Stockholm To Åre On Sweden’s New Night Train

By Nicola Venning

12 hours ago

If you’re seeking snow this season, head to Northern Sweden for a winter wonderland immersion

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Nicola Venning snowshoes off the beaten track in Åre in Northern Sweden, thanks to the new night train.

Snowshoeing

Sweden’s New Night Train To Åre

My snowshoe spikes into the crisp snow as I hike through the fir-tree forest. The sky turns flaming orange even though it’s only 2.30pm in the afternoon; dusk falls early in northern Sweden. Trees drip with lichen beards, which reindeer love to eat; in the misty distance warm lights glow from the barndoor-red homes, just outside the ski resort of Åre.

Soon we reach our hikers’ shelter, where walkers already hug a crackling open fire. ‘A lot of people bring logs, so they give back. It’s really nice,’ says my guide Liam Zehlin, from activity company Explore Åre. He adds some logs from his backpack to the pile, then pulls out coffee, tea and saffron buns – a Christmas twist on the usual cinnamon ones eaten over fika (coffee and cake with friends).

Åre, which has hosted the Alpine Ski World Championships three times, is Sweden’s largest ski resort, accessible by train from Stockholm and, as I am discovering, the vibrant centre of a stunning mountain, forest and lake heartland.

In the twin province of Jamtland Harjedalen, the town sits above darkly frozen Lake Åresjon, which in winter transforms into a vast and popular, ice rink. Although I stick to skiing and snowshoeing (both excellent, and there’s plenty of snow), the other tempting pursuits include dog-sledging and cross-country skiing and, for the brave, ice bathing.

Winston Churchill liked Jamtland Harjedalen so much he left his fishing gear here (obviously on a summer trip) aiming to return, but maybe his fondness was also influenced by the good food. I dined spectacularly well in the Granen Hotel & Restaurant and loved the rural charm of the menu (everything from herrings with dill sauce to roasted reindeer) at Buustamons Fjällgård, a converted stables right on the slopes. Almost all the town’s many restaurants and shops are open year round, which adds to the community vibe. I found delicious presents at the small and colourful Åre Chocolate Factory, which has plans to expand. Having wolfed their samples, I can understand why.

Too soon, it’s time to catch the night train from neighbouring county town Ostersund to Stockholm. Tucked up in my couchette, it’s all very cosy – until the train breaks down. However, it doesn’t matter too much. My scheduled 5am arrival becomes 9.30am, so I enjoy a lie-in and emerge rested and ready to enjoy the Swedish capital. The perfect end to a winter break with a difference.