Have you ever ever questioned what it’s prefer to experience an in a single day prepare above the Arctic Circle?
Now we have traveled by prepare all world wide, and this frigid prepare experience to the world’s largest ice lodge has been on our bucket record for a very long time. Be part of us to see if this journey by means of the Scandinavian countryside is definitely worth the hype!
Prepare #1: Narvik, Norway to Kiruna, Sweden
Our journey began in Narvik, Norway, 137 miles contained in the Arctic Circle, on a three-hour journey to Kiruna, Sweden. It had snowed all night time lengthy, creating the right winter wonderland surroundings for this journey.
If we’re being sincere, this wasn’t probably the most thrilling a part of our journey, however merely a step we needed to take to get to the primary prepare journey. The prepare was actually tiny, solely two vehicles lengthy, and the concession stand served us barely freezer-burned wraps that had been chilly within the center.
However, this was the one a part of our prepare journey that happened whereas it was gentle outdoors so we had been capable of completely benefit from the views of snowy pine timber, majestic mountains, and traditional pink Scandinavian cabins.
The World’s Largest Ice Lodge
We arrived in Kiruna, Sweden, at noon and took a taxi over to the world’s largest ice lodge – our dwelling for the night time. Even for those who’re not spending the night time, it’s price a go to as a result of the lodge doubles as a museum throughout the day.
Think about this: the ground is ice, the partitions are ice, the ceiling is ice. The whole lot, from the beds to the lodge bar, is made fully of ice. The lodge is stored at below-freezing temperatures to forestall melting, so whereas it’s not precisely constructed for consolation, it’s undeniably beautiful.
The lodge has 12 artwork suites, every uniquely designed by among the finest ice sculptors on this planet. Throughout our keep, there was a rainbow and waterfall-themed suite, a set with mermaid carvings impressed by native legends, and a set designed in a retro online game type. Every room was completely unbelievable.
Earlier than checking into our artwork suite, we explored the lodge’s different facilities. We discovered an excellent corridor with ice chandeliers, an ice chapel the place you possibly can really get married, and an ice bar the place drinks are served in, you guessed it, glasses made fully from ice.
Our room was easy but unforgettable. A slab of ice in the midst of the room served as a mattress, topped with reindeer pores and skin and fluffy sleeping luggage to maintain us heat. The lavatory, fortunately, was not fabricated from ice, and we shared it with the opposite visitors.
Simply as we had been drifting to sleep, we obtained a textual content alert that the northern lights had been seen outdoors the lodge! Despite the fact that leaving our cozy sleeping luggage was the very last thing we needed to do, we by no means flip down a chance to see the northern lights, so off we went. Exterior, we had been greeted with vibrant ribbons of inexperienced dancing throughout the night time sky, making it the right ending to our Arctic night time.
The following morning, we awakened shocked by how nicely we had slept and obtained prepared for the a part of the journey we had been most enthusiastic about —our in a single day prepare to Stockholm!
Prepare #2: Kiruna, Sweden to Stockholm, Sweden
The practically 800-mile journey from the Arctic city of Kiruna to Sweden’s capital begins now! We booked a few beds aboard the prepare and obtained able to tackle this 13-hour journey by means of the Swedish countryside.
This tiny little room aboard our Swedish prepare was nothing to put in writing dwelling about, however that mentioned, it was undoubtedly not the worst both. The room had three bunk beds, a bench, a window, and a small sink. The in-room temperature controls appeared like a luxurious, as many trains simply have a central air system, normally making the entire prepare both too sizzling or too chilly.
Our room for the night time
Down the corridor there have been very commonplace communal bogs and showers. The restaurant offered sandwiches and frozen meals—once more nothing outstanding, however ok! There was no eating automotive, so we resorted to consuming on the small desk in our room. Our beds had been surprisingly cozy and so they had been a lot hotter than our ice room the night time earlier than.
The spotlight of this prepare journey? Sipping espresso as we watched the solar rise over Sweden’s countryside – glittering lakes, rustic church buildings, and limitless stretches of forest made for breathtaking surroundings!
Was it definitely worth the hype?
As self-proclaimed prepare fanatics, we all the time get tremendous enthusiastic about making an attempt out a brand new prepare journey. This particular prepare had been on our bucket record for a very long time, and it was the right alternative to see elements of Sweden that we wouldn’t have in any other case skilled.
That being mentioned, Scandinavia doesn’t get a lot daylight throughout the winter, so we couldn’t see as many views from the prepare as we had hoped. If you wish to experience this prepare to benefit from the views of Sweden, we’d advocate reserving throughout the summer season months when there’s way more daylight.
Need to see our full prepare expertise and see the within of the world’s largest ice lodge? Take a look at the video under!
