While Sweden might be sparsely populated, it covers quite a large area, and the costs of domestic travel deter many visitors from exploring the interior of the country. True, travel in Sweden is not cheap, and can hardly be called “budget”. Yet for those willing to do some searching, affordable options do exist. And today, I’ll do the searching for you.

Trains are one of the most affordable ways of moving around the country. And SJ (Swedish Railways) are quick to point out it’s the most environmentally-friendly way of travel, too.

A few months ago, several English-language travel mags touted the new budget option of purchasing SJ tickets for bargain prices at an internet auction. If they had done more research than just reading the official press release, they would have noticed that in order to use the auction function the customer needs to understand Swedish.

Fortunately, SJ also offers several discount choices for those of us who only speak English.

1. Family offer – an adult ticket holder can take 2 kids under the age of 16 and only pay a booking fee of 5 or 10SEK for the children. If you are traveling on a student ticket, then the same deal applies to 2 kids under the age of 6.
2. Student tickets – SJ is very generous with their definition of a “student”, which can be anyone over 26 years old with a valid student card (ISIC for foreigners).
3. Youth tickets – for anyone under the age of 26.
4. Last minute tickets – can be purchased the earliest 24 hours before the train’s departure and are available for those under the age of 26, students with valid ID cards, and retired persons – ID required.
5. Group discounts – for 10 or more people. This one proves perfect when my friends and relatives invade!

Train tickets can be purchased on the SJ website, and after some recent changes, foreign-issued credit cards are also accepted.

The SJ website also offers a slew of useful tidbits such as multi-language PDF brochures, travel planning tips, and other services.

Keep in mind that SJ is only one of many Swedish train companies, however, its extensive network in the southern part of the country makes it the most popular choice. And just so you know, all SJ trains offer secure wireless internet connection.

Please keep in mind, that just as with everything else in Sweden, a booking fee is applied to almost every purchase, and train tickets are no exception.

written by Anna Etmanska