SL Card Stockholm: How to Buy & Use the Travel Card (2026)

The SL card Stockholm — properly called the SL travelcard — is the public transport pass for Stockholm covering the metro, buses, trams, SL ferries, and SL pendeltåg commuter trains. Available in 24-hour, 72-hour, 7-day, and 30-day formats, plus the contactless single-ticket option, the SL card is the most-cost-effective way for tourists to navigate Stockholm. This SL card Stockholm guide covers prices, where to buy, how to use, what’s covered, and recommendations for first-time visitors.

SL card Stockholm essentials

Operator: SL (Stockholms Lokaltrafik / Storstockholms Lokaltrafik).

Coverage: Metro, buses, trams, SL ferries, SL pendeltåg commuter trains across Greater Stockholm.

Validity options: 24-hour, 72-hour, 7-day, 30-day.

Prices (2026, checked September 2026): single ticket 43 SEK; 24-hour 180 SEK; 72-hour 360 SEK; 7-day 470 SEK; 30-day 1,060 SEK, halved to 530 SEK from 1 July to 31 December 2026.

Reduced fare: Available for under 20, over 65, and students with a Swedish student card carrying the SL symbol.

Children: Under 7 ride free with any paying passenger, and a paying adult can take up to six children aged 7–11 free, every day.

Where to buy: SL app, SL Center at Stockholm Central, ticket machines, kiosks.

SL card pricing

SL kept its 2025 fares for 2026. These are the 2026 prices, checked in September 2026:

The half-price 30-day ticket is a temporary, government-funded offer that anyone can buy, visitors included, so if you’re staying more than a week it beats two 7-day tickets. Single, 24-hour, 72-hour and 7-day tickets aren’t part of it, and the SL app shows the last day you can buy one at the lower price.

What the SL card covers

Stockholm metro (Tunnelbana)

All 3 lines (Red, Green, Blue), all 100 stations. Including 24-hour weekend service.

SL buses

All 470+ SL bus routes in Greater Stockholm. Including night buses (9X series) running 01:00–05:00 weekdays.

Trams

Stockholm tram 7 (Spårväg City — runs from Sergels Torg to Djurgården, including Vasa Museum and Skansen). Nockebybanan and Tvärbanan light rail.

SL ferries

Djurgården ferry (Slussen–Skeppsholmen–Djurgården). Sjövägen and Lidingö ferries. Year-round service on most routes.

SL pendeltåg (commuter trains)

Including service to Arlanda Airport (with separate Arlanda Express vs. SL surcharge — see below).

Saltsjöbanan

Light rail to Saltsjöbaden — useful for Hotel J or archipelago day trips.

How to buy the SL card

SL app (recommended)

Download the SL app (free, available in English). Buy any ticket type via the app. QR codes for validation. Most convenient for tourists.

SL Center

Located at Stockholm Central, T-Centralen, and several other major stations. Sells physical SL travelcards and answers questions in English.

Ticket machines

At all metro and pendeltåg stations. Sell single tickets and SL travelcards. Card payment only.

Kiosks

Pressbyrån and 7-Eleven kiosks at major stations sell SL travelcards.

Contactless cards

Stockholm metro accepts contactless credit/debit cards directly at ticket gates. Single-ticket pricing automatically applied (43 SEK, valid 75 minutes). Useful for occasional rides.

How to use the SL card

App-based tickets

Open SL app at the ticket gate or on the bus. Show QR code to be scanned (metro/pendeltåg) or tap card reader (bus/tram).

Physical SL travelcards

Tap on ticket gate readers (metro/pendeltåg) or bus/tram readers. Validation occurs automatically.

Validity period

Validity starts at first use, NOT at purchase. 24-hour pass valid 24 hours from first scan.

Transfer rules

Single ticket valid 75 minutes including transfers. Travelcards have no transfer limits during validity period.

SL card vs. Stockholm Pass / Go City

SL card: Public transport only. NO museum entries.

Stockholm Pass: 60+ museum entries plus Hop-on Hop-off Bus tours. NOT regular SL service.

Go City: 50+ museum entries. NOT public transport.

Best combination: SL travelcard + Go City Stockholm = full museum access plus public transport at lower combined cost than Stockholm Pass alone.

SL card for Arlanda Airport

The Stockholm SL card covers SL pendeltåg commuter trains to Arlanda Airport, but adults also pay a separate Arlanda passage fee at Arlanda C (about 157 SEK per trip in 2026; under-18s are exempt), even with a valid SL travelcard.

Cost comparison Stockholm Central to Arlanda (adult single, 2026):

• SL pendeltåg + Arlanda passage fee: 43 SEK + 157 SEK = 200 SEK; 38-min journey
• Arlanda Express: 340 SEK; 18-min journey (no SL card needed)
• Flygbussarna airport bus: about 129 SEK online; 45-min journey
• Taxi: 545–745 SEK fixed-rate; 35–50 min journey

Verdict: Flygbussarna, at about 129 SEK online, is the value option. Even if you already hold an SL travelcard, the pendeltåg costs the 157 SEK passage fee, so it’s a little dearer than the bus, though it avoids the road traffic.

SL card by traveler type

For 1-day Stockholm visit

24-hour SL travelcard (180 SEK). Single tickets cost 43 SEK each, so the travelcard pays off from your fifth ride.

For 2-3 day visit

72-hour SL travelcard (360 SEK). Strong value for typical sightseeing days.

For 5-7 day visit

7-day SL travelcard (470 SEK), which costs less than two 72-hour travelcards (720 SEK).

For light transport users

Single tickets via SL app (43 SEK each). Useful if walking most distances.

For families

Children under 7 ride free with any paying passenger, and a paying adult can take up to six children aged 7–11 free. Older children and teenagers under 20 travel at the reduced rate.

For Arlanda Airport transfer

Flygbussarna (about 129 SEK online) is the value option. The pendeltåg costs the 157 SEK Arlanda passage fee even if you already have an SL travelcard.

SL card tips and tricks

Buy in advance via app: SL app works abroad. Activate when you land in Stockholm.

Validity starts at first use: Don’t activate too early. 24-hour pass starts when first scanned.

Free for kids: Under-7s with any paying passenger; up to six children aged 7–11 with a paying adult.

Save your QR code: SL app QR codes work offline once tickets are purchased.

SL Center support: Stockholm Central SL Center has English-speaking staff who can help with passes, lost cards, and route questions.

Lost-card replacement: SL Center handles replacement of lost or damaged physical travelcards.

Reduced fare requires ID: Reduced fare for under 20, over 65 and students (with a student card carrying the SL symbol) requires valid ID at purchase and during inspections.

Inspections: SL conducts random fare inspections. Always have valid ticket. The penalty fare for travelling without one is 1,850 SEK in 2026, plus the price of a ticket.

SL card vs. Hop-on Hop-off Bus

Stockholm has Hop-on Hop-off Bus tours run by Stromma and Red Sightseeing. These are tourist-specific routes (not SL), priced from about 330 SEK online (365 SEK standard) for 24 hours in 2026, and primarily for sightseeing rather than transport.

SL card advantage: 180 SEK 24-hour vs. Hop-on Hop-off from about 330 SEK. Covers entire transport network rather than tourist loop.

Hop-on Hop-off advantage: Tourist-route convenience, audio guide commentary, all major attractions on direct route.

Verdict: SL card for transport. Hop-on Hop-off only if specifically wanting tourist commentary and attraction routing.

A 24-hour travelcard is also the ticket for a metro art tour: a single ticket’s 75 minutes is enough for the three city-centre stations, but not for the full blue-line route out to Solna Centrum and Hallonbergen. Our Stockholm metro art guide has the stations and three self-guided routes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SL card Stockholm?

The SL card (properly SL travelcard) is the Stockholm public transport pass covering metro, buses, trams, SL ferries, and SL pendeltåg commuter trains. Available in 24-hour, 72-hour, 7-day, and 30-day formats.

How much is the SL card Stockholm?

In 2026: single ticket 43 SEK, 24-hour 180 SEK, 72-hour 360 SEK, 7-day 470 SEK, 30-day 1,060 SEK (530 SEK from 1 July to 31 December 2026). Reduced fares are available for under-20s, over-65s and students.

Where do I buy the SL card?

SL app (most convenient), SL Center at Stockholm Central, ticket machines at metro stations, Pressbyrån/7-Eleven kiosks. Contactless cards work at ticket gates for single-ticket fare.

Does the SL card cover Arlanda Airport?

SL pendeltåg commuter trains to Arlanda Airport are covered, but adults also pay the Arlanda passage fee at Arlanda C (about 157 SEK per trip in 2026) on top of an SL travelcard.

Is the SL card included in the Stockholm Pass?

No — Stockholm Pass includes Hop-on Hop-off Bus tours but NOT regular SL service. SL travelcard is separate.

Are children free on Stockholm public transport?

Yes — children under 7 ride free with any paying passenger, and a paying adult can take up to six children aged 7–11 free. Reduced fares apply up to age 19.

How do I use the SL app?

Download SL app (free). Buy ticket via app. Show QR code at ticket gate (metro/pendeltåg) or tap card reader (bus/tram). QR codes work offline once purchased.

What does the SL travelcard cover?

Stockholm metro (3 lines, 100 stations), all SL buses (470+ routes), trams (Spårväg 7, Nockebybanan, Tvärbanan), SL ferries (Djurgården ferry, Sjövägen, Lidingö), SL pendeltåg commuter trains (including Arlanda with surcharge).

Is the SL card worth it?

Yes for tourists making five or more journeys a day. The 24-hour SL travelcard (180 SEK) costs less than five single tickets (5 × 43 SEK = 215 SEK).

How long is the SL travelcard valid?

Validity starts at first use, NOT at purchase. 24-hour pass valid 24 hours from first scan. Don’t activate too early.

For Stockholm transport, see our getting around Stockholm. For the metro specifically, see Stockholm metro guide.