Rick Steves' Guide To Saving Big With Rail Passes In Sweden

Few Americans realize just how big Sweden is. The distance between Malmö in the far south and Kiruna in the far north is almost the equivalent of driving from Tallahassee, Florida, to Toronto, Canada. By car, this 1,150-mile journey would take you about 20 hours. Also take into account that the vast majority of Swedes live in cities, where the population density is 26 people per square kilometer, which means that you can drive through a lot of open space between destinations, seeing only trees and mountains. It's beautiful but somewhat lonesome.

This is just one reason so many travelers take the train. Sweden's railroad system is known as Statens Järnvägar (or SJ), which has been moving people around the country since 1856. Passenger rail connects every major city — as well as neighboring Scandinavian countries — and you can cover vast tracts of land without having to resort to driving yourself. If you're choosing trains for your long-distance rail trip through Europe, Sweden has many fast and comfortable options.

But if you're also hoping to save a buck, you might consider a rail pass. European travel expert Rick Steves has this system down to a science, and he recommends rail passes in Sweden for cutting down on per-trip costs. In a blog post on his website, Steves breaks down the pass options and explains their respective benefits.

Perhaps one of the best-known options is the Eurail Pass, the popular multi-trip ticket that has whisked backpackers across the continent since 1959. The Swedish Eurail Pass allows travelers to pick a first- or second-class ticket, and you can travel anywhere inside the country. Better yet, you're entitled to bring children under the age of 12 for free, which is just another reason Sweden is considered the most family-friendly country in Europe. There are also discounted passes for seniors (10%) and youths under 28 years old (25%). If that sounds good but geographically limited, you may consider the Eurail Global Pass, which can be used in Sweden as well as 33 other countries.

There's a middle option as well: the Scandinavia Eurail Pass. This allows you to book trains through Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, all using the same pass. The above benefits still apply, and you can save 25% on a ticket to the Danmarks Jernbanemuseum (Railway Museum). Located in the Danish city of Odense, this institution is geared toward train lovers and is only a 2-hour trip from Malmö. 

There is a downside: You have to reserve your seat for each ride, and that comes with additional taxes and fees even if you have the pass. A typical fee would be over $10 for domestic trains, $15 for international trains, and $20 for night trains. Annoying as they are, remember to factor these fees into your budget.

How much money you save with one of these passes depends on how much you travel. You might have to do some math yourself to see whether a pass is worth it. But here's a favorable scenario: a six-day Eurail Sweden Pass costs $252. Once a pass is activated, you can use it any six days in the following month, potentially taking multiple trips per day. According to Steves' pricing map, you can travel from Malmö to Växjö (which is normally $25), then to Stockholm ($60), then to Sundsvall ($85), and then to Boden ($85) in Sweden's northern reaches. You'll probably want to spend a little time in each location, or at least rest, so suppose this journey takes you four travel days — one for each leg of the journey. These six days don't even have to be consecutive. Either way, you have already traveled the equivalent of $255 in fares, and you still have two full days of travel ahead of you, usable anytime in your remaining 30-day window.

That said, do remember that you have to likely spend about $40 on additional booking fees. You can also cancel an unused pass within seven days of purchase for a full refund if it's not the right choice for you. This only works if you like trains and plan to use them often. If you're planning to stay in Stockholm and its immediate suburbs, you may prefer train tickets à la carte. And if do decide to drive through Sweden, there's a lot to see, such as the beautiful European castles on this road trip route.