Sweden attracts thousands of tourists each year from different parts of the world
Food, music and cultural attractions are what tourists come for to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.
The Arlanda International Airport is located in the Sigtuna Municipality and is about 37 km from the city of Stockholm. This Stockholm airports is the largest in Sweden and forms a major gateway for all international travel to and from the country. The airport is capable of handling over 20 million passengers annually, both domestic and international.
Facilities and Infrastructure at Arlanda
Derived from the name Arland, the airport has three runways with the third one being used sparingly during peak traffic conditions. Runway 1 is the longest (3301 m) and is equipped to handle the heaviest aircraft in the industry. Runways 2 and 3 each have a length of 2500 meters. Equipped with modern CAT III IL systems, take-offs and landings can happen simultaneously from both the runways. All runways also sport high-speed taxiways for the planes to exit quickly after the landing. Some of the major airline services that operate from this include British Airways, Emirates, Finnair, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, and Qatar Airways, among others.
The Stockholm airports
The Stockholm airports has four terminals numbered 2, 5, 3 and 4. Whereas Terminals 2 and 5 are used for international flights, Terminals 3 and 4 cater to the domestic sector. Terminal 2 has parking stands for 8 aircrafts along with passenger bridges. The terminal is fairly small; however, extra luggage claim area, security check, restaurants and shops have been added over the years. The travellers lounge and the restaurants are now placed on a new level that was constructed in 2013.
Terminal in Arlanda
Terminal 5 is the largest passenger terminal in Arlanda. The terminal has parking space for 31 passenger aircrafts and bridges. The terminal also sports restaurants, bars, and shops. Chartered flights are also handled by this terminal.
The Arlanda Express
The Arlanda Express
The Arlanda Express trains cover the distance between the airport and the city center in twenty minutes’ time and runs up to six times in an hour. The platform for the Arlanda Express is accessible easily from underneath the arrival terminals. The fare is SEK 530 for a round trip and SEK 280 to travel one way.
Flygbussarna
These airports coaches travel between the Arlanda airport and City Terminal that is located close to the Central Station. There is a departure every 10 to 15 minutes and the travel time is about 35 to 40 minutes. The charges are about SEK 79. They also run services to the other airports such as Skavsta, Bromma, and Vasteras. The trips are timed according to the flight arrivals and departures in all these airports.
Sky City Commuter Trains
Commuter Trains
These depart two times in an hour and connect the airport to the Stockholm Central Station. The travel time is 38 minutes. This facility is run by the public transport company in Stockholm.
Taxi Services Arlanda
Taxi services are available at the Arlanda airport. The services are run by different companies and the fares are not regulated. This means that the fares can vary widely. Credit cards are however, accepted. Some recommended taxi services include Taxi Kurir, Taxi 020 and Taxi Stockholm. The Fares range from SEK 395 to SEK 599.
Arlanda’s Shopping Thoroughfare
Arlanda’s Shopping
This is located in Terminal 5 and presents a pick of most major brands from the world over. Bath & Bodyworks, Victoria’s Secret, Michael Kors, DKNY, etc., are some of the shops that can be found here. Shops sport an assortment of luxury goods from fragrances, to scented candles, make-up, leather handbags and wallets, and chocolates.
Hotels In and Around Arlanda
The Jumbo
There are many hotels that are located in and around Arlanda Airport. Clarion Hotel is on the Sky City in the airport between Terminal 4 and 5. The bar and restaurant of the hotel overlook the runways. There is a gym, an outdoor heated pool, and conference facilities for up to 900 people.
The Jumbo Stay is literally on a jumbo plane that rests on the floor. There are 27 rooms on board and a conference room for up to 10 members. Additional facilities come with a cost.
Radisson Blu Arlandia Hotel
Radisson Blu Arlandia Hotel
This hotel is located a few minutes from the airport. There are rooms available for any requirement. Free bus transfer from the hotel called Parking Bus Alfa is available. These buses depart four times in an hour to all the terminals.
Rest and Fly
This is a low price hotel in the airport Sky City. Offering competitive rates for stay during day or night times, you can rent a shower even without renting a room.
Skavsta Airport
The smaller Stockholm airport at Skavsta is located about a 100 km from Stockholm County and is the third-largest one in the country. Earlier used as a military airport till about 1980, it was briefly taken out of service for a few years. However, the city Council of Nykoping enabled the commercial expansion of the airport. The airport currently handles 2.5 million passengers annually and is growing.
Facilities Available to the Passengers
Facilities Available Skavsta
Some of the facilities available to the passengers include cash machines and currency exchange facilities. Internet kiosks and a post office are also provided for passengers’ convenience. Scheduled services of Ryanair, Wizz Air, Gottlandsflyg, and Jet Time are available.
Car Rental
Car rental companies such as Europcar, Hertz, and Avis, among others, offer their services at the airport. However, only pre-booked services are available. It takes about 80 minutes to the city center. The charges are around SEK 1400.
Flygbussarna coaches Skavata
Flygbussarna coaches ferry passengers from the Skavsta Airport to the Stockholm City terminal once every hour. The travel time is approximately 90 minutes. Local bus services are available to carry passengers to Nykoping city center as well as other places in the southern part of Stockholm. Airport bus services links are timed according to the flight arrivals and departures of the aircrafts. The fare is about SEK 149 for a one-way trip.
Trains
The local train station in Nykoping is at a distance of 7 km away from Skavsta. Regional trains along the Linkoping – Stockholm – Gavle route serve commuters.
Shopping
The Skavsta Airport houses the ARG Duty Free where you can find perfumes and skin care products at 20 percent less than the prices at High Street. Souvenirs, confectionery and accessories can also be purchased at attractive prices. Alcohol and tobacco are available tax-free for outside EU travellers. The shopping times are adjusted to flight departure timings.
