Stockholm Airport Transfers: Train or Bus

Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) is the main airport for Stockholm, about 42 kilometres from the city centre. Arlanda Express runs directly from Stockholm Central to Arlanda South for Terminals 2, 3 and 4, then Arlanda North for Terminal 5. The two airport stations are one minute apart, and the terminal walk depends on your airline, so check the terminal before boarding. (Arlanda Express journey planner, checked 2026-09-28, Swedavia directions, checked 2026-09-28)

The cheaper rail alternative is SL commuter train line 40 between Stockholm and Uppsala. It stops at Arlanda Central in SkyCity, between Terminals 4 and 5. SL tickets require an Arlanda passage supplement, while Arlanda Express uses a separate ticket. (SL Arlanda travel, checked 2026-09-28, Swedavia trains, checked 2026-09-28)

Vy flygbussarna links Arlanda with Stockholm Cityterminalen and also serves Liljeholmen and Brommaplan. Swedavia lists FlixBus, Vy bus4you, Vy flygbussarna, SL, UL, Ybuss and other operators serving Arlanda; check the airport screens for the correct terminal and stop. Airport-approved taxis wait at Terminals 2 and 5; choose the signed rank, reject unsolicited arrivals-hall offers and agree the fare before departure. (Vy Arlanda bus, checked 2026-09-28, Swedavia buses, checked 2026-09-28, Swedavia taxi, checked 2026-09-28)

Arlanda Express publishes 18 minutes from Stockholm Central to Arlanda South and 19 minutes to Arlanda North. Its terminal table gives a five-minute walk for many airlines, three minutes from Arlanda North for SAS and Finnair, and 15 minutes for some Ryanair and Wizz Air departures. Add check-in, security and the walk to your gate. (Arlanda Express facts, checked 2026-09-28)

SL publishes 38 minutes between Arlanda Central and Stockholm Central. That ends at SkyCity’s railway station, not at the aircraft check-in area or your hotel. Include the airport passage, lifts, luggage and the onward metro, bus or walk. For a complete address-to-address journey, use the SL app with your travel date. (Swedavia trains, checked 2026-09-28, SL Arlanda travel, checked 2026-09-28)

Vy gives approximately 40 minutes between Arlanda and Stockholm Cityterminalen, and up to 55 minutes to Liljeholmen or Brommaplan. These are airport-coach legs; traffic and the final city connection add time. Cityterminalen is beside Stockholm Central, with metro, commuter-train and long-distance connections. (Vy Arlanda bus, checked 2026-09-28, Vy Cityterminalen, checked 2026-09-28)

Some low-cost flights use airports outside Stockholm. Stockholm Skavsta Airport (NYO) is near Nyköping, 100 kilometres south of Stockholm, and Vy publishes approximately 80 minutes to Cityterminalen. Stockholm Västerås Airport (VST) is 110 kilometres from Stockholm city; Vy publishes approximately 80 minutes. Bromma is about seven kilometres from central Stockholm, but its Vy airport-bus route is paused. (Skavsta airport, checked 2026-09-28, Vy Skavsta, checked 2026-09-28, Västerås Airport, checked 2026-09-28, Vy Bromma notice, checked 2026-09-28)

Arlanda Express charges SEK 340 for one adult one way or SEK 640 return. Two adults travelling together pay SEK 460 one way; three pay SEK 580. Children travel free with an adult or pensioner ticket. An unaccompanied child aged 8–17 pays SEK 160 one way, youth aged 18–25 pay SEK 160, and pensioners aged 65 or over pay SEK 210. (Arlanda Express prices, checked 2026-09-28)

Swedavia confirms a SEK 157 station passage fee for passengers using Arlanda Central when that fee is not included in the ticket. The total depends on the SL ticket and any discount, so check the complete journey in the SL app before buying. SL tickets do not cover Arlanda Express. (Swedavia trains, checked 2026-09-28; SL Arlanda fares, checked 2026-09-28)

Vy’s current Arlanda–Stockholm route page displays fares from SEK 129; the exact ticket depends on route, date and purchase channel. Its current page does not provide one reliable return fare in the route information, so check the booking result for your journey rather than relying on a static price list. (Vy Arlanda bus, checked 2026-09-28)

For Skavsta and Västerås, check the operator’s route-specific fare and flight-matched departures when booking; the general ticket page does not provide a current, route-specific fare table. (Vy Skavsta, checked 2026-09-28; Vy Västerås, checked 2026-09-28)

Swedavia says contracted taxis have a maximum fare within a marked zone, with meter rates outside it. Its live FAQ gives conflicting caps for the same area, so this guide does not repeat a numeric limit: choose an approved taxi, ask the driver to confirm the price before departure and keep the meter receipt. (Swedavia taxi information, checked 2026-09-28)

Arlanda Express publishes departures every 15 minutes. The operator shows live departures in its journey planner and identifies the correct airport station by terminal. Use the date-specific search before an early flight or a late arrival, because the displayed departure list is the operational check for your journey. (Arlanda Express planner, checked 2026-09-28)

SL publishes the commuter route, station location, fares and journey search, but its airport-fares page does not promise one permanent first and last departure for every date. Search the SL app for Arlanda C, Stockholm Central or your final stop. Swedavia directs passengers to SL and UL for current commuter timetables. (SL Arlanda travel, checked 2026-09-28, Swedavia trains, checked 2026-09-28)

Vy describes Arlanda buses as running frequently from early morning until late evening. Swedavia lists several operators with departures around the clock, but each route has its own timetable. The Vy timetable page tells passengers to check close to departure and enter the origin, destination, date and time; use that search for the exact Sunday or overnight connection. (Vy Arlanda service, checked 2026-09-28, Vy timetable, checked 2026-09-28, Swedavia buses, checked 2026-09-28)

Skavsta departures are adapted to flight schedules, while Västerås service is adapted to flights to and from London rather than running as a regular all-day interval. Enter your flight-linked route after booking the flight. Vy does not publish a universal hourly timetable for these airports. (Vy Skavsta, checked 2026-09-28, Vy Västerås, checked 2026-09-28)

For a late Arlanda arrival, check the live Arlanda Express and SL planners first, then the airport’s real-time bus list. Neither operator’s general information gives one permanent last departure covering every date, disruption or engineering change. Taxis are available at Terminals 2 and 5 24 hours a day; Swedavia recommends pre-booking at night when demand can reduce availability. (Arlanda Express planner, checked 2026-09-28, Swedavia transport, checked 2026-09-28, Swedavia taxi, checked 2026-09-28)

Sunday service follows the published route timetable, not a separate airport rule. Vy says Cityterminalen is open every day from 03:00 to 00:15 and that its airport routes depart every day of the week, but the terminal opening hours do not mean every coach runs at 03:00 or 00:15. Select Sunday in the operator’s timetable and arrive early for the gate. (Vy Cityterminalen, checked 2026-09-28, Vy timetable, checked 2026-09-28)

Skavsta’s airport coach is also flight-linked. Vy publishes approximately 80 minutes to Stockholm and says departures are adapted to flight schedules. Skavsta lists local bus 515 to Nyköping and its railway station, which is seven kilometres from the airport; the airport does not publish one Stockholm fare and timetable for that bus-and-train combination. (Vy Skavsta, checked 2026-09-28, Skavsta bus and train, checked 2026-09-28)

Västerås service is not an all-night airport shuttle. Vy publishes approximately 80 minutes from Stockholm and matches buses to operating flights. Bromma’s Cityterminalen bus remains paused because of reduced air traffic, so use the airport’s current public-transport information for the short city-airport journey instead of an old Flygbussarna timetable. (Vy Västerås, checked 2026-09-28, Vy Bromma notice, checked 2026-09-28, Bromma directions, checked 2026-09-28)