Sundsvall

Sundsvall is the seat of Västernorrland County, and the only city in the Medelpad province of Sweden. The city's population is about 51,000 (2010), but including suburbs, the total is close to 100,000. It is in a hilly area by the coast and its main industries are pulp and paper factories, sawmills, aluminium smelting, and hydroelectric power generation. Sundsvall also houses a campus of the Mittuniversitetet (Mid Sweden University), which gained university status in 2005.

Understand

The wooden city was repeatedly destroyed by fire, so after the great fire of 1888 it was rebuilt as a Stenstaden - a stone city. Sundsvall was prosperous at the time, so the central area was rebuilt in art nouveau style, with grand city blocks and lavish exteriors. Most sites of interest are in this central area, including the 🌍 Tourist Information Bureau (Sundsvalls turistbyrå), Stora Torget, ☏ +46 60-658 58 00, . M–F 11:00–18:00; Sa 11:00–15:00. (updated May 2018)

Get in

By plane

The airport shuttle bus no longer runs, so either take a taxi to city centre (45 min), or somewhat cheaper is a taxi to Timrå and then a local bus to Sundsvall (takes 30 min, runs every 30 min).

Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN IATA) has extensive international connections. It's 30 km north of Stockholm and there's no need to travel via the capital: you can take a northbound train from Arlanda Central station within the airport. (Not from Arlanda South or North: these only have expresses to Stockholm city.) You'll probably have to change at Uppsala or Gävle. Alternatively take UL bus 801 from the airport to Uppsala and change to a northbound train or express bus. The UL bus runs twice an hour, 03:00-00:00, and takes 25 min.

By rail

There are six direct express trains per day from Stockholm, reaching Sundsvall in 3½ hours, for a standard fare of 200-900 kr. Other connections are possible by changing at Gävle to the X-Tåget regional trains. Norrtåg services link Östersund (for connections to Trondheim) and Umeå.

  • 🌍 Sundsvall Central station (Sundsvalls Centralstation). Main railway station, all trains stop here and it's close to the centre. There are ticket machines but no staffed ticket kiosk. There's a newsagent, café and left-luggage lockers. (updated Jun 2020)
  • 🌍 Sundsvall Western station (Sundsvall Västra station) (1 km west of city centre). Regional trains call here, visitors are only likely to use this to reach the university campus. (updated Jun 2020)
  • 🌍 Njurundabommen railway station (Njurundabommen järnvägsstation). Minor station in the southern parts of the municipality. (updated Mar 2022)

By bus

FlixBus runs from Stockholm to Sundsvall (six per day, 6-7 hours) and continues north to Umeå. Ticket from Stockholm 470 kr, from Umeå 350 kr.

Tapanis Buss has a route going from Stockholm to Tornio, Finland stopping at Sundsvall. Ticket from Stockholm 305 kr, from Tornio 870 kr.

🌍 Sundsvall Bus Station is at the north end of Esplanaden in city centre. There are lots of food & drink outlets nearby.

Get around

With local buses operated by Din Tur or taxi.

By taxi

See

The central Stenstaden is mostly pedestrianised. The main square is "Stora Torget", a pleasant space with building styles ranging from red-brick "Midland-Railway-Belle-Epoque" to concrete brutalist. The main church, Gustav Adolf Lutheran church, is just west.

  • 🌍 Kulturmagasinet, Packhusgatan 4 (In the city near the harbor), ☏ +46 60 19 18 00. M-Th 10:00-19:00, F 10:00-18:00, Sa Su 11:00-16:00. Museum over 3 floors of two linked warehouses. Free. (updated May 2018)
  • 🌍 Norra Berget Friluftsmuseum, Gustaf Adolfsvägen 18 B (On hillside 2 km north of city centre). Daily; most attractions 11:00-17:00. "Skansen" or open-air museum of country life. 

Do
  • 🌍 Södra Berget, Södra Stadsberget 1, ☏ +46 60-67 10 00, . Leisure complex on South Hill overlooking the city, with a hotel, bowling alley, spa and restaurant. (updated May 2018)
  • Ski: two small ski areas are just south of the city, Slalombacke on Södra Berget and Sidsjöbacken a few km east. Two others lie 10 km south.

Eat

Sundsvall has more than 60 restaurants, bars and pubs, mostly in the central area. Most international cuisine is represented and of course Swedish traditional husmanskost.

Drink

Almost all bars are in the "Stenstaden" area.

  • Pipeline, Kyrkogatan 6. A rock club that was founded in 1973. Some of their concerts have free entrance. (updated Feb 2023)

Sleep

Go next

The choice is southwards to Uppsala and Stockholm, inland to Östersund and Trondheim, northwards to Umeå with a ferry route to Vaasa, and further north towards Luleå and Narvik.

Routes through Sundsvall
Haparanda ← Härnösand ←  N  S  → Hudiksvall → Stockholm
Trondheim ← Östersund ←  W  E  → END


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