Search

No longer offered

Vacations By Rail has withdrawn this trip from sale. We keep the page for reference and comparison. The same itinerary is still sold by another operator, listed under Also sold by below.

Vacations By Rail · Escorted tour

The Northern Lights & Lapland

Arctic rail circle from Oslo to Swedish Lapland chasing Northern Lights

Illustration of The Northern Lights & Lapland

Vacations By Rail's 10-day Northern Lights and Lapland tour is an escorted adventure through Norway and Sweden that departs from Oslo and concludes in Stockholm. The journey crosses the Arctic Circle aboard the Nordland Railway, spends two nights exploring the Lofoten Islands by coach and ferry, and climbs into Swedish Lapland aboard the Ofoten Railway, one of the world's most northerly rail lines. Days blend rail travel through frosted forests and fjord scenery with coach excursions, evening Northern Lights hunts, a visit to a Sami village where you meet reindeer and enjoy a traditional lunch in a lavvu tent, a tour of Kiruna's Ice Hotel, and a husky sled safari through snowy wilderness. A Tour Manager accompanies throughout, and the itinerary is paced with two to three nights in each base hotel, allowing time to absorb the Arctic landscape and pursue the elusive Aurora. This tour suits repeat rail travellers, couples, and active explorers drawn to Scandinavian wilderness and indigenous culture.

What to know before you look closer

  • International flights and airport transfers to and from Oslo and Stockholm are not included in the from-price; confirm those costs when booking.
  • The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and not guaranteed; the tour includes multiple evening hunts and opportunities, but sightings depend on weather and solar activity.
  • The itinerary includes a Mobility Rating 3 activity level, which involves an active husky sled safari, village walking tours, and substantial time on coach and rail; not suitable for those with limited mobility.
  • Final hotel accommodation in Kiruna is Camp Ripan; confirm whether this meets your comfort expectations, as it differs in character from the other 3 and 4-star properties on the tour.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Oslo

    Arrival in Oslo

    Arrive in Oslo and check into the four-star hotel outside the station, near the 17th-century cathedral. Free time to explore and dine independently.

  2. Day 2overnight: Trondheim

    A free morning in Oslo and arrival in Trondheim

    Free morning in Oslo before a short internal flight to Trondheim, then a coach transfer to the harborside hotel.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Bodo

    Crossing the Arctic Circle on the stunning Nordland Railway

    Board the Nordland Railway (the 'Polar Express'), a 453-mile route crossing the Arctic Circle to Bodo, passing frozen lakes, fjords and frosted forests.

  4. Day 4overnight: Stokmarknes

    To the Lofoten Islands & seeking the Northern Lights

    A scenic coach journey from Bodo to Bognes, then a ferry to Lodingen on the Lofoten Islands. An evening Northern Lights hunt by coach, with a further chance after dinner if the weather is clear.

  5. Day 5overnight: Stokmarknes

    The villages of the Lofoten archipelago

    A scenic drive with a local guide to the fishing village of Nusfjord and the island of Vestvagoy, with another Northern Lights hunt after dinner.

  6. Day 6overnight: Narvik

    Dramatic scenery on a journey to mainland Narvik

    A scenic coach journey back to the Norwegian mainland, arriving in Narvik with free time to visit attractions such as the Red Cross War Memorial Museum or the Ofoten Museum.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Kiruna

    The breathtaking Ofoten Railway to Sweden

    Travel aboard the Arctic Train on the Ofoten Railway, one of the world's most northerly railway lines, crossing into Sweden to Kiruna, Swedish Lapland's largest city.

  8. Day 8overnight: Kiruna

    Traditional Sami experience and the Ice Hotel

    Visit a Sami village to meet reindeer and enjoy a Sami-style lunch in a traditional lavvu tent, then tour Kiruna's Ice Hotel and visit its Ice bar.

  9. Day 9overnight: Kiruna

    Husky-hauled ride through a winter wonderland

    A husky sled safari through the snowy scenery with a traditional Swedish 'fika' campfire stop, followed by a farewell dinner at the hotel.

  10. Day 10

    Traveling home

    Check out after breakfast and transfer by coach to the airport for a flight to Stockholm, where the tour concludes.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Board the Nordland Railway (Polar Express) for a 453-mile journey crossing the Arctic Circle, passing frozen lakes, fjords, and frosted forests to Bodo.
  • Day 4Ferry to the Lofoten Islands and join an evening Northern Lights hunt by coach, with the chance to see the Aurora after dinner if conditions permit.
  • Day 7Travel the Ofoten Railway (Arctic Train), one of the world's most northerly railway lines, crossing from Norway into Sweden and arriving in Kiruna.
  • Day 8Visit a Sami village to meet reindeer, enjoy a traditional Sami-style lunch in a lavvu tent, and tour Kiruna's Ice Hotel and its Ice bar.
  • Day 9Experience a husky sled safari through snowy Swedish Lapland scenery with a traditional Swedish fika campfire stop, followed by a farewell dinner.

Included

  • Expertise of a Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 9 nights' 3 & 4-Star hotel accommodation
  • Standard Class rail travel
  • All rail, ferry and coach travel throughout your tour
  • All internal flights
  • 9 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 7 dinners
  • Group luggage transfers between hotels from Trondheim to Bodo, Narvik to Kiruna
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour but can be arranged
  • Flights and Airport transfers not included

Also sold by

The same itinerary is listed by more than one company. Prices and inclusions can differ; compare before booking.

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the tour price?
Yes. The Standard Class rail travel throughout the tour is included, with two main rail segments on the Nordland Railway and the Ofoten Railway. However, international flights to and from Oslo and Stockholm are not included.
Which trains does the itinerary use?
The Nordland Railway (Polar Express) travels 453 miles from Trondheim to Bodo, crossing the Arctic Circle. The Ofoten Railway (Arctic Train) connects Narvik, Norway to Kiruna, Sweden, and is one of the world's most northerly railway lines.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?
This is a fully escorted tour with a Tour Manager accompanying from start to finish. All guided tours, excursions, and most meals are included.
What hotels are included?
Vacations By Rail includes 9 nights in 3 and 4-star hotels: the Thon Hotel Opera in Oslo, Radisson Blu Royal Garden Hotel in Trondheim, Thon Hotel Nordlys in Bodo, Quality Hotel Richard With in Stokmarknes (2 nights), Quality Hotel Grand Royal in Narvik, and Camp Ripan in Kiruna (3 nights).
What is the activity level?
The operator lists this as Mobility Rating 3, which includes a husky sled safari, walking tours of Sami villages and the Ice Hotel, and coach journeys across varied terrain.
Will I see the Northern Lights?
The tour includes multiple evening Northern Lights hunts and viewing opportunities throughout the Arctic region, but the Aurora is a natural phenomenon and sightings depend on weather and solar activity. They are not guaranteed.

Similar journeys