Getting to Stockholm & Getting Around

Stockholm sits on Sweden's east coast, around 800 kilometres by air from northern Germany. From continental Europe, the city is quickest to reach by air, though it can also be reached more sustainably by train and night train, or by car combined with a Baltic ferry. The guides in this section cover the whole journey – from the transfer from Arlanda Airport to the Baltic ferries from Stockholm and getting around once you're there.

Comparing the routes to Stockholm

Which route makes sense depends mainly on your starting point, how much time you have and your budget – here are the main options from Germany, Austria and Switzerland (2026 prices as a guide):

Flying to Arlanda

The main airport is Stockholm-Arlanda (ARN), around 40 kilometres north of the city. Direct flights from Germany run from Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn among others; from Austria, Austrian Airlines and Ryanair fly from Vienna, and from Switzerland SWISS and SAS fly from Zurich and Geneva. The network is denser in summer, but prices are higher too – booking early pays off especially for the light-summer season.

From Arlanda, the fastest way into the centre is the Arlanda Express – non-stop in 18 minutes to Stockholm Central Station, running roughly every 15 minutes for most of the day. Adults (26–64) pay 340 SEK one way and 640 SEK return, young adults (18–25) 160 SEK, and seniors (65+) 210 SEK. Children up to 7 always travel free; children aged 8 to 17 also travel free when accompanied by a paying adult (up to four children per adult). Cheaper alternatives are the Flygbussarna coach (129 SEK, around 40 minutes) and the Pendeltåg commuter train – the guide From Arlanda Airport to the city centre compares all four options, including fixed-rate taxis.

There are also three smaller airports, mainly relevant for budget carriers:

• Bromma (BMA): only about 8 kilometres west of the centre; the Flygbussarna airport coach is currently paused there due to reduced flight traffic.
• Stockholm Skavsta (NYO): around 100 kilometres south-west near Nyköping, now served mainly by Wizz Air along with Norwegian and SkyUp – Ryanair moved to Arlanda back in late 2021. The coach into the centre takes about 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Västerås (VST): around 100 to 110 kilometres west, still a Ryanair-only base with a handful of flights a week; the airport coach to Stockholm C takes about 80 minutes.

At Skavsta and Västerås, the long coach transfer is part of the deal – it can quickly eat into the appeal of an otherwise cheap flight.

By train and night train

If you'd rather travel sustainably with fewer changes, the train works well from Berlin and northern Germany. The Snälltåget night train runs from Berlin via Hamburg, Copenhagen and Malmö straight through to Stockholm; the journey takes around 14 to 15 hours, departing Berlin in the evening and arriving around midday. It runs seasonally – up to six nights a week from late May to late October, four times a week in November, plus selected dates over Advent and around New Year until early January, then a winter break until after Easter. Seats start at 499 SEK, with a private two-berth compartment from 1,999 SEK.

The EuroNight from Berlin and Hamburg still runs daily until the end of August 2026; Swedish state railway SJ then steps back, but operating partner RDC Deutschland continues running the train from September 2026 – likely with fewer weekly departures. Day connections from Munich or Zurich require several changes and make for a long travel day.

By ferry and car

There's no longer a direct ferry from Germany to Stockholm – the former route from Rostock was discontinued in 2023. By sea, you can only reach southern Sweden and continue overland from there:

• Stena Line Kiel–Gothenburg is the most popular option: seven departures a week, an overnight crossing of around 15 hours. As a guide from the booking platforms, foot passengers pay from around 500 SEK (roughly €49), a car with two adults from about 1,800 SEK (roughly €159), with cabins available at a surcharge depending on season. From Gothenburg it's a further roughly 3 hours by train or 4 to 5 hours by car.
• Trelleborg is reached with TT-Line or Stena Line from Rostock (around 6 hours) or Travemünde (around 9 hours), followed by about 6 hours' drive to Stockholm.
• Finnlines Travemünde–Malmö takes around 9 hours; from Malmö it's a further roughly 4.5 hours by train or 5.5 hours by car.

From Stockholm itself, the large Baltic ferries depart for Helsinki, Tallinn, Turku, Åland and Gotland – operators, terminals and prices are covered in the guide Ferries from Stockholm.

If you're driving your own car, the alternative is via the Öresund Bridge through Denmark – from Hamburg, budget roughly 12 to 14 hours of driving time as a rough guide. On weekdays between 06:00 and 18:29, the city centre congestion tax (Trängselskatt) applies: 11 to 45 SEK per pass depending on time of day and season, with a daily cap of 135 SEK in high season (1 March to the day before Midsummer's Eve, and 15 August to 30 November) and 105 SEK off-peak. No tax applies at weekends, on public holidays or in July (except the first five working days); motorcycles are always exempt. Parking is also pricey – on-street parking in the centre costs around 26 to 50 SEK an hour, car parks 75 to 120 SEK, with a full day running to around 400 SEK.

Getting around without a car

You won't need a car for the city itself: the SL network of metro (Tunnelbana), buses, commuter trains and ferries reaches every sight, and the compact centre is best explored on foot anyway. Tickets, frequency and the best ferry routes are covered in the guide Public transport in Stockholm. A quick guide to choosing your route:

• Flying: for short stays, almost always the fastest and often the cheapest option – the obvious choice for a long weekend.
• Train and night train: worthwhile especially from Berlin and northern Germany; watch the season, as the Snälltåget takes a break from early January until after Easter.
• Ferry plus car or train: works well if you want your own car with you and have a bit more time – the crossing becomes part of the trip itself.
• Driving all the way: only makes sense with plenty of time, several people to share the drive, or a planned road trip, since distance, ferry and toll costs all add up.