The buses in Stockholm offer very good local transport to locations and subway- and commuter train stations. Stockholm Public Transportation buses stop at designated bus stops along their respective routes. The buses in Stockholm are predominantly of red color, however the Stockholm inner city buses are of blue color and are more often better fitted to suit the elderly and the disabled.

Bus Connectivity
Almost every subway station and commuter train station is connected to at least one bus line. If the subway or commuter train doesn’t take you directly adjacent to your intended destination, chances are a bus will.

Riding the Bus
The busdriver does not sell tickets onboard the bus itself. You must purchase a ticket from either a vending machine or a shop which sells SL tickets, one of the most common being Pressbyrån which is found inside most subway terminal halls. To know where a bus is heading you can either ask the bus driver or read the noteboard next to the timetable that is available in all sheltered bus stops.

Tickets and Prices
All Stockholm Public Transportation’s utilize the same system, the zone system. There are three zones, A, B and C. When just traveling in one zone you pay two tickets, traveling through two zones cost three tickets and traveling through three zones cost four tickets. This means that you always pay at least two tickets when traveling with public transportation and at the most four tickets which will let you travel from one side of Stockholm to the other.

Zone Tickets
Pre-paid tickets are bought at Pressbyrån.

• Pre-paid ticket, per unit 15 SEK, reduced price* 9 SEK
• Vending machine ticket**, 1 zone 30 SEK, reduced price* 18 SEK

TravelCards
These cards offer free travel during their active periods of all public transportation in Stockholm County. They are active from the moment they are bought until the specified time has passed.

• 1 Day/24 Hour card, 100 SEK, reduced price* 60 SEK
• 30 Day Card, 690 SEK, reduced price* 420 SEK

Note: The bus driver does not sell tickets on the bus. You must prepurchase a ticket or travelcard.
For further ticket and travelcard options and information including explanation of the stars*, please go here.

Behavior Code and Rules
Here you can find a list of thinks you can and can’t do while traveling with the Stockholm Public Transportation network. Keep in mind that regular Swedish laws apply for things like firearms and vandalism and similar acts will not be listed.

You may not:

• Board the bus anywhere else but in the front unless you have a pram with you
• Bring bulky objects, such as removal boxes and furniture
• Bring bicycles, however exceptions can be made during off-peak times
• Bring items over 2 meters in length
• Bring inflammable, explosive or foul-smelling substances

You may:

• Bring guide dogs at all times
• Bring as much luggage as you can easily carry
• Bring animals at no extra charge, but keep in mind that there are restricted areas for pets which are clearly marked and hard to miss

A general overview of the Stockholm Public Transportation network is available here. You can read about the Stockholm Subway here and about the Commuter Trains here.

Drottningholm Palace (Drottningholms Slott) is one of Sweden’s Royal Palaces, located in the western part of Stockholm and it is a popular tourist attraction with its appealing looks and surroundings, nearby theater and café. It is the summer residence of the Swedish Royal Family.

Design and Construction
Drottningholm Palace was designed and supervised during its construction by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder for Hedwig Eleonora, starting in 1662. When Hedwig Eleonora bought the grounds they housed an older renaissance building built by John III of Sweden in 1580 for his wife Queen Katarina Jagellonica, however this building burned shortly after her purchase, which prompted Hedwig to hire Nicodemus for the rebuilding and redesigning of the palace. The palace was almost complete by 1681, when Nicodemus Tessin the Elder died. His son, Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, architect of The Royal Palace among other famous historical buildings, stepped in to finish the work.

Decay and Restoration
During the 19th century Drottningholm Palace stood largely empty and was left without maintenance, until 1907 when Oscar I of Sweden decided that it should be restored. Electricity, heating and sewage was installed during this restauration, modernizing the palace. The latest maintenance was done in a 5 year period up to 2002, with cleaning and refurbishing of the exterior walls.

Tours and Heritage
Today Drottningholm Palace is available for tours, which are included in the entrance fee should you choose to enter the palace itself. The tours last an average of 50 minutes and showcase the insides of Drottningholm Palace and its rich heritage. Drottningholm Palace was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, which includes the theater and Chinese Pavilion (Kina Slott), a Chinese-inspired royal pavilion built in 1753.

Gardens and Inspiration
Drottningholm Palace is host to several gardens and parks both by the palace itself and in the grounds around it. The baroque garden was created by Hedwig Eleonora herself and stretches itself out in front of the palace, giving a grand and majestic appearance. The English garden, founded by Gustav III of Sweden, is located north of the baroque garden and is, much like the baroque garden, filled with interesting sculptures. The English garden is designed to surprise its visitors with artworks sticking out where one expected to see nature. Both of the gardens and the other greens around Drottningholm Palace are well suited for pick nicks and social games like rounders or frisbee throwing.

Drottningholm Palace Theatre
In the near vicinity of Drottningholm Palace lies the Drottningholm Palace Theatre (Drottningholms Slottsteater). Finished and opened in 1766, the Drottningholm Palace Theatre hosted plays until 1792, when the assassination of King Gustav III left the theatre to be forgotten. However, in 1920, under direction of the Swedish theater historian Agne Beijer, the theater was restored. It saw fitting of electrical lights and other modernizations but for the most part retained the original architecture and style. Today the theater is open to the public for both plays and guided tours, both of which are available from the theater’s homepage, located here.

Recommendations and Pricing
Drottningholm Palace is excellent for a days trip with a pick nick, perhaps a tour of the palace or the theater or just some fresh air in the many green areas and gardens in the area.
Price to enter the Drottningholm Palace is 70 SEK for Adults, 35 SEK for children ages 7-18 and free for children ages 0-7.

Location and Getting to Drottningholm Palace
Drottningholm Palace is located in Drottningholm. It is built on the island of Lovön. For getting to Drottningholm Palace we recommend taking the subway to Brommaplan and from there changing to bus 301-323 to Drottningholm. During the summer you may also take the boat which departs from Stadshuskajen in Stockholm City. Operator of this line is Strömma Kanalbolaget and information about the boat trip is available here.

For more information about Drottningholm Palace, please see the official website.

The Royal Palace (sometimes Stockholm Palace) is the official residence of the Swedish Royal Family located at the heart of Stockholm City and is one of Europe’s largest palaces. The palace was rebuilt in to its current form in 1830 and has over 600 rooms.

History and Construction
Orginally the site housed the castle Tre Kronor (Three Crowns), a fortress which intended use was to defend the Stockholm Harbour area. The fortress burned to the ground in 1697, more than 400 years after its construction, and left only a foundation. It was rebuilt by Nicodemus Tessin the Younger with construction starting to be finished in 1734 but only considered fully complete in 1830, when Lejonbacken (The Lion’s Slope) had finished construction. The results of these reconstructions in to the Baroque style is what we can see today.

The Royal Guards
The Royal Palace is guarded by Högvakten (Swedish Royal Guards), part of the Swedish Armed Forces. The guard has a rich history dating back to the 16th century and it is considered an honor to have the guard duty. There are often ceremonial marches during the summer around the Palace by both mounted guards and guards on foot. The marches are usually accompanied by elite military bands, allowing you to listen to their inspiring marching music.

Museums in the Palace
The Royal Palace is more than just the home of the Swedish Royal Family, it is the host of The Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren), which among other things display the crown jewels, and Gustav III Museum of Antiques. The Museum of Antiques contains ancient sculptures from Italy among other things. The Tre Kronor Museum is also located in the Palace, and is able to offer a unique insight in to the original Castle. The entrance to the museum is located through a five-meter thick wall from the 1200s.

Thanks to its central location in Stockholm City, the Royal Palace is easily accessible by public transportation and is close to hotels, such as the Grand Hotel Stockholm which has a variety of rooms overlooking the Palace, various shops and plenty of interesting, worth-visiting restaurants. For more information, see the official website.

Café Opera is located in the centre of Stockholm City by Kungsträdgården. It sits in the larger Operahouse’s basement where it was placed in 1980 when it first opened its doors to the public. Café Opera breathes class and elegance throughout its locales.

Café Opera is available for booking of partys, dinners and conferences. It annualy hosts Guldbaggen, a Swedish movie award from the Swedish Filminstitute (Svenska Filminstitutet) for “prominent efforts for Swedish film in the passed year”, the major printed paper Aftonbladet’s televisionawards and the Elle-gala afterparty and many others.

Among locals in Stockholm, Café Opera is considered to be somewhat expensive compared to other clubs. However if you’re looking for a special evening the price is well worth it.

At Café Opera you can never go wrong. When you wake up the day after you wont only have a mild hangover, you will also be blessed with the memory of an unforgettable evening out at Café Opera and perhaps some of the many other Stockholm pubs, bars and clubs!

Operahuset, Karl XII:s torg
Monday-Saturday 17.00-03.00
Sunday 19.00-03.00
SEK 180 after 22.00 hrs.
Minimum age: 23 years, dress code “neat“.
www.cafeopera.se – Map