Getting From Arlanda Airport to Stockholm (and the Rival Hotel)

Signs for commuter train at Arlanda.

There is a myriad of ways to get from Arlanda, the main international airport, to Stockholm city... taxi, bus, commuter train and express train. I have written about them all and thought that I would collect them all in one article for easy access. When deciding which form of transportation to take, it is important to consider which factors are important to you, like convenience, cost and time. It also depends on where in the city you are traveling to and how many persons in your party. I will break down the pros and cons for the different options for guests coming to the Rival Hotel. Click on the option header to link to the individual blog article for more information.

TAXIS

• Plus- Most convenient as it is door to door service. Helpful when traveling with lots of luggage. Possibility of booking a taxi transfer where the driver meets you with a sign.
• Minus- More expensive, especially if you are 1-2 people. While they do have fixed rates from the airport, there is some confusion when it comes to cost as taxis aren't regulated in Sweden so the cost can vary between companies. 
• Travel time- Approximately 40 minutes.
• Cost- Approximately between 500-600 SEK for a car that seats up to 4 persons (depending on taxi company).
• Website- (we recommend Taxi Stockholm 545 SEK)- www.taxistockholm.se/en/

Taxi queues in front of Arrival Hall.

BUSSES

• Plus- Inexpensive. Frequent departures. 
• Minus- Not convenient: requires switching to subway or taxi for Rival Hotel guests (end destination at downtown City Terminal, Fridhemsplan and/or Hornstull) at extra cost/time.
• Travel time- Approximately 45 minutes (plus additional travel time to hotel).
• Cost- One-way adult 119 SEK, 105 SEK online (plus cost of taxi/subway to hotel from bus station).
• Website- www.flygbussarna.se/en/arlanda

COMMUTER TRAINS

• Plus- Inexpensive! Convenient as it also stops at Södra Station, 4 blocks from Rival Hotel. 
• Minus- Infrequent departures (once every 30 minutes).
• Travel time- Approximately 45 minutes.
• Cost- 125 SEK for adult, one-way. Only 75 SEK if you have a period SL travel card or the Stockholm Card as it is part of the public transportation network.
• Website- www.sl.se/en/ 

ARLANDA EXPRESS TRAIN

• Plus- Frequent departures. Quickest travel time to Central Train Station (in downtown area).
• Minus- More expensive, especially when traveling on certain days. Not convenient: stops only at Central Train Station, so it requires switching to subway or taxi to get to Rival Hotel and other points in the city (extra time and cost).
• Travel time- 20 minutes (plus additional travel time to hotel from train station).
• Cost- One-way adult 260 SEK, though they have special 2-for-1 campaigns on weekends/holiday periods. Plus cost of taxi/subway to hotel.
• Website- www.arlandaexpress.com/ 

So, as you can see, quite a few options! You have to decide what is more important: convenience, time & cost. For a Rival Hotel guest, I would say that the best choices are either the commuter train or a taxi.