I honestly had a moment of pure panic thinking the Night Train from Luleå to Stockholm was alcohol-free. It’s a massive trek from the north to the south, starting with a bus to Boden to catch the train coming down from Kiruna. I was just desperate for a glass of red before bed, and thankfully, the “no” I overheard in the bistro was just the attendant rightfully cutting off a bloke who’d had a few too many. I got my wine in a paper cup and headed back to my cabin to settle in.
The Sleeper Experience
I booked a second-class sleeper all to myself. At this stage of life, I’m well past sharing a cramped room with strangers. It’s a tiny space with three bunks, and I naturally claimed the bottom one due to my disability. Even though it’s “second class,” it felt incredibly cosy—the cabin was toasty (almost too warm at times!), and I had everything I needed to charge my gear and blog while sipping my wine.
For those looking at options, the train usually offers a few tiers:
- First Class Sleeper: Typically includes a private shower and toilet in the compartment.
- Second Class Sleeper: What I had—washbasins are in the room, but showers and toilets are in the corridor.+1
- Couchettes: A more budget-friendly 6-berth option where you get a blanket and pillow but make your own bed.
- Regular Seats: I had a peek at the regular carriage tickets, and they actually looked quite okay. It wasn’t overcrowded at all, so if you were on a budget, you wouldn’t feel like a sardine.
Connectivity on the Rails
I was able to plug in my devices during the trip. The internet coverage was actually fairly good for most of the journey, making it easy to connect and use. You get unlimited data, which is a massive plus for catching up on social media or blogging. Of course, there were the inevitable black spots as we rolled through the more remote northern wilderness, and as always, I made sure to use a VPN for security while on the train’s network.
A Midnight Existential Crisis
The night took a surreal turn when I woke up and realised we were dead still. It was pitch black outside, completely silent, and we just… stayed there. In my half-asleep state, I genuinely wondered if there’d been a crash and I’d slipped off into the afterlife—a quiet, dark railway siding in the middle of nowhere.
Eventually, the vibration of the wheels returned, and I conked out again.
Morning Bliss & Delays
I woke up early, hoping for a sunrise that never came—just a “wobbly” white cloud cover—but the view was still magic. I grabbed breakfast in the bistro car: yoghurt, a cinnamon bun, coffee, and juice. They have these great single seats facing the window so you can just watch the world go by.
An announcement eventually came through that we were four hours late into Stockholm. Honestly? I didn’t mind. I couldn’t check into my accommodation yet anyway, so having an extra four hours to lie back and watch the snow-covered trees and tiny Swedish villages beat killing time in a station
I could have flown, but this was so much better. Highly recommended.