Stockholm Transportation help needed !!!

[Tyskie]

I have search, clicked, checked dates - did everything possible - Google should have my history & first born by this time.  I'm hitting a brick wall and thinking I might be missing something.  I thought perhaps to just take a tour but it seems they are either booked or not working that Sunday.

 

We arrive via Oceania Riviera 10 Sept 2023.  Unfortunately our time in Stockholm has been reduced twice.   We are arriving at 9:15 (if we are on time) and leaving at 4pm - which means 3:30 the latest.  We will be docked at S167 Stadsgarden.

 

Main objective is to get to Vasa Museum and Gamla Stan.  It should be doable but I'm concerned with the transportation.  Could those in the know help me plan this shortened day without getting lost on the bus or ferry?   I would even be open to a taxi to start the process to Vasa.

 

Your help would greatly be appreciated. TY

[dfilpus]

Stadsgarten is walking distance from Gamla Stan. Just after crossing the bridge onto Gamla Stan is the Slussen ferry which will take you to Djurgarten, the ferry dock a short walk to Vasa and the other museums on the island. You should be able to see Vasa and return by ferry to Gamla Stan easily within your abbreviated stop.

[Meander Ingwa]

do you know how to use google maps to route find?  It shows the walking route (45 minutes) and the bus route to The Nobel Museum ( on Gamla Stan) , including bus numbers and stop arrival times.  The suggested walk and bus routes are  actually one and the same.  It passes the ferry depot dfilpus mentions

[Tyskie]

9 hours ago, Meander Ingwa said:

do you know how to use google maps to route find?  

 

I don't - guess I need to learn.  😜

Thank You

[kitkat343]

On 6/24/2023 at 5:00 PM, Tyskie said:

I have search, clicked, checked dates - did everything possible - Google should have my history & first born by this time.  I'm hitting a brick wall and thinking I might be missing something.  I thought perhaps to just take a tour but it seems they are either booked or not working that Sunday.

 

We arrive via Oceania Riviera 10 Sept 2023.  Unfortunately our time in Stockholm has been reduced twice.   We are arriving at 9:15 (if we are on time) and leaving at 4pm - which means 3:30 the latest.  We will be docked at S167 Stadsgarden.

 

Main objective is to get to Vasa Museum and Gamla Stan.  It should be doable but I'm concerned with the transportation.  Could those in the know help me plan this shortened day without getting lost on the bus or ferry?   I would even be open to a taxi to start the process to Vasa.

 

Your help would greatly be appreciated. TY

I'm not an expert so if anyone has better/cheaper options, please listen to them.  

 

10 years ago, the HOHO boats ran directly from Stadgarden to Vasa prior to 10 am (you'd need to check if that's still the case).  10 years ago they sold a one ride ticket (sadly no longer available) so even if the route is still the same, if you aren't going to be using the HOHO boat for a lot of trips, it might not be worth it (the HOHO boats are included in the Stockholm pass, but that's really expensive if you aren't going to a lot of museums).  

 

If the HOHO boat isn't an option, I'd actually recommend taking a public ferry as part of your transportation choices if possible since its actually really nice seeing the city from the water.  We took one ride on the HOHO boat to Vasa, which was wonderful since it was a really enjoyable ride and it went directly there as soon as we'd docked in Stadgarden.  And then we took another one ride from Galma Stan back to Stadgarden, and both rides were really convenient and quite lovely to see the city from the water.  But most of our day was traversing Stockholm with public transportation which went quite well also and would be cheaper. 

[Tyskie]

3 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

 But most of our day was traversing Stockholm with public transportation which went quite well also and would be cheaper. 

Thank you!

 

The above is what we’re trying to prevent - we’ve never been.  Shortened port time x2 on this cruise 🙁

 

Vasa #1 on my list along with Gamla stan

 

My Grandfather was born & raised in Stockholm so this was a high priority for me unfortunately time is not on our side 

[kitkat343]

27 minutes ago, Tyskie said:

Thank you!

 

The above is what we’re trying to prevent - we’ve never been.  Shortened port time x2 on this cruise 🙁

 

Vasa #1 on my list along with Gamla stan

 

My Grandfather was born & raised in Stockholm so this was a high priority for me unfortunately time is not on our side 

I completely understand that in your case it might be worth it to pay more for transportation to get around more quickly, but unfortunately I'm not sure what's the fastest way around Stockholm.  I'm from NYC, and there are times when the traffic is so bad that the subway is much faster than driving depending on where you are going, and unfortunately I don't know Stockholm well enough to advise you on what's best.  If no one else replies, maybe the TripAdvisor forum would have better advice for you.  It's a beautiful city and I'm so sorry about the shortened time in port.

Edited June 27, 2023 by kitkat343

[Meander Ingwa]

On 6/25/2023 at 3:06 AM, Tyskie said:

 

I don't - guess I need to learn.  😜

Thank You

Using a map app is a vital tool for any traveler.  So many thing you can discover from route finding to restaurants and hotels, with reviews and links.  Your possible  route in Stockholm even includes times for busses.

 

Discover how to use it by exploring your neighborhood.  You can download and save maps so you don't even need Internet data access.

 

After thinking it over, I think you can maximize your limited time my using taxi or ride hailing services.  You may meet someone along your trip to share rides with 

[Tyskie]

I have continued with research -lots of good info - taxi at least to first stop might be best

 

Sigh…..not as easy as expected 

 

Thank you all!

[Desdichado62]

Depending on how fast you want to get Vasa , m/s Emelie I & II harbor ferries are the easiest way to get from Stadsgården S167 to Vasa.

They depart from Masthamnen quay at Stadsgården (se map link below). 

 

Current schedule only goes to 23 August, dont know how much changes there are though. I would recommend you get in touch with Ressel which owns and operates these ferries.

 

https://ressel.se/en/emelie-traffic/

https://maps.app.goo.gl/VQYcCioJ25XVPPgCA

 

From Vasa to Gamla Stan use the other harbor ferries (line 82) from Allmänna Gränd to Gamla stan quay.

Use sl website to find departure times (usually very frequent)

https://sl.se/en/in-english/getting-around/

 

For the final leg use bus #53 from Mälartorget (Gamla stan) towards Henriksdalsberget/Finnberget. Get off at Londonviadukten.

 

Also its quite far to walk from Gamla stan back to the ship. also the construction works at and around Slussen area might also confuse things for a tourist.

Edited June 30, 2023 by Desdichado62

[Tyskie]

@Desdichado62 Thank you so much - I'll check everything out.

 

[Tyskie]

@Desdichado62  Just curious, would it be better to head to Gamla stan first - then Vasa - perhaps it would be easier to get back to the ship from Vasa?

 

Thank you for all your input - it has helped me with planning!

[kitkat343]

On 6/30/2023 at 9:57 AM, Tyskie said:

@Desdichado62  Just curious, would it be better to head to Gamla stan first - then Vasa - perhaps it would be easier to get back to the ship from Vasa?

 

Thank you for all your input - it has helped me with planning!

I've only been to Stockholm once on a cruise, so if Desdichado62  has better information, please listen to them.  But what I'd read seemed to consistently indicate that the priority was getting to Vasa right when it opened (although I once read that it is also usually quiet later in the afternoon, which I don't know but would be consistent with my experiences with museums in NYC, where you can go there at 3 or 4 pm and they are usually not very crowded.).  Pre-pandemic, Vasa didn't have timed admissions and people sometimes had to wait to be admitted until others left.  We were very fortunate and able to get there right as it opened, and it made a huge difference being there when it was empty at the start of our visit versus when it was crowded by the time we were leaving.  But if your shortened departure makes it impossible to get there right when it opens, going to Galma Stan first might be a good idea.

[Desdichado62]

On 6/30/2023 at 3:57 PM, Tyskie said:

@Desdichado62  Just curious, would it be better to head to Gamla stan first - then Vasa - perhaps it would be easier to get back to the ship from Vasa?

 

Thank you for all your input - it has helped me with planning!

 

The general consensus among cruisers is to do Vasa first. Vasa is unique (more or less) and while Gamla stan is nice too (except for all tourist trap stores) its not unique in the same way. Do Vasa first and then Gamla Stan. 

[Tyskie]

@Desdichado62

Thank You!    I'm liking the ferry route and that's what we going to do first.

So appreciate your help 🙂

[Desdichado62]

Forgot to say that once you get off the ferry at Djurgården just go straight ahead for like 150 meters and then take a left.

If you look at the link below (Street view) there is a signpost just to the left of the tree. It will show you the way to Vasa.

 

Just s warning though, during the short walk to Vasa you will pass several museums, but dont let them distract you as you wont have time to do them. 😉

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/EXcjP7BUv1uMkWdK8

[cmph]

We just got back from our Baltic cruise and did a couple days pre-stay in Gamla Stan. The ferry between there and the area with the Vasa museum was SO easy. I think it sounds daunting to those of us who do not have this option (especially landlocked US areas that have little mass transit). They had booths running at both ends, so you do not need to worry about figuring out the app. The app seems easy enough for one person, but it's faster to buy multiple tickets at the booth if you have different fare rates for your group. You can also scan your credit card to get onto the ferry and totally skip the app and booth, but you can't get a discounted fare with that method.

 

We are only a single data point, but we got to Vasa around an hour after opening, and I did not think it was crowded during our time there. I didn't notice the crowd picking up, either. However, you will find that dining options over there are limited compared to Gamla Stan, so I'd time things to be on Gamla Stan for lunch. There is a food truck at Vrak, but it was already out of some foods by early afternoon. We ate at the Viking museum eatery, which was fine but a bit limited (mostly traditional Scandinavian foods); we much preferred the Swedish meatballs at Under Kastenjen on Gamla Stan.

 

We weren't as short on time, but we had somewhat limited energy due to jet lag and were annoyed with ourselves for getting the "special" Vrak+Vasa deal. Vrak was (sorry for the bluntness) a real disappointment after the amazing Vasa experience. We wished we had gone to the Viking museum instead. We had promised our daughter we'd go to the ABBA museum, and 3 museums in one day was definitely our limit. Vasa was just so amazing, and anything after that is pretty much dwarfed in excitement, so don't feel badly about skipping all the others!

[badtwin]

So somewhat related, has anyone tried the Stockholm city pass and used it for the HoHo bus?.  We are in Stockholm overnight and I am  trying to figure out if the city pass pass and/or the HoHo you buy with it are for a calendar day or for a 24 hour period.  Our experience is that most HoHo are 24 hour but not so much City Pass tickets.  Even if we had to run around the first day to get in the museums we want to see, if the HoHo was good 24 hours we could at least use that the next morning.  

 

I wrote the pass vendors an email but no answer yet.

 

Thanks

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, badtwin said:

So somewhat related, has anyone tried the Stockholm city pass and used it for the HoHo bus?.  We are in Stockholm overnight and I am  trying to figure out if the city pass pass and/or the HoHo you buy with it are for a calendar day or for a 24 hour period.  Our experience is that most HoHo are 24 hour but not so much City Pass tickets.  Even if we had to run around the first day to get in the museums we want to see, if the HoHo was good 24 hours we could at least use that the next morning.  

 

I wrote the pass vendors an email but no answer yet.

 

Thanks

The Stockholm pass is for consecutive calendar days. 
https://www.stockholmpass.net/en/

 

As an aside, the Copenhagen Card (of which there are now two versions) is by number of hours. 

[badtwin]

3 hours ago, gnome12 said:

The Stockholm pass is for consecutive calendar days. 
https://www.stockholmpass.net/en/

 

As an aside, the Copenhagen Card (of which there are now two versions) is by number of hours. 

Thanks.   I was hoping HoHo would give a ticket with its own time stamp.  It might still be worth it for one day though as Stockholm is fourth port day in a row and it would be nice to have an alternative.to our usual marathon walk.

 

 

[Desdichado62]

  

11 hours ago, badtwin said:

Thanks.   I was hoping HoHo would give a ticket with its own time stamp.  It might still be worth it for one day though as Stockholm is fourth port day in a row and it would be nice to have an alternative.to our usual marathon walk.

 

 

 

IMO, HoHo buses in Stockholm are a very poor way of getting around. Doesn't go where you want to go in the order you want to go there and might take detours going there.

 

Spend you money on a regular 24 hour SL travel card instead. Like you you desire it will be valid from first use and not purchase. Public transport is the easiest way to get around when you don't want to walk. There are buses, trams, subway and commuter/harbour ferries.

 

https://sl.se/en/in-english/fares--tickets/visitor-tickets/travelcards

Edited July 13, 2023 by Desdichado62

[badtwin]

Tack så mycket

 

A transit pass really should solve my problem.  Although I am also looking at your prior suggestion to use the ferry to get to Vasa museum.  Really nice to have someone like you helping us muddle through our ports.