Need help with Stockholm!

[Shadowstar]

We will be docking at Frihamnen in June and I have been having trouble locating this on the maps. Ideally we would like to visit Vasa, Skansen and Gamla Stan. Not necessarily in that order. I was wondering if anyone could give me some advise on how to get to each place (which bus etc.)and which would be the best order to visit them? We will be in port from 8:30-5:30 and I have read on the NCL web site that we have to be back on board 2 hours prior to departure time. Also, how worthwhile is the ice bar? I have two boys with me 14 years and 11 years as well as my parents and DH. I wonder if it would be cheaper for all of us to get into a taxi?

 

I really appreciate your time.

 

Thank you in advance for your help!

[north-bound]

Frihamnen is not far from Djurgården, the area where the Vasa Museum and Skansen are located. From June till August the Vasa museum opens at 8.30 so my recommendation would be to go directly there and then to Skansen.

 

There is a bus 76 from Frihamnen which has a stop at Djurgårdsbron. From there it is a short walk across a bridge to Djurgården and on to Vasa. The same bus also continues to Gamla Stan. But this bus is available only on week-days; so on a Saturday or Sunday it will not work. If you decide to use public transport be aware that it is not possible to pay on the bus, you have to either have a Stockholm card or Transport card, or there is a ticket machine at the bus stop. For this you need Swedish money. I am sure a taxi would be more comfortable and easy, and not too expensive for four people, if you haven’t bought a card.

 

When you are done with Vasa and Skansen take a ferry from Djurgården to Slussen in Gamla Stan and spend your time there. To go back to Frihamnen there is either bus 76 again if it is a week-day. Or take a taxi.

 

Personally I think the ice-bar is mainly a tourist trap but that is only my opinion. It is also not in Gamla Stan, it is located a short distance north of Gamla Stan. Should you decide to go there you will need a booking. Here is a link: http://www.nordicseahotel.se/omhotellet/matochdryck.asp?MainCatId=41&LangId=2

 

I hope you will have a great day in Stockholm.

[Shadowstar]

I can not thank you enough for this comprehensive information! We will be there on a Thursday- so should be ok to take the bus, I am not sure if 6 of us will fit into a taxi! Do you know if the port has an ATM machine?

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[north-bound]

I am sorry it has taken some time to answer your question about ATM machines at Frihamnen. I had to go there to check the area. I could not find any machine and it did not seem likely there is one since there are no bank offices there. There may be an ATM inside the terminal for the regular ships to Tallinn, but the terminal is probably open only when a ship leaves or arrives.

 

Anyway, an ATM will not be much help to get you tickets for the bus. The ticket machine can only take coins or Swedish credit cards. So the only way seems to be if the ship can provide coins (and I guess they can not). Or if you have bought the Stockholm card online and have it with you.

 

I have discussed this problem with the Stockholm public transport company. They had no solution, but at least now they are aware that this problem exists for the many tourists arriving at Frihamen.

[FinelyRetired]

Great info for Stockholm both here and elsewhere on this board! Thanks all.

 

Some add'l questions:

1. What is the walking time/distance from Skansen to the Ferry Dock?

2. What is length of ferry ride back to Gamla Stan/Old Town?

3. What is walking distance/time from Old Town to EITHER Frihamnen

or Stadsgarden? (not sure where Prinsendam will dock 6/11/08)

 

Martha

[BigBearLady]

I can not thank you enough for this comprehensive information! We will be there on a Thursday- so should be ok to take the bus, I am not sure if 6 of us will fit into a taxi! Do you know if the port has an ATM machine?

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I have ordered foreign currency for many countries through two of my banks, both Bank of America and Wells Fargo. It worked really well. I was even able to get Russian Rubles, and Estonian Krooni. I will need these on my Kiel Canal and Baltic Treasures cruise on Prinsendam Aug. 7, 08.

[TLCOhio]

I have ordered foreign currency for many countries through two of my banks, both Bank of America and Wells Fargo. It worked really well. I was even able to get Russian Rubles, and Estonian Krooni. I will need these on my Kiel Canal and Baltic Treasures cruise on Prinsendam Aug. 7, 08.

 

It's really challenging in the Baltics with only Finland doing the Euro. Norway, Denmark, Russia and Sweden all have stuck with their own historic currencies! While most of Europe mainland is on the Euro, the Baltics have this different situation. Lots of different coins will build up during the travels there.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[north-bound]

Great info for Stockholm both here and elsewhere on this board! Thanks all.

 

Some add'l questions:

1. What is the walking time/distance from Skansen to the Ferry Dock?

 

It is a short walk, my guess 10-15 minutes.

 

2. What is length of ferry ride back to Gamla Stan/Old Town?

 

Again it is short, perhaps 10 minutes.

 

3. What is walking distance/time from Old Town to EITHER Frihamnen

or Stadsgarden? (not sure where Prinsendam will dock 6/11/08)

 

The Stadsgården quay starts at Slussen, at the south end of Gamla Stan. You can see the ship at the end of the quay. Takes perhaps 15-20 minutes to walk there. But I can see that Prinsendam is lited as docking at Frihamnen on June 11. This does not mean that you can be absolutely sure it will happen, ships are chnged sometimes, even at last minute. In my opnion Frihamnen is too far to walk. There is a bus number 76 from Gamla Stan to Frihamnen. But you can not pay on the bus, you have to buy tickets before getting on. For this you need Swedish coins.

 

Martha

 

 

I hope this helps and wish you a great day in Stockholm

[colleenmf]

I have a question about taxis. Do they take credit cards? We will be staying 3 days in Stockholm (no hotel yet, working on it) and will need to get to the port called Frihamnen #638 on Sautrday 9 August 2008. Obviously the bus will not work on weekends so I am guessing I will need a taxi. If we stay in the area called Norrmalm what might the taxi fare be to the port and can we use a credit card? If not, that's OK, I'll just be sure to get cash sometime before that morning. But it would be good to know.

 

thanks so much.

 

Colleen

[FinelyRetired]

north-bound:

 

Thanks for your excellent reply to my post!

 

We have planned to get a taxi at the Pier to the Vasa(regardless of which pier we are berthed at). Will taxis be readily available around Gamla Stan for our return to the ship if we are indeed at the farther pier? And, do taxis take credit cards?

 

Thanks again,

Martha

[2frenchy]

If you are looking for an hotel at stockholm, try this one

 

http://www.sheratonstockholm.com/

 

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[north-bound]

FinelyRetired and colleenmf,

 

Most taxis will take credit card, this goes for the main taxi companies. Just check before going.

 

I rarely take a taxi myself so I am not sure how easy it is to find one in Gamla Stan. But you should know that most of Gamla Stan has narrow streets where traffic is very limited, so they are not everywhere.

 

Also, I am not sure how much a taxi from Norrmalm to Frihamnen costs. But it is a short distance so it should not be very expensive. If you can handle the luggage there is a bus number 1 from Norrmalm to Frihamnen that runs not only on week-days but also on Saturday and Sunday.

[jstducky]

Great info for Stockholm both here and elsewhere on this board! Thanks all.

 

Some add'l questions:

1. What is the walking time/distance from Skansen to the Ferry Dock?

2. What is length of ferry ride back to Gamla Stan/Old Town?

3. What is walking distance/time from Old Town to EITHER Frihamnen

or Stadsgarden? (not sure where Prinsendam will dock 6/11/08)

 

Martha

 

The walking distance/time from Skansen to the ferry dock is really minimal. Approximately 5 minutes. When you exit Skansen, turn to your right and walk to the intersection (with the stop light) cross the street and continue walking all the way down that street until you hit the water. You'll see the Tivoli Gruna Lund (amusement park) on your left hand side. And then you'll see the water ahead of you. That is where you catch the ferry back to Gamla Stan.

[jstducky]

sorry double post

[2Fltravelers]

I was at the port in June last year. The bus machine at the stop takes credit cards. Also, just past the bus stop nearer to the ferries is a small cafe and there is an ATM in there. This is for the passengers departing the ferries from Helsinki, etc. who also need local currency to get on the bus.

Definitely have a Stockholm card-it will save so much time! Just make sure you order it far enough in advance to arrive by mail. I waited too long and had to go by businto the center of the city to buy it. Luckily, we were in Stockholm for 2 days and had extra time.

 

We also went to the Vasa Museum and Skansen. If the weather is nice do Skansen first and then the Vasa since it is inside. Also try to watch the english movie before you tour the museum. It will really help you understand what you are seeing if you don't have time to wait for the english tour.

[llund]

BigBearLady.....(fellow S. Californian-do you live in Big Bear?) we are also getting currency for each place before going. In Estonia, I read that some museums only want their currency. How did you determine how much to get for each location? I am trying to figure out how much to get for the time we are in each port. Any suggestions will be helpful.

[BigBearLady]

BigBearLady.....(fellow S. Californian-do you live in Big Bear?) we are also getting currency for each place before going. In Estonia, I read that some museums only want their currency. How did you determine how much to get for each location? I am trying to figure out how much to get for the time we are in each port. Any suggestions will be helpful.

I ordered approximately $100 US dollars worth in each port that we will be visiting for just the day. I figured if I find something expensive that I want to buy, I will use Visa. You are right about Tallinn. There is a place, museum I think, that only takes local currency. I remember someone stating that to take the long flight of stairs to the top of a building, they only take local money. I don't have my notes handy for the name. As I remember, it is a church tower. I ordered lots of Euros, since several ports we visit take Euros. By the way, I have 2 vacation rental cabins in Big Bear, where I am staying for the next few days myself! My full time home is in Palm Springs. Now you know why I like to get away to the mountains in the summer:)

[Lair Bear]

To find details about the harbor and Stockholm region go to Google Earth and just enter the name of the harbor and Stockholm.

You will see that from Frihamnen it is a few miles to the south west to Old Town which is the island criss crossed by several roads and bridges. Half way in between you can see another long, green island and that is where the Vasa museum and Djurgården (park) are located. The harbor is too far to walk so you need to take a taxi. Go to Old Town and in the lower right corner near the bridge is the ferry that takes you to Vasa; it is a nice boat trip.

If you don't have Google Earth, you can download it free from Google. I find it lots of fun to zero in on lots of ports and other places of interest. It is so clear I can see our garbage can sitting in front of our house on pickup day.

[friendship]

Don't know where you dock but get a cab and get to the hop on hop off bus/boat. Don't waste time looking for bus or subway in. The ice bar is fun but the historical sites etc will take more time than you have. It takes time to find the bar, get in (if you can get a reservation) and is costly.

[Rickdabear]

My wife would like to see Gamla Stan, changing of the guide at the royal palace and the Vasa Museum. I'm on a cane and move fairly slowly. Can this be accomplished by walking? I'm never in a big hurry to get anywhere and I can walk a couple of miles without too much difficulty.

Da Bear

[north-bound]

Mrrickbear, The Royal Palace is in Gamla Stan, so walking around there and seeing the Changing of the Guards is easily done. Good walking shoes may be a help, there are some cobblestone streets. It’s a nice area to just stroll, old buildings and narrow streets.

 

But the Vasa Museum is in another part of the city. It is not impossible to walk there, but may be a long walk if you walk slowly. I would recommend you take the ferry from Slussen, at the south end of Gamla Stan, to Djurgården where Vasa is located. It’s a short nice ride across the harbour. The cost for a one-way ticket is 30 kronor per person (children and elderly 20 kronor).

[sfocruiser]

My wife would like to see Gamla Stan, changing of the guide at the royal palace and the Vasa Museum. I'm on a cane and move fairly slowly. Can this be accomplished by walking? I'm never in a big hurry to get anywhere and I can walk a couple of miles without too much difficulty.

Da Bear

 

Gamla Stan and the Changing of the guard are adjacent, so even with limited mobility its easy. I would suggesta Taxi to the Vasa as its a bit of a walk, though if its sunny and you have the time maybe walk over and taxi back to the ship. There is also a ferry which picks up by Gamla Stan (lots of stairs) and goes to the Vasa

[tarheel423]

I see Regatta is scheduled to dock at VÄRTAHAMNEN July 29. I've not been able to find much information about services at this port. Can anyone tell me how to get to Gamla Stan and the Vasa Museum from the port? Is the Gärdet metro station within walking distance and is this an option? Thanks for your help.

[north-bound]

Tarheel423, it is possible to walk to Gärdet metro station from Värtahamnen, even if it is a little bit away. The metro can take you to Gamla Stan. But the Vasa museum is not in the same area. Actually it is closer to the port, but not near any metro station. A taxi is perhaps the best way. There is a bus 76 from Värtahamnen to Djurgårdsbron, from where there is a short walk to the museum. This bus runs only on week-days, not Saturday and Sunday. And the problem is that it is not possible to pay on the bus, you would have to get tickets from a machine that takes only coins or Swedish credit cards (if you have purchased the Stockholm card you avoid this problem). The same bus also continues to Gamla Stan.

[tarheel423]

north-bound - Thank you so much. You've answered my questions.