24–27 Aug 2015
Wenner-Gren Center
Europe/Stockholm timezone

Travel

The workshop will be held at the Wenner-Gren Center in Stockholm (Wenner-Gren Centre, Sveavägen 166, 113 46 Stockholm) and participants will be expected to arrange their own travel.

Visa requirements and invitation letter
If you require an invitation letter to attend the workshop, please write to the SKA Organising Committee (skaksw15@skatelescope.org) providing your full name and passport details. We encourage you to request your invitation letter as early as possible as this process can take a long time. Please note that the information you will need to provide for your visa depends on the country you are based in. We therefore encourage you to visit the website of the Swedish Embassy in your country as soon as possible to find out the exact information needed for your visa.

More information on visas for conference participation can be found here:
http://www.migrationsverket.se/English/Private-individuals/Visiting-Sweden/Visiting-on-business-and-for-conferences.html

From the Airport

The main airport is Stockholm Arlanda, located around 40km north of Stockholm and around 30km south of Uppsala. There are several ways to go from Arlanda airport to the city center (Centralen / central station):

Arlanda Express: the airport train is with 20 minutes the fastest connection between Arlanda and the central station, with no stop in between. It departs every 15 minutes. A one-way ticket costs 260 SEK, a return ticket 490 SEK. Discounts may apply. You can easily find the train station at Arlanda, as it is well signposted. Any point in Stockholm can be reached easily by public transport (see below) from the central station (Centralen).

Flygbussarna: the airport coaches depart every 10 minutes just outside the terminals 2, 4 and 5 and it takes about 40 minutes to reach the city centre. Tickets can be bought online (cheaper), at ticket machines, shops like 7-Eleven or Pressbyrån, or onboard the bus (credit card only). A ticket costs 119 SEK (or 105 SEK if bought online). On the way to the city terminal it stops close to the Wenner-Gren Center at Norra Stationsgatan (ca. 7 minute walk). The Flygbussarna also connects the other two airports of Stockholm, Bromma and Skavsta, with the city centre (85 resp. 159 SEK).

Taxi: This is the most expensive option due to the relatively large distance between the airport and the city center. If you choose this option, ask for a fixed price, which is available from the major taxi companies (Taxi 020, Taxi Kurir, Taxi Stockholm). The price is then around 500 SEK. Taking a taxi from the city centre to the hotel or to the Wenner-Gren Center may be equally expensive due to traffic jams in the city. So if you consider this option, taking a taxi directly from Arlanda to the final destination is probably more convenient and cheaper.

Pendeltåg: the commuter train takes you in 38 minutes to the city center. The train station Arlanda C is located in SkyCity between Terminals 4 and 5. This option makes sense if your hotel is located near a Pendeltåg station of line J38 Uppsala-Älvsjö, or if you want to use public transport during your stay in Stockholm and need to avoid extra costs. Ticket information and fares are detailed below in the Public Transport section. To enter or leave Arlanda airport by Pendeltåg, you need to pay an extra fee of 85 SEK.

Bus/Pendeltåg: If you really need to save money and want to avoid the 85 SEK fee for leaving Arlanda by public transport, you can take Bus 583 to Märsta station and from there the Pendeltåg J36. This way it takes about one hour to reach the city centre. Ticket information and fares are detailed below in the Public Transport section. As it is not possible to purchase tickets onboard regular buses, you first have to go to the entrance of the Pendeltåg station in SkyCity, or to any Pressbyrån or 7-Eleven, to purchase a ticket. Bus 583 departs just outside Terminals 2, 4, 5 and SkyCity.

Directions from Skavsta Airport:

Skavsta airport is located close to Linköping, approximately 100km southwest of Stockholm. The Flygbussarna is the cheapest (159 SEK) and most convenient option to get to the city centre. It takes about 80 minutes.

Directions from Bromma Airport:

Bromma airport is located only a few kilometers from the city center. Again, the Flygbussarna (85 SEK) is probably the best option to get to the city centre. Going by taxi is also a viable option, but can become expensive during rush hour. It is possible to use public transport between Bromma airport and Centralen (or Sveaplan), but it is relatively complicated as it requires several changes. Please use the SL website to plan your journey. Details about tickets can be found below in the public transport section.

Rental Cars

All major rental car companies like Hertz, Europcar, Avis etc. can be found at all three airports. However, we do not recommend renting a car for travelling in and around Stockholm. Traffic jams are very common particularly during rush hour. Parking spaces may be difficult to find and are expensive. Many hotels do not offer free parking. Public transport is usually faster, cheaper and less annoying.

Public Transport

Detailed information about the public transport system can be found here, about the tickets here, and a map can be found here. Before you can use the public transport, you need to purchase a ticket at one of the ticket offices at commuter rail stations (Pendeltåg), SL centers or ticket agents like Pressbyrån, 7-Eleven and certain supermarkets. If you arrive at Arlanda and want to use the Pendeltåg, you can buy tickets directly at the entrance to the Pendeltåg. The SL center or Pressbyrån at Stockholm Central (the central station) would be another possibility to purchase a ticket shortly after your arrival.

There are several ticket options, depending on your needs. Most ticket options require the purchase of an SL Access card for 20 SEK, but single use tickets for short-term visitors are also available. If you plan to use public transport in Stockholm regularly during your stay, travel cards for 24 hours, 72 hours or 7 days (115 SEK, 230 SEK or 300 SEK) are a convenient option. Only the 7-day travel card requires the purchase of an SL Access card, which can be re-used at your next visit to Stockholm.

Zone tickets are ideal for occasional journeys. They can be purchased as single use travel cards at the above mentioned selling points, on vending machines and via SMS or phone app (the latter two only work when registered with a Swedish SIM card). They are valid for unlimited travelling within a certain time window (1-2 hours). For occasional journeys by bus (e.g., from/to the Wenner-Gren Center, as there is no nearby Metro station or ticket agent) we recommend purchasing an SL Access card and add credit to it ("reskassa").

It is not possible to purchase tickets onboard buses!

With the travel card you can use the subway (tunnelbana), the commuter train (Pendeltåg), buses, tram, the Djurgården ferry as well as the regional trains Roslagsbanan, Saltsjöbanan, Lidingöbanan, Tvärbanan and Nockebybanan to travel throughout the county of Stockholm. However, to enter or leave Arlanda airport by pendeltåg, you need to pay an extra fee of 85 SEK. Please use http://sl.se/en to plan your trip.

Cycling

During the summer months it is possible to rent a bike to travel within Stockholm. This service is offered by City Bikes, which has bike stands all over the town, in particular also directly at the Wenner-Gren Center. They offer a 3-day ticket (165 SEK) and a season ticket (300 SEK) which can be bought online, at SL centers, Pressbyrån, 7-Eleven and at a number of hotels. Bikes must always be returned to a bike stand within three hours. An app providing real-time data about the City Bike locations is available for iOS and Android.

Getting to the Wenner-Gren Center

If you stay at one of the suggested hotels, it is possible to walk to the Wenner-Gren Centre within about 20 minutes. It can also easily be reached by public transport. The closest bus stops are Sveaplan (bus lines 2, 40, 59, 70, 515, 516, 565, 595) and Wenner-Gren Center (bus line 59). The nearest subway station (T-bana) is Odenplan (approximately 15 minutes walking). The green subway (T-bana) line connects Centralen and Odenplan. Bus lines 2, 40, 70, 515 and 595 connect Odenplan and Sveaplan. Bus line 59 directly connects T-Centralen and Wenner-Gren Center.

From the Sveaplan bus stop you should cross into the center of the street. Take the tunnel from there to cross under the street in the direction of the tall building (i.e., the Wenner-Gren Center). It is possible to cross the street only on the western side of the roundabout.

Activities in Stockholm

The city of Stockholm's tourist site is:
http://www.visitstockholm.com/