In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Stockholm has no single cruise terminal. Frihamnen and Värtahamnen are 3 km from the centre, 10 minutes by taxi or 20 minutes by bus. Stadsgården 165 and 167 is a 30-minute walk to the centre or 10 minutes by taxi or bus, and its terminal shares a building with Fotografiska. Skeppsbron is beside the Royal Palace and Nybroviken is a 5-minute walk from the Old Town. Nynäshamn is 55 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes south by SL commuter train, every 30 minutes, or about an hour by Strömma’s transfer bus. Be back on board at least an hour before departure. Or book a tour: the City Highlights boat tourad is Strömma’s from SEK 289, and the Old Town walking tourad from SEK 150 (GetYourGuide).
The berths
Your cruise line says which berth your ship uses. The distances and times below are Visit Stockholm’s, and the berths are the city’s, managed by Ports of Stockholm, which says about half of the cruise ships call at Frihamnen.
Celebrity Apex at its Frihamnen berth. Photo: AleWi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Berth | To the centre |
|---|---|
| Nybroviken 5 | In the city centre, 5 minutes’ walk to the Old Town |
| Skeppsbron and the mooring buoy | Beside the Royal Palace in Gamla Stan, within walking distance of most sights |
| Stadsgården 160 | 10 minutes’ walk to the Old Town and 20 to the centre |
| Stadsgården 165 and 167 | 20 minutes’ walk to the Old Town, 30 to the centre, or 10 minutes by taxi or bus |
| Värtahamnen 523 | 3 km, 10 minutes by taxi or 20 minutes by bus |
| Frihamnen 650 and 634/638 | 3 km, 10 minutes by taxi or 20 minutes by bus |
| Nynäshamn | A separate town to the south, 55 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes by train |
Stockholm Cruise Center has two passenger terminals: one at Frihamnen 638 and one at Stadsgården 165/167, in the same building as Fotografiska. Both have toilets, souvenir shops, telephones, post boxes, internet access and a café or restaurant that is open during cruise calls.
From Frihamnen and Värtahamnen
The two north-eastern harbours are 3 km from the centre. The SL journey planner finds the bus for your berth, and any SL ticket works: a single is SEK 43 for 75 minutes, and a 24-hour ticket is SEK 180 (Stockholm public transport). Tallink Silja’s Värtahamnen terminal is served by SL bus 76. RED Sightseeing’s hop-on hop-off buses meet cruise ships at Frihamnen (berths 634, 650 and 658) and Värtahamnen, except Silja Line ships, and the earliest bus is at 8:00. RED’s bus is from EUR 31.
The Stockholm Cruise Center terminal in Magasin 9 at Frihamnen. Photo: Matti Blume, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
From Stadsgården
Stadsgården is on Södermalm near Slussen. A ship at berth 160 is 10 minutes from the Old Town on foot, and at 165 or 167 the walk is 20 minutes to the Old Town and 30 to the centre. RED’s buses stop at berth 167. Strömma’s hop-on hop-off boat also serves the cruise terminal at Stadsgårdskajen, but it does not run until 27 May 2027. The terminal is in the same building as Fotografiska, which is open daily 10:00 to 23:00.
The Stadsgården quay on Södermalm, with a ferry on the water. Photo: ArildV, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
From Nynäshamn
Nynäshamn is a separate town on the coast south of Stockholm, with a 260-metre folding gangway, the “seawalk”, for large ships. The town centre is 1.3 km from the pier on foot.
| To | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm City, Södra or Odenplan | SL commuter train, every 30 minutes, every day | 55 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Gustav Adolfs Torg | Strömma transfer bus, waits up to an hour at the pier if not full | About 1 hour, depending on traffic |
Buy train tickets in the SL app, or tap a contactless card at the barrier. Strömma’s transfer is included in a regular hop-on hop-off ticket and is valid for the return to the ship, so book the ticket in advance on Strömma’s site; you need not choose the transfer when booking. The ticket can also be bought on the bus for cash or card, in SEK, EUR or USD. The bus stops at Gustav Adolfs Torg, from where you can explore on your own or stay on the hop-on hop-off route, and the return leaves from the same place, planned so that you are on board at least an hour before the ship leaves.
Taxis
Taxi fares are not regulated in Sweden. The comparison price on the car is not a maximum, so ask for the price before you set off. At Nynäshamn the visitor centre recommends asking for a fixed price and can reserve a taxi.
What is open on your day
What to book before you go to Stockholm lists the hours of every sight. On a Monday:
- Closed: the Nobel Prize Museum (September to May), the Royal Armoury, the Swedish History Museum, Nationalmuseum, Moderna Museet and the Hallwyl Museum.
- Open: the Vasa Museum, Skansen, the Royal Palace, the Nordic Museum, ABBA The Museum and Fotografiska.
- Free at any hour: the walk through Gamla Stan, and the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace at 12:15 on weekdays and Saturdays and 13:15 on Sundays. Free things to do in Stockholm has more.
Tours from the port
Walks and boats of 1 to 3 hours
- The City Highlights boat tourad: Strömma’s 2 hours 15 minutes under the bridges, from SEK 289. Boat tours compares the boats.
- A walking tourad of 2 to 2.5 hours from SEK 150. Walking tours lists the tip-based one that starts at the Gamla Stan metro station.
- A bike tourad of 2 to 3 hours from SEK 605. Bike tours has the operator’s own price.
Which route to take
- From Nybroviken or Skeppsbron: walk.
- From Stadsgården: walk, or take a bus or taxi for the 10-minute ride.
- From Frihamnen or Värtahamnen: a bus, a taxi at an agreed price, or RED’s cruise bus.
- From Nynäshamn: the SL train, or Strömma’s transfer bus with a hop-on hop-off ticket.
- A day pass: an SL 24-hour ticket, SEK 180, on Stockholm public transport.
- To the airport after the cruise: the Arlanda Express, the commuter train or the coach, compared in Arlanda to the city.
Gamla Stan and the Royal Palace are the nearest sights for a short call, and the Gamla Stan walk walks them in order, and the Vasa Museum is the queue to plan around. For an overnight before or after the cruise, see hotels near Stockholm Central Station and where to stay in Stockholm.
Common questions
Where do cruise ships dock in Stockholm?
At several berths, not one terminal. Frihamnen and Värtahamnen are in the north-east, Stadsgården is on Södermalm near Slussen, and Nybroviken and Skeppsbron are in the centre. Large ships can also use Nynäshamn, 55 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes south by train. Your cruise line names your berth.
How far is the Stockholm cruise port from the city centre?
From Frihamnen and Värtahamnen it is 3 km, about 10 minutes by taxi or 20 minutes by bus. From Stadsgården 165 and 167 it is a 30-minute walk to the centre, or 10 minutes by taxi or bus. From Nybroviken the Old Town is a 5-minute walk.
How do I get from Nynäshamn cruise terminal to Stockholm?
By SL commuter train every 30 minutes, which takes 55 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes to Stockholm Södra, Stockholm City or Stockholm Odenplan. Strömma also runs transfer buses of about an hour to Gustav Adolfs Torg, included in its hop-on hop-off ticket. The town centre is 1.3 km from the pier on foot.
Is there a shuttle bus from the cruise terminal?
RED Sightseeing's hop-on hop-off buses meet cruise ships at Frihamnen, Värtahamnen (not Silja Line ships) and Stadsgården. From Nynäshamn, Strömma's transfer buses to Stockholm are included in its hop-on hop-off ticket.
How much time should I allow to get back to the ship?
Be back on board at least an hour before departure. Strömma plans its Nynäshamn transfer back so that passengers arrive at least an hour before the ship leaves.
What is closed on a Monday?
The Nobel Prize Museum, the Royal Armoury, the Swedish History Museum, Nationalmuseum, Moderna Museet and the Hallwyl Museum. The Vasa Museum, Skansen, the Royal Palace, the Nordic Museum, ABBA The Museum and Fotografiska are open.
