You fall asleep in Stockholm and wake up above the Arctic Circle. The night train is still the best way to reach Kiruna and Abisko, but it changed a lot in 2026, and most guides haven’t caught up.
When you need this
You’re planning a winter trip to Kiruna, Abisko or Narvik and weighing the train against a flight. You’re choosing between a couchette and a sleeper. Or you’ve read a guide that says Vy runs the train, or that there’s a night train from Gothenburg to Luleå. Neither is true any more.
Who runs the night train in 2026
The night trains to Sweden’s far north are bought by the state and run by SJ, the state-owned rail company. Trafikverket, the Swedish transport administration, procures the service and supplies the trains. SJ took over from Vy on 15 December 2024, so any guide that tells you to book with Vy is out of date.
The bigger change came on 13 April 2026. To fit the money it had been given, Trafikverket cut the service from two trains a night to Narvik down to two separate lines:
| Line | Trains | Main stops |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm–Narvik | One a day each way | Luleå (through cars), Boden, Gällivare, Kiruna, Abisko, Björkliden, Riksgränsen, Narvik |
| Stockholm–Umeå | One a day each way | Umeå |
So capacity to Kiruna and Abisko has halved, and winter berths are now the scarce resource. A new SJ contract covers December 2026 to December 2028, with at least one daily round trip on each line. New trains from Talgo, built to run at −40 °C, are due in 2030.
The Boden change and 13 December 2026
This is the detail most visitors never hear about. Since April 2026, travelers bound for Kiruna, Abisko and Narvik have had to change trains at Boden at around 6 a.m.
That should end soon. Under the new contract, couchette and sleeper cars are due to run through to Narvik without a change (byte), and SJ has said it expects the Boden change to end from 13 December 2026, the day the new timetable starts.
- Traveling before 13 December 2026: plan for the change and set an alarm. If you sleep through it, you’ll be stranded short of Kiruna and Abisko.
- Traveling from 13 December 2026: expect through cars, but check your booking on sj.se to confirm it shows no change.
No night train from Gothenburg
Some guides still list a Gothenburg–Luleå night train. It’s gone. SJ ended its Gothenburg night trains in 2024 because too few people used them, at the same time as it took over the northern contract. From the west coast, take a day train to Stockholm and join the night train there. If you book the two separately, leave at least an hour between them. SJ gives the same advice.
Seat, couchette or sleeper?
SJ sells three levels, and the difference matters on a journey this long.
| Class | Swedish | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Seat | sittvagn | A seat; the cheapest option |
| Couchette | liggvagn | A berth in a six-berth compartment |
| Sleeper, 2nd class | sovvagn | A proper bed and washbasin; one to three people per compartment |
| Sleeper, 1st class | sovvagn | One or two people, with your own shower and toilet; breakfast included |
A couchette compartment has six berths, so a family or group of friends can fill one and have it to themselves. The trains also carry a restaurant car.
Snälltåget’s aurora train is a one-off alternative. It leaves Malmö on Monday 23 November 2026 and runs via Stockholm to Narvik, stopping at Kiruna, Abisko and Björkliden. It returns from Narvik on Friday 27 November. You choose a private compartment or a berth in a shared one, and a private compartment booked for the round trip is 20% cheaper. Book this train with Snälltåget, not SJ.
How to book
- Pick your stop. For STF’s mountain station at Abisko, the stop is named Abisko Turiststation. Check the stop name before you pay.
- Check which side of 13 December 2026 your date falls, and whether your booking shows a change at Boden.
- Choose your class from the table above.
- Book on sj.se or in the SJ app. Prices are dynamic, and SJ releases night-train tickets in seasonal batches. For winter 2025–26, bookings opened in June 2025, about four months earlier than the year before. With half the capacity, February and aurora-season berths go first, so book the day your dates open.
- Book any day-train connection to Stockholm with an hour’s buffer.
For booking windows and apps in general, see buying train tickets in Sweden. Traveling on a rail pass? See Interrail in Sweden.
Arriving in Kiruna, Abisko and Narvik
Kiruna. The station is on the E10, about 6 km north of the town centre, and it has no staff. A free shuttle bus meets every train arrival and departure, all year. There’s also free parking for seven days if someone is picking you up. If you’re heading for Kebnekaise, get off at Kiruna and take the Nikkaluoktaexpressen bus to Nikkaluokta.
Abisko. The Abisko Turiststation stop is right opposite STF’s mountain station, about a five-minute walk from reception. Before you head into the mountains from here, read mountain safety in Sweden.
Narvik. The line ends in Norway. Norway has its own customs allowances, so check them before you carry alcohol or food across. The details are in crossing the Sweden–Norway border.
Darkness. In midwinter Kiruna has about 27 days without sunrise, though twilight gives a few grey hours. An arrival “at dawn” can mean arriving in the dark and the deep cold, so keep warm clothes in your hand luggage.
If you’d rather see the region by day, Norrtåg regional trains run several daytime departures from Sundsvall north to Kiruna.
Traveling with a dog
SJ carries up to two pets free, in a seat booked in the pets-allowed area. In a couchette car, animals are allowed only in two marked compartments (djurkupé), and you book the whole compartment at a fixed price. We couldn’t confirm SJ’s rules for dogs in sleeper compartments, so ask SJ before booking one. More in dogs on public transport.
If the train is late
A night train to Lapland is a long-distance journey, so EU Regulation 2021/782 applies. A delay of 60–119 minutes at your destination earns 25% of the ticket price, and 120 minutes or more earns 50%. From 60 minutes you’re also owed meals in proportion to the wait and a hotel if an overnight stay becomes necessary. Extreme weather cancels the compensation, but not the refund, rerouting and assistance rights. Nothing is paid automatically: keep your ticket, screenshot the delay and claim from SJ. The full process is in train delay compensation in Sweden.
Mistakes to avoid
- Booking late for February or aurora season. Capacity halved in April 2026, and winter berths go first.
- Searching for a Gothenburg–Luleå night train. Take a day train to Stockholm instead.
- Sleeping through the Boden change on a trip before 13 December 2026.
- Booking “Abisko” without checking the stop. For the STF station, choose Abisko Turiststation.
- Walking from Kiruna station. It’s 6 km in the dark; take the free shuttle.
- Booking through a site that still lists Vy. Book with SJ directly.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Operator | SJ, state contract to December 2028 |
| Narvik line | One train a day each way since 13 April 2026 |
| Umeå line | One train a day each way |
| Change at Boden | Around 6 a.m. until 12 December 2026; through cars due from 13 December |
| From Gothenburg | No night train; change in Stockholm |
| Classes | Seat, six-berth couchette, sleeper (1–3 people), 1st-class sleeper with shower and breakfast |
| Booking | sj.se or the SJ app; dynamic prices; seasonal releases |
| Kiruna station | About 6 km from the centre; free shuttle with every train |
| Dogs | Two free in the pets-allowed area; couchette: book a whole animal compartment |
| Delay compensation | 25% at 60 min, 50% at 120 min |
| Snälltåget aurora train | Malmö–Narvik, out 23 Nov 2026, back 27 Nov |
FAQ
Who runs the night train to Kiruna and Abisko?
SJ, the state-owned rail company, under a contract with Trafikverket. SJ took over from Vy on 15 December 2024, so guides that name Vy are out of date. The current contract runs from December 2026 to December 2028 and guarantees at least one daily round trip between Stockholm and Narvik, plus one between Stockholm and Umeå.
Do I have to change trains at Boden?
Until 12 December 2026, yes: since April 2026, travelers for Kiruna, Abisko and Narvik change at Boden at around 6 a.m. SJ has said it expects the change to end from 13 December 2026, when couchette and sleeper cars are due to run through to Narvik. Check your date on sj.se when booking.
Is there a night train from Gothenburg to Luleå?
No. SJ ended its night trains from Gothenburg when it took over the northern contract in 2024, citing too few passengers. Travelers from the west coast take a day train to Stockholm and join the night train there. Allow at least an hour between the two if you book them separately.
What is the difference between a couchette and a sleeper?
A couchette (liggvagn) compartment has six berths and is the budget option for families and groups. A sleeper (sovvagn) has proper beds and a washbasin: up to three people in second class, one or two in first class, where the compartment also has its own shower and toilet and breakfast is included. Seats are the cheapest option.
How far ahead should I book the night train to Lapland?
As soon as tickets for your dates are released. SJ sells night-train tickets in seasonal batches; for winter 2025–26 it opened bookings in June 2025, about four months earlier than before. Since April 2026 only one train a night serves Kiruna and Abisko, so February and aurora-season berths are the first to go.
How do I get from Kiruna station to the town centre?
By the free shuttle bus. Kiruna’s station lies on the E10, about 6 km north of the centre, and the shuttle runs in connection with every train arrival and departure, all year. The station building is unstaffed. There is also free parking for seven days if someone is collecting you by car.
Related guides
- Train travel in Sweden — who runs which trains and your rights when they’re late
- Buying train tickets in Sweden — booking windows, apps and through-tickets
- Swedish Lapland — where to go once you arrive
- Mountain safety in Sweden — before you hike from Abisko or Kebnekaise
- Interrail in Sweden — using a rail pass on the night train
Facts verified 2026-09-24. Sources: Trafikverket, SJ, Snälltåget, the European Commission, SMHI, Svenska Turistföreningen, Kiruna Lappland and Swedish rail press — full register in this topic’s source file. The service pattern changes with the 13 December 2026 timetable, and this page is due for review right after it. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.