🚆 Scandinavian night trains: how to sleep, travel and save money at the same time
Why night trains in the north are not just "romantic nostalgia" but a very practical tool
If you want to see the north for real, and not just from a window, at some point in your itinerary you will encounter a night train. Finland, Norway and Sweden bet on night lines even before the sleeper train renaissance in Europe — and now it's one of the most convenient ways to travel long distances, especially in 2026, when travel has become a little more conscious.
A night train in the north is three things in one: transport, a hotel and a bit of meditation to the sound of the wheels. You go to bed in Helsinki, Oslo or Stockholm — and wake up in Lapland, by a fjord or at the doorstep of a ski resort. No airports, winter traffic jams, night flights or transfers.
At the same time, Scandinavian routes have their own nuances: dynamic pricing, different types of compartments, tricks with rail passes, car-carrier carriages and night lines, which are considered both a "weekend route" and the main artery of the country.
In this guide, we will examine:
● the main night routes in Finland, Norway, and Sweden;
● real prices based on experience (seat vs couchette vs sleeper);
● cheap tricks on how a night train can save you money on hotels;
● route ideas for incorporating night trains: from short trips to a 10-day tour of Scandinavia.
Where do night trains run in Scandinavia?
To avoid getting lost in timetables and operator brands, let's look at the big picture: which north-south and west-east routes are served by night trains.
Finland (VR)
● Helsinki / Turku ↔ Oulu ↔ Rovaniemi ↔ Kolari / Kemijärvi — the classic "axis to Lapland".
● Tampere ↔ Kolari — popular with those who do not live in the capital.
Sweden (SJ + VY/SJ Nord in the north)
● Stockholm ↔ Luleå and Stockholm ↔ Narvik (via Kiruna, Abisko).
● Stockholm ↔ Östersund ↔ Duvet (skiing, Lake District).
● Gothenburg ↔ Östersund / Duvet.
● Stockholm ↔ Malmö (night and late evening).
● Plus the international EuroNight Stockholm–Hamburg–Berlin (entry/exit to Scandinavia).
Norway (Vy, Go-Ahead, SJ Nord)
● Oslo ↔ Bergen (Bergensbanen).
● Oslo ↔ Trondheim (Dovrebanen).
● Trondheim ↔ Bodo (Nordlandsbanen).
● Oslo ↔ Stavanger (Sørlandsbanen).
Denmark is not on this list not because there are "no trains" there, but because there are almost no clean night lines within the country: Denmark is a bridge that provides convenient access to Sweden, Norway and Germany via daytime trains and European night lines.
Finland: Santa Claus Express and the entire "south–Lapland" axis
Finnish night trains are both a very everyday thing (locals travel "home/to their dachas") and almost a cult object for tourists. The main attraction is the Santa Claus Express: double-decker VR night trains from Helsinki and Turku to the Arctic Circle and beyond.
Main routes
● Helsinki/Turku → Tampere → Oulu → Rovaniemi → Kemijärvi/Kolari.
● Tampere → Oulu → Rovaniemi → Kolari — convenient if you are not flying into the capital.
These are practically the only lines you can take if you:
● planning to see the Northern Lights in Finland (Rovaniemi and above);
● are going to a ski/snowboard resort (Ilas, Levi, Pyhä-Luosto, Ruka)
● want to combine Helsinki + Lapland without flying within the country.
Classes and cabins
By VR:
● Your own cabin (2-person) — the entire compartment is yours, from ~€49 per night on promotional dates;
● Cabin with shower — on the upper deck, starting from ~74 €;
● "Nostalgic" 3-berth cabin — old format, slightly cheaper;
● seats as a separate product on long night routes are becoming less common — cabins are the focus.
Plus:
you can take your car with you: car-carrier carriage, space for a car — from ~39 €, the "cabin + car" package sometimes starts from ~88 € for everything during promotional periods.
This means that you can board the train in the evening near Helsinki and get off in Lapland in the morning with your car — and this is often cheaper and definitely more relaxing than driving a thousand kilometres on a winter road.
Finnish night trains are well suited for families: there are cots, the option to reserve an entire small compartment for yourself, decent restaurants and clear rules for transporting prams and sledges. For budget-conscious families, it's also a way to save money on hotels, especially during peak season in Lapland.
Sweden: Stockholm – Narvik and other long-distance lines
Swedish night trains are all about distance. You can actually go to sleep in Stockholm and wake up above the Arctic Circle: somewhere between Kiruna, Abisko and Narvik, with ice floes, hills and the slow northern dawn outside the window.
Main destinations
According to Eurail/SJ:
● Stockholm → Sundsvall → Umeå → Luleå;
● Stockholm → Sundsvall → Umeå → Boden → Kiruna → Abisko → Narvik (Norway);
● Stockholm ↔ Malmö;
● Stockholm/Gothenburg ↔ Östersund/Duvet (for skiers and lake lovers).
On the Stockholm–Narvik line, many people go hunting for the Northern Lights and skiing in Abisko/Narvik, while on the Östersund–Duvet line, they go to Åre and neighbouring resorts. This is a natural "ridge" for those planning a trip to Stockholm and Helsinki in winter with a stop in Lapland without flying.
Classes and prices based on impressions
According to official data for Interrail/Eurail holders (this is a good guide for minimum reservations):
● seat — from €3.5–5 surcharge to the pass (for regular tickets, the total price is, of course, higher);
● 6-berth couchette — from ~€22 surcharge;
● 3-berth sleeper — from ~€36;
● private sleeper with shower and toilet (up to 2 people) — from ~71 €.
If you are buying a ticket from scratch, rather than just a supplement to your pass, the actual prices depend on the season and occupancy, but the logic is the same: a seat is the cheapest option, a couchette is the happy medium, and a private compartment is more expensive, but often quite reasonable compared to a hotel + train.
Norway: four night lines that cover the entire geography
Norway does not have dozens of parallel lines like Sweden, but it does have four mountain ranges that carry almost all long-distance traffic.
According to the current timetables:
● Oslo – Bergen (Bergensbanen) – a mountain line through the Hardangervidda plateau, with night trains and sleeper compartments.
● Oslo – Trondheim (Dovrebanen) – through the Gudbrandsdalen valley and the Dovre mountains.
● Trondheim – Bodo (Nordlandsbanen) – the "long northern" line crossing the Arctic Circle.
● Oslo – Stavanger (Sørlandsbanen) – southern coast, mild climate, access to the sea.
Vy and its partners offer three main products:
● Rest — 6-berth compartments with simple shelves, beds and basic comfort;
● Sleeper — private compartment with two beds, washbasin, water and towels, with the option of breakfast/shower at partner hotels upon arrival;
● PlusNight (on some trains) — reclining cocoon seats, if a compartment is not necessary but you don't want to sit up all night.
Prices for rail pass holders (as a guide):
● seating — €4–6 surcharge;
● reclining seat — €43–56;
● sleeper compartment — €86–107;
● whole 6-berth compartment (e.g. for a family/group) — around €430 for Oslo–Bergen.
In practice, we multiply this by our exchange rate and season, but the structure of the "classes" is clear.
"We took the Oslo–Bergen overnight train at the end of February, and it was nothing like a 90s sleeper car. It was quiet and clean, the kids were asleep within 10 minutes, and at 6am I stood in my pajamas at the window watching snow and mountains — better than any business class."
Prices, classes, cabins: how it all works and what to choose
To avoid confusion, we mentally divide the choice into three levels of comfort.
1. Seats
The most budget-friendly option:
● seats with reclining backs;
● sometimes upgraded reclining seats (Sweden/Norway);
● you can purchase a set with a blanket/pillow separately.
Suitable if:
● the night is short (6–7 hours);
● it is not critical for you to sleep perfectly;
● you are on a very tight budget or have a long route.
2. Couchette (4–6 seats)
The golden mean:
● 4–6 shelves, bed linen, sometimes a sink in the corridor;
● you can sit during the day and fold out the shelves in the evening;
● in Sweden/Norway, you can book either a separate seat (in a mixed compartment) or an entire compartment.
This is no longer "extreme" but a quite comfortable night journey, especially if you are travelling with a group and take the whole compartment.
3. Sleeper compartment (private)
The most comfortable level:
● 1–2 (sometimes 3) beds, washbasin, in Norway — towels, water, sometimes additional services;
● in Finland, some cabins have a shower and toilet;
● in Norway — bonuses such as discounts on breakfast/shower at the hotel upon arrival.
If you consider a night in a sleeper compartment as "hotel + transport", then in high season it is often cheaper than a separate hotel + daytime train/flight — especially when resorts in Lapland and the fjords are very busy.
Cheap tricks: how night trains can save you money
Night trains in Scandinavia are not cheap "by default", but they do offer some room for manoeuvre.
- Book early — systems are dynamic and the best fares disappear fast.
- Look for mid-week departures — Fri→Sat and Sat→Sun overnight legs tend to be pricier.
- Compare seat+hotel vs sleeper cabin — often the sleeper is surprisingly cost-efficient and gives privacy you won't get otherwise.
What else works:
- Pass + surcharges
If you take Eurail/Interrail in Scandinavia, night trains turn into supplements for a seat. In Sweden and Norway, the supplement structure is transparent (from €3-6 for a seat to ~€80-100 for a sleeper), which helps you plan your budget in advance. - Planning a route with one "expensive" night
It is not necessary to travel in a sleeper every night. Often, one key night is enough (for example, Helsinki–Rovaniemi or Oslo–Bergen), and the rest of the journey can be completed by day trains or short transfers. - Car carrier instead of a long drive
In Finland, car trains are often cheaper (or comparable) to the cost of petrol, toll roads and hotels along the way when travelling to Lapland from the south of the country. Plus, you don't have to spend a day driving on winter roads. - Combination with discount cards
Scandinavian operators offer their own loyalty programmes and youth/senior fares. If you are travelling in the north for more than a week and are actively moving around, it is sometimes more profitable to take local discount products than a European pass.
Route ideas: how to incorporate night trains into your actual trip
Night trains are not just a gimmick for the sake of it. They become the backbone of your itinerary.
1. Finland: city + Lapland without flights
6–7-day itinerary:
● Day 1–2: Helsinki (city, sauna, islands).
● Night 2–3: Night train Helsinki → Rovaniemi / Kolari.
● Day 3–5: Lapland, northern lights, huskies, skiing.
● Night 5–6: night train back.
● Day 6–7: another day in the capital or Turku.
This is a classic case where the night train really changes the picture: travelling around Finland without a car is no longer inconvenient.
2. Sweden + Norway: Stockholm – Narvik – Lofoten
You can put together a "through" trip to the north:
● Stockholm → night train to Abisko/Kiruna → another night/day to Narvik;
● from Narvik — bus or rental car to Lofoten;
● back via Norway (Bodo, train to Trondheim and beyond).
This makes for a beautiful arc-shaped route that fits in perfectly with the materials on winter holidays in Norway and "Swedish/Norwegian Lapland without a plane".
3. Classic fjords: Oslo – Bergen – Stockholm
If your goal is to see the fjords and cities:
● Night 1: Oslo → Bergen (night train).
● A couple of days in Bergen, fjord tour.
● Then take a day train/bus to Oslo or via Sweden.
● Transfer to Stockholm, from where you can catch a night train to the north or a daytime flight to Denmark.
You can also include Finland if you want to do a 10-day tour of Scandinavia: some nights on trains, some on ferries.
Night trains vs planes and hotels: what you really gain
It's fair to say that trains don't always beat planes in terms of cost. But night trains have their strengths:
● you save one night in a hotel;
● you don't lose a day travelling;
● you are not dependent on winter roads/storms (especially when travelling by car);
● you get to see what the country looks like between the capitals and resorts.
For families with children, night trains are often less stressful than night flights: you don't have to wake your child up for take-off/landing, there are no transfers in the middle of the night, and there is no luggage that could be sent to the wrong destination.
For those who like slow travel, the night train is simply a way to make what to wear in Finland and Norway in winter a relevant question a little earlier: you are standing on the platform in the snow, not in a warm airport.
❓ FAQ
In short: Helsinki/Turku – Lapland in Finland, Stockholm – Luleå/Narvik in Sweden, and Oslo – Bergen/Trondheim/Bodo in Norway. These routes cover long distances, lead to fjords and the Northern Lights, and are most often recommended by both locals and travel experts.
If the night is short and your budget is tight, you can survive in a good seat, especially in Norway with PlusNight. A couchette is a comfortable middle ground, especially if you are travelling with a group and taking the whole compartment. A private sleeper cabin with a shower is a "transport + hotel" option in one package, which often turns out to be the most logical choice during peak season.
In general, they are not "low cost": dynamic prices, high level of service, long distances. But if you consider not only the ticket, but also the combination of "ticket + hotel + transfer", the night train is often comparable in cost, or even cheaper. Plus, there are passes and discount programmes that reduce the final price.
There is usually no strict "suitcase" limit, as on aeroplanes — everything is within the bounds of common sense. A standard suitcase and hand luggage can easily fit in a compartment; large luggage can sometimes be checked into a separate compartment. The main thing is to think about what you need for the night and put it in a small backpack so you don't have to rummage through your suitcase twenty times.
In Finland, this is a standard option: VR transports cars to the north, there are special car-carrier carriages and "cabin + car" packages. In Norway and Sweden, this format is less common in its classic form — there, night trains are more often used for passenger transport, and cars are rented at the destination.
Yes, Scandinavia is generally very child-friendly. You can carefully arrange sleeping arrangements in the cabins, children often travel for free or at a discount, and the train itself is an adventure for a child, not a stress. It is only important to plan bedtime, snacks and activities for the first couple of hours before bed in advance.
Most modern trains have power sockets almost everywhere, but the situation with the internet is more complicated: Wi-Fi is advertised on paper, but it can drop out in the mountains and in the north. If you need a stable internet connection, it is better not to plan any important calls for the night and to download offline maps and TV series in advance.
The earlier, the better, especially if you are travelling to Lapland in December–March or to the fjords in the summer season. Cheap fares on popular routes sell out quickly, and sleeper cabins on peak dates sometimes disappear months before departure.
Technically, yes: Finland → Sweden via Stockholm → Norway from Stockholm or via Narvik, then Oslo and Bergen/Bodo. But in practice, it is more convenient to combine night trains with daytime sections and ferries so that the route does not turn into a marathon of "sleeping and waking up" without time to experience the cities.
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