Östersund

Östersund is the seat of Jämtland County in Norrland in Sweden. It was founded in 1786, as the only Swedish city founded during the 18th century.

Understand

Östersund is the economic and political centre of Jämtland and its only city. It is famous for its location near wild nature and for its winter activities. Östersund hosts many world cups in winter sports like biathlon and skiing. As of 2023, the municipality is home to roughly 65,000 inhabitants, 53,000 of whom live in the city.

Östersund (and Jämtland in general) have a long history with the Norwegian neighbours which is reflected in both tourism and trade. However most of the people living in Östersund are Swedish and of Jemtlandic descent. During both summer and winter there can be a lot of tourists in the city, especially during the annual Storsjöcupen (a football cup for youths) and the music festival Storsjöyran. Östersund is next to Storsjön, Sweden's 5th largest lake, and a lot of establishments and events are influenced by that name. The lake is excellent for swimming and bathing in the summer and ice skating or cross-country skiing in the winter – and of course fishing.

The city centre is filled with everything you would expect from a city, like bars and pubs, restaurants, shopping malls and stores. In the outskirts of the city you'll find the usual residential areas and industries. Östersund is also home to a lot of sights and museums, ranging from arts to cultural sites and activities. The weather in Östersund is very varying, from cold and dark winter nights with auroras and stars to sunny summer days where you'll spot most of the people bathing in the sun. However there is one more or less constant element which is the wind. Because of the location of the city (next to a big lake) it can be quite windy.

It is always interesting to learn about the sea monster "Storsjöodjuret", called Birger, which is said to lurk in the lake.

Tourist office

Get in

By plane
  • 🌍 Åre Östersund Airport (OSD  IATA) (on Frösön, 9 km outside the city centre). There are three airlines operating at the airport all year. Most of the flights are domestic, however there are also some direct flights to major resort destinations like Mallorca, Rhodos and Antalya. To travel to Östersund by air from other Swedish cities, you mostly need to transfer at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. 

Stockholm Arlanda–Östersund:


Umeå–Östersund

Transportation to and from the airport is very easy, with several bus lines and taxis providing shuttle services to the city centre.

By train

SJ has regular service to Östersund from many cities in Sweden, including daily night train service from Stockholm.

Buying less than a week before departure might be prohibitively expensive. If you wish to see the country it's a good option indeed. Expect times to and from Stockholm to run anywhere from 5 hours on the SJ 3000 (their high-speed train) to 6½ hours on a slightly slower train. Swedish rail traffic has often seen severe disruptions in winter due to snow, with trains being delayed for several hours and cancelled.

Another nice way to go to Östersund is by the Inlandsbanan. It's a slow diesel train that starts in Mora and ends in Gällivare. They make a stop in Östersund, so you can get on and off the train. The train is rather touristic, but it's a very special way to get to Östersund.

The main station is 🌍 Östersund Centralstation in the south part of the city centre. Some regional trains also calls at the much smaller 🌍 Östersund Västra station.

By car

The route E14 connects Östersund to several cities in Norway and Sweden. You can reach E14 south and north from Sweden, and from the area around Trondheim (Norway). From Östersund you are also able to travel to most (if not all) major destinations and villages in Jämtland.

By bus

There are several buses that connect Östersund with the rest of the country. If you happen to be in the north of Sweden, you can use the buses operated by Länstrafiken i Västerbotten. From Stockholm and more southern parts there are several companies providing direct way travels, for example Swebus.

By boat

There are no boats connecting the city to other remote places in the country. However there are some boat traffic for travelling in Jämtland on the lake of Storsjön.

Get around

By bus

Östersund has a fairly extensive, inexpensive bus system, although you might have a long wait ahead of you if you plan to move about after 21:00, or on Sundays. You can buy single tickets on the bus, or pre-paid cards are a great deal if you plan on a longer stay. These can be purchased at the main bus station in town, located on Kyrkgatan, or in one of the many kiosks and shops around the city center.

By foot

During summertime the city is easy to get around in by foot, at least the city center and its surroundings. By winter the city is still very walkable, however due to heavy snow and the fact that Östersund is built upon a height (thereby tilting) it can be quite slippery. A good way to avoid any accidents are by equipping your boots with stud/nails during the winter months.

By bicycle

If you have a bicycle it's even better, and a great opportunity to explore the countryside outside the city. Most of Östersund have separate roads for bicycles, so watch out for them and keep in mind to use them while traveling by bike. Bikes can be rented on numerous locations or if you're staying for a longer time bought on flea markets.

By taxi

Taxi is quite expensive in Östersund like the rest of Sweden. However there are many companies providing taxi service in and around the city. To save some money you might want to share the cab with some friends. Expect to prebook your taxi as you will find it hard to wave a cab in from the street. Avoid going with unregistered taxi drivers asking you if you want a ride somewhere (which is common outside nightclubs and pubs after closing), instead use reputable companies like Taxi Östersund or Taxikurir.

See
  • 🌍 Frösö Runestone, Frösön (take the city bus No. 4 or No. 1 and jump of at Bergsgatan). Frösö Runestone is the most northern runestone in the world and the only one remaining in the entire region. The runestone is unique in several ways and over 1000 years old. The runestone mentions the Christianization of Jämtland and is an important part of Frösön's heritage. Free. 
  • 🌍 Jamtli (take the city bus No. 6 towards "Brittsbo" (departing from the main station), hop off at Jamtli (4-5 stations)), ☏ +46 63-15 01 00, fax: +46 63-10 61 68, . Tu-Su (and M in the summer) 11:00-17:00. Jamtli is an interactive museum about the history of Jämtland. Take the guided tour if you have a chance, the guide is very knowledgeable, and can speak both Swedish and English. The museum suits people of every age; so children can have a great time there. During summer and high season there are over 120 live actors performing and staging 19th-century Östersund, very fun and learning to watch. You can also find restaurants, cafeterias, animals to visit and a lot of activities at Jamtli. The museum is divided into two parts, one inside (where the exhibitions are located, audio guides available) and one outside area. The former is live and open during summertime, however you are still able to visit the buildings during winter but without visiting them. Always free for children up to 18 years. 70 kr for adults during winter, 240 kr during summer (ticket is valid for two days). 

Do
  • 🌍 Moose Garden, Orrviken, ☏ +46 703636061, . Book in advance. The moose is an important part of Jämtland’s cultural heritage. Described as "king of the forest" and seen on Jämtland's coat of arms, you can easily say it's the most famous animal in the province. On moose garden you get the chance and opportunity to pet and stand next to real moose - and even kiss one (if you dare). On moose garden there are over 20 elks and moose, and you can also find modern accommodation and a cafeteria. The owner and guide is very friendly and quite funny to listen to. Moose garden is 15 minutes away with car from the city. 
  • Take a walk along the lake with its beautiful view.
  • Take a boat trip around the lake - the 5th largest in Sweden.

Eat

Drink

Cafés
  • 🌍 Frösötornet, Toppvägen 11, ☏ +46 63-12 81 69. A café with a scenic view from a tower on Frösö island. 
  • 🌍 Jamtli Café, Museiplan, ☏ +46 63 15 01 05. A café in the "Jamtli" museum area. 
  • 🌍 Tages Konditori & Kök, Frösövägen 32 B, ☏ +46 63-51 84 07. A café, bakery and restaurant. 
  • 🌍 Wedemarks Konditori & Bageri (Popularly called "Wedan"), Prästgatan 27 (on the main pedestrian street), ☏ +46 63-51 03 83. M-F 07:30-18:00, Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 12:00-17:00. A classical Östersund café dating back to 1924. It is known as the birthplace of the "Smörgåstårta", or "sandwich cake", a form of savoury cake made from rye bread with different sorts of creamy fillings and toppings which has become popular throughout Sweden. During summer they offer their home made gelato ice cream. In addition to their main location they also have a branch at the Östersund library at Rådhusgatan 25-27. (updated Mar 2018)

Bars and clubs

Sleep

Budget
  • 🌍 STF Östersund Ledkrysset, Biblioteksgatan 25, ☏ +46 63-10 33 10. A Hostelling International (HI) location. STF Östersund Ledkrysset is in the center of town and has double and twin rooms as well as dormitory beds. Serves breakfast, dinner and has a small shop. Free internet access. 
  • 🌍 Östersund camping, Krondikesvägen 95 (3 km away from the city center; there is a good bus connection), ☏ +46 63 14 46 15. 

Mid-range
  • 🌍 Hotel Älgen, Storgatan 61 (near the train station), ☏ +46 63 51 75 25. Has nice, large rooms, a sauna, and a good breakfast. Weekend costs are around 700 kr. 

Splurge
  • 🌍 Clarion Hotel Grand, Prästgatan 16, ☏ +46 63 55 60 00. Östersund's largest hotel with 176 rooms including 8 suites. It also has an indoor pool and sauna, as well as a popular restaurant. Prices vary but typical weekend rate for a double room is 1100-1600 kr. 
  • 🌍 Scandic hotel, Kyrkgatan 70, ☏ +46 63 57 57 00. From 900 kr per night. 

Connect

Go next

Östersund is quite far from other major cities (as in a few hundred km). On the other hand, there's plenty of wilderness to explore around the city, free to access. Have a look at Hiking in the Nordic countries for some useful tips. If you travel around the lake Storsjön, keep your eyes open — you may see the Lake Monster!

  • Åre, Sweden's largest ski resort is about 50 km west. Double that to get to Storlien.
  • Trondheim, about 200 km west, one of Norway's largest cities with an impressive cathedral.
  • Sundsvall, about 200 km east, a city about the same size located at the Gulf of Bothnia — also the High Coast world heritage is accessible from there.
Routes through Östersund
Trondheim ← Krokom (22 km) ←  W  E  → Bräcke (71 km) → Sundsvall
Gällivare ← Vilhelmina ← Strömsund (101 km) ←  N  S  → Sveg (187 km) → Karlstad


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