Essential Travel Ski Guides

click here for a ski insurance quotation

Travel to Arefjallen with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Situated beside a large frozen lake, the well-known Swedish resort of Arefjallen has the largest ski area in northern Europe and boasts 100kms of quality ski runs. The Freeride and Red Bull Big Air competitions are held here, along with the world’s largest downhill race - the Skutskjutet (April). Arefjallen ski resort offers long sunny days and an enviable après-ski.

Old buildings and a busy après-ski scene characterise the five distinct villages that make up the beautiful resort of Arefjallen. The ski resort offers a blend of fine scenery, an effervescent lifestyle, and a typical Swedish character, attracting hordes of the country’s jet-set. Excellent schools and facilities ensure children and adults are catered for at the resort, which is perfect for families.

Great facilities for snowboarders as well as an impressive, well organised system of slopes and lifts feature at the resort. The 100kms of runs are comprised of 12 green, 42 blue, 35 red and five black slopes. There are 99 pistes in total and the longest run measures 6.5kms.

For snowboarders, there’s a snowboard park, five quarter–pipes and a half-pipe. The resort also features fun parks and 56kms of cross-country trails. Forty-three lifts service the area and have a capacity for 48,000 skiers per hour. The vertical drop is 890m from an elevation of 1,274m at the highest piste. An excellent floodlight system affords a great night skiing experience.

Several cafés, 35 restaurants, 17 mountain restaurants and 15 discos provide a lively après-ski. Families are well looked after at the village of Bjornen, while unique lodgings, ranging from the modern to the traditional, offer 23,000 beds in Arefjallen itself. Some particularly interesting non-ski alternatives feature at the resort, including: ice-fishing, dog-sledding, paragliding, hang-gliding, snowmobile touring, horseback riding, ice-climbing and windsurfing on snow.

Just 1 hour, 30 minutes from one of Sweden’s oldest ski regions, Ostersund, lies Vemdalen, an alternate location perfect for a daytrip. Twice host to World Cup races, the resort also boasts one of the world’s finest ski schools. The elevation of Arefjallen ski resort grants excellent snow conditions, plus long sunny days throughout the season, which runs from November till the end of May. The main gateway to the country is Stockholm, 620kms from the resort. From the UK, fly to Ostersund Airport via Stockholm, leaving you just 100kms from the resort by hire car or pre-booked bus transfer.

Skiing in Arefjallen

Arefjallen is situated by a large frozen lake and features 100kms of groomed pistes over an established and well maintained ski area. Sweden’s most popular resort offers a range of non-ski alternatives and après-ski activities, making it a perfect choice for families and revellers alike.

There are 99 excellent slopes at Arefjallen, measuring a total of 100kms, as well as first class ski facilities. The slopes are comprised of 12 green, 42 blue, 35 red and five black runs, with a total vertical descent of 890m and a longest run of 6.5kms. The only cable car in Sweden is included in the 43 lifts at the resort.

The lifts have a top elevation of 1,274m, and an uplift capacity of 48,000 skiers per hour. Excellent facilities for snowboarders consist of a half-pipe, five quarter-pipes, a snowboard park, a snow-cross course and two fun parks. A further 56kms of cross-country trails offer a more challenging ski experience.

Wonderful, long, sunny days provide a great backdrop at Arefjallen, where the season runs from early November through to late May, with March and April offering the best snow conditions.

Arefjallen is 100kms from the nearest town of Ostersund and 620kms north of Stockholm. Fly via Stockholm to Ostersund, and transfer to the resort on a pre-booked transfer bus or hire car. A convenient option is to travel to the station at Are, in the heart of the resort, which is serviced by direct train from Stockholm.

Après-ski in Arefjallen

The après-ski at the resort, proffered by several cafés, bars and clubs, is supplemented by more relaxed restaurants, both on and off the mountain. An abundance of non-ski alternatives are provided by the resort and include: snowmobile touring, horseback riding, ice-fishing, dog-sledding, paragliding, hang-gliding, ice-climbing and windsurfing on snow.

Excellent for visitors of all levels, the renowned Arefjallen is used by ski enthusiasts as a training ground. Modern hotels, along with traditional Alpine style accommodation, provide 23,000 beds at the resort, which has a commendable ski school and dozens of restaurants and nightclubs.

Transportation to Arefjallen

In the north of Sweden, 620kms from Stockholm, lies the resort of Arefjallen. Ostersund, 100kms southeast of the resort, is the nearest town and is accessible by flying via Stockholm from the UK. Travel on to the resort by hire vehicle or pre-booked bus transfer from the airport, or catch a direct rail service from Stockholm to the heart of the resort and the station of Are.

By car to Arefjallen, the journey is around 19 hours from Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the UK, a total distance of 909kms. From Newcastle-upon-Tyne, take the car-ferry for Hirtshals in Denmark and continue on to Frederikshavn in Sweden, following the signs. From here, head north to Are, and the resort. The resort is 8 hours, 30 minutes from Stockholm by road.

By train, the Eurostar service via Brussels to Sweden is among a number of options for travel to the resort. For the fewest connections, however, book a train from London to Gothenburg with DFDS Seaways. The train leaves London for Newcastle, from where a trip on the DFDS ferry will take you to Gothenburg. A national train service to the station of Are at the resort leaves from Gothenburg.

Stockholm International Airport is 620kms from Arefjallen, with the closer Ostersund Airport only 100kms northwest of the resort. A flight via Stockholm to Ostersund from the UK, and a hire car or pre-booked transfer service is the most practical way to get here. The train station of Are is situated within the resort and is serviced by rail direct from Stockholm.

back to ski guides