Traveling to and Within Värmland
Traveling to Värmland by public transport is easy. From Gothenburg, Stockholm, and Oslo, you can reach Karlstad in under three hours by train. From Copenhagen, you can reach Karlstad in under seven hours with just one train change. In Värmland, you will find good bus and train connections and even boat buses in several places. Timetables and more information on how to travel by train, bus, and boat in Värmland can be found via Värmlandstrafik, whose journey planner can be found here or in their app. In addition to being logistically convenient, Värmlandstrafik’s bus, train, and boat journeys also offer beautiful nature experiences. It was actually during a train journey along Lake Fryken in Värmland (between Torsby and Sunne) that Astrid Lindgren got the inspiration for the book “The Brothers Lionheart” in 1972!
Boat bus on the water in Inner Harbor
“It was one of those fantastic mornings with pink light over the lake – yes, it was something heavenly beautiful, and then I suddenly got such a strong experience, a kind of vision of humanity’s dawn light, and then I felt something light up. Maybe this will turn into something, I thought“
Astrid Lindgren
You travel smoothly with Värmlandstrafik’s buses, boat buses, and trains
A city bus travels on the Stone Bridge in Karlstad
Exploring Western Värmland
It’s convenient to travel to western Värmland if you have taken the train to Karlstad. In just over an hour, you can travel from Karlstad through Värmland’s beautiful countryside to the lakeside town of Arvika. Arvika is a vibrant and cozy small town with many restaurants, local shops, and both autumn and Christmas markets, “mârten” as it is called in dialect. Note that store opening hours are limited on weekends. Travel around the town by city bus or rent a bike for easy transportation.
Once in Arvika, you can visit the renowned art museum Rackstad Museum, where the artist collective Rackstadgruppen was active in the early 1900s. Here you will find impressive paintings of magnificent Värmland nature and frost-covered tarns, as well as textile art and wood sculptures. Walk two kilometers from Rackstad Museum to Arvika Vehicle Museum where you will find classic cars, old buses, and motorcycles. If you want to take the bus from Rackstad Museum, go to the Bus Station, from where it is a short walk to the museum.
For those craving adventure and nature experiences, a trip to Glaskogen, Värmland’s largest nature reserve, is highly recommended. During the summer, you can get here by bus, either from Karlstad or from Arvika.
When hunger strikes, Olssons Brygga is beautifully located by the lakeshore. Here you can enjoy well-prepared food and hear the lapping of the waves. For a good night’s sleep, an overnight stay at Guesthouse Eleven on the outskirts of Arvika might entice you. You can reach Guesthouse Eleven by taking a city bus or by renting a bike and cycling the 25 minutes to the accommodation. When you wake up refreshed, you can enjoy a lovely breakfast buffet before heading out on your next adventure of the day.
In Arvika, you can go on a sculpture walk where you will find public art in beautiful settings. At Arvika Tourist Office you will find a map with a sculpture guide. Be sure to also visit Arvika Art and Craft where Värmland’s craftsmanship is combined with art in a Värmland symphony. When it’s time for lunch or a coffee break, a visit to Elins bakgård is a great choice. When it’s time to head home, you can take the train back to Karlstad.
The concept of “bike on bus” allows you to bring your bike on the trip in Värmland
Exploring From Southern to Northern Värmland
Travel north from Karlstad by public transport to experience the magic of central and northern Värmland. Start the journey north by train on Frykdalsbanan or take the bus. The first stop on the journey is the town of Sunne, beautifully situated by Lake Fryken. To get to the various attractions in Sunne, you can travel with Värmlandstrafik’s X-line. A slightly special form of bus traffic that you book directly in a mobile app.
What attracts you the most in Sunne? Maybe a visit to the lush Rottneros Park with beautiful sculptures, blooming flower beds, a unique playground, and Rottneros Manor, which appears as Ekeby in Selma Lagerlöf’s “Gösta Berling’s Saga.” Speaking of Selma Lagerlöf, why not take the opportunity to book a visit to Mårbacka Memorial Estate just outside Sunne? Here you can see the home as it looked when the feminist pioneer and Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlöf lived here. You will encounter an environment that impresses both building preservation enthusiasts and art connoisseurs as well as history buffs. For the art lover, perhaps a visit to Alma Löv Museum of Unexpected Art with contemporary art, intimate concerts, and a cozy café might be enticing.
Add a touch of luxury to your trip with overnight stays in Sunne at the spa hotel Selma Spa, stay in a classic Värmland manor at Ulvsby Manor or by the lakeside at Hotel Frykenstrand. You can have dinner at the accommodations or at Kulinarika for a delightful food and drink experience. For those interested in combining hiking with your trip, the Hiking Värmland trail Sundsbergsleden starts from Selma Spa.
Continue your journey north by bus to Torsby or to Branäs, which offers fishing opportunities and breathtaking nature in the summer? If you feel like heading east, you can take a bus to Hagfors. Here you can visit the Monica Zetterlund Museum and the Railway Museum.
Tour boat Stöten, which goes to places including Vålön
Exploring From Northern to Southern Värmland
If you want to travel down to Karlstad from Branäs or Hagfors, you can take the bus and travel along the beautiful Klarälven River that winds down through Värmland. For those traveling by bus from Karlstad to Hagfors, you can bring your bike on the bus on those buses that are part of the Bike Spot on the Bus concept. You need to book the spot in advance at least one day before departure. Then you can cycle the Klarälvsbanan and Klarälvsleden south. Whether you take the bus or cycle on your journey south, you can make some pleasant stops along the way. Visit Laxholmen Cultural Center in Munkfors, Erlandergården in Ransäter, Old Power Station in Deje, and stay at Dömle Manor outside Deje.
Once in Karlstad, in addition to good city bus traffic, you can also get out on Klarälven and Vänern with boat buses during the summer. The main stop for the boat buses is Inner Harbor in Karlstad. Experience a lovely summer breeze on the boat buses that travel between different places in Karlstad. Maybe a guided tour or perhaps a tour with lock passage in central Karlstad? You can also travel further, for example to Lillängshamnen in Hammarö. Here you will find the treasures of the seas and lakes at Lillängshamnen Fish Smokehouse. If you can’t get enough of the sun, wind, and water, the boat bus will take you further to Mörudden or the idyllic Västra Söön. On the way back, you can either take a boat bus back to Karlstad or one of the many buses that run between Hammarö and Karlstad.
In Karlstad, you can stay at the newly opened boutique hotel Hotel Fratelli, which is centrally located in town. Here you will be met with beautiful rooms, gastronomic experiences, and a spa reminiscent of Roman baths. If you want to stay closer to nature, you can take the bus to Karlstad Swecamp Bomstabaden, where you can stay in comfortable cabins or camp, all right by the water’s edge. There are many activities in Karlstad, read the full guide to a Karlstad weekend with art, good food, and wonderful accommodations. Do you want to go cycling while you are in Karlstad? The national cycling routes Unionsleden and Vänerleden pass through Karlstad. Additionally, there are fantastic Biking Värmland trails at I2 field and Skutberget for the mountain bike enthusiast.
The archipelago in Kristinehamn where Tre öars led goes.
Exploring Eastern Värmland
In eastern Värmland, there are many great exploring options. Many trains from Stockholm stop in Kristinehamn on the way to Karlstad or Oslo. From here, you can also travel by bus and train further into western Värmland. In the Kristinehamn archipelago, your train and bus journey can turn into a boat trip. Here you can enjoy a sparkling archipelago environment by traveling with the tour boat Stöten, which is part of Värmlandstrafik’s boat bus concept. Read more about boat trips at Visit Kristinehamn and in our guide to Tre öars led – a hiking trail that spans three islands in the Kristinehamn archipelago. For nature lovers, Brattforsheden outside Filipstad is a must. Travel comfortably by bus 400 from Kristinehamn to the Tullen or Geijersvägen stop. At Brattforsheden, you can experience spectacular nature with geologically interesting areas.