Stockholm is unquestionably a beautiful city with a ton of fabulous sights, museums, and experiences.
It also has a reputation of being a pricey place to travel, along with the rest of Scandinavia, which is where the Stockholm Pass comes in and can really go a long way to keeping your trip budget in check.
I’ve heard from many fantastic readers through email and social media about how helpful it was to use the Stockholm itinerary information on the blog.
But many readers have asked is it worth it. Let’s find out.
Is the Stockholm Pass really worth it?
In an effort to help your Stockholm trip planning and travel budget, I’ve done all the math and put together this Stockholm Pass review and guide to help you make the best decision for you and your family.
No one wants to spend more money than necessary, especially when traveling in Stockholm or Scandinavia.
I have personally used the Stockholm Pass for both my trips to Stockholm and have recommended it to my own family and friends. I can vouch firsthand for the money my Stockholm pass saved me. But as with any city sightseeing pass, it needs to make sense for your travel plans in order to get the best value.
So, let’s break it down.
What is the Stockholm Pass?
The Stockholm Pass can help you save money by bundling sightseeing costs from Stockholm’s museums, palaces, tours, and experiences into a fantastic discounted price.
It also comes with the added benefit of riding the hop on hop off bus and boats around the city and islands.
The Stockholm Pass includes entry to 60+ top Stockholm attractions. You can select a 1,2,3, or 5-day pass depending on the length of your visit and Stockholm sightseeing plans.
Your Stockholm Pass will be valid for 24, 48, 72, or 120 hours from the first time it’s activated at an included Stockholm point of interest.
I particularly like this hour-based validity system because it means you can arrive in Stockholm midday and begin using your Stockholm Pass right away without feeling as if you’ve lost a part of the time associated with your pass.
Here’s what you get with the Stockholm Pass.
- Free entry to 60+ Stockholm top attractions,
- Free access to bus and boat tours of Stockholm, its canals, and the islands,
- A complimentary guidebook to help you make a sightseeing plan, and
- An optional Travelcard to use on the Stockholm Subway, buses, and trams.
You’re probably wondering exactly which 60 Stockholm sights, tours, and experiences are included with the Stockholm Pass.
The chart below shows which attractions and tours are included. The rows highlighted in blue are among the top 10 visited Stockholm sights, while the rows highlighted in yellow are the next most popular. The individual ticket price for each place is also included to help you add up the cost and compare the total with the Stockholm pass prices.
These charts show the rest of the Stockholm Pass activities.
You’ll also notice the Stockholm city pass even includes trips and excursions away from Stockholm, which return-visitors to Stockholm might find particularly valuable.
The real truth is in the numbers.
Take a look at the comparison chart below.
For the ease of cost comparisons in this guide, I used my 3 Days in Stockholm itinerary, which coincides with nearly all of the top Stockholm attractions.
As you can see, if you visited or did these top 10 sights and tours, the savings would be significant.
If you bought an adult ticket for each one of these individually, you’d spend SEK 1975, or about $220. By contrast, if you purchased a 3-day Stockholm Pass and did these top 10 attractions, you’d pay SEK 1045, or about $116. That’s a savings of about $104 per adult.
Even the 5-day Stockholm Pass costs just SEK 1345 or about $150.
You could spread out these top 10 Stockholm experiences over a longer visit. Or for even more savings, visit more of Stockholm and the surrounding area.
Use your Stockholm Pass to see the natural beauty of the archipelago islands, visit the Chinese Pavillion at Drottningholm, and admire the beauty and history of Stockholm’s famous cathedrals.
How does all that sound? Are you wondering what the catch is?
Here are a few points that come up.
- The Stockholm Pass is not worth it for kids.
That depends on the age of your children and which Stockholm museums and points of interest you plan to see.
Many of Stockholm’s sights and experiences are free for children under 6 years of age. Specific family-friendly attractions like Skansen and Junibacken are exceptions to this general rule.
Skansen, for example, charges admission for children beginning at age 4.
The Stockholm Pass has a lower-priced children’s option. For children between the ages of 6-15, it’s best to check each place’s pricing policy for children before buying a Stockholm Pass. As you can see from the chart above, children 6 and up have to pay to enter Drottningholm Palace, while kids up to 18 are free at the Vasa.
- Some places to visit in Stockholm are not included in the Stockholm Pass.
It’s true. There are a few things, like the ABBA Museum or a tour of Stockholm City Hall, that aren’t included.
Knowing your sightseeing Stockholm plan is important to get the best value from your Stockholm Pass. With 60+ attractions, though, the savings will add up for plenty of other Stockholm sights and experiences.
- What happens if I change the date of my Stockholm trip?
Unlike other city sightseeing cards, the Stockholm Pass isn’t linked to a specific set of dates. Your Stockholm Pass is valid for 1 year from the date you purchased the pass.
- The Stockholm Pass doesn’t include travel.
Your Stockholm Pass includes travel on the Hop on Hop off bus and boat, as well as other water and bus tour options.
You can also choose to add a Stockholm Travelcard to your purchase to have unlimited access to Stockholm’s subways, buses, and trams. Stockholm’s subway is fast and easy, not to mention the amazing subway art which is an activity all to itself.
The Stockholm travel pass comes in 24 and 72-hour increments.
The best part is these cards don’t need to be used in conjunction with the Stockholm Pass. So, for example, let’s say you activated your 3-day Stockholm Pass on your first day, but didn’t need the 72-hour Travelcard until the 2nd day.
Your Travelcard would extend past the expiration of your Stockholm Pass.
A couple more things to smile about…
- You can buy your Stockholm Pass before your trip so you’re ready to go. Have your Stockholm Pass card shipped to you (for a fee). Collect it in Stockholm at a redemption location. Or (even better!) receive it via email and either print the pass or just show the pass QR code from your mobile device when you visit each attraction.
- Once you have your Stockholm Pass, there’s no need to fuss with local currency or even which credit card to use when visiting a museum or hopping on and off a sightseeing bus.
The bottom line is you want the best deal.
So, the teacher in me says, “Review the benefits and go back to the math.” 🙂
With the Stockholm Pass, you get:
- Free entry to 60+ Stockholm tourist attractions & experiences,
- A complimentary guidebook,
- An optional Travelcard for unlimited rides on Stockholm’s subways, buses, & trams, and
- Access to a super convenient mobile pass option for quick and easy use.
Using the 3-day Stockholm Pass as an example, you can visit the top 10 things to see in Stockholm for about $104 LESS THAN if you just purchased individual tickets.
And the more sightseeing you do in Stockholm, the more the Stockholm Pass price saves you over separate admission fees.
Remember, it’s important to know what you want to do in Stockholm. The most common negative review for any city sightseeing pass typically comes from someone who didn’t put it to good use. Plan your trip and add up the costs for each place you want to visit in Stockholm. Use the charts in this guide to help save time going to each attraction’s website. 🙂
In the end, let the math make your decision.
So, is the Stockholm Pass really worth it?
Yes!
The Stockholm Pass lets you bundle the cost of admission to 60+ different sights, tours, and experiences to save money in an already pricey travel destination. As a result, there’s no cheaper way to see all of these Stockholm top attractions.
With all the extra money you’ll save on your visit to Stockholm, who knows how many other things to do in Stockholm you’ll be able to add to your trip!
What are your questions about the Stockholm Pass?
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