Not even 10 minutes after our train arrived in Stockholm, I found myself buying a plant-based saffransbulle. 😋 #WrigglingIntoWinter

#Stockholm is wonderful at Christmas time 😍 All the warm lights and... Well, this toot is getting too touristy. This is a transportation themed account, right?! Look at this metro train on Söderstrombron, isn't it beautiful!? #WrigglingIntoWinter

Even #Stockholm 's buses and trams are in the festive mood! #WrigglingIntoWinter

#Tunnelbana race: green vs. red line 🏁 #WrigglingIntoWinter

Since my first visit to #Stockholm in 2013, I remember that #Slussen has been under major construction work. Today, they even have a floating bus waiting area! #WrigglingIntoWinter

Model busses around Slussen 🚌 #WrigglingIntoWinter

Finally, I can take my first ride on a "new" 6th generation #Tunnelbana train. #WrigglingIntoWinter

Ropsten was not an incidental destination. It is the starting point of the #Lidingöbanan. It survived Dagen H (the day when Sweden switched from driving on the left side of the road to the right), but was endangered later in the 1980s. However, it was saved thanks to an initiative. Since 2009, this lightraily transport system has been classified as tram rather than a railway. It offers a great view of the harbor area from the shore. #WrigglingIntoWinter

#Lidingöbanan 's operator has changed many times. Today, Stockholms Spårvägar operates line 21 with three- and four-section CAF Urbos AXL trams. The three-section trams are used for Nockebybanan, Tvärbanan and Spårväg City as well. So, the vehicles are rather unspectacular. #WrigglingIntoWinter

#Stockholm was very nice, but I didn't see any snow. Let's go further north! The ferries to Finland don't run on Christmas, the night trains are almost fully booked. However, #SJ 's #Nattåg 96 to Luleå still had some free sleeping compartments a couple of days ago. 1st class is 25% cheaper than 2nd class for this train, so it's an easy choice for us. #WrigglingIntoWinter

#SJ 's #Nattåg feels like a love-hate relationship. What I do like: I love the idea of travelling this far north on these long old-fashioned trains. The wooden elements in the compartment create a cosy atmosphere.
You can lock your compartment from the outside, which is great for a visit to the bistro. And you can assemble your beds by yourself. #WrigglingIntoWinter

What I don't like: The trains have become a little grimy in my opinion. Our coach is very noisy and it is difficult to sleep. There are some crumbs in our beds. Even breakfast is included in first class. You don't get it in the bistro if you're on the Luleå section, but in a restaurant at the terminus. This is perfect for passengers going to Luleå, but not for those getting off at Boden. #WrigglingIntoWinter

Enough complaining for today: 5:44am is early to my taste, but we finally made it into winter! 🥳 We leave the train to Luleå at Boden C. For some reason, people travelling further to Kiruna and Narvik have to change to a new train. A great opportunity to take a picture of it, as it arrives from Luleå without any passengers. #WrigglingIntoWinter

#Boden C is an important junction in northern Sweden. Track 3 even has platforms on both sides. The importance of the station is well represented in the underpass. However, I counted only 26 passenger trains today instead of 30 in 1989 😉 I don't know how many freight trains there are... #WrigglingIntoWinter

En fråga till svenskarna: Varför heter stationen Boden C även Central? Det är ju den enda stationen i Boden. #WrigglingIntoWinter

#Norrtåg takes us from Boden C to Haparanda. This regional service runs three times a day and is operated by Regina trains. It is as quiet as every time I have travelled on this line. They even have a bistro on board! If you ever feel the urge for instant macaroni and cheese in Kalix Västra, Norrtåg is well prepared. #WrigglingIntoWinter

Our rail trip ends at 🇸🇪 Haparanda. #CrossBorderRail to 🇫🇮 Tornio is planned, but somehow delayed. (I cannot find the article right now.) Well, at least, the Finnish screens are ready to show the first departure. #WrigglingIntoWinter

The #Haparanda border station feels like a museum: an abandoned hall and a café, lots of toilets, a spooky TV room... To my surprise, we are not the only travellers waiting to continue their journey. #WrigglingIntoWinter

The border towns of 🇸🇪 Haparanda and 🇫🇮 Tornio have a local bus service called Ringlinjen. Its lines start at Haparanda railway station. It does not run on public holidays, so there's no need to study the timetable. #WrigglingIntoWinter

We enjoy our walk from the station Haparanda to the Finnish border. It is cold, quiet and slippery. 😊 #WrigglingIntoWinter

Haparanda, sunrise, 9:51 am. 😍 This is what I've been looking for. ❄️ #WrigglingIntoWinter

The 🇸🇪 Haparanda - 🇫🇮 Tornio bus station is located a 100 metres from the EU's northernmost internal border. Attention, it is also located on the time zone border. It is rather quiet here on Boxing Day. Some people discuss whether it is possible to buy a bus ticket without a mobile phone, switching between Swedish and Finnish. There are buses to Kiruna, Luleå, Umeå, Kemi, Rovaniemi and Oulu. #WrigglingIntoWinter

At the moment, there are only night trains running from Tornio-Itäinen. So.Tornio does have train connections to other cities in Finland, but towards south only in the late evening and they are fully booked. After a three-hour break, continuing our journey by bus is the best option. #WrigglingIntoWinter

The bus ride from Tornio is uneventful. We bought our ticket online from Matkahuolto. There is no QR code on the ticket, just our names. The driver ticks off our names on his mobile phone. I have never seen such a "system" before.
More and more people get on, especially in Tornio centre and in Kemi. We get off at Oulu bus station, next to the railway station. #WrigglingIntoWinter

Winter in Oulu 😍 #WrigglingIntoWinter

Finally, it is time for my first trip with the Finnish railway #VR. We leave Oulu on an Intercity train and take a three-day break somewhere in the countryside. #WrigglingIntoWinter

Welcome to the resumption of #WrigglingIntoWinter. We have spent a few days in Utajärvi (near Oulu). I don't know how typical this Finnish station in the countryside is. It partly fulfilled my idyllic expectations: Three tracks, a narrow platform with a level crossing, a small, open waiting room, one unreadable notice as the only piece of information.

Linguistic excursion: I'm glad I avoided both the living and the living room in our apartment. #WrigglingIntoWinter #LostInTranslation #Finnish #finland

Some days later, we get on the Intercity train in Utajärvi again. It is - apart from the short ride Oulu-Utajärvi - my first "real" experience with the 🇫🇮 #VR. #WrigglingIntoWinter

The #VR Intercity journey Utajärvi-Helsinki starts with a delay of 25 minutes. It is reduced and compensated three hours later. The train gets fuller up until Kouvola. I am glad having bought a first class #Interrail and having access to Ekstra class, as the Eko class is almost fully booked and we tried to avoid buying rather expensive seat reservations by calling #VR 's hotline. I like the interior of Ekstra with the wooden design elements. #WrigglingIntoWinter

I'm getting a 🌱 plant-based pie with salad from #VR 's @diningcar. It is possible to order food to your seat using the VR app. However, you cannot use this service while travelling with #Interrail as it is linked to your booking. #WrigglingIntoWinter

Wonderful scenery is rolling past, as snow has covered also southern regions of #Finland. 😊 #WrigglingIntoWinter

Arriving at #Helsinki /Helsingfors (picture taken on the next day) #WrigglingIntoWinter

Doing some #VR exploratory trips around Helsinki. #WrigglingIntoWinter

Something is confusing me: Why is there a symbol with cancelled tickets? If I didn't know any better, I'd interpret it as a ticket ban (like the other symbols: no alcohol allowed, etc.). Wouldn't it be better to represent the obligation to buy a ticket in advance as, for example, two tickets with an exclamation mark? Also: Why is it dynamic on some trains and takes up valuable space on the displays? Do they still sell tickets on board? Maybe one of you can explain. #WrigglingIntoWinter #Helsinki

Two days later it is time to leave #Helsinki and 🇫🇮 #Finland. We take an Intercity to Turku harbour. There are only a few trains a day, but they are well coordinated with the ferries. Unfortunately #Turku will have to wait until my next visit to Finland.
(I wonder why not all trains at this station can be displayed.) #WrigglingIntoWinter

The ⛴ Viking Line ferry to Stockholm leaves Turku already 50 minutes after arrival! However, boarding is only possible 10 minutes before departure. Passengers squeeze into the waiting area behind check-in (not pictured). #WrigglingIntoWinter

As a landlocked Swiss with an (irrational) aversion to boats and ferries, I am shocked by the number of people and the amount of entertainment available on board of what I thought was just a functional ferry for a nine hour long night crossing. The shop has more tills than my medium-sized supermarket at home.
I have to admit that, judging by the number of passengers, I seem to be one of the very few who prefer to enter Finland via Haparanda by 🚂🚌. 😉 #WrigglingIntoWinter

From Stockholm C to Malmö C, #SJ 's Snabbtåg as usual. This time with a delay of 55-65 minutes because the train set had to be exchanged. Meanwhile, snow has turned Southern Sweden into a ❄️ winter wonderland. #WrigglingIntoWinter

Enjoying my pre-ordered 🌱 plant-based three-course meal from #SJ 's @diningcar as the #Swedish winter wonderland rolls past. #WrigglingIntoWinter