Stockholm citytrip

A very enjoyable trip

We had a really good time in Copenhagen for the few days we spent there. Visiting the city by bicycle and on foot was perfect for relaxing, getting rid of the stress. We were also overdosed on vitamin D in the meantime, that felt really good. Let’s hope it would get as good in Stockholm.
We made the trip between the two cities by train. A first train took us from Copenhagen to Malmö, with a short stopover at the airport for ID checks. The train from Malmo to Sweden was a bargain: we paid 15€ each for the 5-hour trip with the Snälltaget train to Stockholm. 5 hours may seem a long time at first, but we enjoyed discovering the Swedish scenery the slower way. We were seated in a comfortable compartment with 6 seats, and if we wanted to stretch our legs we could walk over to the bar car. Perfect for reading and playing Yahtzee while gliding through the green hills of Southeast Sweden.
The train was run by the private company Snälltåget. They use refurbished coaches, in horrible colours I must admit – you don’t see those once you’re inside though – and hauled by a locomotive rented from Hectorrail. Today, they use some brandnew Siemens Vectron locomotives. Here we see the train to Stockholm a few minutes before departure from Malmö.

Hectorrail’s 242 531 with the Snälltåget from Malmö to Stockholm. Malmö, 4.5.2016

Some variation in the breaks

You can’t always have drinks on a terrace in between visits when it’s sunny, right? Not always, indeed, so I found myself next to the tracks for a little while, while my girlfriend was chilling out along the water. South of Stockholm’s train station is a bridge over the water, right before the tracks dive into a tunnel.
I didn’t stay that long, really, but got to see a lot of interesting trains besides the frequent commuter trains. A selection below.

Skandinaviska Jernbanor was renting at the time Vectron AC 193 922 from Railpool for its services between Stockholm and Göteborg. They were forced to stop operations by the Swedish Transport Agency in july 2016, but were allowed to continue operations in december of the same year. Pictured is the “Blue Train” to Göteborg. Stockholm, 6.5.2016
A black Rc6 engine of the Swedish national railways with a train to Örebro. Stockholm, 6.5.2016
The Snälltåget to Malmö has just left Stockholm, hauled by Hectorrail’s 242 531, the same one that brought us to the Swedish captial. Stockholm, 6.5.2016

Urban Stockholm

With the tower of the Riddarholmskyrkan in the background, a C20 type subway train of Storstockholms Lokaltrafik, the company responible for managing Stockholm’s subway system; is headed towards the city’s main train station.

A Storstockholms Lokaltrafik C20 unit on it’s way towards the central station. Stockholm, 5.5.2016

Södermalm view

Hard to distinguish if this is a train on Storstockholms Lokaltrafik’s line T17, T18 or T19, but that doesn’t really matter I guess. Södermalm borough is a nice place to wander around. It’s steep hills offer some nice views over the old town, and the cruise terminal as is the case here. This part of the city is also less touristy, and has some nice authentic restaurants and shops.

An older type of metro train is running by the cruise terminal, located in Stockholm’s Södermalmen borough. 7.5.2016