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Arctic Circle Train- Stockholm to Narvik

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Techniquest

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Starting in April 2017, there will be five airlines flying between Arlanda and London (SAS and BA to Heathrow, Norwegian to Gatwick, Easyjet and Monarch to Luton), so there should be no need to fly to Västerås or Skavsta.

Excellent, worth bearing that in mind. Monarch is a required airline, and Luton a required airport. Hmm, that may sway my research...

Thanks for the heads up!
 
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Blillpers

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It would be rude not to do a trip report Tech ;)

I've just taken a look at flights and they could work out cheaper and less risky in terms of time and connections, but it would remove some of the fun of the trip for me. However, what does look like a better option is doing the circular route from Norway heading back into Sweden to Sundsvall and then flying to Stockholm Arlanda airport from there. Good idea and thanks for the suggestion.

Not really any point in flying Sundsvall - Arlanda (I didn't even know there were still such flights) as it's just over 3 hours on the train, and the Arlanda station is directly beneath the terminals.

If you do the circular trip through Norway, you'll get plenty of scenery. I've never done the Nordland line Bodö - Trondheim, but all I've heard is that it's very scenic. As a big plus, it's diesel operated by Di4 class locos. Their sound is outstanding... ;)

Going back from Trondheim to Sundsvall should be straightforward, you'll be on an NSB DMU from Trondheim to the border station in Storlien and then on a Swedish EMU. You could also transfer to a Stockholm bound long distance service in Östersund or Ånge and go directly to Arlanda from there. You will be making a shortcut between Ånge and Gävle, bypassing Sundsvall entirely. I personally find this line more interesting and more scenic. Some of the services are also loco hauled.

This map could be useful: http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting...eninsulas-network/scandinavian-peninsulas.gif

The Norrland sleepers will be using the new coast line between Sundsvall and Umeå, the classic main line inland sadly has no more passenger service. It's outstanding scenery wise.
 
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JonasB

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I agree that flying from Sundsvall to Stockholm on the return trip might mot be the best idea, door to door it's not that much faster than the train. And since there is no public transport to the airport you will either have to walk the last kilometre from the closest bus stop, or take a taxi which might be a bit expensive.

If time is an issue and you plan to end your round trip in the area I suggest you fly back to Stockholm from Östersund or Trondheim instead (both airports are easily reached with public transport), depending on how important the Trondheim-Östersund line is for you. Trondheim Airport (Værnes) is very close to Hell, so if you have some time while waiting for your flight you can spend it at Hell railway station.
 

oscarhoney

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look forward to reading your post on your journey. I am currently researching for just such a trip, followed by boat trip to Bergen and flam railway journey to Oslo. Visited Norway last year and found trains comfortable.
Good luck
 

Iskra

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Good evening all, an update.

I have now purchased my tickets for this trip and this is what I have planned, no doubt some of you will think I'm crazy, but oh well...

Monday:

0841 Arlanda C - Sundsvall C 11.49 1st Class with breakfast. Express train.
1208 Sundsvall C - Umea East 14:58. Regional Train.
(Explore Umea)
2229 Umea East - Ornskoldsvik C 2334. Regional Train.

Tuesday

0044 Ornskoldsvik C - Narvik 1229. Sleeper Train. Shared 3 bed sleeper berth.
(Quick look around Narvik, depending on the arrival time)
1515 Narvik - Stockholm C 0915. 1st Class Private berth with shower.

Wednesday

(Explore Central Stockholm)
Train to Arlanda C at leisure.

This itinery allows me to see some of Sweden, while taking in the train travel which I enjoy. I won't have much time in Narvik but I will return to Norway another time, so that is not that important for me on this trip.
 

Techniquest

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I'll be able to tell you more about Norway in just under 2 weeks, once I come back from my visit! Looks like one beast of a trip you're embarking on, and I can't put into words how jealous I am.

Stockholm, how long are you there for? I would highly recommend a visit to the Old Town as it's a nice area to spend a couple of hours. The Globe (I can't remember it's proper name right now) gives you amazing views of Stockholm too on a nice day and the whole experience is worth it on its own.

The city centre itself I don't remember much of, so it can't have really struck me as worth seeing! The Metro is well run though and is my second favourite Metro-style operation in the world so far. Top is obviously London, Vienna follows in after Stockholm and Brussels, with New York only just beating my mid-2000s experience of Paris. Well worth a visit and I found the 24/48/72 hour passes to be very good value for money.

Oh yes, there's a good reason for using the Metro in Stockholm, the rather incredible artwork at some of the stations. Two of them stand out the most, but without finding all my photos on Flickr (I'm about to head to bed otherwise I'd link them) I don't have the names. Remind me if you don't find them (unsurprisingly I'm 43002 on Flickr) and I'll look tomorrow afternoon.
 

Billy A

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The old town of Stockholm is called Gamla Stan and is very nice

Gamla Stan just means Old Town, it's not a name as such and has I think being popularised by the tourist authorities.
Anyway, yes it's very nice if you can avoid high season when it can be heaving.
 

JonasB

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Gamla Stan just means Old Town, it's not a name as such and has I think being popularised by the tourist authorities.
Anyway, yes it's very nice if you can avoid high season when it can be heaving.

Gamla stan is the official name since 1980, before that it was called Staden mellan broarna (The Town between the Bridges), in my opinion a much better name.

It is a very "touristy" place, but still worth a visit. Västerlånggatan, one of the main streets, is worth a visit. But the shops are unfortuneatly mostly tourist traps, although there are exceptions to that rule.
 

JonasB

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Good evening all, an update.

I have now purchased my tickets for this trip and this is what I have planned, no doubt some of you will think I'm crazy, but oh well...

Monday:

0841 Arlanda C - Sundsvall C 11.49 1st Class with breakfast. Express train.
1208 Sundsvall C - Umea East 14:58. Regional Train.
(Explore Umea)
2229 Umea East - Ornskoldsvik C 2334. Regional Train.

Tuesday

0044 Ornskoldsvik C - Narvik 1229. Sleeper Train. Shared 3 bed sleeper berth.
(Quick look around Narvik, depending on the arrival time)
1515 Narvik - Stockholm C 0915. 1st Class Private berth with shower.

Wednesday

(Explore Central Stockholm)
Train to Arlanda C at leisure.

Any reason for booking tickets to Umeå Ö (East) instead of Umeå C (Central station)? Umeå Ö is closer to the university and the hospital, but if you want to see the town, Umeå C seems like the natural choice.
 

Iskra

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You should look out of the train at Kiruna

Thank you, I shall do.

I'll be able to tell you more about Norway in just under 2 weeks, once I come back from my visit! Looks like one beast of a trip you're embarking on, and I can't put into words how jealous I am.

Stockholm, how long are you there for? I would highly recommend a visit to the Old Town as it's a nice area to spend a couple of hours. The Globe (I can't remember it's proper name right now) gives you amazing views of Stockholm too on a nice day and the whole experience is worth it on its own.

The city centre itself I don't remember much of, so it can't have really struck me as worth seeing! The Metro is well run though and is my second favourite Metro-style operation in the world so far. Top is obviously London, Vienna follows in after Stockholm and Brussels, with New York only just beating my mid-2000s experience of Paris. Well worth a visit and I found the 24/48/72 hour passes to be very good value for money.

Oh yes, there's a good reason for using the Metro in Stockholm, the rather incredible artwork at some of the stations. Two of them stand out the most, but without finding all my photos on Flickr (I'm about to head to bed otherwise I'd link them) I don't have the names. Remind me if you don't find them (unsurprisingly I'm 43002 on Flickr) and I'll look tomorrow afternoon.

I'll look out for your Norway report, what have you got planned? I've not been to Scandinavia proper before, only Iceland and St. Petersburg, it's a place that I've always wanted to go to so I'm really looking forward to my visit.

Only one day in Stockholm, but if I like it I can return another time. I will definitely check out the old town as that is very much my scene being a bit of a history buff. I'll try the Metro too, I just googled images of some Stockholm metro stations and they do look amazing.

Any reason for booking tickets to Umeå Ö (East) instead of Umeå C (Central station)? Umeå Ö is closer to the university and the hospital, but if you want to see the town, Umeå C seems like the natural choice.

A booking engine quirk I think. Thank you for pointing that out. Google says they are 2km apart, I may get off at one and walk to the other.
 

JonasB

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Thank you, I shall do.

I'll look out for your Norway report, what have you got planned? I've not been to Scandinavia proper before, only Iceland and St. Petersburg, it's a place that I've always wanted to go to so I'm really looking forward to my visit.

Only one day in Stockholm, but if I like it I can return another time. I will definitely check out the old town as that is very much my scene being a bit of a history buff. I'll try the Metro too, I just googled images of some Stockholm metro stations and they do look amazing.

There is a ton of things I could recommend if you are interested in history, but it will be hard to squeeze them into one day of exploring. But Gamla stan is a good start, with the parliament close by on a seperate island. If you are there during lunchtime there is the changing of the guards at the Royal Palace every day at 12.15 (13.15 on Sundays and holidays).

When you are done in Gamla stan, take the ferry to Djurgården and visit the Vasa museum. A nice museum, not only about the ship but about life in the 17th century in general.

A booking engine quirk I think. Thank you for pointing that out. Google says they are 2km apart, I may get off at one and walk to the other.

There is a good chance the train staff won't mind if you stay in the train and alight at Umeå C instead. If the weather is good, the walk along the river is nice. But in case of rain, or worse (sleet, hail or snow is possible in april), the train is nicer.

If you need something to do in Umeå, the art museum is worth a visit. And Kafé Stationen is a good place for a fika.

One hour around midnight in Örnsköldsvik will probably not be the most exciting part of your trip, but it will give you time to check out the railway station that is built over the lower part of a ski jumping hill.
 

Bald Rick

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+1 for the Vasa museum.

For Norway / Sweden in general - have a healthy bank account before go.
 

Techniquest

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Norway entails a quick spin around Oslo and then a trip up one of the branches beginning with A on the west coast of Norway. Only a short visit to Norway but it will give me a good insight into the country before any future visits :)
 

Zerothebrake!

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Anyone interested in doing the big booming Henschel diesels that work from Trondheim to Bodo will need to go fairly soon as they are not going to be fitted with the new in cab signalling equipment that will be required from 2019. The Norweigan Govt are also considering tenders for several lines too -- and the Bodo line is second up for bidding after Kristiansand.
 

Iskra

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Thank you for the recommendations all.

There is a ton of things I could recommend if you are interested in history, but it will be hard to squeeze them into one day of exploring. But Gamla stan is a good start, with the parliament close by on a seperate island. If you are there during lunchtime there is the changing of the guards at the Royal Palace every day at 12.15 (13.15 on Sundays and holidays).

When you are done in Gamla stan, take the ferry to Djurgården and visit the Vasa museum. A nice museum, not only about the ship but about life in the 17th century in general.



There is a good chance the train staff won't mind if you stay in the train and alight at Umeå C instead. If the weather is good, the walk along the river is nice. But in case of rain, or worse (sleet, hail or snow is possible in april), the train is nicer.

If you need something to do in Umeå, the art museum is worth a visit. And Kafé Stationen is a good place for a fika.

One hour around midnight in Örnsköldsvik will probably not be the most exciting part of your trip, but it will give you time to check out the railway station that is built over the lower part of a ski jumping hill.

Thank you for the advice, it sounds like there is plenty to do then. Yes, Ornskoldsvik was always going to be a dull hour, so it's good to hear that the station is at least quite unique.

Norway entails a quick spin around Oslo and then a trip up one of the branches beginning with A on the west coast of Norway. Only a short visit to Norway but it will give me a good insight into the country before any future visits :)

Sounds a good plan, enjoy.
 

JonasB

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Thank you for the advice, it sounds like there is plenty to do then. Yes, Ornskoldsvik was always going to be a dull hour, so it's good to hear that the station is at least quite unique.

Building the Botnia Line through Örnsköldsvik was quite a challenge due to the hilly terrain, so the station itself is a least a bit more interesting than average. But if you're bored (or cold), there is a Max 300 m north of the station open until midnight.

And for some railway history, the old railway station in Örnsköldsvik can be found about 400 m south of the new station.
 

JonasB

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Another thing that struck me if you are interested in older history. On the train north from Arlanda, look to the left after Uppsala and you will see the old viking burial mounds in Gamla Uppsala, about 4 km north of Uppsala central station (If you had had more time, I would have suggested you visit them). A view that will soon disappear as the rail line through Gamla Uppsala is being replaced with a tunnel.
 

Iskra

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Thank you Jonas, that's very interesting.

I fly out to Sweden on Easter Sunday so the excitement is starting to build now.
 

JonasB

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STEVIEBOY1

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Hi all, I'm planning what looks like a rather interesting rail journey during some time I have planned in Sweden in April. I'm looking to travel from Stockholm, Sweden to Narvik, Norway which is inside the arctic circle. I'm looking to use the direct sleeper train which takes around 20 hours. I have a few queries:


Hi, did you do your trip in Sweden and from Sweden to Narvik? How was it?

As mentioned before, I am doing similar journeys later this month all being well.

How did you find the cost of living in those two countries, I know they are more expensive than in the UK, how much should I allow for lunch time snacks/sandwiches and evening dinners, drinks etc.

Many Thanks.
 

Iskra

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Hi, yeah I did the trip. Thanks to everyone who offered advice in this thread.

A full write-up can be found in my trip report thread: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=108357&page=13

In terms of cost, it is generally only a little bit more expensive than England. However, prices are higher in Stockholm, and alcohol is extremely expensive throughout. It is possible to get by cheaply, just apply the same logic as you would in England- i.e. avoid touristy or upmarket restaurants. I would also recommend visiting a supermarket to buy provisions more cheaply than on the train. The food on the sleeper is okay, but nothing to rave about and you pay a bit of a premium as you are a captive audience.

Enjoy your trip, and if you have any more questions feel free to post them here.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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Hi, yeah I did the trip. Thanks to everyone who offered advice in this thread.

A full write-up can be found in my trip report thread: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=108357&page=13

In terms of cost, it is generally only a little bit more expensive than England. However, prices are higher in Stockholm, and alcohol is extremely expensive throughout. It is possible to get by cheaply, just apply the same logic as you would in England- i.e. avoid touristy or upmarket restaurants. I would also recommend visiting a supermarket to buy provisions more cheaply than on the train. The food on the sleeper is okay, but nothing to rave about and you pay a bit of a premium as you are a captive audience.

Enjoy your trip, and if you have any more questions feel free to post them here.

Thank you for the info and I shall read your write up later. Yes I am looking forward to my trip.

Rgds Steve.
 

JonasB

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How did you find the cost of living in those two countries, I know they are more expensive than in the UK, how much should I allow for lunch time snacks/sandwiches and evening dinners, drinks etc.

Many Thanks.

A premade sandwich similar to what you would find at Tesco och WH Smith costs around 30-60 kr usually. A fast food lunch can be found for around 40-70 kr, a sit down lunch in a restaurant usually around 60-100 kr. Dinner in a restaurant is more expensive, a cheap restaurant is usually around 150 kr (without drinks). But alcohol costs a lot in restaurant, a beer or a glass of wine usually costs around 50-100 kr. (But, expensive whiskey can actually be cheaper in Sweden than in Scotland.)
 

STEVIEBOY1

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A premade sandwich similar to what you would find at Tesco och WH Smith costs around 30-60 kr usually. A fast food lunch can be found for around 40-70 kr, a sit down lunch in a restaurant usually around 60-100 kr. Dinner in a restaurant is more expensive, a cheap restaurant is usually around 150 kr (without drinks). But alcohol costs a lot in restaurant, a beer or a glass of wine usually costs around 50-100 kr. (But, expensive whiskey can actually be cheaper in Sweden than in Scotland.)

Thank you for those guideline prices, very useful.

By the way, on the train north from Trondheim to Bodo and from Narvik to Sweden, is it better to sit on the right or left hand side of the train, back or facing the direction of travel and does the train from Trondheim go right along the coastline?
 

30907

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Thank you for those guideline prices, very useful.

By the way, on the train north from Trondheim to Bodo and from Narvik to Sweden, is it better to sit on the right or left hand side of the train, back or facing the direction of travel and does the train from Trondheim go right along the coastline?

Years since Ive done this but IIRC:
left for coastal and lake views, but both are good.
I prefer a facing seat anywhere apart from an observation car or similar.
No it doesn't, mainly inland though there are several fjord sections on the southern half

I recommend a look at an online map to make your own judgement. I just have, hence the edits - using the night train south as I did meant I missed some of the fjords!
 
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JonasB

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Thank you for those guideline prices, very useful.

By the way, on the train north from Trondheim to Bodo and from Narvik to Sweden, is it better to sit on the right or left hand side of the train, back or facing the direction of travel and does the train from Trondheim go right along the coastline?

On the train from Narvik to Sweden I'd recommend the north side of the train (left side when travelling from Narvik). Don't know about the train from Trondheim to Bodø but the railway doesn't exactly go right along the coastline, the coastline is far from a straight line but rather covered with fjords and peninsulas. And the terrain is very mountainous so the railways usually follows the valleys.
 

Zerothebrake!

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A window seat on the left in the direction of travel would be best for both journeys - certainly leaving Narvik, although if you want a picture of the triangular sign that denotes crossing the Arctic circle itself, you'll need to be on the right hand side (but the conductor normally announces this over the tannoy on the approach to the visitor centre there and the train actually slows down too).Enjoy the experience.
 

alex17595

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I went from Bergen - Bodo back in March and sat on the left side and you go some views of the sea, I don't recall missing much on the other side. I didn't spend 10 hours looking out of the right hand side though.

I do recommend the extra £8 for Komfort Class though, I went through about 5 hot chocolates and they brought some rolls in as well. In the area where you get your drinks there is a window on either side that you can stand and look out or take photos.
 
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