STOCKHOLM PUBLIC TRANSPORT: A COMPLETE TOURIST’S GUIDE

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden—a beautiful and vibrant city that is built on 14 islands. Well, next to the services of an interesting city to walk around in, Stockholm has a good and reliable public transport system; real ease of travel for locals and tourists. This guide will help you make the most of public transport in Stockholm on your first visit.

Stockholm Public Transportation is controlled by: SL (Storstockholms Lokaltrafik)

• Tunnelbana (Metro/Underground): This is basically what holds public transport in Stockholm together, with its three main lines—green, red, and blue.
• Pendeltåg (Commuter trains): It runs through the city center to the outer suburbs and other cities nearby.
• Buses: Serve the areas where there is no metro or suburban train.
• Trolleys: Among them, the tremendously popular Djurgården line, highly useful for the tourist areas.
• Ferries: Very good way to get in between Stockholm’s islands.
• Light Rail: The Tvärbanan, which travels in a circle through different parts of the city.

Tickets and Costs
To travel on public transportation in Stockholm, you will need an SL ticket or the SL Access card. Cash payment is not accepted on board, so it is very important to buy your tickets beforehand, or through the SL app.

• Personalized Tickets: They are valid for 75 minutes from the time of activation and cost about 39 SEK for adults and 26 SEK for children and seniors. Purchase one-way tickets through the SL app, at a ticket machine, or from an SL Center located in major stations.
• Travel Tickets: For frequent users of public transportation, travel cards are the best option. Travel cards are available for:
  • Daily: Adults: SEK 165.
  • 72 hours: 330 SEK for adults.
  • 7 days: SEK 450 for adults.
  • These cards entitle one to travel freely during the period transferred onto all types of SL service: the metro, buses, trams, etc.
• SL Access Card: It’s a rechargeable card for the fee, which you can use on further journeys. The cost of the card is 20 SEK; it will be valid for quite a long time, and you can replenish it with single tickets or travel cards.

Discounts: There are discounted tickets for children, students, and seniors. Free entrance for children under 7 years old when accompanied by a paying adult.

• SL Application: The SL app is one of the simplest ways to purchase tickets. Within a few seconds, one can buy and activate their ticket, which would have otherwise taken time queuing at the machines.
• Ticket Vending Machines: They are found at the metro stations, important bus stops, and commuter train stations. These machines accept payments in card and even in mobile form.
• SL Centres and C-Stores: You can also buy the tickets through SL Centers that are present at main stations like T-Centralen, Slussen, and Sergels Torg, or through convenience stores like Pressbyrån and 7-Eleven.

The Tunnelbana, or Stockholm Metro, is by far the simplest way to navigate the city. With more than one hundred stations spread over three lines, it takes care of most big tourist spots and central areas in Stockholm.

• Green Line: Runs from T19 to T17 through the suburbs to T18. Some stops include Gamla Stan (Old Town) and Slussen.
• Red Line (T13, T14): From Norsborg to Ropsten and Fruängen to Mörby Cent.
• Blue Line (T10, T11): Links Kungsträdgården.

Each station is marked with a blue “T” sign, with trains running frequently every 5 to 10 minutes during peak times. Another attraction of Tunnelbana is art. More than 90 of the stations feature beautiful artwork, making it one of the longest art exhibitions in the world.

And for going to places where the metro does not reach, a large bus network serves Stockholm. The lines are closely integrated with the metro stations, and many of them reach into residential neighborhoods.

• Buses run very densely in central Stockholm. They operate in dense successions during weekdays, with another more sparse schedule during nights and weekends.
• Buses are still in operation at night when the metro is not running.
• Card readers have been installed on all buses, therefore you can just swipe your SL Access card when getting on board.

Stockholm’s trams are a scenic mode of transportation in parts of the city. Among the tram lines favored by tourists, Djurgårdslinjen (Line 7) goes from Sergels Torg to Djurgården, an island within the city limits that houses the Vasa Museum, Skansen, and Gröna Lund.
This light rail line traverses several suburbs and runs through uncovered metro areas, making it a good option to move around many portions of the city outside the central area.

The Pendeltåg connects central Stockholm with outlying suburbs and neighboring cities. If you would like to travel to places like Uppsala or Södertälje, the commuter train is your best bet.

One important point to note regarding the Pendeltåg is that it also services Arlanda Airport. While a premium is charged for alighting at Arlanda, this proves a useful service in accessing the airport.

As the public transportation system in the island-based city of Stockholm, the SL-operated ferries service important islands like Djurgården, Skeppsholmen, and Hammarby Sjöstad.

With your regular SL ticket, most ferries within the city are often a fun and scenic way to move around.

The SL app is one of the best tools for navigating public transport. It enables you to plan your journey, buy tickets, and check live departure times. You can input your destination and the app will show you the fastest way to get there using any combination of public transport.

• Download the app for SL to make purchasing tickets and planning your travels easier.
• Make sure you tap your SL card at the card readers as you enter metro stations or board buses and trams.
• And if you’ll be spending more than a day, it could save you even more to purchase a 24-hour, 72-hour, or 7-day pass.
• Try, at all costs, to avoid the rush hours between 7 AM and 9 AM and from 4 PM to 6 PM, when public transport becomes crowded.
• Many stations are equipped with an elevator or an escalator, but it is always a good idea to check if your station has these things for accessibility if you travel with luggage or have mobility issues.

With this guide in hand, learning to navigate the city just like the locals do is right before your eyes.

If you’re planning to go to Arlanda to travel to your next destination, don’t forget to check our article about how to go to Arlanda airport in the most affordable or the fastest way.