Have you ever wondered what it’s like to ride an overnight train above the Arctic Circle?
We have traveled by train all around the world, and this frigid train ride to the world’s largest ice hotel has been on our bucket list for a long time. Join us to see if this journey through the Scandinavian countryside is worth the hype!
Train #1: Narvik, Norway to Kiruna, Sweden
Our journey started in Narvik, Norway, 137 miles inside the Arctic Circle, on a three-hour journey to Kiruna, Sweden. It had snowed all night long, creating the perfect winter wonderland scenery for this journey.
If we’re being honest, this wasn’t the most exciting part of our trip, but simply a step we had to take to get to the main train trip. The train was really tiny, only two cars long, and the concession stand served us slightly freezer-burned wraps that were cold in the middle.
But, this was the only part of our train journey that took place while it was light outside so we were able to thoroughly enjoy the views of snowy pine trees, majestic mountains, and classic red Scandinavian cabins.
The World’s Largest Ice Hotel
We arrived in Kiruna, Sweden, at midday and took a taxi over to the world’s largest ice hotel – our home for the night. Even if you’re not spending the night, it’s worth a visit because the hotel doubles as a museum during the day.
Imagine this: the floor is ice, the walls are ice, the ceiling is ice. Everything, from the beds to the hotel bar, is made entirely of ice. The hotel is kept at below-freezing temperatures to prevent melting, so while it’s not exactly built for comfort, it’s undeniably stunning.
The hotel has 12 art suites, each uniquely designed by one of the best ice sculptors in the world. During our stay, there was a rainbow and waterfall-themed suite, a suite with mermaid carvings inspired by local legends, and a suite designed in a retro video game style. Each room was absolutely incredible.
Before checking into our art suite, we explored the hotel’s other amenities. We found a great hall with ice chandeliers, an ice chapel where you can actually get married, and an ice bar where drinks are served in, you guessed it, glasses made entirely from ice.
Our room was simple yet unforgettable. A slab of ice in the middle of the room served as a bed, topped with reindeer skin and fluffy sleeping bags to keep us warm. The bathroom, thankfully, was not made of ice, and we shared it with the other guests.
Just as we were drifting to sleep, we got a text alert that the northern lights were visible outside the hotel! Even though leaving our cozy sleeping bags was the last thing we wanted to do, we never turn down an opportunity to see the northern lights, so off we went. Outside, we were greeted with vibrant ribbons of green dancing across the night sky, making it the perfect ending to our Arctic night.
The next morning, we woke up surprised by how well we had slept and got ready for the part of the trip we were most excited about —our overnight train to Stockholm!
Train #2: Kiruna, Sweden to Stockholm, Sweden
The nearly 800-mile journey from the Arctic town of Kiruna to Sweden’s capital starts now! We booked a couple of beds aboard the train and got ready to take on this 13-hour journey through the Swedish countryside.
This tiny little room aboard our Swedish train was nothing to write home about, but that said, it was definitely not the worst either. The room had three bunk beds, a bench, a window, and a small sink. The in-room temperature controls seemed like a luxury, as many trains just have a central air system, usually making the whole train either too hot or too cold.
Our room for the night
Down the hall there were very standard communal bathrooms and showers. The restaurant sold sandwiches and frozen meals—again nothing remarkable, but good enough! There was no dining car, so we resorted to eating on the small table in our room. Our beds were surprisingly cozy and they were much warmer than our ice room the night before.
The highlight of this train journey? Sipping coffee as we watched the sun rise over Sweden’s countryside – glittering lakes, rustic churches, and endless stretches of forest made for breathtaking scenery!
Was it worth the hype?
As self-proclaimed train fanatics, we always get super excited about trying out a new train journey. This specific train had been on our bucket list for a long time, and it was the perfect opportunity to see parts of Sweden that we wouldn’t have otherwise experienced.
That being said, Scandinavia does not get much daylight during the winter, so we couldn’t see as many views from the train as we had hoped. If you want to ride this train to enjoy the views of Sweden, we’d recommend booking during the summer months when there’s much more daylight.
Want to see our full train experience and see the inside of the world’s largest ice hotel? Check out the video below!
