Which means of transport to use Sweden?

From the airport to the city centre Sweden

Sweden is accessible by many means, but the fastest way is by plane. The average price of a return flight from Paris to Stockholm with regular airlines is around 200-350 euros. The company Flygbussarna is present in all airports and offers shuttles from the airport to the city center. For these shuttles, there are reduced rates for young people and if you take a return trip rather than a one-way trip. There are also car rental agencies at Stockholm Arlanda and Gothenburg Landvetter airports, as well as in the larger cities. Mabi Hyrbilar is a nationwide, competitively priced company with over 100 rental spaces - www.mabi.se.

Stockholm International Airport, Arlanda: It is located 42 km north of the capital. There are several means of transport to the airport and to Cityterminalen in the center of Stockholm. For 129 SEK (a little less than 13 euros), the Flygbussarna buses take you to the city center in just under an hour. The Arlanda express is much faster, since in 20 minutes you are at the central station, but costs 320 SEK, or almost 35 euros! There are also regular bus connections from Arlanda to Uppsala and Västerås.

Stockholm-Skavsta airport: located in the south of Stockholm, in the municipality of Nyköping, this airport is the specialist of low-cost flights, with notably a big activity of the company Ryanair. However, it takes almost an hour and a half to get to the center of the capital, with the shuttle bus which costs 219 SEK (about 22 euros).

Landvetter in Gothenburg: it takes 30 minutes by bus to reach the center of the city, for 119 SEK.

Arrival by train Sweden

There are several companies that share the Swedish market, mainly based on geographical criteria. The main one is Sveriges Järnväg (SJ) (www.sj.se), but you will also travel with Vy Tåg (www.vy.se) if you go to the north. Regional trains are often faster than buses and sometimes have bicycle compartments (mainly in the south).

The X2000, the Swedish TGV: it connects all major cities in the southern half of the country, and it is much more comfortable than the French TGV! Its second class is the equivalent of our first class; the seats are spacious and soft, carpeting on the floor, large windows..

For long distances, book a berth in a night train: they are very well equipped, especially in the new sleeping cars. For a family (especially with children), it is a very fun experience and a change from the ordinary. For example, a trip from Malmö to Stockholm with a sleeper in a shared compartment in^2nd class costs about 850 SEK, and a sleeper in a private compartment in ^1st class costs about 2,400 SEK (with shower-WC, breakfast and access to the SJ Lounge).

Ticket prices vary depending on the type of train (regional or TGV), the class (^1st or^2nd class), the timetable, and especially if you book in advance (or at the last minute). It is very easy to compare the different fares on the SJ website or app. Students, under 26 and retirees benefit from reduced fares.

InterRail Pass. InterRail Passes are an easy and economical way to travel by train in Europe. There are two options, the Global Pass to visit up to 30 European countries. Alternatively, the One Country Pass is the ideal choice for visiting a single country. You will travel in your own country on the first and last day of your trip. Several rates are available for youth (12 to 27 years old), adults (28 to 59 years old), seniors (60 and over) and families depending on the period you decide to travel. Information on the website en.interrail.eu.

Estimated travel time:

Malmö-Stockholm: 4.5 hours by X2000 and 5 hours by conventional train (617 km).

Gothenburg-Stockholm: 3 hours 20 minutes by X2000 and 4 hours 45 minutes by conventional train (456 km).

Gothenburg-Malmö: 2 hours 20 minutes by conventional train (310 km).

Stockholm-Kiruna: 16 hours by any train (1,374 km).

Arrival by boat Sweden

You can book your seat on the ferry between Germany and Denmark at a travel agency, or just show up at the ferry terminal and wait in line. Even though it is now possible to travel from the mainland to the Scandinavian peninsula via several bridges in Denmark, it is better to take the ferry: it takes less time and does not really cost more.

Many departures are possible to Finland and some others to the Baltic States. Such shuttles exist from Luleå, Umeå, Härnösand and Stockholm. Reservations can be made at authorized travel agencies or at the tourist offices.

Travelling by boat within the country:

Canals. In Sweden, there are waterways that connect the main lakes. An original way to travel between Stockholm and Gothenburg is to take a 4-day cruise on the Göta Canal (cruises are available from the end of May to the end of August). Rederiaktiebolaget Göta Kanal (contact [email protected] and see www.gotacanal.se) offers four multi-day cruises at prices ranging from SEK 5,635 to SEK 28,985 per person, including full board and guided excursions.

Ferry. The Stockholm archipelago has an impressive shuttle network. The ferry is perhaps the most obvious option, and most of the larger islands are served by a regular transport service. Excursions to the archipelago depart directly from downtown Stockholm.

For more information: www.waxholmsbolaget.se - www.stromma.se

Public transport Sweden

In Sweden, the cheapest form of transportation is the bus, which is relatively convenient for reaching the larger cities and even remote corners of the countryside. You can travel both on the long-distance bus network and on one of the regional networks (Länstrafik). The main company was Swebus before it was taken over by Flixbus (www.flixbus.se). It serves nearly 150 destinations in the country. Discounts are available for people under 26, students and seniors. Free tickets for children under 2 years old. Bus4You, formerly Nettbuss (www.bus4you.se), connects to many Swedish cities. All buses have wifi access and electrical outlets.

Only the capital has a subway service, and the cities of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Norrköping also have a streetcar service. The metro is very expensive (39 SEK for a one-way ticket valid for 75 minutes), so if you plan to stay for a while, it is probably more cost-effective to take a weekly pass (430 SEK). Without a ticket, you will be charged a penalty of 1,500 SEK plus the price of a day ticket..

National networks. The Länstrafiken bus network is interdependent with the regional rail system; tickets are valid on regional trains and buses. Bus and train fares are mostly similar; beware that prices may change depending on the period.

Plan your route: Google Maps allows you to define your route and find public transportation. Enter your departure and arrival locations, date and time, and Google will calculate the route. You'll get the bus (or train) number, the duration, the changes... Everything you need! It's quite reliable, but check the date carefully, because if there is no transportation the same day, it automatically switches to the next day, which can lead to mistakes if you are not careful.

Bike, scooters & co Sweden

In Sweden, bicycles are very common and there are bicycle paths in all major cities. Bike rental stores (daily, weekly or otherwise) and self-service bike rental services are readily available.

Electric scooters are a phenomenal success in Stockholm and can be found everywhere in the capital. This service works very efficiently and users are respectful (no scooters thrown in the middle of the sidewalk...). With this machine, one circulates in majority on the cycle tracks, and at a maximum speed of 20 km/h.