How to Get to Uppsala: Arlanda Airport, Trains from Stockholm & Local Buses

Situated 71 kilometres north of Stockholm on Sweden's main East Coast Line (Ostkustbanan) and nearly 40 kilometres northwest of the largest airport in Sweden, Uppsala is one of the best-connected historic cities in Scandinavia. Frequent electric regional, commuter, and intercity trains bring you directly into the walkable urban core, while the European route E4 motorway passes just east of the city alongside national roads Riksväg 55 and Riksväg 72 linking Uppland with Enköping and Sala.

Because central Uppsala is flat east of the river and compact on the western cathedral hill, you will not need a car to explore any of the landmarks covered in our Uppsala travel guide, and luggage storage lockers, bus bays, and cycle paths wait right at the station.

From Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) to Uppsala

Opened in 1962 in Sigtuna Municipality, Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) actually sits closer to Uppsala than to central Stockholm, making Uppsala an effortless opening or closing stop on a Swedish itinerary. While Ärna Air Base north of the city remains exclusively military as of 2024, Arlanda provides direct rail and coach connections from its terminals straight to Uppsala Central Station (Uppsala C):

• Mälartåg Regional Trains and SL Commuter Rail (Pendeltåg): Regional Mälartåg double-decker trains and Stockholm commuter rail (SL Pendeltåg Line 40) depart directly from Arlanda Central Station beneath SkyCity (located between Terminals 4 and 5) and reach Uppsala Central Station non-stop in 18 to 20 minutes. Keep in mind that boarding or alighting at Arlanda Central Station involves a mandatory airport station passage fee in addition to the standard rail fare, which can be bought together at ticket machines or in the operator mobile apps before boarding.
• UL Regional Coach Line 801: Operated by Upplands Lokaltrafik (UL), the county public transport authority, yellow regional coach 801 runs frequently between the outdoor bus stops at the Arlanda terminals and Uppsala Central Station. The journey takes 40 to 45 minutes and avoids the underground rail station passage surcharge, making it a practical, economical choice for travellers with luggage or those arriving outside peak train hours.

Trains from Stockholm and Inside Uppsala Central Station

From Stockholm Central Station, Mälartåg regional services, SJ long-distance and high-speed trains (including SJ 3000 services continuing north to Gävle, Sundsvall, Östersund, and the northern half of Sweden, as well as the Dala Line northwest to Sala and Mora and Vy overnight sleeper trains to Narvik in Norway), and SL Pendeltåg commuter trains depart several times every hour, covering the 71-kilometre rail corridor in 35 to 55 minutes depending on intermediate stops.

Handling around 45,000 passengers per day as one of the busiest train stations in Sweden, Uppsala resecentrum (Uppsala Travel Centre) was completely rebuilt between 2005 and 2011 and officially inaugurated in December 2011. Designed by Wåhlin Arkitekter and constructed in 2009 to 2010, the modern glass-and-stone station hall sits beside the Centralpassagen pedestrian and cycle underpass beneath the tracks (opened in 2010), flanked by dedicated busways along Stadshusgatan on the west side (so passengers no longer need to cross Kungsgatan for southbound buses) and Stationsgatan extending Storgatan on the east side, a public square, and extensive bicycle parking. Immediately north of the modern hall stands the original Dutch Renaissance railway station opened by King Charles XV in September 1866 to designs by chief railway architect Adolf W. Edelsvärd; its adjoining corner-tower rail depot was demolished in 1918, while the station building was expanded in 1889 and 1918, renovated on the ground floor in 1934 to 1935, and protected as a listed heritage building in 1986 before becoming a brasserie after 2011, fronted by Bror Hjorth's expressive fountain sculpture Näckens polska.

Walking, Cycling and Green UL City Buses

Stepping out of the western exit of Uppsala Central Station onto Bangårdsgatan or Kungsgatan places you within a level 10- to 15-minute walk across the Fyrisån bridges to Uppsala Cathedral, Gustavianum, and the Linnaean Garden. Uppsala is also one of Sweden's premier cycling cities, with dedicated cycle lanes linking the station, Stora Torget, and the university quarters, and municipal plans underway for a two-line Uppsala Tramway terminating at Uppsala C by 2029.

For longer hops across town and out to the Gamla Uppsala Royal Mounds 5 kilometres north, UL operates a colour-coded bus network: 14 green city bus routes (Lines 1 to 14, run by Gamla Uppsala Buss) serve urban neighbourhoods via Stora Torget and the station in 15 minutes to Gamla Uppsala, while yellow county buses connect surrounding towns such as Sigtuna, Enköping, and Skokloster. All UL buses are strictly cashless; simply tap a contactless payment card at the reader when boarding or purchase single and 24-hour tickets in the UL mobile app. Because regional trains and buses coordinate closely across Uppsala County and Stockholm County, transferring between rail platforms and local coach bays at the travel centre is simple and well signposted in English and Swedish, with real-time digital departure screens positioned inside the station concourse and at every central bus stop.

The Lennakatten Narrow-Gauge Heritage Railway

Directly adjacent to the eastern platforms of Uppsala Central Station sits Uppsala Östra station (relocated closer to the main terminal in 2012), the western terminus of the historic Upsala-Lenna Jernväg, affectionately nicknamed Lennakatten. Opened in 1876 on the traditional Swedish three-foot narrow gauge of 891 millimetres, this 33-kilometre museum railway runs vintage coal-fired steam locomotives and classic 1950s yellow-and-orange railbuses on summer days east through the Uppland forests and lakes to Marielund, Almunge, and Faringe, where visitors can combine the train ride with vintage bus excursions and lakeside cafés. Travellers staying near the station or in central neighbourhoods along the Fyrisån can cross directly between the main platforms and Uppsala Östra via the pedestrian underpass; check the official site of SJ, Mälartåg, UL, and Lennakatten for current seasonal timetables, ticket options, and platform details before travelling across the region.

Within Uppsala Municipality and Uppsala County, public buses operated by UL divide into two clearly colour-coded categories: green city buses running across fifteen urban lines inside the city, and yellow county buses connecting the central terminal with surrounding parishes and rural settlements across Uppland, alongside the European route E4 motorway passing immediately east of the urban core and regional roads Riksväg 72 and Riksväg 55 running west toward Sala and Enköping.