Airport
Stockholm-Arlanda International Airport
IATA Code: ARNLocation: The airport is situated 28 miles (45km) north of Stockholm.
Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the last Sunday in March to the Saturday before the last Sunday in October).
Contacts: Tel: +46 (0)8 797 6000 or 797 6100.
Transfer to the city: For those travelling to and from the airport there are many alternative modes of transport including high-speed trains (Arlanda Express) and airport coaches/buses (Flygbussarna), as well as commuter and long-distance trains. Long-distance SJ trains leave from Arlanda Central Station, where the SJ railway company offers long-distance train tickets and schedule information. The Arlanda Express train to Stockholm Central station runs every 15 minutes between 5.35am and 11.35pm daily (200kr). Buses go to the city every 10 minutes between 6.40am and 11.05pm each day, taking 40 minutes to make the journey (90kr). Taxis and rental cars are also available.
Taxis: Taxis are available directly outside all terminals at the airport. Most taxi companies offer a fixed rate of 435kr for the trip to the city centre, which should take about half an hour.
Car rental: Car rental companies represented at the airport include Avis, Europcar and Hertz.
Facilities: The airport is well supplied with banks, bureaux de change, ATMs, restaurants, bars and shops. The SkyCity centre inside the airport complex provides every conceivable amenity for travellers, including a luxury hotel and health club. All the terminals have lounge areas with power points for recharging mobile phones and laptop computers.
Parking: There are several parking areas adjoining each terminal with different price categories, whether it be short term, long term, indoor in multi-storey parkades, or outdoors.
Departure tax: None.
Website: www.arlanda.com
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Stockholm
The Swedish capital, Stockholm, is not only Scandinavia's largest city but also its most enchanting, with its centuries-old alleyways and squares being spread across an archipelago of 14 islands. Locals are extremely proud of the fact that here one can go ocean-fishing in the heart of the city.
This historic metropolis with a small town heart also boasts a multitude of museums, restaurants, parks, fun fairs, a never-ending nightlife (licensing hours extend until 5am) and a rich cultural tradition. It all adds up to 'never a dull moment', particularly in the summer when the sun virtually never sets because of its position in the far northern latitudes.
Most tourists are initially drawn to the quaint Gamla Stan (old town), a warren of narrow cobbled-stone streets overshadowed by historic houses, radiating out from the sumptuous Royal Castle where Swedish monarchs have resided since the 13th century. Despite the medieval heritage, Stockholm is no staid, old-fashioned enclave. Citizens have developed a reputation for being trendy, daring and innovative, especially in the global realms of IT and fashion, often setting the pace in the design and technology fields.
Stockholmers are also immensely concerned with the environment, and the city-scape is made up of one-third water, one-third green space, one-third buildings and the cleanest air of any city in the world. Take a deep breath, pack a picnic, hop aboard a ferry, and make for one of the parks where you will undoubtedly be treated to a free concert; or head for the legendary shopping districts of Biblioteksgatan (exclusive European boutiques), Odengatan (antique treasures), and others. There is culture to be soaked up too, with more than 150 museums to visit, art festivals galore, architecture to be admired (including the beautiful City Hall where the Nobel Prize banquet takes place), and a world-renowned Opera to attend.
It may be old, but Stockholm is a destination for the young and energetic, as yet not over-run with tourists like many other European capitals.
