Östersund

Östersund is the seat of Jämtland County in Norrland in Sweden. It was founded in 1786, as the only Swedish city founded during the 18th century.

Understand


Östersund is the economic and political centre of Jämtland and its only city. It is famous for its location near wild nature and for its winter activities. Östersund hosts many world cups in winter sports like biathlon and skiing. As of 2023, the municipality is home to roughly 65,000 inhabitants, 53,000 of whom live in the city.

Östersund (and Jämtland in general) have a long history with the Norwegian neighbours which is reflected in both tourism and trade. However most of the people living in Östersund are Swedish and of Jemtlandic descent. During both summer and winter there can be a lot of tourists in the city, especially during the annual Storsjöcupen (a football cup for youths) and the music festival Storsjöyran. Östersund is next to Storsjön, Sweden's 5th largest lake, and a lot of establishments and events are influenced by that name. The lake is excellent for swimming and bathing in the summer and ice skating or cross-country skiing in the winter – and of course fishing.

The city centre is filled with everything you would expect from a city, like bars and pubs, restaurants, shopping malls and stores. In the outskirts of the city you'll find the usual residential areas and industries. Östersund is also home to a lot of sights and museums, ranging from arts to cultural sites and activities. The weather in Östersund is very varying, from cold and dark winter nights with auroras and stars to sunny summer days where you'll spot most of the people bathing in the sun. However there is one more or less constant element which is the wind. Because of the location of the city (next to a big lake) it can be quite windy.

It is always interesting to learn about the sea monster "Storsjöodjuret", called Birger, which is said to lurk in the lake.

By plane




From Stockholm Arlanda:
 * Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)
 * BRA-flyg

From Umeå:
 * DirektFlyg

Transportation to and from the airport is very easy, with several bus lines and taxis providing shuttle services to the city centre.

By train
SJ has regular service to Östersund from many cities in Sweden, including daily night train service from Stockholm.

Buying less than a week before departure might be prohibitively expensive. If you wish to see the country it's a good option indeed. Expect times to and from Stockholm to run anywhere from 5 hours on the SJ 3000 (their high-speed train) to 6½ hours on a slightly slower train. Swedish rail traffic has often seen severe disruptions in winter due to snow, with trains being delayed for several hours and cancelled.

Another nice way to go to Östersund is by the Inlandsbanan. It's a slow diesel train that starts in Mora and ends in Gällivare. They make a stop in Östersund, so you can get on and off the train. The train is rather touristic, but it's a very special way to get to Östersund.

The main station is in the south part of the city centre. Some regional trains also calls at the much smaller.

By car
The route E14 connects Östersund to several cities in Norway and Sweden. You can reach E14 south and north from Sweden, and from the area around Trondheim (Norway). From Östersund you are also able to travel to most (if not all) major destinations and villages in Jämtland.

By bus
There are several buses that connect Östersund with the rest of the country. If you happen to be in the north of Sweden, you can use the buses operated by Länstrafiken i Västerbotten. From Stockholm and more southern parts there are several companies providing direct way travels, for example Swebus.

By boat
There are no boats connecting the city to other remote places in the country. However there are some boat traffic for travelling in Jämtland on the lake of Storsjön.

By bus
Östersund has a fairly extensive, inexpensive bus system, although you might have a long wait ahead of you if you plan to move about after 21:00, or on Sundays. You can buy single tickets on the bus, or pre-paid cards are a great deal if you plan on a longer stay. These can be purchased at the main bus station in town, located on Kyrkgatan, or in one of the many kiosks and shops around the city center.

By foot
During summertime the city is easy to get around in by foot, at least the city center and its surroundings. By winter the city is still very walkable, however due to heavy snow and the fact that Östersund is built upon a height (thereby tilting) it can be quite slippery. A good way to avoid any accidents are by equipping your boots with stud/nails during the winter months.

By bicycle
If you have a bicycle it's even better, and a great opportunity to explore the countryside outside the city. Most of Östersund have separate roads for bicycles, so watch out for them and keep in mind to use them while traveling by bike. Bikes can be rented on numerous locations or if you're staying for a longer time bought on flea markets.

By taxi
Taxi is quite expensive in Östersund like the rest of Sweden. However there are many companies providing taxi service in and around the city. To save some money you might want to share the cab with some friends. Expect to prebook your taxi as you will find it hard to wave a cab in from the street. Avoid going with unregistered taxi drivers asking you if you want a ride somewhere (which is common outside nightclubs and pubs after closing), instead use reputable companies like Taxi Östersund or Taxikurir.



Do



 * Take a walk along the lake with its beautiful view.


 * Take a boat trip around the lake - the 5th largest in Sweden.

Go next
Östersund is quite far from other major cities (as in a few hundred km). On the other hand, there's plenty of wilderness to explore around the city, free to access. Have a look at Hiking in the Nordic countries for some useful tips. If you travel around the lake Storsjön, keep your eyes open — you may see the Lake Monster!


 * Åre, Sweden's largest ski resort is about 50 km west. Double that to get to Storlien.
 * Trondheim, about 200 km west, one of Norway's largest cities with an impressive cathedral.
 * Sundsvall, about 200 km east, a city about the same size located at the Gulf of Bothnia — also the High Coast world heritage is accessible from there.