My husband and I will be travleing in Scandanavia this summer and would like to know if anyone has taken the train from Stockholm to Oslo. It's 7 hours which is totally worth it if the scenery is nice, but will be eat into some other opportunities if it is only a so-so ride. Any advice?
Thanks
Hello TravelingChick. I travelled in trains from Oslo to Stockholm, in May of 2007. That train trip can be done in 6 hours and 30 Minutes. It was pleasant, 2nd Class train cars in Sweden are pleasant (my train car had royal blue upholstery with bright yellow trim). Luggage racks above the seats (a duffel style bag can be placed on the rack) and the usual shelf for suitcases in a rear corner of the train car. That part of Sweden has flat land, no spectacular scenery, but I liked it : pleasant farms, some trees. In Norway you will see big beautiful fir trees (long needles) near the railroad.
During that ride, you could ask a Norwegian person to teach you to say some Norwegian words. Norwegian and Swedish people speak English fluently, and most of them are friendly to Americans, and they like to answer questions about traveling in their country. Is there any reason why you would not want to go to Oslo ? If, at some time in your trip, you will be in a train that stops at Goteborg Sweden, I recommend getting off the train there, if you have time for it. Goteborg can be a better city for meeting Swedish people, than Stockholm. (Swedish people in Goteborg said Stockholm is stodgy, stuffy). And Goteborg has places that are of interest to tourists. If you think you might go there, read about GOTEBORG in the book "INSIGHT GUIDES : SWEDEN".
Hi Ron,
We are definitely going to Oslo, it is just a matter of whether we take the train or fly. The air tickets are ~$90, and the flight is only an hour, so it gives us more time in the cities if we fly. We are also booked later in our trip on the Bergen to Oslo train, which I understand is an amazingly beautiful journey.
Calculate your air travel time carefully. It is not just a one hour flight against a 6 hour train ride. For us six hours is about the break point for air travel. For air travel you need to add in the travel time to and from airports, the checkin, security, and arrival time for departure, and whatever time you would need for luggage pick up etc. at arriving airport. Your one hour flight probably will only save an hour or two. Personally I would rather watch country side slide by for an extra hour or so than deal with the hassle of airport security and the endlessly waiting. Your call.
I took the train from Stockholm to Oslo last summer. I don't remember it being particularly scenic; we chose the train because it was much cheaper than any air tickets I could find (I got a great deal on-line by pre-booking in advance on www.sj.se--$13 each). We took the morning express train and arrived in Oslo in the afternoon.
I have travelled by bus between Oslo and Stockholm and if you like trees, that is what you'll see, mile after mile of trees. Since my country, Canada, also has long stretches of nothing but trees, I did not find this enchanting.
