Åre is Sweden's busiest ski resort in Jämtland, 100 km west of the city of Östersund. In summer, visitors come for hiking, trail running, and mountain biking.
Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]SJ runs daily day and night trains from Stockholm, and seasonal night trains from Malmö during the summer and winter.
Snälltåget runs night trains from Malmö via Gothenburg and Stockholm during the summer and winter season.
Norrtåg runs daily regional trains from Sundsvall and Storlien, with a connection to Trondheim in Norway. Tickets can be purchased through SJ.
1 Åre Station is centrally located and includes a shopping galleria with storage lockers, restrooms with showers, a grocery store, and a restaurant.
By plane
[edit]- 2 Åre Östersund Airport (OSD IATA) is 85 km (53 mi) east of Åre.
There are domestic flights operating daily from Stockholm to Åre Östersund Airport (SAS), direct transfer from the airport to Åre costs about 440 SEK one way. In skiing season EasyJet flies directly from London. There are also charter flights from London, Moscow, Helsinki and Copenhagen.
- 3 Trondheim Airport Værnes (TRD IATA) 135 km (84 mi) west of Åre.
You can also fly to Værnes Airport outside Trondheim in Norway. International flights from London, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen and 16 other European cities.
There are two train stations near Trondheim Airport: Trondheim lufthavn (Værnes), located right next to the terminal, and Hell Station, about 1.5 km (1 mile) away.
If you take the train from Trondheim lufthavn (Værnes), you’ll need to make an extra transfer in Hell. It’s possible to walk or take a bus from the airport to Hell.
Tickets for trains from Hell can be booked through SJ, while trains from Trondheim lufthavn (Værnes) are only available on Entur.
The train only runs twice daily in both directions, so it’s worth checking the departure times in advance. Generally, there’s a morning train around 09:00 and an evening train around 17:00. Avoid arriving too early at Hell Station — it’s much more comfortable to wait a few hours at a café in the airport instead.
By helicopter
[edit]You can charter a helicopter to pick you up at Værnes Airport in Trondheim, Norway (40 min) or at Åre-Östersund Airport on Frösön (22 min).
By car
[edit]Åre is easily accessible by car. Beware though, that most of the Scandinavian Peninsula will be ice and/or snow covered in the winter season, except for the southernmost Scania province. Snow tires are mandatory in winter.
- From Stockholm (approximately 612 km or 7¼ hr drive): Fastest and shortest is: Road E4–83 (to Ljusdal)–84–296–E45–321–E14
- E4–E14 over Sundsvall is almost as fast and easier to find, but longer (approximately 654 km or 7½ hr drive).
- From Malmö (approximately 1087 km or 13 hr drive): E6–E4 (to Jönköping)–26 (to Mora)–E45–321–E14
- From Oslo (approximately 678 km or 8 hr drive): E6–3–E6 (over Trondheim)–E14
Get around
[edit]
By bus
[edit]The ski bus goes every hour and connects the four villages Duved, Tegefjäll, Åre village and Björnen. The bus is free if you have a ski pass, 20 kr when the lifts are closed.
See
[edit]- The view from the top of the mountain
- 1 Tännforsen. In the winter, a deep-frozen waterfall
- 2 Ristafallet. The waterfall where they shot some scenes in the movie Ronia the Robber's daughter.
Do
[edit]Skiing
[edit]The ski area is on the Åreskutan mountain with its highest peak at a height of 1420 m, but the highest lift ends at 1260 m, so the peak has to be reached by a snowmobile lift, ski touring or hiking. The village and ski area are accessible by bus and train.
The Åre ski area contains three zones:
- 1 Björnen — Family-friendly and laid-back. Featuring long blue slopes and a big children's area.
- 2 Central Åre and Högzon (High zone) (including Rödkullen) — The biggest area, where also most of the people are which sometimes means there are long queues to the lifts. Best before lunch, when the pistes are in their prime condition and many people have not gotten out of their cabins yet.
- 3 Duved-Tegefjäll — Some of the best slopes in the entire system. Long, perfect slopes and not many people. The 6-chair express lift takes you to the top in no-time. For an easy and fun off-piste experience, take the 6-chair lift to the top, go straight right and down the ravine, a fun and fairly easy off-piste run which features a naturally shaped halfpipe.
There is one ski pass for the four systems; however, a separate ski pass can be bought for those who only wish to ski in Duved-Tegefjäll at a cheaper price.
Other
[edit]- 1 Zipline, Åre Strand 8, ☏ +46 647-52525, [email protected]. Åre has the largest zipline park in Europe.
- 2 Åre Chocolate Factory (Åre Chokladfabrik), Björnänge 801, ☏ +46 647-15580, fax: +46 647-15589, [email protected]. Visit Åre Chokladfabrik and watch as they make chocolate.
- There are many other extreme sports which you can indulge in Åre, for example kite-flying, ski-doo safaris, horse-riding, and ice-climbing.
Buy
[edit]Åre is full of small shops that offer locally made handicraft and various souvenirs.
- 1 Hanson Sport (Åre torg). Ski and snowboarding equipment and clothing.
- 2 Mountain Recycle, Årevägen 70. A store that sells used ski and snowboarding equipment at great prices.
- 3 Peak Performance General Store, Årevägen 91 (Åre Torg). Local clothing manufacturers Extreme and Peak Performance.
- 4 Stadium, Årevägen 78 (Åre Torg). Swedish sports retailer Stadium offers slightly cheaper equipment, and high-end brands.
- 5 Åre Skidsport, Årevägen 88 (Åre torg). Ski and snowboarding equipment and clothing.
Eat
[edit]Eating out in Åre can be a real experience as several high-end restaurants have established themselves close to the slopes. There are plenty of more casual places too but expect prices to be higher than average.
- 1 Broken, Torggränd 4 (just above the plaza close to Bergbanan), ☏ +46 647-506 33. Offers great burgers and other American diner dishes and a great atmosphere.
- 2 Buustamons Fjällgård, Buustamon 142 (In the ski system), ☏ +46 647-531 75. Excellent food and environment. Good hamburgers.
- 3 Fjällpuben, Årevägen 72B (behind the Etreem Store and Handelsbanken), ☏ +46 647-502 40. One of the best kitchens in Åre, serves local dishes.
- 4 Max, Årevägen 108H. Pricy fast food with good burgers.
- 5 Wersens, Årevägen 95 (Åre torg), ☏ +46 647-505 05. Pizza and à la carte.
Drink
[edit]Åre is the party hub of Sweden during the winter, and there is party 24/7, if not in one of the bars or clubs then in a cabin not far away. Many bars and restaurants are scattered around Åre Torg.
Popular spots are among others:
- 1 Bygget, Fjällbyvägen 12, ☏ +46 647-123 45.
- 2 Verandan, Sankt Olavs väg 40, ☏ +46 647-501 00.
Sleep
[edit]There is lots of accommodation in Åre—hotels, apartments, cabins and camping. They are very busy during peak season, so book in advance.
The local tourism company 'Åre Destination' have a lot of lodging and accommodation available on their website.
Hotels
[edit]- 1 Holiday Club Spa hotel & Resort, Årestrand, ☏ +46 647-12000, fax: +46 647-12051, [email protected].
- 2 Hotell Fjällgården, Fjällgårdsvägen 35, ☏ +46 647-14500, [email protected].
- 3 Tott Hotel, Tottvägen 111, ☏ +46 647-15000, [email protected].
Apartments
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Duved, a less crowded ski resort, some 7 km to the west along E14
- Storlien, a border town good for hiking and cross-country skiing
- Trondheim, the capital of Trøndelag
| Routes through Åre |
| Trondheim ← Storlien ← | W  E
|
→ Östersund → Sundsvall |
 |