexual practice motel. If in that location are 2 of you, you may desire to splash out and become a 2-bed motel with its own shower and toilet – access to a lounge and breakfast included – though this will price near double the price of a shared cabin.

A slightly quicker option is to take the day train from Stockholm at near 6.20am which gets into Kiruna some 14 hours subsequently. However, information technology'due south more expensive than the night train, only an hour faster and you'll need to change twice, at Umeå and Boden, so it's merely real advantage is that yous get to admire the passing scenery in the daylight.

Both twenty-four hours and night trains are covered past Interrail and Eurail passes (more on those here), but you volition need to brand a seat or bed reservation in advance.

While Kiruna is in procedure of being moved, trains are running into a temporary station, some 2km north of the metropolis, until the new permanent station is built. Free shuttle buses run from the temporary station to Kiruna jitney station in the metropolis centre.

By airplane

Plane at Kiruna airport
Pic: Markus Bernet (CC)

Of course, the quickest style to Kiruna is by airplane, though it'southward unlikely to be that inexpensive. Information technology'due south a 90-minute flight from Stockholm'due south Arlanda Airport to Kiruna Airdrome, some 10km outside the metropolis. Airport transfer buses run into all flights and accuse effectually 110 SEK for the 15–xx minute journey into the city centre.

Both SAS and Norwegian fly from Stockholm to Kiruna, with at to the lowest degree two flights each 24-hour interval, more in peak season. Sale prices start at around 499 SEK for a single non-refundable, non-changeable flight, but of course in one case you've added baggage, seat reservations and any kind of flexibility you lot'll end up paying considerably more than. 1-way fares of around 1600 SEK are fairly typical, especially at short notice.

By car

If you really fancy a bit of an gamble, renting a auto is a smashing choice. Only be prepared for a very long journeying – driving will take you betwixt 14 and 16 hours, depending on the traffic.

The Höga Kusten is dramatic section of coast along the road from Stockholm to Kiruna
Motion picture: Benjamin Pollmann

Y'all should also expect long stretches with nothing much merely forests to look at, especially if you take the E45 up through the middle of the country.

A slightly quicker alternative is to accept the E4, which roughly follows the coast. It's besides the more than scenic road, passing along the Höga Kusten (or 'High Coast'), the world'due south highest coastline, though a landscape formed during the Ice Age and at present protected past Unesco heritage status.

A good stop-off en route is the Skuleskogen National Park, just a short detour off the E4, where at that place are some awesome hikes and trails, plus dramatic views over the islands and coastline of Gulf of Bothnia.

If y'all're heading n during cold weather, be sure to brush upwardly on these wintertime driving tips.

By omnibus

It's no cheaper than the train, and the journey takes at to the lowest degree 20 hours, so at that place'southward no real advantage to taking the bus. What'south more, there'south no directly autobus between Stockholm and Kiruna, and so you'd end up having to alter at least twice, at Piteå and Luleå.

Taking the bus is really merely an option if you're planning to spend a long time road tripping through Sweden and are happy to build in a couple of overnight stops.

FAQ

How long does it take to get from Stockholm to Kiruna?

The quickest style is to wing, which takes well-nigh 90 minutes. The train takes fourteen–fifteen hours, and the bus a bum-numbing xx hours.

Driving straight through, you can do the journey in nigh 14 hours but, of form, you'll demand to factor in rest stops on the way.

Which is improve, the sleeper train from Stockholm to Kiruna or the twenty-four hour period railroad train?

The sleeper railroad train is cheaper than the day train, specially if you cistron in the fact that you're saving a night'southward accommodation, and it as well goes directly.

Travelling by solar day, you'll accept to change trains twice, though the journey is an hour faster overall.

The twenty-four hours railroad train's existent advantage, even so, is that you go to see all the beautiful scenery that you're passing through.

What is the drive from Stockholm to Kiruna like?

The first stretch from Stockholm to Umeå is along fast dual carriageway for much of the way. Parts of the route are very picturesque, such equally the section between Härnösand and Örnsköldsvik.

However, it's also worth bearing in mind that there are miles of rather dull thruway to cover also, particularly the stretch around Umeå.

Beyond Luleå, the route becomes smaller and quieter, and the scenery  starts to be more interesting with lots of lakes to stop off at, and even ski stops in wintertime.

See too:

Seeing the northern lights in Sweden
Winter activities to try near Kiruna
Domestic dog sledding in Sweden
Northern lights husky tour near Kiruna

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Source: https://www.routesnorth.com/sweden/kiruna/getting-from-stockholm-to-kiruna/

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