Published on 10/9/2017. Modified on 03/30/2022
I have already written about buying the Stockholm Pass, the tourist city card that grants you free entry to many sights and attractions in Stockholm, and everything it delivers. However a common question in the Spanish version of the article is: “Is the Stockholm Pass always worth buying?”
After years traveling to Stockholm I have my own opinion about it and I have finally decided to examine in which situations you could be in advantage by buying the Stockholm Pass and when it would suit you better to buy individual tickets to the sights and museums. Let me tell you my view on the subject.
Tourism in Stockholm, with or without the Stockholm Pass?
Photo: Israel Úbeda / sweetsweden.com
When It Is Worth To Buy The Stockholm Pass
If I were you I would buy the Stockholm Pass if …
- you want to see Stockholm 4 or 5 main museums in a day. Then it’d buy the one-day card.
- you want to visit for or more attractions, sights, museums or boat trips every day. Then I buy the Stockholm Pass card for such many days.
- you really love hop-on hop-off buses.
- you really are into doing as many boat trips, excursions and day trips in Stockholm and the archipelago as possible
- you like to wander around and enter every museum you meet just in case it may offer something interesting
- you do not want to worry about the extra money that could be spent by visiting sights and museums not planned before.
When It May NOT Be Worth To Buy The Stockholm Pass
I probably would not buy the Stockholm Pass if …
- you prefere to stroll along the city and just visit a couple of museums. Individual tickets might be cheaper.
- you are in for a really short stay and just want to feel the pulse of Stockholm by sitting at a cafeteria, visiting shopping districts or public places.
- you came on a cruise and your stop-over is really short
- you are not interested on boat trips or the ones you like are not available during the winter
- it is enough for you visiting the 15 free museums in Stockholm
- you do not want to visit many museums but do want to visit ABBA The Museum (not incluided)
- you just want to visit Stockholm’s City Hall (not included and guided visits just during summer months)
- you just want to get a guided visit of Gamla Stan. Some are free.
- you just want to use public transportation. Then what you need is a travelcard called SL-Access or paper printed tickets for 24/72 hours or 7 days.
- you really are on a budget trip where you are going to check places from the outside and just enter Vasa or Skansen.
Good To Know About The Stockholm Pass
- Get your Go City pass on the official website when the 10% discount is available.
- The Go City tourist card works on consecutive days so prepare your trip so that if you are staying 7 days a 5-day card is enough or, if you are staying 5 days, a 3-day card.
- Opening hours for museums are reduced out of season and during the winter just a few of the boat trips are available.
I still recommend the tourist card during your first visit to Stockholm (specially in spring, summer and autumn) because you get to see a lot for the little money it means for the trip budget as a whole and because Stockholm has a lot to offer (check my guide about what to see and do in Stockholm in 3 days)
If you have a particular situation and want to ask me about it feel free to leave me a comment below and I will get back to you with an answer as soon as possible.
If you are in Stockholm at the end of July, will it be difficult to take the boat tours, particularly Drottningholm palace, since you can’t get tickets ahead of time. Only there 3 days
Hi Sue in your case it’s better to get up early and arrive sooner at the dock to be sure you get a place on the boat. It might be a little more difficult during the weekends but you shouldn’t have any problems by being there early.
Enjoy your stay in the beautiful Stockholm. If you have any other questions don’t hesitate to ask.
Regards, Israel
We have 6.5 hours to visit stolkholm will the 24 hour pass be worth it?If so should will the hop on/hop off help or hinder with time restraints?Is the vasa museum,open air museum,royal palace plus one more sight doable?If so what sights do you recommend?
Hi Shannon,
I’d say in 6.5 hours you could visit the old towm Gamla Stan, take a boat to the island of Djurgården and visit max 2 museums there. If you go for that option I’d visit Vasa Museum and ABBA Museum (if you like the band) or Skansen.
In your case I wouldn’t recommend to buy the Stockholm Pass. But here are also some guided tours with bus and boat to visit the main sights in Stockholm for those that can’t spend much time.
Regards,
Israel
How much would it cost to do Vasa Museum and Skansen ,Gamla Stan and transportation from cruise ship to sites round-trip?Please and thank you.
Hi Shannon,
Where is your cruise docking? Värtahamnen, Frihamnen, Stadsgården? Check the guide to travel from the cruise ports to Stockholm city center here.
You can get a 24 hour travelcard (cheaper than 3 single tickets) for around $15.
Vasa entry ticket costs: 150 SEK ($15). Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Skansen costs: 140 SEK normal but 170 SEK during Christmas markets. Around $17. Skansen opening times differ depending on the day, on the season, etc. but normally 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
You’d get everything under $50.
Best regards,
Israel
Hi – we’re in Stockholm for 6 days, not great museum goers, so thinking the 7 day travel pass would be best for us. Can you explain – are the journeys cheaper than if you buy a singular ticket and is there a ‘maximum’ amount of travel and it is free after that per day? ie a capped amount.
Hi Vivien,
no maximum amount of travel. You pay the price for a 7-day card and you can travel how much you want during 7 days. Swipe it at every bus, commuter train, tramway or metro station and that’s all. It counts 7 days from your first swipe. I.e: if you swipe first on Monday at 11 PM you already used one of the seven days.
Regards,
Israel
Many thanks Israel