Stockholm Arlanda Airport

Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN  ^IATA), commonly known as Arlanda, is an international airport in the Stockholm County region of Sweden, some 35 km (22 mi) north of central Stockholm. It is by far the busiest airport in Sweden, a close third in the Nordic countries after Oslo-Gardermoen and Copenhagen Airport, and the major gateway to international air travel for most of the country.

Understand

Overview of Stockholm Arlanda Airport from north.

In the late 1950s it became obvious that Stockholm Bromma Airport was too small to serve international flight traffic to Stockholm, so a new airport was constructed and Arlanda was inaugurated in 1962. The name is derived from "Arland", an old name for the parish "Ärlinghundra" where the airport is, and also makes as a pun on the Swedish verb "landa" (landing). It is in the small town of Sigtuna, about half-way between Stockholm, by far the largest city in Sweden, and Uppsala, the fourth largest city in the country.

The airport has four terminals called Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5. The main shopping mall, "SkyCity", is landside between Terminals 4 and 5.

The airport is a secondary hub for the joint Danish-Swedish-Norwegian flag carrier SAS Scandinavian Airlines.

Flights

Arlanda is the busiest airport in Sweden and the third largest in the Nordic countries, serving some 25 million passengers in 2019.

The terminal usage has been heavily changed in 2021-2022. Terminal 4 and 5 are almost used as one terminal with flights spread out over them. All terminals have self-service and staffed check-in and baggage drop.

Terminal 2 Air France, KLM etc SkyTeam airline. Only international

Terminal 3 Closed since 2020, domestic with small aircraft before that

Terminal 4 Checkin for Ryanair, domestic or international. Actual aircraft boarding can be here or in terminal 5. All non-Schengen flights actually go from terminal 5. Terminal 4 and 5 are connected with a 400 meter long walkway after security check. All arriving passengers who want to leave the airport must go to terminal 5, while the bus stop is at terminal 4, causing a lot of walk.

Terminal 5 Checkin for SAS and many other airlines, domestic or international. Has three piers, D, E and F. Actual aircraft boarding can be here or in terminal 4 (also called pier C). Terminal 4 and 5 are connected with a long walkway after security check.

Ground transportation

See also: Public transport in Stockholm County

Rail

1 Arlanda Central Station is located in "SkyCity" between terminals 4 & 5.

The fastest way to the airport from Stockholm Central Station is the Arlanda Express high-speed train service, making the trip in 20 minutes. The ticket price is fairly high at 280 kr for an adult (26 or older) as of 2018. If you buy tickets on the train, it's even more expensive as a 100 kr printing fee is applied. However, various combo, student/child and advance deals are available to the point that four children under 18 can travel free on each adult ticket and said ticket can cost only 154 kr if bought 90 days early - see here for more details.

It is possible to use the Stockholm commuter rail service (Pendeltåg) between Uppsala C and central and southern Stockholm. This route takes 38 minutes between Arlanda C station and Stockholm C. The fare is higher from Arlanda compared to other journeys on the commuter rail network (single ticket is 152 kr and supplement to active tickets such as day tickets costs 120 kr), but less than the Arlanda Express. To avoid paying the supplement, one can take the commuter rail service going to Märsta and transfer to a 583 bus.

Bus

Flygbussarna, Flixbus, and SL operate coaches to and from the airport which stop at some locations in northern Stockholm County and at Stockholm City Centre and Stockholm Central Station. There is also a local bus line no 583 to Märsta, from where there are commuter trains to Stockholm and surroundings, the cheapest way of getting to/from Stockholm. Bus 801 takes around 40 minutes to Uppsala and departs every 15 to 30 minutes.

Road

The motorway E4 goes past the airport and connects Arlanda with central Stockholm as well as Uppsala and other cities further north. Terminal parking, short-term and long-term parking is available at the airport. The low price long-term parking requires a free shuttle bus ride. The bus departs every 8–15 minutes. There are rental car facilities at the airport.

Taxi

All taxi companies are required to offer fixed prices when going from the airport, which takes away the guesswork of how much the fare will cost (you can still request use of the taxi meter). Most major companies also offer fixed prices to the airport.

Taxi fares are unregulated in Sweden, meaning taxis can claim any price as long as they follow the price list shown in the taxi and stuck on the side window. However, taxis at the Arlanda taxi stations are not allowed to charge more than 675 kr for a single trip to Uppsala or the northern parts of Stockholm.

Get around

Despite being the largest airport in Sweden, Arlanda is not huge but rather walkable. Still the distance between terminal 2 and 5 pier F is 1 kilometer. You can take a free one minute train ride or a bus ride between terminals 2 and 5, both requiring going security check to reach aircraft even if having arrived by air. Between terminal 4 and 5 there is a walkway inside security check.

Wait

There are two playgrounds run by Junibacken, an Astrid Lindgren-themed theme park in Djurgården in Stockholm. The playgrounds can be found at terminals 4 & 5 after passing security.

Lounges

• Menzies has one lounge at terminal 2 and two lounges at terminal 5.
• SAS Lounge has two lounges, one at terminal 4 and one at terminal 5.
  • SAS Lounge Terminal 5, End of Terminal 5, at the Gate F26-F69 wing (Right at SkyCity and at the end having passed two other Terminal 5 concourses). For Emirates First Class and Business class, Qatar Airways (Platinum, Gold, Silver Members, Oneworld Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby Members), Ukrainian International Airlines Business class, Novair, Air Serbia, IranAir and Rossiya Business Class. Coffee, tea, cold beverages and a cold buffet is served. Free access to Wi-Fi and newspapers. (updated Apr 2018)

Eat and drink

A lot of restaurants, cafés and bars can be found at terminals 2, 4, 5 and at "SkyCity", outside the transit zone between terminals 4 & 5. Terminal 3 only has a café which serves hot drinks and pastry.

Bottled water is expensive at Arlanda; 20 kr or more for a 50 cL bottle (similar to the price at gas stations throughout Sweden). Since Swedish tap water is of excellent quality, a workaround is to bring a refillable bottle to the airport, and fill it up from the toilet tap (after security). Some terminals have drinking fountains.

SkyCity

• Itamae Sushi (SkyCity), ☏ +46 830 03 31. Daily 10:00-21:00. Sushi from 100 kr, hot dishes from 110 kr. (updated Nov 2017)
• The Social Bar & Bistro (Clarion Hotel in SkyCity), ☏ +46 8 444 18 00. 17:00-00:00. Hotel restaurant of Clarion Hotel. (updated Mar 2024)

Terminal 2

• O'Learys (Terminal 2, after security, upper level, staircase from gate 66). Pub style. Sports on TV. (updated Jan 2019)

Terminal 4

• O'Learys (Terminal 4, right after security). Pub style. Sports on TV. (updated Jan 2019)

Terminal 5

• Pontus in the Air (After security in terminal 5), ☏ +46 76-014 14 94. Su-F 05:00-22:30, Sa 05:00 until the last flight. The only airport restaurant in Sweden mentioned in the White Guide. Hot dishes start at 185 kr. (updated Nov 2017)

Buy

• 1 SkyCity Arlanda (Between terminals 4 & 5). The airport's main shopping mall. 

Connect

The airport has an open Wi-fi called Airport-Guest. Usage up to 3 hours and 100 megabytes is free. Additional megabytes or hours can be purchased, one hour costing 50 kr and 24 hours costing 130 kr. Wi-fi support is open daily 06:00-22:00, and can be reached at +46 10-109 04 50.

Cope

Banking and currency exchange

SEB has a banking office in SkyCity and an exchange office by terminal 5 before security. Forex bank can be found before security at terminal 2 and SkyCity, and after security at terminal 5. X-Change has two exchange offices by terminal 5, before security, and a third one by the terminal 5 arrival hall.

Stuck with old Swedish currency? Exchange offices will trade these, see "Stockholm: Cope / Getting cash".

Cash withdrawal machines dispensing Swedish kronor can be found at plenty of places around the airport. The machines found in the departure hall in Terminal 5 also dispense euros.

Dry cleaning

• SkyCity-tvätten (+46 8 593 616 90), located at SkyCity, offer dry cleaning and shoe repair services.

Health care

• The Airport Sky healthcare clinic (SkyCity, before security), ☏ +46 8 522 967 30. M–F 08:00–17:00. Offer vaccinations and counseling with doctors or nurses. (updated Aug 2017)
• Two pharmacies can be found at the airport: one by SkyCity (M-F 07:00–20:00, Sa 09:30–17:00, Su 09:30–20:00) and one at terminal 5 after the security (opens one hour before the first flight from terminal 5 and closes as the last flight from the terminal departures.)

Post services

There are two post boxes at the airport, one by terminal 4 before the security and one by SkyCity.

Religious services

There is a chapel by terminal 5 before the security. It is staffed by a priest from the Church of Sweden from Monday to Friday, but is open to people from all religious backgrounds. It is also possible to book the chapel for wedding ceremonies.

Security

• 1 Police office, Tullvägen 7 (10 minutes by foot or take bus "Alpha" to station "Polisen"), ☏ 114 14 (non-geographic number). M–Su 06:00–22:00. (updated Aug 2017)
• Baggage storage (+46 10-410 02 00) can be found at terminals 2, 4 & 5 before the security.
• There is a lost and found desk by terminal 5 before the security for goods lost at the airport. For goods lost on flights contact your specific flying company.

Sleep

• 1 Clarion Arlanda, Tornvägen 2 (SkyCity), ☏ +46 8 444 18 00, cl.arlanda@choice.se. An up-market hotel within the airport complex. (updated Mar 2021)
• 2 Good Morning Arlanda, Lindkrogsvägen 7 (just east of terminals on Hwy 273), ☏ +46 8-655 01 00. 3-star hotel with free shuttle to airport. (updated May 2018)
• 3 Jumbostay, Jumbovägen 4 (on Hwy 273, 2 km south of terminals), ☏ +46 8-593 604 00, booking@jumbostay.com. A bit different: this is an old Boeing 747 Jumbo jet converted into a backpackers' hostel. Everything inside is new and clean, and linen comes included on made beds. Flat screen TVs in each room are a luxury for hostels, and if you really want to splash out, there is the cockpit suite. On the downside, not much of an atmosphere once you get over the novelty of staying in a jet. (updated May 2018)
• 4 Radisson Blu Arlandia, Kabinvägen 3 (1 km S of terminal on Hwy 273: take free shuttle "Alfa" from T5 bus stop 3), ☏ +46 8 50684000, info.arlandia.stockholm@radissonblu.com. Comfy 4-star hotel 5 min from terminals (opposite "Jumbostay"), no aircraft noise, good restaurant & bar. (updated May 2018)
• 5 Rest and Fly (within airport SkyCity), ☏ +46-855-055505, info@restandfly.com. A low-cost hotel. You can also book a day-room, or just a shower. (updated May 2018)

Nearby

• Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and by far its largest city. 35 km south of Arlanda.
• Sigtuna is one of Sweden's first cities, now a small picturesque town by the shore. 12 km west of Arlanda.
• Knivsta is a suburb with a millennial heritage.
• Uppsala was the political and religious centre of Viking era Sweden, and now it is home to the largest church and oldest university in the Nordic countries. 25 km north of Arlanda.

Routes through Stockholm Arlanda Airport

END ←	N  S	→ Stockholm
Sundsvall ← Uppsala ← Knivsta ←	N  S	→ Norrort → Stockholm