Sweden Rail Passes and Train Tips

By Rick Steves

Are rail passes a good value for Sweden?

Rail passes are usually a great value in Sweden, often saving money over otherwise-expensive tickets while allowing you to hop trains at your convenience (though some longer-distance trains do require reservations).

How do I see whether a rail pass makes sense for my trip in particular?

Map shows approximate costs, in $US, for one-way, second-class tickets. For first-class fares, add 50 percent.

Use this map to add up approximate pay-as-you-go fares for your itinerary, and compare that cost to the price of a rail pass for the number of days you expect to spend on the train. Dotted lines show ferry routes, some of which are discounted if you have a rail pass. Dashed lines show bus connections, which aren't covered by rail passes.

Also, follow the links below for:

• More tips for figuring out whether a pass makes sense for your trip
• The basics on choosing among rail passes
• More tips on how to save money by fine-tuning your rail pass
• Advice on deciding between first and second class
• Fare-estimate maps outside Scandinavia
• Answers to frequently asked rail-pass questions

What are my options for rail passes that cover Sweden?

Sweden Eurail Pass

Scandinavia Eurail Pass (4 countries)

Eurail Global Pass (33 countries) → read more about this pass

►Rail Europe shopping cart: Have an order underway? Review and complete it here.

Do I need to make seat reservations on Swedish trains?

You'll need seat reservations ($5–20) for many long rides and express trains, such as the "SJ-Highspeed" class of trains, as indicated in online train schedules. Some reservations aren't available outside Europe, but they don't generally sell out terribly far in advance. Private and shared sleepers on night trains are both available with second-class rail passes.

What do rail passes cover in Sweden?

Nearly all trains within Sweden (including most privately operated lines — but not the Stockholm–Gothenburg route operated by FlixTrain), as well as the following extras:

Any rail pass that covers Sweden also covers direct, Swedish-run (SJ) trains to/from Oslo or Copenhagen.
Tallink-Silja Line overnight ferries between Stockholm and either Turku/Helsinki or Tallinn offer discounts on ferry tickets with any rail pass that covers at least one end of the route (these discounts do not use up a travel day on your rail pass). Your rail pass grants you a 20–50 percent discount on trips booked in cabin categories A, B, or C (bookable online with code "Eurail"; ferry tickets for just deck passage, sans sleeping cabin, aren't an option on this route). Note that passengers under 21 must either travel with a parent or an official parent-consent form.

Passes also grant free or discounted travel on a few less-popular bus and ferry routes.

Any tips for buying point-to-point train tickets in Sweden?

If a rail pass doesn't pencil out for your trip, you may be able to shave off the cost of your train tickets with some local deals. In Sweden, up to two kids (ages 2–15) generally ride together with anyone 16 or older for only 15 percent of the adult fare (or 50 percent on overnight trains), and kids under 2 ride for free if seated on your lap. (And keep in mind that child-ticket deals vary across neighboring countries.)

If buying tickets through the Swedish railway's site, you'll notice a big difference between fare choices: "Non-rebookable" (cheapest, and often sell out in advance) versus "Refundable" (much higher fare, but unrestricted). Also, see our general tips for buying point-to-point tickets.

All orders for passes and tickets are fulfilled by Rail Europe (not by Rick Steves' Europe). Refunds and changes (where possible) can be handled by logging in to the account you made at the time of purchase; for other customer-service questions, contact them online — and keep in mind that refund options are fairly limited.