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ItalianoStockholm Archipelago Trail
- Do not confuse with the Archipelago Trail in Finland.
The Stockholm Archipelago Trail is a network of hiking trails on the major islands of Stockholm archipelago, connected by ferries (see Public transport in Stockholm County).
Get in
[edit]There are some sections of the trail that can be reached by bus but normally you need to take the ferry. It can be a challenge to transport between the islands, as the timetables vary significantly between high season and low season when the boats are not scheduled every day.
Destinations
[edit]Each section is independent, meaning you can choose the order in which you hike.
To hike the entire trail, start at either Landsort or Arholma. The easiest time to do this is mid-summer when the North-South Line ferries operate. This ferry service runs from the week before Midsummer until mid-August. To minimize impact on the islands, we recommend hiking before Midsummer or after August 5.
Ferries
[edit]You can use Google Maps, which includes all the ferry stations and their schedules, to plan your travel between islands. or check Vaxholmsbolaget (see Plan a journey and also the Ferry Network Map). One popular trip to use when hiking the trail is the North/South route called the "Nord/Sydlinjen" (number 40) it will start Monday 2025-06-23 and is valid until Sunday, August 17, 2025.
- Vaxholmsbolaget - Visitor information in English
- Question and Answers Where can I take a ferry to a section of the Stockholm Archipelago Trail?
Semaphores
[edit]
To indicate that the ferry should stop there is a semaphore at the bridge that you need to put in an upright position.
Call the ferry company - Vaxholmsbolaget
[edit]In the timetable, it is indicated whether the boat will stop at the pier you are at or if you need to call Vaxholmsbolaget. Normally, you must call 2 hours in advance for them to make a stop at a pier.
Check the departure times
[edit]Check the departure times when you arrive at the ferry, as they sometimes change piers or use a different boat than what is stated in the timetable.
Stay safe
[edit]Beware of ticks, cold weather and slippery rocks.
Prepare
[edit]Water is essential when traveling along the Stockholm Archipelago Trail. Depending on whether you are doing day trips or planning to travel for several days, you will need to ensure access to drinking water. Especially during the low season, there may be nothing open on the islands, so you must carry your own water or confirm in advance if there are water sources available.
Can I camp anywhere?
[edit]Camping in the Archipelago see SAT FAQ "Can I camp anywhere?"
Many islands are nature reserves. In nature reserves, there are stricter regulations on camping. Generally, one-night camping is allowed as long as it does not disturb people or wildlife. Check the local nature reserve regulations for each island. These are found as you enter the reserve. Some islands have designated campsites where you can pitch your tent. There are no campsites on Sandhamn, Svartsö, Ornö, and Brottö see more on wikivoyage Stockholm_archipelago.
Drinking water available
[edit]A list of water pumps is a work in progress, also mentioned off-season. However, there is no guarantee that the water pumps are functional, so it is advised to check their condition before use and to bring your own water as a precaution see also commons:Category:Water_Stockholms_Archipelago (map)
- Grinda at the camping 59.416673 18.559603 - available already in March - picture
- Landsort Western harbour 58.744686 17.865073 - available already in March - picture
- Nämdö 59.1999134 18.7079436 waterpump
- Ålö 58.909804 18.219090 waterpump
- ....
Food Supplies
[edit]The availability of food supplies varies with the season. Chains and stores accessible in the archipelago and along the trail include:
- Tempo
- Tempo Runmarö
- Westerbergs Livs Sandhamn
Lesson learned
[edit]We have a discussion group on Facebook use it and ask people "Stockholm Archipelago Trail"
- Trail Difficulty & Terrain: The trail is very easy to walk, and you can walk it with a rucksack* with no problems, I sometime hide it and did the trail to pick up the rucksack
- Navigation Tips: All paths are very well marked I lost the track just a few times and then I had the app...
- Transportation: All islands can be reached by ferries. The largest ferry operator is Waxholmsbolaget they are also very fast on answering on facebook is my experience
- Some other ferries are also possible to use as Blidösund, Strömma kanal other ferries, and Yxland and Furusund can also be reached by bus. (There are no physical markers, so you follow an electronic track.)
- Later in the season, there is a North-South line that transports passengers across the Swedish archipelago. Many believe it will make things easier, but I’ll believe it when I see it. It has few departures that need to be timed carefully with meals, accommodations, and hikes… the future will tell.
- Accommodation Options: Vandrarhem, hotels, or camping about camping along the trail see FAQ "Can I camp anywhere?"
- I walked the trail off season and I did most of the trails by traveling back to Stockholm i.e. it was very long days leaving before 7 and back 22:00
- The few places I stayed over night during my 20 island walk was on
- 1 Landsort hostel was a good decision as the trip to Landsort took some time and I started late
- 2 Svartsö Hotel and Hostel nice place and walked all different trails on the island and had a good dinner on 1 Bistro sågen
- 3 Finnhamn hostel
- The few places I stayed over night during my 20 island walk was on
Useable apps
[edit]- The official SAT site provides tracks you can follow. (I encountered some issues at times, so it's a good idea to prepare in advance and download the GPX track beforehand.) Nota bene: These are islands, so you’ll never truly get lost.
- I use Google Maps to find places to eat, check opening hours, and read food reviews. It also supports multiple languages and provides a ferry timetable, but I always double-check with Waxholmsbolaget and ask people on the ferries.
- Waxholmsbolaget has a Swedish app, but it's deprecated. The alternative is to use the SL app or using timetables....
- Google Maps is nearly as good and supports more languages, restaurants, rental properties, and accommodations.
- Lesson learned always ask 😉 ask the people on the ferry and tell them your desitination ask people who lives on the islands... (sometimes two boats appear at the same time, sometimes they change the boat, sometimes they dont stop if you dont tell them). They usually understand when someone is new and often have better control of the situation than you.
- Using English is no problem, as most Swedish people understand and speak it.
- Cash is rarely used—we primarily use credit cards.
- You can often eat on the boat, or bring a sandwich and coffee… or a beer. Since I only stayed for the day on some islands during the off-season, sometimes drinking water wasn’t available. However, food on the boat is almost always reliable, except on some smaller boats.
I try to make Open Street Map and Wikidata as good as possible as they supports more languages. I am right now testing using the OsmAnd app that has good integratiopn with Wikipedia articles, Open Street Map and also supports Mapillary and uploading your won pictures... so its a work in progress
- Open Street Map hiking routes are show on hiking.WaymarkedTrails.org - Stockholm Archipelago Trail is relation 19012437
- Wikipedia pictures from the trail is on commons:Category:Stockholm_Archipelago_Trail
- some Mapillary pictures has been taken south Landsort
Go next
[edit]- Stockholm's northern defenses, a showcase of Swedish military history
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