Our slow travel series explores how you can take more mindful journeys by train, boat, bus, or bicycle – with tips on how to reach your destination without flying, and what you can see and do along the way. Here, Sian Lewis explains how she boarded a night train toward Sweden’s frozen Arctic Circle from the capital Stockholm.

All aboard for the Arctic!

I stood at Stockholm Central Station on a December evening as snowflakes began to dust the tracks, when a white train rolled in in front of me. SJ’s first journey with the Arctic Circle train would soon depart from Stockholm for the winter-clad north, with stops in Kiruna, 150 km north of the Arctic Circle. The final station, Narvik in Norway, Europe’s northernmost railway station, comes into view around 19 hours later.

This night train was previously operated by a Norwegian company (VY), but SJ took it over just in time for its first winter journey in 2024. The Arctic Circle service allows passengers to fall asleep in Sweden’s bustling capital and wake up in pristine, snow-covered Lapland – while saving the cost of a hotel night (or the environmental cost of a plane ticket) in a cozy bed on board the train. You can now even travel all the way from London to Lapland by train, if you wish.

The whistle sounded precisely at 18:09, and after hauling my bag on board I went in search of my cabin. Forget any ideas of the Orient Express (or the fictional Polar Express) – the Arctic Circle service may be heading toward Sweden’s magnificent wilderness, but it is not particularly romantic or luxurious. The cabins are functional and can be shared between three or six people, while some hardy souls opt for reclining seats.

I had spent a little extra on a second-class cabin for three people, which I had to myself. Although it was compact, it gave me the luxury of privacy. My bed was made up and could also be folded into a sofa, and the rest of the narrow room consisted of a small sink, a luggage rack, and a window from which I could watch Stockholm’s last Christmas lights whiz by. Toilets and a shower were located down the corridor.

Dinner and the calm of the night

After unpacking (and placing my toothbrush by the sink), I went in search of dinner. The train’s bistro car was open until 23:00 and filled with excited travelers in hiking gear, discussing whether they would see the northern lights at the end of the journey. As this was Sweden, the food was expensive but also delicious – I tried a shrimp salad (139 kr / approx. 95 DKK) and a glass of white wine as the train sped through the night.

At bedtime, my bunk seemed far cozier than at first glance, with a reading lamp casting a warm glow on my pillow. I climbed into my bunk, and although I was convinced I wouldn’t fall asleep easily, the train’s monotonous rumble quickly lulled me to sleep.

Arrival in Kiruna and Lapland adventures

The next morning, a breakfast pack and a surprisingly good cup of coffee blew away the cobwebs of sleep. Although it was 8 o’clock, the world outside my window was still dark blue – at 68° north, the sun never fully rises above the horizon during the polar night (December to mid-January). Outside, snow-covered pine trees glided past. We briefly stopped at a small platform beside an idyllic red cabin, framed by trees and lit by a single lamppost – like a window into Narnia.

At 9:14 (exactly on time), 15 hours and nearly 1,000 kilometers away from Stockholm’s lights, we arrived in Kiruna. I stepped out onto a platform covered in snow. The air was so cold it hurt to breathe deeply, as I watched the train’s engines start up and continue north toward Narvik.

Experience the magic of Lapland

In Kiruna, I explored Camp Ripan, a sustainable hotel, where guide Anders Karkea helped me put on snowshoes. We went in search of tracks from reindeer and ptarmigan in a white wonderland of birch and spruce trees. Although we didn’t see any wild animals, Lapland was wonderfully quiet and peaceful under the snow, broken only by the gentle sound of our snowshoes.

Later, I took a dog sled to Fjellborg Arctic Lodge, where I stayed overnight. Under the Arctic night (4 p.m.), I rode on a wooden sled behind four friendly sled dogs across the frozen Torne River. We sped through deserted wilderness, lit only by my headlamp, until we reached the lodge, a cluster of cozy red cabins with crackling wood stoves and a traditional sauna.

Finale in Abisko

My final stop was Abisko, Sweden’s capital of the northern lights. Although the forecast promised gray clouds, a green aurora danced across the sky as I stepped off the train. I crossed the road to STF Abisko Turiststation, a budget-friendly hostel with a fantastic location opposite Mount Nuolja. Here, visitors can also experience the midnight sun in summer or hike Kungsleden, Sweden’s most famous long-distance trail.