Stockholm has one of the best public-transport systems in Europe. It is clean, frequent, punctual, easy to figure out, and it reaches every neighborhood a visitor is likely to care about. Most tourists who land in Stockholm can get from the airport to their hotel, navigate the whole city for a week, and leave again without ever paying for a taxi. This guide explains exactly how.
The system is run by SL (Storstockholms Lokaltrafik), which operates the metro (tunnelbana), buses, trams, commuter trains (pendeltåg), and most ferries under a single ticketing system. There is also the Arlanda Express for the airport, Waxholmsbolaget for the archipelago, and Bolt and Uber if you need a ride. Walking works for a large share of central Stockholm, and cycling works for most of the year.
TL;DR — How to Get Around Stockholm
- From Arlanda Airport: Arlanda Express (18 min, 340 SEK) or Flygbussarna (40 min, 129 SEK). Avoid unbranded taxis.
- In the city: Metro, bus, tram, commuter train, and ferry all share one SL ticket. Contactless tap-and-go works at every gate.
- Best visitor ticket: 72-hour pass (375 SEK) or 7-day pass (450 SEK). Cheaper than buying singles from day one.
- The metro: Three lines — Green, Red, Blue — all meeting at T-Centralen. 10-minute frequency off-peak, 5 minutes at rush.
- Operating hours: Roughly 05:00 to 01:00, with a 24-hour Friday/Saturday night service on metro and some buses.
- Djurgården ferry: Runs from Slussen to the museum island. SL ticket works. Beautiful 10-minute ride.
- Taxis: Use Bolt, Uber, or the Taxi Stockholm app. Never hail a random taxi off the street.
- Cars: Unnecessary for 99% of visitors. Congestion charges apply downtown and parking is punishingly expensive.
The SL System in One Paragraph
SL runs every form of public transport in Greater Stockholm except the Arlanda Express airport train. The entire network is a single zone (Zone A) — one ticket covers the metro, buses, trams, commuter trains, and most ferries. You can pay by tapping a contactless credit card or phone at any gate, by buying a single-use ticket in the SL app, or by using a reloadable SL Access card. The system runs on the honor system outside gated stations: you tap on entry, inspectors check randomly, and the fine for fare-dodging is 1,500 SEK plus the original fare, so don’t.
SL Ticket Prices (2026)
- Single ticket (75 min): 44 SEK via app or contactless (SL Access); 54 SEK from machines
- 24-hour pass: 175 SEK
- 72-hour pass: 375 SEK
- 7-day pass: 450 SEK
- 30-day pass: 1,070 SEK
- SL Access card itself: 20 SEK (one-time purchase)
Kids under 7 travel free. Under-20s and seniors pay reduced fares (roughly 60% of full price). Almost every visitor should buy either the 72-hour pass or the 7-day pass — both cover unlimited travel on everything, and the math only favors single tickets if you’re staying 1–2 days and walking most of the time.
Which pass should you buy? If you’re in Stockholm for three days or fewer, the 72-hour pass (375 SEK) is the sweet spot. For 4–7 days, the 7-day pass (450 SEK) wins easily. Longer than a week — most visitors need to do the math, but the 30-day pass breaks even around 20 rides at the single-ticket rate.
How to Pay — Three Options
1. Contactless card or phone (easiest)
Every SL gate and onboard validator accepts contactless bank cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Tap on entry, tap on exit if the station has an exit gate. You are charged the cheapest valid fare for your journey (normally the 44 SEK single). Tap the same card on every trip and the system caps your spending at the 24-hour or 72-hour rate automatically for many card types. This is the simplest option for most visitors.
2. The SL app
Download the SL app (available on iOS and Android), register, add a card, and buy tickets in seconds. The app is also the best journey planner in Stockholm — it shows real-time departures, walking directions to the right platform, and disruption warnings. Show the digital ticket at manual gates or to inspectors on board.
3. SL Access card
A physical, reloadable plastic card sold at every SL Center (T-Centralen, Slussen, Tekniska Högskolan), every metro station machine, and every Pressbyrån kiosk. Costs 20 SEK empty, then you load a single-trip credit, a 24-hour pass, or any longer pass. Useful for travelers without contactless cards or who prefer not to use the app.
The Stockholm Metro (Tunnelbana)
The tunnelbana is the backbone of Stockholm transport. Three lines — Green, Red, Blue — meet at T-Centralen, the central station, right underneath the main train station (Stockholm Central). Everything in the city is an easy walk or short transfer from a metro stop.
The Three Lines
Green Line (17, 18, 19): Runs east–west across the city, connecting Södermalm, the center, Vasastan, and out to Hässelby and Farsta. The line locals use most.
Red Line (13, 14): Runs south–west to north–east, from Fruängen and Norsborg through T-Centralen out to Mörby Centrum. Best for Gamla Stan (Old Town), Södermalm, and Östermalm.
Blue Line (10, 11): Runs north–west from Kungsträdgården through the city out to Akalla and Hjulsta. Shortest line, but has the most dramatic art.
Every line converges at T-Centralen. The next most useful interchanges are Slussen (southern gateway to Södermalm), Fridhemsplan (Green and Blue meet), and Gamla Stan (Green and Red meet on the Old Town bridge).
Metro Hours and Frequency
The tunnelbana runs roughly 05:00 to 01:00 Monday to Thursday, with 24-hour service on Friday and Saturday nights. Peak frequency is every 2–4 minutes; off-peak is 5–10 minutes; late night on weekend nights drops to every 30 minutes. You will essentially never wait long. The SL app shows real-time departure times at every station.
The Metro as the World’s Longest Art Gallery
The tunnelbana is genuinely a tourist attraction in its own right. Over 90 of its 100 stations are decorated with commissioned art — sculptures, mosaics, rock formations, paintings, light installations — by more than 150 Swedish artists. It’s been called “the world’s longest art gallery,” and it is. The stations worth seeing specifically: T-Centralen (blue line, the iconic blue-and-white rock-face murals), Kungsträdgården (the mossy cavern look that appears in every travel photo), Solna Centrum (the blood-red ceiling with forest scenes), Stadion (the rainbow-arched gates), Rådhuset (raw red cave), and Tekniska Högskolan (the apple of Newton). A one-day ticket and two hours is the classic “art ride” — start at Kungsträdgården, ride out and back, stop at the major stations. Bring a camera.
Buses
Stockholm’s bus network is massive, frequent, and almost entirely invisible to first-time visitors — because the metro covers the central neighborhoods so well. That said, buses matter in three cases: covering the last kilometer in neighborhoods the metro doesn’t reach (parts of Kungsholmen, Södra Djurgården, Kungsträdgården); night service when metro lines are reduced (routes 1–4 are the main “blue buses” that run 24/7 on key corridors); and the tourist bus routes — notably Bus 69, which runs from Sergels Torg out through Djurgården to Blockhusudden and is one of the prettier public-transport rides in the city.
Pay by contactless, app, or SL Access. You board at the front door, tap the reader, and the driver can help if needed. English-speaking drivers are the norm. Press the red button above your seat or by the door when you want to stop.
Trams and Light Rail
There are four tram lines in Stockholm. The two you’re most likely to use: Tvärbanan (line 22), which loops around the southern and western edges of the city and is useful for reaching Liljeholmen and Alvik, and Lidingöbanan (line 21), which runs to the island of Lidingö from Ropsten. More relevant for tourists: Spårväg City (line 7), the heritage-style tram running from T-Centralen along Hamngatan out to Djurgården — passing Skansen, ABBA Museum, Vasa Museum, and Junibacken. It’s slower than walking in a few places but genuinely charming and an easy way to reach the Djurgården museum cluster without changing from bus to ferry.
Ferries and Boats
Stockholm is a city on 14 islands, so water transport is built into the DNA of the system. There are three different ferry networks to know about.
The Djurgården Ferry (Djurgårdsfärjan)
A short, frequent, and essentially free (covered by any SL ticket) ferry between Slussen (southern side of the city) and Allmänna Gränd (Djurgården) via Skeppsholmen. The ride is 10 minutes, runs 3–6 times per hour depending on time of day, and is one of the most-photographed harbor views in Stockholm. It is also the fastest way to reach the Vasa Museum and Skansen from Södermalm or Gamla Stan.
Skeppsholmen is a request stop — tell the crew on boarding if you want to get off, or press the button on the quay if you want to be picked up there. Easy to miss the first time.
Commuter Boats (Pendelbåten)
Line 80 runs a commuter boat between Nybroplan (central) and Ropsten (north), via Nacka Strand and Frihamnen. Line 83 goes between Klara Mälarstrand and Ekerö. Both are part of SL — your regular ticket works. Line 80 is a locals’ secret for skipping traffic on the waterfront, and a cheap pseudo-harbor cruise with working-commuter views.
Waxholmsbolaget (the Archipelago Ferries)
A different operator, a different ticketing system. Waxholmsbolaget runs the year-round archipelago ferries to Vaxholm, Grinda, Sandhamn, Utö, and dozens of smaller islands, departing from Strömkajen (in front of the Grand Hôtel, central Stockholm). Tickets are purchased on board with Visa or Mastercard — cash is not accepted. For multi-island trips there’s a 5-day pass valid on all Waxholmsbolaget boats. Summer frequency is high; winter service drops to 1–2 ferries per day on most routes. See our full archipelago guide for which islands to pick.
Strömma’s Cinderella boats are a privately operated alternative that run summer-only from Nybrokajen to Vaxholm, Grinda, and Sandhamn. They’re faster, prettier, and more expensive than Waxholmsbolaget. Pre-booking recommended in July–August.
Getting to and from Arlanda Airport
Arlanda (ARN) is Stockholm’s main airport, 40 km north of the city. Five real options, ranked by how most visitors should pick:
Arlanda Express (fastest, most comfortable)
18 minutes to/from Stockholm Central Station, every 15 minutes. 340 SEK one-way; round-trip discounts online. Runs 05:00–23:00 most days, reduced evenings. Escalator straight from Terminal 5 arrivals; zero walking. Most expensive per kilometer of any train in Sweden, but by far the fastest option and usually worth it after a long flight.
SL Commuter Train / Pendeltåg (cheapest train option)
The SL pendeltåg runs Arlanda Central to Stockholm Central and onward through the whole city. 40 minutes, every 30 minutes. Base fare is an SL ticket plus a 150 SEK Arlanda station surcharge (total ~177 SEK for adults, 26 SEK for under-20s). Cheaper than Arlanda Express and connects directly to any neighborhood. Not as fast, but the right call if you’re price-sensitive and not jet-lagged.
Flygbussarna (the airport bus)
Flygbussarna runs the airport-coach service from all three Arlanda terminals to Cityterminalen (next to Stockholm Central). 40–50 minutes, every 10–15 minutes at peak, 20–30 off-peak. 129 SEK one-way, online discounts available. Luggage goes underneath; WiFi and USB ports. The classic mid-budget pick — slower than Arlanda Express but half the price and reliable.
Fixed-fare taxi
The contracted airport taxis (Taxi Stockholm, Taxi Kurir, Sverigetaxi) operate to a fixed maximum fare of 800 SEK for 1–4 passengers to central Stockholm, 1,275 SEK for 5–8. Journey time 40–50 minutes depending on traffic. Worth it for four adults with luggage — splits to 200 SEK each, competitive with the train. Only use the contracted ranks at Terminals 2 and 5. Never accept an offer from a driver approaching you inside the terminal — that is how tourists get overcharged 2,000+ SEK for a 600 SEK ride.
Uber / Bolt
Both operate at Arlanda, pickup is from the designated rideshare zone (marked signs at each terminal). Fares typically 450–900 SEK depending on surge pricing. Cheaper than the fixed-fare taxis at quiet times, occasionally higher at peak. The app gives you a guaranteed price, which is the main reason to use them.
What about Bromma Airport (BMA)?
Bromma is Stockholm’s secondary domestic airport, 7 km from the center. Flygbussarna runs a shuttle (119 SEK, 20 minutes to Cityterminalen), and city bus 110 connects to Alvik metro for the price of a single SL ticket. Bolt/Uber are 200–350 SEK into the city.
Skavsta and Västerås — the budget airports
Ryanair and other low-cost carriers sometimes land at Skavsta (100 km south) or Västerås (110 km west), both marketed as “Stockholm” without being remotely near it. Flygbussarna runs coaches from both (149 SEK from Skavsta, 139 SEK from Västerås, 80 and 75 minutes respectively). Factor this into your flight calculus — a cheap Ryanair fare can be entirely consumed by the airport bus.
Night Transport
Stockholm is one of the best European capitals for late-night transit. Metro lines run 24 hours on Friday and Saturday nights, with 30-minute frequencies overnight. On other nights, metro runs until about 01:00. After that, the nattbussar (night buses, numbered 9XX) cover every metro corridor with hourly frequency until morning service resumes. Your regular SL ticket covers all of it. Taxis are the alternative but not a requirement.
Trains Within Sweden
If you’re combining Stockholm with Gothenburg, Malmö, Uppsala, or anywhere else in Sweden, the train is almost always the right answer.
SJ (Statens Järnvägar) — the main operator
Runs the high-speed intercity trains: SJ Snabbtåg to Gothenburg (3 h), Malmö (4.5 h), and Copenhagen (5 h). Book at sj.se — advance fares can be extremely cheap (down to 195 SEK Stockholm–Gothenburg if booked months out), walk-up fares go up to 1,200 SEK. Trains leave from Stockholm Central. Comfort is Scandinavian-efficient — quiet cars, WiFi, decent bistro.
Mälartåg — Regional Trains
Covers Uppsala, Västerås, Eskilstuna, Nyköping and the commuter belt outside SL’s zone. Runs through Stockholm Central. Tickets sold at machines or on the Movingo app.
MTR Express, Snälltåget, Flixtrain
Private competitors on key intercity routes — sometimes meaningfully cheaper than SJ, rarely faster. Worth a price check for Stockholm–Gothenburg and Stockholm–Malmö.
Sleeper Trains
Stockholm–Narvik (the Arctic Circle) via the Norrlandståget and Stockholm–Berlin via Snälltåget are both legitimate summer adventures. Book cabins well in advance.
Cycling in Stockholm
Stockholm is a genuinely good cycling city between April and October. The network of dedicated bike lanes is dense in the center, the car traffic is well-behaved, and the Djurgården-to-Old-Town-to-Kungsholmen waterfront loop is one of the best urban rides in Scandinavia. In winter cycling continues but is mainly a local’s game — ice and dark-by-3pm are not tourist-friendly.
Bike share: Stockholm eBikes is the current city-backed bike-share system (as of 2026), with stations throughout the center. 30-minute unlocks from the app; a daily pass is a better deal for tourists. Voi and Lime run e-scooters citywide — app-based, standard unlock + per-minute pricing, cheap if you’re going 1–3 km but they add up on longer rides. Scooter parking zones are strictly enforced — don’t abandon one mid-sidewalk, you’ll be fined.
Bike rental shops: Rent-a-Bike Stockholm (near Djurgårdsbron), Skepp o’ Hoj (Strandvägen), and the outdoor kiosks on Djurgården are the tourist go-tos. 300–450 SEK per day for a normal bike, 500–700 for an e-bike.
Walking
A surprising share of Stockholm is walkable — more than most visitors realize. Rough walking times from Stockholm Central:
- To Gamla Stan (Old Town): 10–12 minutes
- To Östermalm: 12–15 minutes
- To Södermalm: 15–20 minutes across the Slussen bridges
- To Djurgården (Vasa Museum): 25–30 minutes via the waterfront
- To Kungsholmen: 15 minutes
Many of Stockholm’s best neighborhoods — Gamla Stan, SoFo (on Södermalm), Vasastan — reward walking over transit because you’d miss most of the character at 30 km/h underground. Our things-to-do guide is built around walking clusters for this reason.
Taxis, Uber, and Bolt
Stockholm taxis are the one part of the system where you need to pay attention. Taxi fares in Sweden are not regulated, which means any operator can charge whatever they want as long as it’s printed on a sticker in the window. Unbranded taxis waiting at taxi ranks in touristy areas have been known to charge 3–4x the standard rate. Never get into a taxi without checking the meter and the price-per-kilometer.
The safe options
Taxi Stockholm (yellow cars, biggest fleet, fixed fares available via the app), Taxi Kurir, Sverigetaxi — all reputable. Order via app or by flagging one down on the street.
Uber and Bolt both operate in Stockholm. Bolt is almost always the cheaper of the two. Both show the price upfront, which makes them the safest option for visitors. Typical central-Stockholm fares are 100–200 SEK. You will almost always get a car in under 5 minutes.
Rules for avoiding scams: Ask for “fast pris” (fixed price) before you get in a non-app taxi. Check the yellow price sticker on the rear passenger window. If it says more than 400 SEK for 10 km, walk away. The reputable companies all have their price well under 40 SEK per kilometer plus a 50 SEK starting fee.
Driving in Stockholm (Don’t)
Don’t rent a car unless you’re leaving the city. Driving in central Stockholm is a mistake for five reasons: (1) the congestion charge — 11–45 SEK per entry during peak, automatically billed to the rental — can silently add 200 SEK/day to a rental; (2) parking is brutal (SEK 40–80/hour in the center, and street parking requires a Swedish mobile app that usually won’t let a foreign card register); (3) the old city is narrow, one-way, and genuinely difficult to navigate; (4) public transport reaches everywhere a car would; (5) Swedish drunk-driving limits are 0.02%, effectively zero, so you can’t have a single drink with dinner.
If you are driving — to the archipelago mainland, to Uppsala, to a summer house — the Öresund, Södra Länken, and E4 motorways are fast and well-maintained. Speed cameras are everywhere. The only justification for renting in Stockholm itself is a same-day onward trip.
Accessibility
Stockholm is one of the better capital cities for accessibility. Every metro station has at least one elevator; buses are all low-floor; Arlanda Express is fully accessible; Flygbussarna and Waxholmsbolaget both carry wheelchairs. The SL app has an “accessible routes only” filter in journey planning. A small number of older tram stops have high platforms, but they’re clearly marked.
A Sample Three-Day Transport Plan
Day 1 (arrival): Arlanda Express to Stockholm Central (340 SEK). Walk 10 minutes to your hotel in Norrmalm or take the metro one stop. Buy a 72-hour SL pass (375 SEK) at the machines in T-Centralen. Total transport spend today: 715 SEK.
Day 2 (classic day): Metro to Gamla Stan. Walk around the old town. Djurgården ferry from Slussen. Spend the afternoon on Djurgården (Vasa + Skansen). Bus 69 or tram 7 back to the center. Everything covered by the 72-hour pass. Total new transport spend: 0.
Day 3 (explore day): Blue line metro art ride (Kungsträdgården, Rådhuset, Solna Centrum, Stadion). Pendeltåg or Waxholmsbolaget ferry to Vaxholm for lunch. Bus back. Waxholmsbolaget is separate ticketing (about 80 SEK each way), but everything else is on the pass.
Day 4 (departure): Arlanda Express or Flygbussarna back to the airport. Your 72-hour pass expires morning-of-day-4, so single-ticket or pay-as-you-go for the final leg.
Total four-day transport cost: roughly 1,000 SEK for one person, for everything. Very little of this is avoidable; the only real choice is Arlanda Express (comfort) vs. Flygbussarna (save 420 SEK round trip).
Three Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Buying single tickets all week. 44 SEK × 4 rides per day × 5 days = 880 SEK. The 7-day pass is 450 SEK. Tourists lose money here constantly.
Mistake 2: Taking a random taxi at the airport. A Terminal 5 taxi stand has both reputable contracted operators (fixed 800 SEK max) and freelancers who’ll charge 2,000+ SEK. Always check the sticker, or use the contracted rank inside the cordon.
Mistake 3: Renting a car “for convenience.” You will spend more on the congestion charge and parking than you would on SL. The only trip that justifies a rental from Stockholm is an onward drive — Uppsala, Gripsholm, or the archipelago mainland.
Essential Apps
- SL — tickets, journey planning, real-time departures. Indispensable.
- Bolt — cheaper rideshare than Uber in Stockholm.
- Uber — as backup for Bolt.
- Taxi Stockholm — for fixed-fare taxis with luggage.
- Arlanda Express — discounted advance tickets, easier than buying at the airport.
- Voi and Stockholm eBikes — scooter and bike share.
- Google Maps — actually works well for Stockholm, pulls SL data, decent walking directions.
Related Stockholm Guides
For context beyond getting around: our neighborhoods and where to stay guide explains which part of the city each line and ferry actually lands you in. The Stockholm hotels guide lists properties ranked partly on their transit access. Our things-to-do and museums guides give you the destinations; the restaurant guide covers what’s within walking distance of each. For day trips on the water, the Stockholm archipelago guide covers Waxholmsbolaget schedules and Cinderella alternatives in detail.
Stockholm’s public transport system is the best reason to skip the rental car and trust the network. Buy the 72-hour pass, learn the three metro line colors, keep the SL app on your home screen, and you’ll move around the city with the confidence of a local within about 24 hours of landing.
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