How To Use The SL Card For Public Transport In Stockholm
SL is the Stockholm Public Transport organisation that runs all of the land-based transport in Stockholm County. To explore the capital of Sweden, you must purchase an SL Card. You are entitled to use this card for trains, buses, trams, the metro, commuter trains and even city-based ferries.
Purchase an SL card and you will be entitled to travel an unlimited amount of times within the period you have chosen. Photo by Norman Tsui
Using the SL transport system in Stockholm is an efficient way to get from A to B, whilst saving you both money and time. The SL card itself costs SEK 20 and will make your commute to work, or a day out in the city, hassle-free. There are numerous options for SL tickets depending on how long you will be staying in Stockholm, which zones you want to travel in and whether you're a student or young person. Read on to find out which SL travel card option is best for you and your stay in Stockholm.
Buying An SL Travel Card For Short Stays In Stockholm
Buying an SL card is the easiest way to travel around Stockholm, with the cards being valid on a range of transport within the SL system. Photo by Max Snitser
If you buy an SL travelcard, then you can travel an unlimited amount of times within the period you have selected. There are three options for purchasing short stay travel cards: 24 hours, 72 hours, or 7 days. To make the travel cards worthwhile, you should be making a minimum of 4 single journeys in 24 hours, 8 single journeys in 72 hours or 10.5 single journeys in 7 days, with an adult fare.
A single journey ticket costs 44 SEK or 32 SEK with an SL Card, so it is worthwhile to purchase an SL travelcard if you want to explore Stockholm without limits. However, if you are only staying in Sweden’s capital for less than a day, it might be more cost-efficient to purchase a single journey ticket from the station kiosk. A single ticket lasts for 75 minutes.
24 hours: SEK 130 (adult fare); SEK 90 (students/seniors)
72 hours: SEK 260 (adult fare); SEK 170 (students/seniors)
7 days: SEK 335 (adult fare); SEK 225 (students/seniors)
Read more about registering your SL Card to avoid loss or theft.
Buying 30-Day, 90-Day And 365-Day SL Travelcards In Stockholm
Purchasing an SL card with an extended duration is by far the best option in the long run, financially. Photo by Rod Long
If you are planning on staying in Stockholm long term, then the most cost-efficient way of purchasing SL travel is through the extended duration tickets. You have the option of either buying a 30-day travel card, a 90-day travel card or a 365-day travel card. This option suits commuters who have to travel to work daily, as well as students traveling to university.
The extended duration tickets give you the flexibility to travel an unlimited amount of times within Stockholm’s SL transport system within the time frame you have chosen. You can use SL cards to travel on the bus, commuter train, metro, and trams. The travelcards are also valid for ferries between Slussen and Djurgården, as well as a few limited commuter ferries.
30 days: SEK 890 (adult fare); SEK 590 (students/seniors)
90 days: SEK 2,580 (adult fare); SEK 1,700 (students/seniors)
365 days: SEK 9,310 (adult fare); SEK 6,240 (students/seniors)
Read more about the different types and prices of SL cards in Stockholm.
Discounted SL Fares For Students, Young People And Senior Citizens
We all know that being a student can be tough; that's why SL offers discounted fares to everyone holding a valid student ID card. Photo by Johannes W
Being a student in Stockholm comes with many great benefits, one of which being discounted rail fares across the whole county. If you are studying at least 75% and present a valid student ID card, you will receive approximately 1/3 off the cost of tickets. This deal also applies to senior citizens over the age of 65 and young people under the age of 20.
This makes a single journey ticket only 32 SEK, or an unlimited 30-day travelcard 590 SEK. Make sure you carry student ID with you to prove you’re a student, as you might get asked by a ticket guard, or biljett vakt, to prove your eligibility and avoid receiving a fine. Note, all children under the age of 7 can travel for free on SL with an accompanying adult.
Read more about buying transportation tickets in Stockholm on Globuzzer!
Downloading The SL App To Your Smartphone
The SL app is a handy tool to have downloaded on your phone to check all of the latest travel updates and buying tickets. Photo by Lukas Ganster
The SL app is a great tool to download on your phone for checking routes, staying updated with cancellations and delays and buying tickets - in case you forgot to bring your SL card! If you are new to Sweden's capital and are unsure of how to get from A to B, then this app is a life savior. Just enter your location and desired destination, and the app will scan through all of the quickest routes.
The SL app can also be used to purchase an Arlanda Passage ticket, in addition to normal fares. However, the app doesn't take into account your SL card, therefore, the ticket prices are slightly elevated when purchasing them through the app. The app is free to download and use.
Read more about the top navigation apps in Stockholm on Globuzzer!
Travel protocols and prices vary all over the world, so when you arrive in a new country it might be difficult to figure out how everything works. Stockholm is a well-connected city whose SL transport system plays a huge role in everything running smoothly. Getting an SL card is an essential part of your stay here in Stockholm and will ensure your time here is as hassle-free as possible.
Which SL travel card option did you decide to go for? Let us know your choice and reason in the comments section down below!
