Intro
When flying into Stockholm, you will most likely arrive at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. While it is a nice airport and had the most international flight options of the Stockholm area airports, it is just over 40 kilometers from the center of the city, so you will need to find into the city. Thankfully you will have a number of options depending on your preferences and budget.
Arlanda Express
The Arlanda Express is by far the fastest way into central Stockholm. After stopping at Terminals 4 and 5 at the airport, it goes directly to Stockholm Central Station in only 18 minutes. This is a great option if you need to be in the city quickly, particularly if you are trying to go to the central part of the city or if you will continue your trip on Stockholm's public transportation. To find the Arlanda Express, just follow all of the yellow signs which will take you directly to the train platform. As you go, you will see kiosks where you can purchase a ticket, but if you prefer, you can download their app and purchase the ticket on your phone instead. If you are planning ahead, you can also purchase your ticket on their website.
With that said, this is not necessarily the cheapest option. A one-way ticket is currently 320 SEK. However, there are several ways to reduce the cost. If you know you will be returning to Arlanda for your trip home, you can buy a return ticket which costs 600 SEK, saving a total of 40 SEK. Additionally, if you purchase a group ticket, you get a significant discount. On a return trip ticket, groups of 2 save 34%, groups of 3 save 45%, and groups of 4 save 51%. You can book up to 10 tickets in a group, but the ideal group sizes in terms of cost per person for an adult round trip ticket is either a group of 4 or 8 at 310 SEK per person.
In addition to the group discount, there are also a few discount categories. If you are 18-25 years old, you can purchase a youth ticket, which costs 320 SEK for a round-trip ticket as opposed to the 600 SEK adult ticket. If you are 65 or older, you can buy a pensioner ticket, which is 420 SEK. If you are traveling with a child between 8-17, you can buy a child ticket, which is also 320 SEK. Additionally, if you are traveling with a child under the age of 8, your child always travels for free as long as they are riding with an adult.
Pendeltåg
Another option that is more budget-friendly than the options mentioned above is to use the Pendeltåg, which is part of Stockholm's public transportation system. For this, you purchase the standard fare for Stockholm public transportation which is 39 SEK. However, you also have to pay for the airport surcharge, which brings your total up to 171 SEK. To find this you also just follow signs for the Pendeltåg, which is also depicted with a blue J logo. The train is located under SkyCity between terminals 4 and 5.
While this is a cheaper option than options such as the Arlanda Express, it is a slower choice. There are typically departures every 30 minutes, but since there are more stops that it makes, you should expect this option to take 40 minutes to an hour. So the decision comes down to whether you have the time available or if it is worth it to save the extra money that you would spend on the more expensive options.
Bus
Lastly, the most economical option for getting from Arlanda to the city center is to take the airport bus, Flygbussarna. The bus costs 129 SEK for a single ticket. However, there are also group discounts. If you buy a group ticket for 3 or 4 people it is 99 sek per person. The bus currently picks up at Terminals 2/3 and Terminal 4. To find the bus, you just follow the signs for flygbussarna. There are also booths set up where you can purchase a ticket or ask questions about where to get on the bus.
While this option is the cheapest, it does take longer, with an estimated travel time of 45 minutes. As with the taxis, this is highly dependent on traffic. If you are traveling during rush hour, you should expect this journey to take longer. However, if the exact timing is not a concern then the bus could be a very good option.
Ride Share
Another option that will probably come to mind is your favorite ride-share app. As with many airports around the world, this is an option in Stockholm as well. You can follow signs in the airport towards the ride-share area, and also check the app to see the pickup location for your ride-share service. This has the added benefit of dropping you off at your exact destination, which can be nice if you are traveling with heavy bags.
While there is some upsides to this option, there are also some negatives. For one, this is not the cheapest option either. While it is difficult to give an exact estimate, you should consider that you will have to be in traffic, which at certain times of day will add a significant amount of time and cost to your journey.
Taxi
Similar to ride-sharing services, another option for getting into the city is to take a taxi. If you follow the signs in the airport to the taxi stand, you can wait in the queue and get in a taxi. Alternatively, you can book a taxi ahead of time with one of the local taxi services. This also has the added benefit of dropping you off directly at your destination which is nice if you are traveling with heavy bags. There is also a flat rate for the taxi between the airport and central Stockholm. While the price depends on the taxi service you use, it will likely be somewhere around 700 SEK.
However, this has similar downsides to ridesharing services, such as not being a cheap option and having to contend with the traffic in Stockholm, which can add a significant amount of time to your journey.
Summary
There are many good ways to get from Arlanda airport to the center of Stockholm depending on your needs and budget. The quickest option is the Arlanda Express. However, if you are looking to be more economical, it would be better to choose either the bus or the Pendeltåg. While taxis and ride share are also an option, this is the most expensive option.
If you are traveling during rush hour you should probably avoid options where you have to take the roads such as the bus, taxi's and ride shares, as the travel times will increase significantly.
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