Arlanda to Uppsala and Northern Sweden: Trains, Bus 801 and the Station Fee

Arlanda lies between Stockholm and Uppsala, so if you’re heading north, don’t go into Stockholm first. This guide covers the ticket rule that changes at the county line, when to take the train or the bus, and the direct trains from the airport to the north.

When you need this

You’ve landed at Arlanda and your bed, conference or university is in Uppsala. Or you’re flying in and going straight on to Gävle, Dalarna, Sundsvall, Umeå or Lapland. Maybe you bought an SL ticket for Stockholm and assumed it would get you to Uppsala too.

This guide is also for late arrivals who need to reach Uppsala before the trains start again, and for anyone who wants to step off a long-haul flight and onto the evening night train north.

Your SL ticket stops at Arlanda

The commuter train from Arlanda to Uppsala looks like a Stockholm train. It’s SL’s pendeltåg (commuter train) line 40, it leaves from Arlanda C, the station in SkyCity between Terminals 4 and 5, and it carries on to Stockholm in the other direction. But north of the airport you’re in Uppsala County. There the fares belong to UL, the county’s public transport company.

Mälardalstrafik, which runs the Mälartåg regional trains, says it plainly: the Arlanda–Uppsala section of the commuter line is not part of the SL fare system. Region Uppsala says the same. An SL ticket is valid for the ride south to Stockholm, but not north to Uppsala. Ride north on one and you’re travelling without a valid ticket on that stretch, which can get you a penalty fare if your ticket is checked (see ticket inspections and fines).

What works north of Arlanda:

Buy before you board. You can’t buy a ticket on Mälartåg or on the commuter train.

The station passage fee

Whatever train you take, the gates between the platforms and SkyCity charge anyone 18 or over an Arlanda passage fee (Arlandapassage). Swedavia, the state airport operator, says the fee has nothing to do with the airport. It pays for the station and the railway, which were built in the 1990s. Our guide to getting from Arlanda to Stockholm explains where it comes from.

How the fee works with each ticket:

• UL ticket: the fee is always an extra purchase. In the UL app it’s called Arlanda Passage Fee Train (under Tickets, then Other tickets). It’s valid for 120 minutes for one entry or exit at Arlanda C. If you haven’t bought one, you can pay at the gates.
• Mälartåg single: add the passage ticket when you buy in the Mälardalstrafik app or website. Some other retailers include it in the price, so check what you’ve paid for.
• SJ ticket: Swedavia says that if the fee isn’t included in your ticket price, you pay it at the gates. Check your SJ booking summary rather than assuming either way.
• Season tickets: UL sells 30-day, 90-day and annual tickets with the fee built in. Movingo holders can add it for the ticket’s whole validity.
• Under 18: no fee at all. An ordinary UL ticket gets a teenager through the gate.

Train or bus 801?

UL bus 801 is the alternative. It leaves from the Terminal 4 and Terminals 2–3 stops and runs via Knivsta to Uppsala, ending at Centralstationen about 45 minutes after Terminal 4. It never enters the station, so there’s no passage fee. Instead, a single trip on the Arlanda buses needs UL’s special 75-minute ticket to/from Arlanda with bus. That ticket is valid for 75 minutes on UL buses and trains across the whole county, not just to the airport.

For an adult, the bus usually costs less: the Arlanda bus ticket is cheaper than a UL single plus the passage fee, and you pay with about 25 extra minutes. For anyone under 18, the train wins, since they pay no passage fee and get UL’s discounted fare. An adult with a UL ticket can also bring up to six children aged 7–11 free anywhere in UL’s area, though not on a Resplus ticket.

UL’s buses are cash-free. Buy in the UL app, or pay on board with a Visa or Mastercard. One thing to watch: UL lists Terminal 4 and Terminals 2–3 as its terminal stops at Arlanda, so don’t wait for bus 801 at the Terminal 5 coach stop.

Buying the right ticket, step by step

1. Install the UL app before you land. It sells both the train ticket and the passage fee.
2. Train: buy a UL 75-minute ticket and, if you’re 18 or over, add the passage fee. Or buy a Mälartåg single with the passage added.
3. Go to Arlanda C in SkyCity and scan your passage ticket at the gates.
4. Board the first train to Uppsala C. On the day we checked, the commuter train left every 30 minutes and Mälartåg every hour via Knivsta. Both take UL tickets. Some Mälartåg trains from Stockholm to Uppsala run via Märsta and never call at Arlanda, so check the stops if you’re planning the trip in reverse.
5. Bus: buy the 75-minute Arlanda bus ticket in the app or on board, and board 801 at Terminal 4 or Terminals 2–3.
6. Going further north: book an SJ ticket from Arlanda C. Your UL ticket isn’t valid on SJ.

Arriving at night

A delayed flight is where this choice matters most. SL’s commuter trains run from about 04:00–05:00 until about 01:30, and since August 2026 they run later on Friday and Saturday nights. Bus 801 keeps going after that. It runs every 30 minutes until about midnight, then hourly, with the last departure from Terminal 4 at 02:12 and the next at 04:12, every day of the week. That’s on the timetable valid until 12 December 2026.

So between about 02:15 and 04:00, a taxi is the only way to Uppsala. Swedish taxi fares aren’t capped by law. Read the yellow jämförpris (comparison price) sticker and agree the price before you set off. Our guide to taxis in Sweden has the details.

Straight north from Arlanda C

Arlanda C is a long-distance station, not just an airport stop. Here’s what Trafikverket’s departure board showed for Arlanda C on Thursday 15 October 2026:

The board also showed two trains to Bräcke, on the line towards Jämtland. Timetables change, so treat this as the pattern, not the timetable, and check your own date.

North of Sundsvall and Umeå, Norrtåg’s regional trains take over; our guide to trains in northern Sweden covers them. Mälartåg also runs Uppsala–Gävle on UL tickets. For anything on SJ, book on SJ’s site or app; see buying train tickets in Sweden.

Not on a train? Ybuss coaches leave from Terminal 4 for the High Coast and Umeå. Until 6 December 2026 they use temporary stop no. 5. Swedavia also lists other coach operators at Terminal 4; our guide to long-distance coaches explains how they work. Domestic flights to Umeå, Luleå and Kiruna leave from Arlanda itself, so you can connect without going into the city. See domestic flights in Sweden.

The night trains

Both of SJ’s state-procured night trains called at Arlanda C on the evening we checked. That means you can land in the afternoon and be in Luleå or Umeå the next morning without seeing Stockholm Central.

For Kiruna, Abisko and Narvik, the date matters. Until 12 December 2026, travellers to the far north change trains at Boden early in the morning. From 13 December 2026, SJ’s new contract starts and SJ expects the cars to run through to Narvik again. Check the stops and the pattern for your date when you book. Our guide to night trains to Lapland covers berths, classes and the change in full.

Practical information

FAQ

How do I get from Arlanda to Uppsala?

Take the SL commuter train or Mälartåg from Arlanda C, the station in SkyCity, to Uppsala C in about 18 minutes, on a UL ticket from the UL app. Adults also need the Arlanda passage fee; under-18s pass free. Or take UL bus 801 from Terminal 4 or Terminals 2–3, about 45 minutes, with no passage fee.

Is my SL ticket valid from Arlanda to Uppsala?

No. North of Arlanda the commuter train runs in Uppsala County, where UL’s fares apply, and Mälardalstrafik says the Arlanda–Uppsala section is not covered by the SL fare system. Buy a UL ticket, a Mälartåg single or a combined UL+SL ticket if you continue into Stockholm County. Adults add the passage fee either way.

Is the train or bus 801 cheaper from Arlanda to Uppsala?

For an adult, usually the bus: UL’s special Arlanda bus ticket costs less than a UL single plus the passage fee, though the ride takes about 45 minutes instead of 18. For anyone under 18 the train wins, because they pay no passage fee and travel on a discounted UL fare.

Does anything run from Arlanda to Uppsala at night?

Yes, mostly. UL bus 801 leaves Terminal 4 every 30 minutes until about midnight, then hourly until 02:12, with the next at 04:12, on the timetable valid to 12 December 2026. The commuter train runs until about 01:30, later on Friday and Saturday nights. Between about 02:15 and 04:00, only a taxi works.

Can I take a train north from Arlanda without going to Stockholm?

Yes. Arlanda C is a long-distance station. On the weekday we checked, SJ trains left it for Gävle almost hourly, for Falun and Mora every two hours, for Sundsvall and Umeå several times a day, and both night trains called there in the evening — to Luleå and to Umeå. Book SJ trains on SJ’s site; UL tickets are not valid.

Can I catch the night train to Lapland at Arlanda?

On the day we checked, yes: SJ’s night train for Luleå left Arlanda C at 18:35 and the Umeå night train at 21:38. Until 12 December 2026, travellers for Kiruna, Abisko and Narvik change at Boden in the morning; from 13 December SJ expects through cars. Check the stop and the pattern for your date when you book.

Related guides

• Arlanda to Stockholm City — the other direction, and why the station passage fee exists.
• Uppsala travel guide — what to see once the train or bus drops you off.
• Trains in northern Sweden — Norrtåg’s regional trains beyond Sundsvall and Umeå.
• Night trains to Swedish Lapland — berths, classes and the Boden change in depth.
• Stockholm Arlanda Airport arrival guide — terminals, passport control and finding SkyCity.

Facts verified 2026-10-15. Sources: UL / Region Uppsala, Swedavia, Trafikverket, Mälardalstrafik, SL, Transportstyrelsen — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.