Getting around · Stockholm · Sweden
Getting around Stockholm
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Central Stockholm is compact and walkable, and SL runs an integrated network of metro, commuter trains, trams, buses and some ferries on one ticket. Tickets are digital or card-based, and cash is not accepted on board. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- ARN, BMA, NYO
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- SL travel cards
Ways to get around
Metro
The tunnelbana has three main lines (green, red and blue) meeting at T-Centralen, with trains every few minutes. It reaches Gamla Stan, Södermalm, Östermalm and the Woodland Cemetery.
Pay with a contactless bank card at the gates or buy tickets in the SL app; there are no cash sales.
Walking
From Central Station to Gamla Stan takes about 10 minutes, and from Gamla Stan to Djurgården about 25 minutes along the waterfront.
Ferry
The Djurgården ferry from Slussen to Djurgården is included in SL tickets and is the most scenic way to reach the museums. Other SL commuter boats cross the inner harbour.
Tram
Tram line 7 runs from T-Centralen along Strandvägen to Djurgården's museums, and the Lidingö line serves Millesgården's island.
Bus
Buses cover areas between metro lines and run through the night when the metro is closed.
Boat
Archipelago boats operated by Waxholmsbolaget and private companies leave from Strömkajen and Strandvägen for Vaxholm, Fjäderholmarna, Sandhamn and other islands.
Cycling
Cycle paths are extensive and well marked, and electric bikes and scooters can be rented by app; Djurgården is especially pleasant by bike.
Tickets and passes
SL travel cards
24-hour, 72-hour and 7-day tickets cover unlimited metro, trams, buses, commuter trains and SL ferries within the region.
Waxholmsbolaget island hopping card
A multi-day pass for unlimited travel on Waxholmsbolaget's archipelago boats, useful for exploring several islands.
From the airport
Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) is about 40 km north of the city. The Arlanda Express train reaches Stockholm Central in about 20 minutes; commuter trains take about 40 minutes and airport coaches about 45. Bromma (BMA), about 8 km west, handles mainly domestic flights, and Skavsta (NYO), used by low-cost airlines, is about 100 km south, around 80 minutes by coach.
Do you need a car?
No. Public transport, ferries and walking cover the city, and congestion charges and parking costs make driving expensive. A car is only useful for exploring rural Sweden.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Drottningholm Palace | About 1 hour by boat, or 30–40 minutes by metro and bus | Summer boat from Stadshusbron, or metro to Brommaplan then bus |
| Fjäderholmarna | About 25 minutes by boat | Ferry from Strandvägen or Slussen (mainly in summer) |
| Vaxholm | About 1 hour by boat or 50 minutes by bus | Archipelago boat from Strömkajen or bus from Tekniska högskolan |
| Uppsala | About 40 minutes by train | Train from Stockholm Central |
| Sigtuna | About 1 hour by train and bus | Commuter train to Märsta, then bus |
| Mariefred and Gripsholm Castle | About 1 hour by train and bus; 3.5 hours by steamboat | Train to Läggesta and bus, or summer steamboat from Stadshusbron |
| Sandhamn | About 2–3 hours by boat | Archipelago boat from Strömkajen, or bus and boat via Stavsnäs |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Stockholm?
No. Public transport, ferries and walking cover the city, and congestion charges and parking costs make driving expensive. A car is only useful for exploring rural Sweden.
+How do you get from the airport to Stockholm?
Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) is about 40 km north of the city. The Arlanda Express train reaches Stockholm Central in about 20 minutes; commuter trains take about 40 minutes and airport coaches about 45. Bromma (BMA), about 8 km west, handles mainly domestic flights, and Skavsta (NYO), used by low-cost airlines, is about 100 km south, around 80 minutes by coach.
+What is the best way to get around Stockholm?
Metro: The tunnelbana has three main lines (green, red and blue) meeting at T-Centralen, with trains every few minutes. It reaches Gamla Stan, Södermalm, Östermalm and the Woodland Cemetery.