Day 1
After a short week at work, it’s time to head to my favourite city — again. Four nights in Kista, just outside Stockholm.
The deal came together nicely. A 250 Euro return flight from Molde via Oslo with Norwegian, and four free nights at Scandic Kista. The hotel nights are covered by SAS EuroBonus points I originally collected for Japan. Japan is still happening — just not on points. Rather than let them sit, I put them to work here through the Scandic partnership, where 1 EBP converts to two Scandic points. Four free nights. I’ll take it.
Hand luggage only. Vacuum bags are one of the better travel inventions out there — camera on top, and straight from the office to the airport. Three hours to Arlanda. Simple enough.
The flight to Oslo is smooth. I’m at the aisle, which gives a little extra legroom when you stretch out. Small win.
In Oslo, a short walk to the gate, and then a 30-minute delay. Not ideal. The bus from Arlanda to Kista only runs once an hour, so timing matters here.
We leave only 15 minutes late in the end. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 has noticeably more legroom and better seats than the regional hop — worth knowing if you’re choosing between aircraft on this route. Landing into Stockholm in rain, which is less welcome. And then we stop — right in front of the gate. Apparently the airport has some kind of issue, and we can’t proceed. My bus window is getting smaller by the minute, and the gate is literally 20 metres away.
When we finally dock, things don’t speed up. Getting off the plane takes much longer than it should. The purser even makes an announcement asking passengers who aren’t ready to step aside. That’s how it goes sometimes.
We happen to be in the terminal that takes you through the entire airport before spitting you out near the buses. I walk fast — really fast. By the time I reach the bus stop, I catch the tail lights of my bus pulling away. Next departure: 75 minutes.
I look at the alternatives. A taxi to the hotel would run about 500 SEK. A taxi to the nearest train station, six kilometres away, gets quoted at roughly the same price. Not happening. Other buses don’t cover the route. Uber comes in even higher.
I walk over to terminals 3 and 4, only to find that buses run from terminals 2 and 5. I was just at 5. A sign suggests taking the parking shuttle to Terminal 2. A bus arrives, I ask the driver if it goes there, and what follows is a longer conversation than necessary. He seems to feel strongly that this information isn’t officially posted anywhere. A Swedish passenger walking past confirms it goes there. The driver looks unimpressed. The bus goes there.
Terminal 2. Thirty-five minutes to wait. Last bus of the evening. Arriving after 23:00. Dinner will have to wait.
The ticket costs 149 SEK. At least there’s that.
Kista Centrum is not exactly a charming arrival point. Shopping centres, concrete, and roads built entirely around cars. Not somewhere you’d linger.
Then I spot a sign: Jalla Jalla. A falafel place, still open. The guy behind the counter is friendly, the prices are fair, and I walk out with a shawarma. Dinner is sorted.
Scandic Kista isn’t a new hotel, but the location works well for getting into Stockholm, and I only need somewhere to sleep. The reception is staffed by a security guard — they’re clearly cutting costs here — but he’s welcoming and upgrades me to a larger room on the second floor without being asked.
The room is basic but spacious. Double bed, table, chairs, plenty of storage, and a coffee maker. The bathroom is fine. The pillows are 40×40 centimetres and more decorative than functional. My neck will have opinions about this by morning.
Late dinner, early enough bedtime. Tomorrow, Stockholm is waiting.