Day Trips from Stockholm to Uppsala, Sigtuna, and Vaxholm

Most day trips from Stockholm leave the city center by train, bus, or boat. Direct trains to Uppsala are the fastest option, taking under an hour. For Sigtuna, take a commuter train and then a bus. Vaxholm is a boat trip into the archipelago, the chain of islands east of the city. Mariefred and Gripsholm Castle take a regional train plus a short walk or bus ride. Stockholm’s commuter trains, metro, and local buses are run by SL, the regional public transport authority. SJ, the national rail operator, runs most long-distance and regional trains. Waxholmsbolaget, a separate public-transport-style company, runs the archipelago boats.

Fares, timetables, and entry prices change often, so check the date or place attached to each figure. Confirm departure times and prices on the operator’s own website before you travel.

Uppsala by train

Uppsala, a university town about 63 km north of Stockholm, is the easiest day trip on this list. The fastest SJ trains take 36 to 38 minutes, and the average across all services is closer to 46 minutes. The typical journey takes 37 minutes. Trains leave from Stockholm Central station (T-Centralen in local usage), and trains run about every 15 minutes. SJ, the regional operator Mälartåg, and SL commuter trains all serve the route, so the cheapest option depends on the train you choose.

Fares vary more than the timetable does. The lowest fare on one Omio page is USD 8 (EUR 7), while SJ Intercity fares start at USD 24 and reach USD 35. Check the exact price for your travel date on SJ’s own website and compare it with the SL commuter option, which uses the regular SL ticket rules.

The cathedral and the Gustavianum museum are the main sights to plan around in Uppsala. Confirm their opening hours on each venue’s own website, because hours change by season.

Sigtuna by commuter train and bus

Sigtuna, a small lakeside town on Lake Mälaren, takes longer to reach than Uppsala but needs no more than one transfer. The usual route runs by SL commuter train from Stockholm Central to Märsta, then by local bus to Sigtuna. The train is the 42 or 42X toward Märsta, and the bus is the 570 or 575 to Sigtuna bus station. The Stockholm Tourism day-trip guide gives about 38 minutes on the train and about 15 minutes on the bus, which puts the door-to-door trip at 60 to 75 minutes. Budget for the longer end of that range if you start in the outer parts of the city.

Another option is bus 579, which runs from Stockholm Cityterminalen directly to Arlanda Terminal 4, then continues to Sigtuna bus station, and that trip takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes. A taxi takes about 40 minutes and costs 650 to 800 SEK. The commuter train-and-bus route is cheaper, and the taxi makes sense only if you have several people to split the fare.

On the commuter route, a single SL ticket costs 43 kr and stays valid for 75 minutes from activation, according to SL’s announcement of its fare increase on 8 January 2025. Before you buy, check the current zone map on sl.se to see which zones include Märsta and Sigtuna, and remember the 75-minute window when you transfer from the train to the bus.

Sigtuna is a walking town. Its sights include church ruins, runestones, the Stora Gatan street, and the lakefront, and most of them are outdoors. A half day is enough for a first visit, and the best season is May to September, according to Stockholm Tourism. Outside those months, bus and boat services run on reduced schedules, so check departure times before you go.

Combining Sigtuna and Uppsala

Sigtuna and Uppsala are close enough to visit in one trip, but the connection is slow. One direct bus, number 188, runs on weekdays and takes about one hour between the two towns. Confirm the current departure times with the bus operator before you plan around it. The other option is the commuter train from Märsta, which runs every 30 minutes and reaches Uppsala in 20 to 30 minutes. The route adds a change at Upplands Väsby, where the train leaves the Stockholm public transport zone, so you will need a separate fare for that leg.

Doing both towns in one day means a long day of transfers. Most travelers do better with separate days, or pair Uppsala with Stockholm on one day and Sigtuna on another.

Vaxholm by archipelago boat

Vaxholm, a fortress town on an island about 20 km northeast of the city center, is reached only by boat. The Stockholm Tourism guide calls it the best of the archipelago islands and its unofficial capital, and the fortress, museum, and harbor are the main things to see on arrival. Confirm the current opening hours for the fortress and museum on their own websites.

Two kinds of boats serve the island. Waxholmsbolaget runs multi-stop boats that call at several islands on the way. These take 1.5 to 2 hours. Stromma runs a direct service that takes about an hour. Stockholm Tourism also cites a 50-minute ferry, so the fastest boat takes about 50 minutes to an hour. Choose the boat based on how much time you want on the water. The multi-stop boat gives you more stops and a longer scenic route, and the direct boat gives you more time on the island.

Waxholmsbolaget’s official fare page gives adult single tickets from 61 to 186 SEK, depending on distance, and reduced single tickets for pensioners, students, and young people from 39 to 114 SEK. Those fares apply to all Waxholmsbolaget services, and the operator also sells a 180-minute ticket and a combined single ticket for Waxholmsbolaget and SL. Guides note that children under 7 travel free with a paying adult. The operator sets its own prices, so check the current fare table on the Waxholmsbolaget website. Stockholm Tourism’s 2026 guide lists a five-day pass, the "Båtluffarkortet," at about 795 SEK. Confirm the current price with the operator before you buy.

The winter timetable runs on fewer departures. Vaxholm and the nearby Ljusterö route run year-round, and Stockholm Tourism says the inner archipelago keeps year-round service while outer islands run on reduced winter schedules. The operator’s calendar lists holiday exceptions for the winter season on 24, 25, and 31 December and on 1 and 6 January, so check it if you travel over the holidays.

Mariefred and Gripsholm Castle

Mariefred is the best day trip for travelers who want a castle and a historic lake town in one outing. It sits about 70 km southwest of Stockholm, according to the Stockholm Tourism Mariefred guide for 2026. The usual route takes the SJ regional train from Stockholm Central to Läggesta, which takes about 50 to 60 minutes, then bus 304 or a short walk into Mariefred. The Stockholm Tourism page gives about 1.5 hours door to door, and that is the figure to plan around.

Driving takes about 1 hour on the E20 toward Gothenburg. The Slow Travel Stockholm guide gives exit 139 for Mariefred. Parking in Mariefred is usually easy outside summer weekends. Check parking costs locally before you drive.

Rail tickets cost about 115 SEK, according to Stockholm Tourism’s day-trip guide. The steamboat S/S Mariefred runs a day trip on Lake Mälaren and costs about 440 SEK return, according to the Stockholm Tourism Mariefred page. The departure pier is Stadshuskajen, with Sunday departures from May to September, according to Stockholm Tourism. Confirm the pier with the steamboat operator before you go, since boarding at the wrong pier means missing the boat.

Gripsholm Castle is a 16th-century royal castle built on the orders of Gustav Vasa, and it houses the National Portrait Gallery, according to Stockholm Tourism. The grounds include a fallow deer reserve, and the castle’s collections include furniture and historic interiors, according to Visit Stockholm. The rest of the day fits Mariefred’s 15th-century church, its steam train museum, and its lakeside walks. The best season is April to October, according to the Stockholm Tourism Mariefred page. Admission prices and opening hours change with the season, so check the castle’s own website before your visit.

For a full day, Stockholm Tourism gives a sample timetable: an SJ train from Stockholm Central at 09:00, arriving in Läggesta at 09:50, and a return train at 17:00 that gets back to Stockholm at 18:30. Pick a return train that leaves Mariefred with time to spare before the last steamboat or bus.

Trosa and Tullgarn Palace

Trosa lies about 75 km south of Stockholm. The drive takes about 1 hour. By public transport, expect about 1.5 hours by bus plus a walk, according to Stockholm Tourism, and 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes as a shorter estimate. Trosa has wooden houses and canals. Its slow pace suits a walking day. Trosa itself is the main draw on this route.

Tullgarn Palace is the second stop in this trip. Stockholm Tourism says a rental car makes Tullgarn, Skokloster, and Kolmården easier to reach. Check the palace’s own website for opening times and access before you build a day around it. If you go without a car, plan the bus connections to Tullgarn separately, because the bus schedule is the main limit on the day.

Birka, Drottningholm, Tyresta, and Fjäderholmarna

Birka is a UNESCO-listed Viking trading town on an island in Lake Mälaren, reached by boat in about 2 hours, according to Stockholm Tourism. The boat sells out in July and August, so book one to two weeks ahead for those months. Check the operator’s schedule for the current departure times.

Drottningholm, the royal palace in the western part of the city, is reachable by bus from Bromma. Visit Stockholm also describes a summer ferry route that takes the scenic way to the palace. Before you go, check the current ferry times and fares.

Tyresta National Park, south of the city, needs no booking beyond checking the ferry, train, or bus timetable on the day. Build your day around whichever timetable you find.

Fjäderholmarna is a small group of islands in the archipelago. Stockholm Tourism lists it among the trips that do not need a car. Confirm access and departure times with the ferry operator.

Ticket prices and car access

Stockholm Tourism says a car is unnecessary for Uppsala, Sigtuna, Vaxholm, Drottningholm, Mariefred, Birka, and Fjäderholmarna. Public transport therefore works for most of the trips in this guide. Trosa and Tullgarn are the exception, where a car saves time and makes the palace easier to reach.

SL prices rose on 8 January 2025, according to SL’s announcement. The adult single ticket, valid for 75 minutes, costs 43 kr. A 24-hour ticket costs 180 kr, a 72-hour ticket costs 360 kr, a 7-day ticket costs 470 kr, and a 30-day ticket costs 1,060 kr. A yearly ticket costs 11,130 kr, and the physical SL card costs 50 kr. SL updates prices on its own schedule, so look at the current table on sl.se.

Upplands Lokaltrafik (UL) runs buses in the Uppsala area and sells combined SL and UL tickets. Before you buy, confirm the current price of combined SL and UL tickets with UL. On the Sigtuna and Uppsala leg, check whether your SL ticket covers the train or bus you plan to take.

Quick picks by trip

• Take the SJ train to Uppsala: Direct trains take 36 to 46 minutes, depending on the service. Fares vary widely, so look up the exact price for your date on the SJ website.
• Plan Sigtuna as a train and bus trip: Change at Märsta and allow 60 to 75 minutes door to door. The alternative is the 1-hour-45-minute direct bus from Cityterminalen via Arlanda.
• Choose a Vaxholm boat by the time you have: Direct boats take about an hour. Multi-stop boats take 1.5 to 2 hours. Waxholmsbolaget’s adult single tickets run from 61 to 186 SEK.
• Budget a full day for Mariefred: Plan on about 1.5 hours each way. The rail ticket is about 115 SEK, and the steamboat fare is about 440 SEK return. Confirm the steamboat pier before you go.
• Confirm SL zones before buying tickets: The adult single ticket costs 43 kr since 8 January 2025, but zone coverage for Uppsala, Sigtuna, and Vaxholm should be checked on sl.se before you buy.