We will be in Stockholm for one day visiting with Princess Cruises in July. We want to go to the ABBA Museum and the Vasa and the Gamla Stan. None of the Princess Tours go to all 3 or we would take one. Is it feasible for us to try to do the three places on our own using public transit? We will be there from 8am to 6pm. Any details and advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Posted by
Baltimore
115 posts
I don't think so, honestly. Looking at the map public transit will take you an hour and a half to get to Stockholm, so even if you get off the boat immediately and there are no delays at all getting there or coming back you're taking at least 3 hours off your free time, so you'd have at most 7 hours (and realistically no more than 6 if you want to make sure the boat doesn't leave without you). I would pick either the ABBA museum or the Vasamuseet, but not both. Gamla Stan would be a good stop for lunch.
What kind of tours does Princess offer? It's probably better to go with one of them as the boat is far less likely to leave without you if you're on one of their excursions.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5846 posts
Do you have to be on the ship by 6 or does your ship depart at 6?
It might be possible if you go through the museums relatively quickly, but unfortunately your ship docks at a port that is well outside of the city. The commuter train (pendeltåg) from Nynäshamn to Stockholm City runs at most twice an hour and it takes an hour to get to the Stockholm City station. Once you get to Stockholm City, you need to switch to the underground (tunnelbana) or a bus to get to the various sites. The current schedule shows 2 trains an hour (departing at 3 and 33 minutes past the hour, but the schedule only runs through June 22. Sometimes the trains are less frequent in the summer.
The Vasa Museum can have quite a long queue in the summer. I’d start there. After the Vasa Museum, I’d make a decision as to whether you have enough time to go to the Abba Museum. If not, I’d head to Gamla Stan and then back to the port.
Have you checked cruise critic to see if there is a tour with a private company you can take? While public transit is not complicated, you are at a very remote port with infrequent train service.
Posted by
Upstate NY
31 posts
Yes, Laura brings up some valid points. We were on this cruise a couple of years ago and two of our table mates elected to take the train into Stockholm. When it came time to return to the ship there was some confusion about the return station and they almost missed the ship. We were on the Regal and the ship waited over 30 minutes for them and two or three other couples. We’ll never forget standing on our balcony and watching them run for the ship.
BTW, the movable docks that they have at Nynashamn are very interesting.
Posted by
Washington DC
28062 posts
It doesn't help that there's no T-bana (underground) station on Djurgarden, the island where the Vasa Museum and ABBA Museum are located. You'd need to transfer to a tram or bus, or walk the last distance. That's not hard, but it's nowhere near as fast as using a system like the T-bana.
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
6970 posts
Can you do it? Yes, it's very easy. The train station is a short walk from the cruise dock in Nynäshamn, where the commuter train takes you to central Stockholm in a bit under an hour (56 minutes to be exact). Once in central Stockholm, you change to the tram to Djurgården, a 10 minute ride to the Vasa museum. Then the Abba museum is a short walk away, and when you are done there you can take the ferry across the harbour to Gamla stan. Or you can take the ferry over to Gamla stan for lunch and then back for the Abba museum.
But it will be a rushed visit to both and at least the Vasa museum deserves a bit more time. There might be a reason that there are no tours to both. But if you really want to visit both, it is certainly possible. However you might want to check if there are any other cruise ships docking that day. Any passengers that dock in Stockholm will have a head start on you and there might be lines at the museums.
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thank you all!!! My teenagers and mother want to go to the ABBA museum the most, so I am going to let them do that and I am going to head the the VASA and the Gamla Stan. We will all book cruise sponsored tours since the last thing I ever want to be is a pier runner!!!!
Cheers!
Posted by
Washington DC
28062 posts
That sounds like a very good solution.
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
6970 posts
My teenagers and mother want to go to the ABBA museum the most, so I
am going to let them do that and I am going to head the the VASA and
the Gamla Stan.
That seems like a good solution when you have very limited time. If you are heading to Gamla stan I'd suggest you try to catch the changing of the guards. You probably won't have time to see the entire ceremony, but it can be fun to at least see the parade as it arrives at the castle, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHmyeWVX2b8 Especially if you are in Stockholm on a day when the parade is mounted, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo1ARCpvebA
We will all book cruise sponsored tours since the last thing I ever
want to be is a pier runner!!!!
If that gives you peace of mind, it is probably worth it. But it is not hard to do it on your own.