In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Uppsala is the easiest far trip: about 56 minutes by SL commuter train, half-hourly, SEK 83 each way, the cathedral free. Vaxholm is the easiest island: about an hour by boat on any SL ticket, SEK 43 each way. Drottningholm Palace is a metro and bus ride, SEK 170 for the palace, open at weekends only until 6 December 2026. Birka and Mariefred are summer trips, and Gripsholm Castle is shut from 2 November 2026 to 5 January 2027. The Helsinki and Tallinn ferries are overnight, priced per cabin. A tour costs more and saves the planning: the Uppsala and Sigtuna tours are SEK 2,335 and SEK 3,100, five to seven times the SEK 466 of an Uppsala day on your own. Or book now: the Viking sites in Uppsala and Sigtuna tourad is SEK 2,335 and the Viking history full-day tourad SEK 3,100 (GetYourGuide).
The day trips compared
Fares are SL’s and the operators’. SEK 43 is an SL single ticket valid 75 minutes.
| Trip | On your own | Cost on your own | Open in winter | Tour from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uppsala | SL commuter train, about 56 minutes, half-hourly | SEK 166 return, plus entries | Yes | SEK 2,335 |
| Vaxholm | Waxholmsbolaget boat from Strömkajen, about 1 hour | SEK 43 each way | Town and boat; the fortress is shut | SEK 2,179 from 1 June 2027 |
| Drottningholm | Metro to Brommaplan, then a bus; or Strömma’s boat, 1 hour | SEK 43 each way, or from SEK 245 by boat | By metro and bus; palace at weekends to 6 December | SEK 475 (lunch cruise) |
| Sigtuna | SL commuter train to Märsta, then bus 570 or 575 | Museum SEK 60 | Yes; the museum is closed Mondays from November | SEK 1,950 |
| Sandhamn and Grinda | Waxholmsbolaget, via Stavsnäs for Sandhamn | SEK 61 to SEK 186 a single | Weekday boats | None |
| Birka | Strömma’s boat, about 2 hours each way | Package from SEK 495 | No: closed November to April | SEK 495 |
| Mariefred and Gripsholm | Train to Läggesta, about 40 minutes, then a bus | Castle SEK 170 | No: castle shut 2 November to 5 January | None public |
| Helsinki or Tallinn | Overnight ferry, 16 to 17 hours | Per cabin | Yes |
When a tour is worth it
A tour earns its price when the trip is more than one train. The Viking sites in Uppsala and Sigtuna tourad is 9 hours, SEK 2,335, 4.7 stars from 235 reviews, and the Viking history full-day tourad is 8 to 9 hours, SEK 3,100, with hotel pick-up, 4.7 from 329 reviews. The Viking culture tour with transferad covers the runestones and Sigtuna in 6 hours, SEK 1,950, 4.7 from 95. On your own Uppsala costs SEK 466 with the two museums, and Sigtuna costs a train, a bus and SEK 60. So the tour costs five to seven times as much, saves the timetable work, and shows both towns in a day without planning.
For the islands, a tour rarely pays: Vaxholm is SEK 43 each way against SEK 2,179 for the small-group day trip. Drottningholm by metro and bus is SEK 86 return against SEK 475 for the lunch cruise, which sails past the palace and does not say it lands.
The trips
Uppsala
SL commuter train, about 56 minutes · SEK 83 each way · open all year
The cathedral is free and open daily 08:00 to 18:00, Gamla Uppsala Museum and Gustavianum are SEK 150 each, and a day costs SEK 466. The Uppsala guide has the hours, the Sunday mass and the tours.
Vaxholm, Grinda and Sandhamn
Vaxholm: any SL ticket, about 1 hour · Grinda and Sandhamn: Waxholmsbolaget from SEK 61
Vaxholm is a harbour town with a fortress that is closed for the winter. Strömma’s Cinderella boats to Grinda and Sandhamn do not run until April 2027, and the year-round routes are Waxholmsbolaget’s line 11 and bus 433 to Stavsnäs. The archipelago day trip has the timetables and prices. The nearest island, Fjäderholmarna, is on the boat tours page.
Drottningholm Palace
Metro and bus, one SL ticket · Strömma’s boat from SEK 245 · palace SEK 170
Drottningholm Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stands on Lovön in Ekerö municipality, about 10 km outside Stockholm. The Drottningholm Palace tickets page has the prices and the open days: Saturdays and Sundays from 3 October to 6 December 2026, then 31 December to 6 January. The park is free and open all year.
| Way | Facts |
|---|---|
| Metro and bus (all year) | The metro (T-bana) to Brommaplan, then a bus to Drottningholm. One SL ticket (SEK 43, 75 minutes) covers it if the change is quick. Bus tickets cannot be bought at the palace: buy them in the SL app |
| Strömma’s boat | From Klara Mälarstrand, by City Hall, at 10:00, arriving at 11:00. In peak season the Express Boat takes 45 minutes. From SEK 245; palace and Chinese Pavilion tickets can be added at booking. Return boats leave Drottningholm an hour after each departure from Stockholm |
| When the boat runs | The 2026 season ended on 24 October. In 2027 it runs on weekends from 15 May, daily from 29 May and hourly from 25 June to 22 August |
| Bicycle | The Royal Court points to the cycle path from central Stockholm |
After 24 October 2026 the way to Drottningholm is the metro and bus until the boat returns on 15 May 2027. The lunch cruisead on GetYourGuide is SEK 475 for 2 hours, Strömma’s own price, and it cruises past the palace.
Sigtuna
SL commuter train and a bus · museum SEK 60 · open all year
Sigtuna is a town on Lake Mälaren, 37 km from Stockholm and 11 km from Arlanda. From Stockholm take the SL commuter train to Märsta, then bus 570 or 575; from Arlanda, bus 579 from Terminal 5 takes about 30 minutes, and from Uppsala it is about 50 minutes by commuter train and bus. The SL app prices and times the journey. Strömma’s boat to Sigtuna is not available in 2026 and is listed again from April 2027.
Stora Gatan, the main street of Sigtuna. Photo: Brorsson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Sigtuna Museum and Art, at Stora Gatan 55, is SEK 60, free under 20, with an annual card at SEK 100. It is open 12:00 to 16:00 daily in April and October, 10:00 to 16:00 daily from May to September, and 12:00 to 16:00 except Mondays from November to March. The tourist information desk is in the museum. A reader flying in or out can stop here, and one doing Uppsala can add it. The Viking culture tourad is SEK 1,950 for 6 hours.
Birka
Strömma’s boat · about 2 hours each way · package from SEK 495 · closed November to April
Birka is a Viking Age trading town on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren, about 30 km west of Stockholm, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strömma’s M/S Mälar Victoria leaves Klara Mälarstrand, by City Hall, and the island visit allows 3 to 3.5 hours. The package from SEK 495 (7 hours 45 minutes) covers the return boat, the museum and a guided tour of the archaeological site, 45 to 60 minutes and a walk of 1 to 1.5 km with steep slopes. Strömma sells only the package from Stockholm, not a boat-only ticket. Another operator, Särimner, runs a boat taxi from Lindby pier or Hovgården for SEK 300 return with at least 3 paying passengers, and the museum and guided tour are paid for on arrival.
Reconstructed Viking Age houses at Birka on Björkö. Photo: Holger.Ellgaard, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
From November to April the museum and restaurant are closed and there is no regular boat. Book on Strömma’s page: the GetYourGuide listing for the Birka boat tripad is the same SEK 495. The museum, shop, Viking quarter and restaurant are reachable with a pushchair, and the guided walk is steep.
Mariefred and Gripsholm Castle
Train to Läggesta · steamer in summer · castle SEK 170 · castle shut 2 November 2026 to 5 January 2027
Gripsholm Castle is the home of the Swedish State Portrait Collection and Gustav III’s theatre. The Royal Court charges SEK 170 for adults, SEK 150 for students and SEK 85 for ages 7 to 17, with children aged 6 and under free. It is open 12:00 to 15:00 on 25 October and 10:00 to 15:00 on 31 October and 1 November. It then closes to visitors until 5 and 6 January 2027, when it opens from 12:00 to 16:00. A winter Mariefred trip has nothing to open.
Gripsholm Castle at Mariefred, approached by its footbridge. Photo: Arkland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- By steamer: the 1903 S/S Mariefred leaves Klara Mälarstrand at 10:00, takes 3.5 hours each way and leaves Mariefred at 16:30. The 2026 season ended on 2 August, SEK 490 return and SEK 370 one way, and no 2027 timetable is published yet.
- By train: from Stockholm Central towards Eskilstuna to Läggesta, about 40 minutes, then a 4 km bus to Mariefred. In spring, summer and autumn a steam train runs from Läggesta to the castle.
- By tour: only private tours are listed, at SEK 10,008 and up.
The Helsinki and Tallinn ferries
Overnight · 16 to 17 hours · priced per cabin
Two companies run the night boats to Helsinki, from different terminals, and only Tallink sails to Tallinn. Both are Baltic cruise ferries that people book as a two-night mini-cruise with a day ashore, or one way as transport. Finland and Estonia are in the Schengen area, but both lines ask for valid travel documents for every passenger, children included. On the Helsinki side, the Helsinki guide covers what to book, the Tallinn guide covers the Estonian end, and Helsinki public transport covers the HSL tickets you need once ashore.
Tallink’s Baltic Queen, the ship on the Stockholm to Tallinn route, in the archipelago. Photo: Ad Meskens, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Viking Line | Tallink Silja | |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm terminal | Stadsgården (Tegelvikshamn) on Södermalm, a 15-minute, 1 km walk from Slussen | Värtahamnen; SL bus 76 stops at the terminal, and Gärdet metro station is a 15-minute walk |
| Stockholm to Helsinki | Leaves 16:00, arrives 10:10 | Leaves 16:30, arrives 10:30 |
| Helsinki to Stockholm | Leaves 17:00, arrives 10:10 | Leaves 16:45, arrives 10:00 |
| Time in Helsinki | A full day on the 41-hour cruise | Almost 7 hours ashore |
| Price | Sample EUR 86 per cabin for a 2-night return in an Inside Standard cabin | Set when you book |
| Tallinn | Not served from Stockholm | Baltic Queen, every other day, about 16 hours, from Värtahamnen |
Viking Line’s timetable runs from 1 October 2026 to 21 June 2027, and its ships Gabriella and Viking Cinderella are docked for maintenance from 7 to 26 January 2027, with no service; from 27 January to 17 February 2027 only Viking Cinderella sails. Viking Line’s price depends on the day, the departure time and the places left, and cabins are booked whole, so the sample is per cabin, not per person. Put your clock forward one hour for Finnish time. Tallink allows booking up to 45 minutes before departure, and keeping the same cabin both ways lets you leave luggage on board while you go ashore. Book on Viking Line or Tallink.
Before you go
- Dates: the Strömma and Waxholmsbolaget timetables change by season, so check the day. Drottningholm’s boat ran for the last time on 24 October 2026 and returns on 15 May 2027, and Gripsholm shuts on 2 November.
- Tickets: Stockholm public transport has the SL fares, and Uppsala and Sigtuna are on the commuter line that also serves Arlanda: Arlanda to the city.
- Passes: the Go City pass includes Drottningholm, Gripsholm and the Birka boat, as Stockholm Pass: is it worth it? explains.
- Border: Sweden has notified border controls from 12 November 2026 to 11 May 2027, so carry your passport on trips that start or end in another country. If you are combining Stockholm with Copenhagen, the Malmö day trip and the Copenhagen guide cover the crossing at Hyllie.
- Which hotel: hotels near Stockholm Central Station are beside the commuter trains and the Arlanda Express, and 3 days in Stockholm fits a day trip into the plan.
- On foot or by boat in the city: Stockholm walking tours and boat tours cover the days you stay.
Common questions
What are the best day trips from Stockholm?
Uppsala, 56 minutes by commuter train, for the free cathedral and Gamla Uppsala, and Vaxholm, about an hour by boat on an SL ticket. Drottningholm Palace is a metro and bus ride, and Sigtuna a half day by train and bus. Birka and Mariefred are summer trips.
Which day trips from Stockholm run in winter?
Uppsala, Vaxholm's town and boat, Sigtuna's museum and Drottningholm by metro and bus run all year, though the palace is open at weekends only from 3 October to 6 December 2026. Birka is closed from November to April, Gripsholm Castle is shut from 2 November 2026 to 5 January 2027 and Strömma's Drottningholm boat last runs on 24 October.
How much does a day trip from Stockholm cost?
On your own with SL: SEK 86 for Vaxholm both ways, SEK 166 for Uppsala, plus the entries: the Drottningholm Palace ticket is SEK 170, Gamla Uppsala SEK 150 and Gustavianum SEK 150. Tours run from SEK 475 for the Drottningholm lunch cruise to SEK 3,100 for the full-day Viking tour of Sigtuna and Uppsala.
Is there a ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki?
Yes, overnight. Viking Line leaves Stadsgården at 16:00 and Tallink Silja leaves Värtahamnen at 16:30, arriving about 10:10 and 10:30 the next morning. Tallink alone sails to Tallinn, every other day. Viking Line's sample price is EUR 86 per cabin for a 2-night return.
Can I reach Drottningholm Palace without the boat?
Yes, all year. Take the metro to Brommaplan and change to a bus to Drottningholm, on one SL ticket. Bus tickets cannot be bought at the palace, so buy in the SL app.
Do I need a passport for day trips from Stockholm?
Carry one. Sweden has notified border controls on its internal borders from 12 November 2026 to 11 May 2027, and the ferries to Finland check travel documents for every passenger, children included.
