mw19travel

Is train from Oslo to Stockholm worth the $$ saved versus flying? Currently viewing June 3rd train ride as $75/person and flight as $115... we are not in a rush.

Furthermore, does anyone know if you are required to arrive at the train station a few hours early (similar to flights) since you are crossing country borders?

Thank you!

thursdaysd

Both countries are in Schengen, so no passport checks. In any case, the only train I know of where the checks are done before boarding is the Eurostar. In other cases they are handled AT the border. So, no, just show up maybe 15 minutes ahead of time to be sure of finding the right platform. (No security checks, either.)

spaarne

<i> Train Oslo to Stockholm?
Posted by: mw19travel on May 6, 17 at 5:06pm</i>

I would take the train for convenience. It is about 5 to 6 hours straight across Sweden with a number of options per day. For an illustrated introduction to trains in Europe have a look at http://www.enjoy-europe.com/trains-in-europe.htm.

Man_in_seat_61

The train is city centre to city centre - hassle-free, convenient, no extra to pay.

The flight isn't centre to centre, it's a relay race of train, airport, flight, airport, train that will take up to 4 hours.

You'll need to pay for the flight plus train tickets to and from the airports at each end. Oslo Sentral to Oslo airport is $21. The Arlanda Express from the airport to Stockholm costs 280 SEK, about $32. So that $115 flight is really $168.

Then there's the whole point of your visit to Europe. The train ride is PART of your vacation experience, the flight is an interruption to it.

Just take the X2000 125mph train!

ticino

I only know one person who ever takes the train from Stockholm to Oslo, and she is afraid of flying. I would fly, the shortest train ride is something like 5 hours and there isn't that much to see along the way. I don't agree that the train is more convenient and I'd rather spend those hours in Stockholm or Oslo. There is no X2000 till Oslo. Consider taking your own food if you choose the train, train food in Sweden is no good in my opinion.

Btw, Sweden has reinstated border controls because of the large amounts of refugees hoping to come here. Not sure if this is being enforced on the Norwegian border, but in any case it wouldn't mean that you have to get to the train station earlier, just that you need to have your passport with you.

hetismij2

Sweden has dropped border controls now, as far as I understand it. Certainly on the bridge to Denmark they have been dropped.

5 hours on the train is probably not a lot longer than it would take flying in fact - if you include getting to and from the airports and time at the terminal.

Looking out of a train window, even if not at inspiring countryside would take preference over being crammed into a seat on a plane, with probably no view at all.

Odin

The ID checks were still in operation on the ferry between Denmark and Sweden as of last weekend, if it has been dropped on the bridge it might have happened in the last few days as it was always due to be stopped in May anyway. I would also fly.

ticino

The Swedish government decided a few days ago to phase out the border controls. In any case, I really wouldn't worry about controls at the border with Norway.

I have to say I would never ever tell anyone to fly between Zürich and Milano for instance, but believe me, Swedish trains are bad ("Complaints of delays on the rail network are common in Sweden. Last year, figures showed that the country's high-speed trains are the worst in Europe and among the worst internationally when it comes to arriving on time, with only 66 percent of them arriving within five minutes of their intended times between 2008 and 2015.").

My husband is one of the not so few that after being stranded in the middle of nowhere for several hours with no food or working toilets decided never to take the train again, but fly instead. So I am biased against Swedish trains, but you wouldn't be travelling on the "fast" X2000 so hopefully you'll be ok.