Those in a hurry to connect Swedish Lapland with the capital Stockholm will take the plane from Kiruna. Duration: one and a half hours. Another solution is the night train that runs along the sea and the Gulf of Bothnia. Duration: about 15 hours. A third option is available to travelers who (really) have a lot of time; Inlandsbanan, the “inland line”, runs 1,288 km through central Sweden. Duration: two days.
Our journey begins in Jokkmokk, a village of 3,000 people that is a cultural center for the indigenous Sami people. “1250 km from Stockholm. 242 m above sea level“Can we read on the red wooden house that serves as a station?” 9:15 a.m. a railroad car appears on the horizon. Leaving Gallivar two hours early, the car, with its sixty seats, is more like a bus on rails. This will be our means of transport until the afternoon of the next day. Forget speed, the train rarely exceeds 80 km/h. And it goes through areas that are very sparsely populated, at least by humans. Because bears, wolves, reindeer, owls and many other animal species flourish in the surrounding nature.
Between lakes, forests and mountains
Let’s go on a journey of a thousand kilometers. Lakes, rivers, pine or birch forests and the Scandinavian Alps in the background… The landscapes, as magnificent as they are, remain quite similar throughout the journey. There can be some monotony during the hours, but we get along very well. In a country where the pride of riding a train has a name tags:, we revel in the kind of contemplative journey that eschews any notion of speed. Taking this line allows you to understand the immensity of Sweden’s territory, which is the third largest country in the European Union after France and Spain, while being one of the least populated.
The flight attendant, as well as the guide, is there to punctuate our journey with explanations of the line’s attractions. The train slows down or stops for a few minutes near attractions such as the geographic border of the Arctic Circle (7 km south of Jokkmokk), the Pitelsbronn bridge or the Storstupet gorge. You can count on a small offering of snacks and drinks to enhance this long journey. As for the food offer, it is provided by the restaurant owners of the crossed villages. All you have to do is order your meals from the ship’s chef and they will be delivered to the platform or directly to the square a few stations away.
Tourism lifeline
With only one crossing in each direction each day, getting off the train requires a 24-hour layover. Apart from Arvidsjaur and Vilhelmina, few passengers get off or get on at about thirty stations along the route. A 15-minute stop at Sorsel, the meeting point for trains coming from the north and south, leaves plenty of time to explore the Inlandsbanan Museum. It tells about the history of this railway line opened in 1928, which never met the expected success. Competition from the car hastened its decline, and it almost disappeared by the 1970s. It owes its survival to the tourist traffic launched in 1993 by the initiative of its serving municipalities. Every summer he goes back and forth every day. During the rest of the year, the track is used for cargo transportation.
Arrival in Östersund around 9pm, after half a day’s travel, marks the end of this first stage. Despite 646 km, we are halfway to Stockholm. It is good to walk by the lake to enjoy the sweetness of the midnight sun. The capital of the Jämtland region, considered the geographical center of Sweden, as well as the neighboring municipality of Åre, is an ideal destination for mountain lovers, both in summer and winter.
After a short night, it’s time to continue the journey on the second section of the Inlandsbanan. At 7:23 am our train car leaves Östersund station for Mora. The 321 km journey was completed in five hours. The third part of the line, between Mora and Kristinehamn (250 km east of Stockholm), has been under renovation for several more years. Trains chartered from another company make this connection via an alternative route. Therefore, we limit our trip to Mora, a town in the region of Dalecarlia, famous for its crafts and the most famous ski resort in the world, Vasalopete. From here we get back to speed. Stockholm is only four hours away, thanks to the Intercity, which zips by at full speed.
Route:
- Day 1: Galliväre-Östersund (15 hours journey, 150 euros),
- Day 2: Östersund-Mora (5 hours drive, €65), then Mora-Kristinehamn (3h 30 drive, €35).
Daily editions for the 2022 summer season until August 28. Snow train (Snötaget) operation in winter from December to April, only between Mora and Östersund. Connection to the national rail network and trains to Stockholm at Gulliver, Östersund, Mora and Kristinehamn. The Inlandsbanan card allows unlimited travel on the line for 14 days for €208. Journeys included in the Interrail pass. In both cases, seat reservation (€4.75) is mandatory.
Information, timetables and bookings at res.inlandsbanan.se:.
Source: Le Figaro
