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nickkpoon
Traveller
1 comments

Posted 2 years ago

Hi all,

I am planning to take the train from Stockholm to Narvik for the beginning of June, with the intention of exploring the Arctic circle by train. However, the nonstop overnight sleeper (Vy Nattåg 94) has been booked out for the first week of June. This leaves me with the second choice of taking the sleeper train (Vy Nattåg 92) to Boden, and then taking a seated portion (Vy Nattåg 96) into Narvik.

Will I miss out on much by not taking the direct train? Another advantage of the direct route is that it arrives at 12pm, which allows me to take a bus into the Lofoten islands on the same day.

I am also considering taking the Nordland sleeper from Trondheim and Bodø. The availability seems much easier, but I am not sure how this compares to the Stockholm->Narvik route. Does anyone have more insights on this topic?

Thank you for the help in advance!

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nltrainer
Traveller
1324 comments

replied 2 years ago

This main train has a portion detached at Boden (which once as a restricted Swedish military base, dk actual situation) to Lulea, much less used. AFAIK-but this also may have changed, a normal daytime seats car-or 2 are added @ Boden, so you could switch to these in stead of a[[arently ewaiting for next train. In that past there was just this 1 daily train there. Note that IF you use a pass with traveldays, in that case you probably will have to activate another travelday for daytime sector. Untill very recently there was also a bordercrossing problem as NO did not had the staff to check all the burocratic covid registrations way off the roadside.
Not sure what you mean by 2nd Q re NO/Vy sleeper. What I do know for now is that VY due to covid only sells single compartments, no sharing with strangers as was usual in the past. This drives up the price so much that probably demand is lower. This may go back to normal on unspecified date.

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nickkpoon
Traveller
1 comments

replied 2 years ago

Thank you for the information! About my second question, I am wondering if I should take a train from Trondheim to Bodø for a better experience? My objective is traveling into the Arctic Circle by train

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Flo
Traveller
10723 comments

replied 2 years ago

Hi!

The actual crossing of the Arctic Circle (Polcirkeln) is more impressive on the Trondheim - Bodo route when the trains runs across the Saltfjell and there is a more substantial stone marker which you can see (but you have to be quick, the train doesn't stop there).
On the Boden to Narvik route there is only a simple board showing the name while the train runs through endless woods - this one is quite easy to miss (it is a bit north of Murjek).

However, the route to Narvik is more interesting overall in my opinion. The landscape is quite unique in Europe, at least if we consider regions with a railway running through. It is also more varied, first a long and steady ascent across the wide landscapes of Sweden, then the quick descent into the fjord before Narvik on the Norwegian side.

The route to Bodo is scenic too, of course, but not that special regarding landscape and surroundings I'd say.
Especially if you spend more time in Norway afterwards I think you'll be better of taking the route through Sweden

Flo

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Peter
Traveller
9330 comments

replied 1 year ago

And two additional films to get an impression... :)

Stockholm to Narvik: https://youtu.be/xMWG0H9LHh4

Fauske to Narvik: https://youtu.be/h6bkQ6r_0vk

Peter :)

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AnnaB
Traveller
5 comments

replied 1 year ago

If you really want to cross the Arctic Circle by train you should travel with Inlandsbanan. That train makes a stop at the Circle.
https://res.inlandsbanan.se/en/timetables

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Risberg
Traveller
43 comments

replied 1 year ago

Agree completely with Flo. There are seven railways crossing the Arctic Circle: 1. Trondheim - Bodø, 2. "Inlandsbanan" Arvidsjaur - Gällivare, 3. Luleå - Gällivare, 4. Kemi - Kolari, 5. Rovaniemi - Kemijärvi, 6. Volhovstroy - Murmansk and 7. Kotlas - Vorkuta. Only the first one and the last one of them passes the circle at a spectacular spot. But as Flo also adds, the Kiruna - Narvik line is extremely spectacular, in Europe only "Berninabahn" (Switzerland - Italy), Villefranche-Vernet-les-Bains - Latour de Carol (France) and Diakopto - Kalavrita (Peloponnese, Greece) offer similar spectacular views.