Storlien travel guide

Storlien is a Swedish ski resort in western Jämtland, just 2 km (1.2 mi) east of the border with Norway.

Understand

Inauguration of the railway in 1882, Storlien (Photo: Unknown, not credited, Public domain)

Storlien railway station, in the centre of the village and the highest station in Sweden (Photo: Kildor, CC BY 3.0)

Storlien is a saddle point in the Scandinavian mountains, and the highest point on Saint Olaf's Way, a pilgrim route in use since the 12th century.

In Swedish history, it is infamous for a failed military campaign in the Great Northern War. After the death of king Charles XII, Lieutenant Carl Gustaf Armfeldt led thousands of men back from Norway in the winter of 1718–1719, into a blizzard where most of them froze to death.

As the railway was built in the 1880s, Storlien emerged as a prestigious resort. In World War II in Europe, Germany occupied Norway in 1940, and held a secret meeting with the Swedish government in a railroad car in Storlien. Through the war, Storlien was a military outpost.

The Royal Family has a house here. During the late 20th century, it has been in the shade of the more developed resort in Åre. As living costs in Norway are higher than in Sweden, Storlien has a retail trade out of all proportion to its small size.

Get in

Storlien is at the Swedish-Norwegian border. Both countries are part of the Schengen area, normally without any passport checks. But Norway is not a member of the EU Customs Union, so you need to declare certain goods and you can be stopped for a customs inspection.

By train

The Storlien railway station is higher above sea level than any other in Sweden.

Vy Norrtåg has two daily trains from Sundsvall and Östersund, Sweden.

SJ Nord has two daily trains from Trondheim in Norway.

By plane

Vaernes Airport (TRDIATA): outside Trondheim is the closest airport, just 73km from Storlien. There are international flights from London and Amsterdam.

At the airport you take the local train to Hell and get off just 3 minutes later (or walk). In Hell, you take the SJ train directly to Storlien railway station; it's worth checking the time of departures from Hell as the train only runs twice a day (in both directions). Generally there is a morning train at around 08:00 and an evening train at around 17:00. Avoid arriving at Hell station too far in advance as it is far less comfortable than waiting a few hours in a café at Vaernes airport. There is also a shopping centre between the airport and Hell.

Åre Östersund Airport (OSDIATA): There are domestic flights operating daily from Stockholm to Åre Östersund Airport There are also charter flights from London, Moscow, Helsinki and Copenhagen in winter time.

By helicopter

You can charter a helicopter to pick you up at either above-mentioned airport (Vaernes or Åre-Östersund). The largest operator in Östersund is Jämtlands Flyg which has helicopters for 3–6 passengers.

By car

You will easily reach Storlien by taking the E14 that passes right through the village. It leads across the Scandinavian peninsula, from Trondheim via Stjørdalshalsen (where it deviates from E6), Storlien and Åre to Östersund (with E45), and on to Sundsvall on Sweden's east coast (with E4).

Get around

It's a small village where almost everything is within walking distance.

If you don't want to walk you can call "Wänseths buss" for a taxi.

See

Rensjösäterns jaktvilla (Photo: My own photo, CC BY-SA 4.0)

• Brudslöjan (Bride's veil) (4 km from Storlien). A beautiful waterfall with a 24 m drop.
• Printzskiölds­monumentet (by the Skurdalssjön lake). A 1907 memorial to two brothers who died when skiing in a snowstorm.
• Rensjösäterns jaktvilla (16 km north). This "Pink Castle" is a hunting lodge from the 1880s. It is privately owned; the interior is not open to visitors.
• Stenen i Grönan dal (The stone in the green valley) (By the Skurdalssjön lake, 5 km from Storlien). A strange looking stone which, due to its location near the Trondheim pilgrimage route, has been a tourist attraction since the middle ages.
• Stora Helvetet (the name means "Big Hell") (300 m from the border). A railway embankment named after troubles during construction in 1877. It has caused big problems also in 2012–2018; there was a risk of it being destroyed in a landslide, so was rebuilt into a bridge during 2017–2018.

Do

Panorama from the top of the ski area (Photo: Kildor, CC BY 3.0)

• Hiking
  Local trails
• Södra Kungsleden leads southwards, ending in Sälen, 360 km away.
• Mountain climbing.
• Biking (flat areas or uphill and downhill, mountain biking).
• Fishing (great fishing, summer and winter).
• Foraging mushrooms and berries, see Hiking in the Nordic countries#Eat.
• Meråkerfjell Ridesenter, Ivarsmyra (on the Norwegian side of the border), ☏ +47 74 81 36 26. Go riding on Icelandic horses.
• Rypetoppen adventurepark (on the Norwegian side of the border), ☏ +47 74 41 41 70. An outdoor climbing and adventure zone with rope-ways and zip-lines.

Winter snow sports

• Ice-skating (on the autumn just before the snow arrives).
• Snowmobiling. Wänseth buss Storlien, Vintergatan 17, ☏ +46 647-704 77. and Superpris, Vargvägen 2, ☏ +46 647-700 20. rent out snow mobiles.
• Storlien Alpine Center, Vintergatan 72, ☏ +46 647-704 44. Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and ski touring. The alpine ski area's vertical drop is 191 metres, which is less than other Scandinavian ski resorts such as Åre and Duved, but suitable for children and beginners.

Buy

• Fjellhandel Storliens handelscentrum, Stalltjärnsvägen 1, ☏ +4769676300. A mall with two supermarkets (Coop and EuroCash), pharmacy, candy store, sports shop and a restaurant. You can pick up alcohol on pre-order.
• Supercandy, Vintergatan 28. A candy store, you can also buy soft drinks and nutritional supplements.
• Superpris Tobak, Vintergatan 20. Tobacco, including many types of snus.
• Storlien Orientlivs, Vintergatan 25. Middle Eastern groceries.

Eat

• Flammans skafferi, Vintergatan 46, ☏ +46 70-322 08 18.
• Le Ski Restaurant & Night Club, Vintergatan 25, ☏ +46 647-701 51.
• Rödluvan, Vintergatan 72. A family owned tavern.
• Sylvias Kanonbar, Vintergatan 21, ☏ +46 647-702 12.

Drink

Storlien certainly has a nightlife during ski season, though nothing like Åre.

• Flamman
• Le Ski
• Kanonbaren

Sleep

• Fjäll-Lien, Vintergatan 70, ☏ +46 647-703 01. A cabin-rental service.
• Fjällyor Hotel, Vintergatan 24, ☏ +46 647-701 70.
• Le Ski Lodge, Vintergatan 25, ☏ +46 647-701 51.
• Storliens Högfjällshotell, Geijerbacken 10, ☏ +46 647-701 70. The largest hotel.
• Storlien Service, Vintergatan 52, ☏ +46 70-797 05 08. A cabin-rental service.

Go next

• Norway (Nord-Trøndelag) is 2 kilometres from Storlien.
  Hell (Norway) is one of the nearest towns in Norway, with an appeal to English-speaking visitors.
• Trondheim is the nearest major city.
• Åre, with more ski slopes, is the centre of Åre Municipality.
• Östersund, is the only major city in Jämtland.

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