Global Pass
5 travel days
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- Travel on any 5 days within 1 month
- Perfect for visiting 4–6 destinations
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We've got some exciting news: experts predict the northern lights will be especially strong this season. Remember this winter forever with an Interrail trip north to chase this unforgettable phenomenon.
There's more than one way to see the northern lights by train. Last winter, a group of colleagues from Eurail chose to travel through Sweden to reach the Arctic Circle — but you can also take the train through Norway (all the way up to Bodø) or through Finland (to Rovaniemi).
We chose to use our 7-day Interrail Pass to travel north from our headquarters in the Netherlands to Sweden. After taking only one daytime train journey and two night trains, we reached our final destination in the Arctic Circle. On the way home, we travelled back along the same route, taking time to slow down and immerse ourselves in the cities we visited along the way.
We stopped at the following destinations on our way to the Arctic:
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We travelled all the way to Abisko, Sweden, one of the best places in the world to glimpse the northern lights, mostly by night train.
Keep reading to learn about our journey and how you can plan your own dream trip to see the auroras.
Hamburg's Speicherstadt warehouse district at sunset
We took the night train from Hamburg to Stockholm, waking up in the morning to sights of the Swedish countryside
The first stop on our aurora-chasing adventure, Hamburg is the last major German city many travellers pass through before crossing into Scandinavia by train.
Paulo takes a look around the colourful Stadion metro station in Stockholm
A view of Stockholm at dusk from the Monteliusvägen viewing point
By mid-morning, you’ll arrive in Stockholm, crossing the Riddarfjärden bay on your way into the Swedish capital.
Stockholm is a place best experienced slowly. Take your time exploring, and if you get tired, simply hop on the city’s convenient metro to experience another neighbourhood.
Rachel, Cristian, and Hanxiao pause for a photo while exploring the snow-covered streets of Kiruna, Sweden
The Norrland night train operates between Stockholm, Sweden and Narvik, Norway
Welcome to life above the Arctic Circle. Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden, sits roughly 200 kilometres into the polar circle. Dress warmly during the late autumn and winter (it helps to wear three layers, plus gloves and a hat) and get exploring.
Rachel standing on the banks of the frozen Lake Torneträsk in Abisko
Few places on earth are as well suited for aurora chasing as Abisko. The town, with its population of less than 100 residents, offers little light pollution. Plus, the region's unique microclimate keeps its skies clearer than in other parts of the Arctic Circle.
Rachel Schnalzer is a senior writer at Eurail, based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Last winter, she travelled all the way to the Arctic Circle with four of her colleagues in search of the northern lights.
Favourite travel memory
"Waking up on the night train from Stockholm to Abisko was pure magic. The morning light cast a pink glow over the whole landscape, and I loved watching the snow-covered forest from my train window while sipping coffee. To me, this experience was equally as special as seeing the northern lights."
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