Åre Travel Guide: All You Need To Know About Sweden’s Largest Ski Resort
What to do in summer and winter, the best time to visit, where to stay and our top tips | Hi! We're Alex & Victoria - a digital nomad couple from Copenhagen escaping 9-5 to chase adventures in our beautiful world. Learn more about us here. |
A mecca for skiing and outdoor enthusiasts
Most people probably associate Åre with a ski holiday – for good reason.
With more than 90 kilometres of ski slopes, Åre is the largest ski area Sweden has to offer.
The mountain peak Åreskutan (1,420 m.a.s.l.) is the icon of Åre and it towers impressively over Åre town and the many green, blue, red and black ski slopes (including those used for the Alpine World Championships in 2019).
However, you do not need to be a professional skier to enjoy the snow in Åre. Especially in the Björnen area, there are several hills suited for children and lots of opportunities for beginners.
Winter and summer in Åre
Alex visited Åre in February in the middle of the ski season so we can best tell you about the winter activities.
This travel guide also contains information about visiting Åre in the summer where the snowy ski slopes are transformed into a wide range of mountain bike trails and hiking trails catering to all difficulty levels. Alex very much dreams of returning when the thermometer shows plus degrees.
Regardless of whether you visit Åre in winter, summer or somewhere in between, we have no doubt that you will have a magical experience in the beautiful Swedish mountains.
Where to stay in Åre?
- Budget: Millestgården Eco Lodge – A charming hostel with the option of both shared and private bathrooms. Has a fitness room and sauna.
- Value for money: Holiday Club Åre – Åre’s largest hotel with good spa facilities and a water park. You can also stay in your own apartment.
- Luxury: Copperhill Mountain Lodge – Probably the best hotel in Åre. With its own lift and ski slope right outside the door.
Search for the best and cheapest hotels in Åre here.
Table of contents
Map and overview of the areas in Åre
Geographically, Åre is 400 metres above sea level in Åredalen (Åre Valley) located by Åresjön (Åre Lake).
Everything here is south-facing, making for optimal sun conditions and a beautiful view of the mountains on the other side of the water.
Road E14 connects Åre with the two larger cities Trondheim (in Norway) to the west and Östersund to the east.
About 8 kilometres west of Åre lies Duved, a town and ski area connected to the lifts in Tegefjäll.
The lifts in Åre are connected to the Björnen ski area, located approximately 6 kilometres southeast of Åre.
So:
- Åre and Björnen: Åre is the main town and the largest ski area. It is connected with Björnen.
- Duved and Tegefjäll: You can also stay and ski in Duved and Tegefjäll, which are also connected.
Here is a map of Åre with Duved, Tegefjäll, Åre town, Björnen and the lift system:
How to get to Åre
Is Åre located in Northern Sweden?
In the Swedish context, Åre is not really Northern Sweden. It’s not even located in the Arctic Circle!
Jämtland County (where Åre is located) is, according to Wikipedia, in the mid-western part of Sweden. Because it’s just a damn long country.
But for us Danes, Åre is just far enough from Stockholm that it feels like Northern Sweden.
How long does it take to drive to Åre?
From Copenhagen in Denmark, where we live, you can drive the 1,125 kilometres in one stretch in approximately 14 hours.
From Gothenburg in Sweden, the trip is 840 kilometres and it takes approximately 11 hours.
If you don’t have an extra driver (or two) with you, it’s a good idea to spend a night on the way.
It could, for example, be in pretty Stockholm, one of our favourite Swedish cities. It’s a little further east than the optimal route but it doesn’t add that much driving to the total number of kilometres.
If you are travelling from outside Scandinavia, you can also consider flying to Stockholm and driving (or taking public transportation) from there. You can read more about that below.
The night train to Åre
If you don’t like driving for many hours, you can consider taking the train to Åre from other Swedish cities or from Denmark.
There are lots of options for departures with both day and night trains, including SJ and Snälltåget.
Check the websites for available departures, prices etc.
Travel example from Alex’s trip:
- To get home to Copenhagen from Åre, Alex took an SJ night train from Åre at 19:36 on Thursday.
- The train arrived at Stockholm Central Station at 05:16 on Friday.
- An hour later, he jumped on an SJ express train directly to Copenhagen, where he arrived at 11:25.
- He bought the tickets on SJ’s website for 1,069 SEK (~94 EUR / 102 USD). It’s typically more expensive at the weekend.
SJ’s sleeping compartment
The sleeping compartment that Alex slept in on SJ’s night train consists of six bunk beds – three on each side.
There is not much floor space but the beds are nicely spacious and comfortable.
When you enter the compartment, there is clean bedding which you have to put on the mattress, duvet and pillow yourself.
To get up to the middle and top berth, you use a small staircase.
There are toilets nearby.
Read more about SJ’s night train and different compartments here.
Food on the train
On both SJ’s fast trains and night trains, it’s possible to buy ready-made food and various drinks in the bistro.
The food is of acceptable quality and there are good options for eating vegan and gluten-free, among other things.
You can sit and eat on ordinary train seats with a table.
If you travel with Snälltåget (which translates into the kind train) instead, there is a bistro with porcelain plates, which is more like a “real” restaurant.
Flying to Åre
There is no airport in Åre but you can fly to nearby Östersund and get to Åre from there by either train, bus or taxi. The drive takes approximately 1.5 hours.
Alternatively, you can fly to Trondheim in Norway and drive from there. It’s further away with a driving time of just over 2.5 hours.
If you have the time, consider flying to Stockholm to spend some time seeing all of the highlights the beautiful Swedish capital has to offer. Is’s a beautiful city.
You can use our adlink below to find the cheapest tickets:
Find the cheapest flights to Östersund, Trondheim and Stockholm on Momondo.
How to get around Åre
Åre town itself is easy to walk around (unless the roads and sidewalks are very icy!) and a car is not really necessary.
The train station is closest to the lake and there’s a small shopping centre here with clothing stores and a large ICA supermarket.
From here, a slightly hilly road leads up to Åre Square (Åre Torg) where you can find rental shops with skis and bicycles, sports shops, food etc.
From the square, you can take the charming Åre Funicular Railway (Åre Bergbana) up to Fjällgården.
You can also walk 5-10 minutes up to the Åre Cable Car (Åre Kabinbana) which runs all the way to Åreskutan (the highest point).
From Åre Cable Car, the ski buses also go west towards Tegefjäll and Duved as well as east towards Björnen.
Ski bus
With a valid ski pass, you can ride with the ski bus in Åre for free.
Find the latest timetables for the ski bus in Åre here.
There are three bus lines in Åre:
- Line 1 (green): Åre Cable Car – Åre Town – Rödkullen – Åre Cable Car
- Line 2 (red): Åre Cable Car – Björnen – Åre Cable Car
- Line 3 (blue): – Duved – Tegefjäll – Åre Cable Car – Tegefjäll – Duved
Where to stay in Åre
Where is the best place to stay in Åre?
Whether you visit Åre in summer, winter or in between, there are generally four areas where you can choose to live.
The best areas for accommodation in Åre (from west to east):
- Duved.
- Tegefjället.
- Åre town.
- Björnen.
Search for the best and cheapest places to stay in Åre here.
Stay in Duved
Located at the western end of Åredalen (Åre Valley) approximately 8 kilometres from Åre town, Duved is a very peaceful place to base yourself during your trip.
It has beautiful nature and several hiking opportunities. And you get to stay right by the slopes at reasonable prices. There is also great access to cross-country tracks.
Duved is a real town (although it is smaller than Åre town) with a train station, supermarket etc.
Where to stay in Duved?
- Millestgården Eco Lodge – Charming hostel with the option of both shared and private bathrooms. Fitness room and sauna.
- Pensionat Mullfjället: Cosy hostel atmosphere with 2-4 beds per room and shared bathrooms. Has a sauna.
Search for the best and cheapest places to stay in Duved here.
Stay in Tegefjället
Tegefjället (often just called “Tege”) is located approximately 2 kilometres east of Duved and about 6 kilometres west of Åre town.
There are many accommodation options here with perfect access to the slopes. The ski area is connected to Duved.
Search for the best and cheapest places to stay at Tegefjället here (adlink).
Stay in Åre town
The heart of Åre. This is where you should stay to be as close as possible to the area’s cultural life with shops, restaurants, nightlife etc. However, it is still a relatively small town.
From Åre town there’s great access to the lifts and it’s also not far from the more child-friendly area Björnen.
Where to stay in Åre town?
- Hotel Åregården – The oldest hotel in Åre. A true classic on the square in the middle of town.
- Holiday Club Åre – Åre’s largest hotel with good spa facilities and a water park. You can also stay in your own apartment.
- Granen Hotell & Restaurang – A cosy hotel up the hill.
- Hotell Fjällgården Åre – Unique ski-in ski-out with direct access to the slopes.
- Åre Bed & Breakfast – Hostel with rooms at good prices.
- Åre Travel – Center – (Cheap!) full apartment with sauna and ski-in in Åre town.
Search for the best and cheapest places to stay in Åre town here.
Stay in Björnen
There is only approximately 10-15 minutes of driving between Åre town and Björnen. The ski areas are also connected.
Just like in Duved and Tegefjäll, Björnen is a good choice if you want to stay in an even calmer area – possibly in your own cabin.
Björnen is particularly suitable for families.
Where to stay in Björnen?
- Copperhill Mountain Lodge – Probably the best hotel in Åre. With its own lift and ski slope right outside the door.
- Hotell Karolinen Åre – Nice little hotel close to the main road.
Search for the best and cheapest places to stay in Björnen here.
The best things to do and see in Åre
Winter: Downhill skiing in Åre
Åre is known for being Sweden’s best area for alpine skiing.
With a whopping 90 kilometres of ski slopes, Åre is the largest ski area in Sweden and as host of the Alpine Skiing World Cup in 2019, Åre cemented its position at the top of Scandinavia’s ski throne.
If you are into black slopes and adrenaline rushes, there are plenty of opportunities for that. Just as you can easily spend a long time exploring the many green and blue slopes as a beginner.
- Duved/Tegefjäll: Two connected ski areas west of Åre. 12 lifts and 19 ski slopes (4 green, 7 blue, 6 red and 1 black).
- Åre town/Rödkullen: Åre’s largest ski area with the steepest slopes. From Åreskutan, there are primarily red and black slopes, while Rödkullen is more child- and beginner-friendly. 22 lifts and 45 ski slopes (5 green, 16 blue, 21 red and 3 black).
- Björnen: Very child- and beginner-friendly area with the most green and blue ski slopes. Connected by lifts to the Åre town ski area. 12 lifts and 18 ski slopes (7 green, 8 blue and 2 red).
How much does a ski lift ticket cost in Åre?
When you buy a SkiPass from SkiStar, the lift pass applies to all Åre’s lifts (in both Duved, Tegefjäll, Åre town and Björnen).
Here are the prices for lift tickets in Åre in the 2023/2024 ski season:
- Lift ticket 1 day adults: 630 SEK / ~56 EUR / ~60 USD
- Lift ticket 1 day young/senior: 505 SEK / ~45 EUR / ~48 USD
- Lift pass 5 days adults: 2900 SEK / ~256 EUR / ~278 USD
- Lift pass 5 days young/senior: 2320 SEK / ~204 EUR / ~222 USD
The lift pass for young people is valid from age 7-17. Senior is 65+ years.
Children aged 0-6 are free to bring along.
There are lots of other options to buy access to the lifts; a season pass, 4 days of your choice within a week, a lift pass for an afternoon or even a lift pass for 2 hours.
The price for lift tickets gets a little lower for each additional day you buy. It’s also slightly cheaper to only buy a lift ticket for Duved/Tegefjäll or for Åre’s children’s areas. Prices may change from one year to the next.
With a valid SkiPass you can travel freely on the ski buses between the areas.
When does the ski season start in Åre?
With its good location and modern ski systems, Åre is known as one of Sweden’s most snow-sure ski resorts.
The ski season is long and typically lasts from December to the beginning of May.
Maps of the ski slopes:
In the following three maps, you can see maps of the ski slopes in Duved, Åre and Björnen.
Winter: Cross-country skiing in Åre
There are primarily three areas in Åre that are being prepared for cross-country skiing: Duved, Björnen and Ullådalen.
To cross-country ski, you need a “cross-country ski pass“. It costs far less than a lift ticket – at the time of writing 116 SEK / ~10 EUR / ~11 USD per day* with a discount if you buy access for more than one day.
It is possible to rent cross-country skiing equipment in several places in Åre.
The cheapest rental place Alex found was in Åre Skidsport at Åre Torg, where a one-day rental of cross-country boots, skis and poles cost SEK 200 / ~18 EUR / ~19 USD*.
Read more about cross-country skiing in Åre here.
The prices are from autumn 2023.
Cross-Country Arena Duved
In Duved, you can cross-country ski in both skate and classic style.
Electric lighting is available from 07.00 to 22.00.
The longer tracks in Duved have slightly more hills compared to those in Björnen.
There is also a technical training and sprint course which is 400 metres long and includes curves, bumps and short, steep hills. This track is 200 metres away from the track centre at Hamrelia.
Cross-Country Arena Björnen
In Björnen, you can cross-country ski in both skate and classic style. Here you’ll find more forest and protection from the wind.
There are also facilities such as a warming room, toilets and a waxing room near the arena.
Electric lighting is available from 07.00 to 22.00.
Cross-country tracks in Ullådalen
You can get to the Ullådalen track centre either via the road to Ullådalen or by taking the ski lift from Tegefjäll from where you can slide down to the cross-country tracks.
There is also a ski bus from Duved and Åre to Rödkullen (line 1) which is located near Ullådalen. From the Rödkullen ski bus stop, it is about 1.5 kilometres to the Ullådalen track centre.
Summer: Hiking in Åre
Hiking in Åre must be fabulous in summer!
The trail system in Åre is well-developed and there are plenty of options: everything from short trips to mountain hiking for days.
In other words, there are suitable challenges for both beginners and more experienced hikers.
Just like for skiing, most hiking trails start in either Duved, Åre town or Björnen.
Tip: Using the lift system you can reach the beautiful views and higher mountain areas faster and save your legs a few metres of altitude. Just be aware of the opening times of the lifts.
Find an interactive map of hiking options in Åre here.
Summer: Mountain biking in Åre
If you are into downhill mountain biking, Åre is a paradise.
Åre Bike Park is Scandinavia’s largest bike park with 50 kilometres of trails and up to 853 metres of elevation change.
With 7 green, 11 blue, 11 red and 10 black trails, there are options for all riders.
Recently, Björnen also got trail for mountain biking. They are designated as “trail” tracks and thus not as downhill tracks which simply means that they are less steep. At the centre of Björnen, there is also a pump track and a skill area with a technical track.
Find an interactive map of the mountain bike trails in Åre here.
More activities in Åre
There is of course much more to do in Åre and its surroundings than skiing and cross-country skiing in the winter or hiking, running or cycling in the summer.
Water sports
As mentioned earlier, Åre lies right down to Åresøen (Åre Lake), and here it’s possible to skate in the winter and, of course, to swim in the summer.
In Åre you can also go kayaking, SUP or even try white water rafting.
Waterfalls
All year round you can visit Tännforsen: Sweden’s largest waterfall. It is located approximately 20 kilometres west of Åre. In the winter it is mostly frozen. In spring, the water gushes with great force once again.
The waterfall Ristafallet is also worth seeing.
Åreskutan
Regardless of whether you visit Åre in summer or winter, you can go up and enjoy the view from Åreskutan.
Being located 1,420 metres above sea level, it’s Åre’s highest peak. It is approximately a kilometre above the valley, so on clear days, you can see incredibly far in all directions.
If you don’t want to trek the approximately 1,000 metres of altitude on your own, it is possible to buy a single ticket or a return ticket with the cable car.
When to visit Åre
Fortunately, there is no bad time to visit Åre. But each month and season does have its own advantages and disadvantages.
If you want to go skiing, you must visit Åre in winter, between December and the beginning of May. And if you want to be as sure as possible of snow-free hiking or cycling, you must visit Åre in summer.
If you time your visit for spring or autumn, you will be able to get cheaper accommodation and meet fewer tourists. On the other hand, there are not as many lifts and restaurants that are open.
Visiting in winter
Most tourists visit Åre in the winter to go skiing, snowboarding or cross-country skiing.
The lifts typically open in December and the ski season runs until May. A few lifts may open as early as November. Keep an eye on the current opening hours here.
It is particularly busy around New Year, during the Easter holidays and during the Swedish “sportlov“, which is their annual sports holiday/sports break. It’s usually between week 7 and week 10 of the year.
If you can travel outside of those periods, you will typically have the slopes more to yourself.
At the beginning of the year, the sun sets around 2:34 p.m., while in mid-April it doesn’t set until around 8:30 p.m. Electric lights light up several of the slopes when it is dark.
Visiting in spring
Spring in Åre is relatively short. In May, it can feel like spring down in Åre town while the mountains are still snowy.
May is considered one of the best months to go cross-country skiing.
Some shops are closed for a few weeks between the winter and summer seasons.
Visiting in summer
The summer in Åre looks truly beautiful.
At the beginning of June, the sun does not set until around 23:00 so even if it technically isn’t midnight sun, it almost feels like it.
Åre Bike Park (the mountain bike park) opens some of the trails at the beginning of June.
Midsummer is a big deal in Sweden and in Åre, it marks the official start of summer. Midsummer always falls on a Friday between June 19 and June 25.
From midsummer to the middle of August, the summer atmosphere takes over Åre and you will see lots of sunbathing and water activities by the lake.
Visiting in autumn
Most Swedish children start school again in mid-August and from then the lifts in Åre are only open at weekends.
In September, the leaves on the trees start to change colour and you can have many hiking trails more or less to yourself.
In October, it typically changes from autumn to winter. The lifts close until the ski season starts and several restaurants and shops are only open from Thursday to Sunday.
Places to eat in Åre
Although Åre is no gastronomic paradise, there are a few nice places to eat in the town (and the surrounding area).
- Mrs Maggie: Good homemade dishes for both lunch and dinner in Duved.
- J&F Falafel: Popular falafel shop right by Åre town square.
- Vinbaren Åre: Tapas restaurant and wine bar in Åre.
- Crowded House Café: Fun tipi on the slopes in Björnen with burgers, among other things.
What to bring to Åre
- Travel insurance. Never travel without it!
- A good camera – here is a guide to the equipment we use.
- Sunscreen. Especially if you visit Åre in the summer – but you can also get sunburned in the winter. We recommend that you use an organic, vegan sunscreen without oxybenzone and other harmful chemicals.
- Ski equipment if you have your own – otherwise you can rent it in several places in Åre.
- Walking shoes if you visit Åre in the summer.
- Swimwear and a towel if you plan to swim in the summer or if you are staying at a hotel with a spa area.
- A refillable water bottle and snacks.
Sustainable travel tips
To minimise your impact, follow these guidelines:
- Bring drinking water in a refillable bottle.
- Avoid single-use plastics.
- Dispose of waste properly.
- Take only photos, leave only footprints.
- Respect wildlife.
Thank you for reading along
Thank you for reading our travel guide to Åre in Sweden. We hope it has been helpful!
What do you think of the Swedish mountains?
If you’ve already been there, it would be great to hear your best tips and tricks.
Don’t hesitate to ask us anything in the comments if you haven’t been to Åre yet. We are happy to help.
Our favourite travel resources:
- Booking.com for cheap hotels.
- Momondo for the best flight deals.
- SafetyWing for travel insurance. We also like World Nomads and True Traveller. All three compared here.
Our camera gear:
- Panasonic GH5. Used for all of our photos and videos.
- DJI Mavic 2 Pro. Best drone out there!
- Sirui Tripod. Lightweight and strong.
- See all of our camera gear here.
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