Where's Johnny Jet: Stopping Over in Stockholm

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Hej from Sweden! Last week we traveled to Cologne, Germany via Madrid's new multi-billion dollar airport (here's the link to the archives). This week we fly to Stockholm for only $84 (including all taxes and fees) on a German low-fare carrier. We're in Stockholm for only a night because I'm here for one reason: to catch a very special flight (details shortly). If you want a clue to where I'm headed and a glimpse of Stockholm, let's go! The gate agent is paging our names on the PA system -- so hurry!

Germany to Sweden

I purchased a 65€ ($84) one-way ticket on Germanwings.com two weeks prior to my departure. Germanwings is a low-fare carrier that flies new Airbus A319/320 aircraft to over 50 European destinations. As with all low-fare carriers, to get the lowest deals it's best to buy as far in advance as possible, or jump on a sale (they offer email alerts). If I took my own advice I could have scored the same ticket for half price, but $84 is still a great deal. The 738-mile Cologne-to-Stockholm flight takes 1 hour and 40 minutes. The flight was packed not just with Europeans, but some American business travelers as well (they know how to save money too).

Sweden

We arrived a bit late and bags took a while, but I whipped out my international cell phone and called friends and family back home to pass the time. (To learn about my international cell phone service where I get free incoming calls and pay just a third of the U.S. cell price for outgoing calls, click here). Sweden is a member of the European Union (EU), so I did not get my passport stamped when I entered the country. It was like flying between states in the U.S. Yet although Sweden is a member of the EU, they don't use the euro as currency -- they still use the Swedish kroner (SEK). The current exchange rate is $1 USD = 7 Krona (just divide prices by 7).

Airport to Downtown

Sweden is not an inexpensive country. You notice the steep prices the moment you step off the plane. A 35-minute (45 km) taxi ride from the airport to the city costs 395 kronor ($56) -- it's a flat rate. Fortunately, the Arlanda Express -- a high-speed (120 mph) train -- connects Stockholm's Arlanda Airport with the city. Most individual travelers use it, because it's cheaper and fast. Trains depart every 15 minutes; they cost 200 SEK ($28), and take only 20 minutes. There's also an airport bus that departs every 10 minutes; it costs 95 SEK ($13.50), and takes 40 minutes.

Train Station to Hotel

It turns out I did not save much money after all, because I needed to take a taxi to the hotel from the train station. The 4-minute ride to Old Town (where I was staying) cost 65 SEK ($9). That wasn't even the worst part: The driver expected a 35 SEK tip. This is very unusual in Sweden, because people rarely tip and drivers don't normally ask for one. I was actually going to round off my fare to 70 SEK and give him a tip, but when he gave me a difficult time he got nothing. For the most part I find Swedes to be very friendly and fair. Most speak perfect English, but sometimes (like everywhere in the world) you get a bad apple. That happened in this case.

Victory Hotel

The Victory Hotel is located in a building that was once the home of the Lohe noble family. It was then turned into Andersson's potato shop, where workers uncovered a treasure of more than 18,000 coins buried by the Lohe family. It remains the largest (over $14,500,000 USD) such cache ever found in Sweden. (You can learn all about it at the coin museum a short distance away). This charming boutique hotel is not named after the Lohe treasure, but rather English naval hero Lord Nelson's flagship, the HMS Victory. The hotel has a maritime theme and could be regarded as a small museum itself, with all its nautical and Swedish folk-art memorabilia. Every room door includes a portrait of the famous sea captain; double room doors have a portrait of his wife. I agree with the hotel owner's philosophy that hotel hallways don't have to be boring. Inside each room is an antique portrait of the captain's ship. When I first walked into my 5th floor (top) room, I thought it was a joke. It was so small, I felt like I was on a ship or in an attic. But it grew on me, and I quickly came to appreciate the hotel's coziness, friendly staff, reasonably priced high-speed internet access (124 SEK = [$17] for 24 hours) and perfect location. A Scandinavian breakfast is included in the daily rate. You gotta love the caviar spread in a toothpaste-like tube near the breakfast breads. The hotel, with 48 guest rooms and suites, is rated 5 stars -- and priced accordingly. The average room is 1,867 SEK ($266) -- and the only reason that's so "low" is because they factor in the lower weekend rates. Weekday rates start at 2,050 SEK ($292) for a single room (I stayed in one of the 18 single rooms). Victory Hotel, Lilla Nygatan 5, Old Town, 11128 Stockholm, Sweden; tel. 46-(8)-50640000.

Stockholm

This was my first time here in eight years -- the last time was with my mom to attend a friend's wedding. I wish I had more time to explore, because Stockholm is a beautiful city. It's built over a series of 14 islands, and features more than 50 bridges. The population of 1.5 million is much more multicultural than in the late '90s. I visited some outdoor markets. Nearly every worker I met was from the Middle East. All were very friendly -- they even let me sample some fruit. The subway (stations are marked with a blue "T") was easy to navigate. When I got lost trying to find the airline office, passersby were happy to point me in the right direction. It's a fabulous walking city -- especially when the weather is sunny and warm, like it was. But I had to rush to the airport, where I took a flight I hope never to forget.

Next Week

Next week we fly 5,800 miles -- away from the U.S. Stay tuned!

Happy Travels,

Johnny Jet

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John E. DiScala (aka Johnny Jet), is the founder of www.johnnyjet.com, the ultimate travel website and weekly newsletter. He logs over 150,000 miles a year, has been featured in over 850 articles (including Frommers.com, USA Today, Time, Fortune, the New York Times, CNBC and MSNBC), and has published the book, You Are Here Traveling With JohnnyJet.com.

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