Stockholm: Getting there & around

Stockholm's Arlanda airport is 45km (28mi) north of the city centre. Skyways and SAS have comprehensive networks of domestic flights. International air services to Copenhagen, Oslo, Bergen, Helsinki, Reykjavik and St Petersburg are run by SAS. Finnair flies to Turku, Vaasa and Tampere, and there are around 15 flights per day to Helsinki. British Airways, Air France, KLM and Lufthansa also have regular European services.

Long-distance buses use Cityterminalen, next to Centralstationen. Here you'll find the Busstop ticket office, which represents the big lines such as Swebus Express, Eurolines, Svenska Buss and the cheaper Säfflebussen, along with many of the direct buses to the north.

Stockholm is the hub for national services run by Sveriges Järnväg (SJ). Direct trains to/from Copenhagen, Osla, Storlien (for Trondheim) and Narvik arrive and depart from Centralstationen (Stockholm C), as do the SL pendeltåg commuter sevices that run to/from Nynäshamn, Södertälje and Märsta.

Silja Line ferries depart for Helsinki and Turku from Värtahamnen. Viking Line ferries sail to Turku and Helsinki from the terminal at Tegelvikshamn. Rail passes give a 50% discount on these services.

Sweden has an extensive railway network, and trains are certainly the fastest way to get around. There are four long-distance train operators in Sweden, but the national network of Sveriges Järnväg covers most of the main lines. Exceptions are the overnight trains from Stockholm to Boden and Narvik, and the summer-only line from Boden to Haparanda, run by Tågkompaniet. Several counties run regional länstrafik train networks.

Driving in central Stockholm is not recommended; traffic is chaotic and fuel and parking are expensive. Illegally parked cars will get a fine; those deemed dangerous will be towed more than 17km (10.5mi) out of town at the owner's expense.

Taxis can be hailed from the kerb and are easy to find on busy streets or in front of bars at closing time. Cabs that are on duty have a lit 'taxi' sign on their roof. Most drivers speak at least some English, but if your Swedish is shaky it helps to have an address written down.

Sweden is a flat country, and it's ideal for cycling (from May to September at least). Cycling is an excellent way to look for points of interest in and around Stockholm, such as prehistoric sites, rune stones, parish churches and quiet spots for free camping.