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August 12, 2019Stockholm Arlanda Airport – Spotting Guide
- last modified on June 25, 2024
Stockholm Arlanda (ARN/ESSA) represents the biggest airport in Sweden and was founded in 1960 in order to relieve the modest airport in Stockholm-Bromma. The airport, consisting of 4 terminals, is situated 40km north of the city center in the vicinity of Märsta. According to Swedavia, nearly 29 million passengers were handled by more than 80 various airlines with a total of 181 destinations in 2018.
Next to the main flight operators such as SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian, many other common European carriers can be seen at Arlanda. Also non-European airlines like Thai Airways, Air India, China Eastern Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines frequently fly towards Stockholm. As anywhere in Sweden, there are still some daily Fokker 50 movements (f.g. Amapola Flyg), which make the airport worth a visit, too.
You can easily reach the airport by public transport: The most comfortable option is the so-called Arlanda Express which takes approximately 20 minutes to downtown Stockholm. However, I personally recommend to use the regional train to Märsta and then continue by bus since it is significantly cheaper. Due to the soil conditions and courses, the usage of bicycles is not recommended at all.
Altogehter, Stockholm Arlanda has several splendid spotting locations by reason of its size and three runways. Unfortunately the Swedish weather is not always well, regardless whether in the winter or summer season and many places are relatively difficult to access.
Radio scanners are allowed in Sweden. Stockholm Control on 126.650 is good to listen to approaching traffic and if they are starting to land on another runway. And ATIS 119.0
Written by Julian Ahlbrand, Henrik Nilsson and Jan Seba. Last change: June 2024 (Spot 1 and 2 updated).
| Rating | |
| Movements |  |
| Airline Variety | |
| Photo Locations |  |
| Weather |  |
| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 01R/19L | 2.500m (8.202ft) |
| 01L/19R | 3.301m (10.830ft) |
| 08/26 | 2.500m (8.202ft) |
| Terminals | |
| 2 (international) | Mainly Sky Team, Oneworld and partially Star Alliance |
| 3 (domestic regional) | Air Leap, AIS, Amapola, LOT (domestic), Nyxair |
| 4 (domestic) | SAS and Norwegian |
| 5 (international) | SAS and mainly Star Alliance as well as majority of intl. carriers and those using heavy aircraft |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Usually you are always standing on a mound which are on a higher level than the fence. Sometimes though a minor elevation can be helpful, for example at spots 11 & 14. |
| Car/Public Transport | Very helpful for position change. For runway 01R/19L and 26, buses are available (spots 1-6). See description below. Nevertheless, you have to walk to some of the spotting, especially for 19L as car parking positions are very far! In general ARN is also prone to switch runways, so a car is recommended. |
| Restrooms | Available in the terminal building only (and surrounding hotels spots 1-6) and of course themany trees and bushes. |
| Drinks/Food | Available in the terminal building only (and surrounding hotels spots 1-6). All other spots are very far from civilization and absolutely nothing is nearby except trees, bushes and stones. |
| Hotels | The Jumbo Stay, a hostel inside a modified 747-200, is the perfect residence for aviation enthusiasts and is located just a few steps from taxiway uniform. However it is usually quite expensive and not the best comfort – but still worth a stay for the fun of it! The Radisson Blue Hotel offers great view of runway 01R/19L and the Good Morning Arlanda is a good opportunity to discover the nearby locations, even on foot. Otherwise there are several hotels and other accommodations in the surrounding areas, which are possible if you have a car. |
| Season | Summer is recommend due to light and temperatures. As ARN lies so northerly the days are very long and you can start spotting as early as 5 AM and finish after 10 PM. It also means that the sun does not rise so high during the noontime. In winter the sun is out for just a few hours, so it limits spotting opportunity significantly. |
| Runway Usage | |
| General Information | In general the runway configuration in Arlanda is hard to predict. Most of the time there are two runways active, one for departures and the other one for landings, meaning one is normally inactive. The systems seems to alternative between the runway a bit and also strongly depends on the wind. For example only in case of strong northern or southern winds the 01/19 runways are both in use leaving 08/26 inactive. Always check the radar app before you are going out and possibly have a look into NOTAMs once in a while in case a runway is not open at the time. |
| 08/26 | This is mostly the preferred Runway and it is usually always in use for either landing (26) or departure (08) if the wind conditions permit. ++++ CLOSED UNTIL AUGUST 2024 +++ |
| 01R/19L | Used in both directions. Is more often used for landings, not so often seen used for departures due to the longer taxi times. |
| 01L/19R | Used in both directions, seems to be used both equally for landings and departures. |
Mound/Farm Road - Arrival RWY 26
| WHERE | From the terminals drive with your car on highway 273 direction Almunge/Norrtälje and take the entry direct next to the obvious lake called Halmsjön and the viewing platform (spot 4) to your left. Pass the helicopter station and military buildings. Now you can either turn left and stay directly next to the new military buildings on a small mound (parking is available). Or you continue for 200 meters and turn right into a farm road and stay there with your car.
By public transport: Take the parking shuttle bus and leave at the bus station Arlanda Lindskrog parking lot. Then you have to walk on the street next to the lake towards the helicopter station and spot 2. |
| WHAT | Only recommended for arrivals on runway 26. |
| TIME | Light between late morning until late afternoon in the summer months and between sunrise until sunset in winter. |
| MISC. | Restrooms or stores are not available officially. Possibly at the Cable Park on the adjacent lake which has an own cafeteria. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Not known |
Samples will follown soon!
View from the small mound 1A
View from the farm road 1B
Patria Helicopters - Arrival 26, Departures 08
| WHERE | From the terminals drive with your car on highway 273 direction Almunge/Norrtälje and take the entry direct next to the obvious lake called Halmsjön and the viewing platform (spot 4). In about one kilometre, you will find a helicopter station on the left side. The name of the street is Helikoptervägen 1 – a beneficial point for orientation. Park your car close to the station. From there walk up the small hill next to Patria Helicopters and turn right, and then follow the airport fence for about 200-300 meters until you reach the runway. Once there turn left and walk for about 50 meters and you will see a small mound which enables you to see over the fence. Update June 2024: at the moment it is difficult to reach this point as trees has beem cut down, blocking the path partially.
By public transport: Take bus 806 from the airport and leave at the bus station Arlanda Lindskrog. Then you have to walk on the street next to the lake towards the above-named helicopter station. |
| WHAT | On this spotting location you have a fabulous view of the most used runway due to the elevated position. In case of 08 operation, you will be capable to spot airplanes while departure and in rare cases even arrivals. If runway 26 is active, you directly see incoming planes. |
| TIME | Light between late morning until late afternoon in the summer months and between sunrise until sunset in winter. |
| MISC. | Restrooms or stores are not available officially. Possibly at the Cable Park on the adjacent lake which has an own cafeteria. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 80mm up to 250mm while departures Arrival: A333=80mm; 738=135mm |
Viewing Platform - 19L arrivals, taxiway
| WHERE | This is one of the two official spotting places which offers, apart from the perfect sight, signs portrayed by images and information about Arlanda. From the terminals drive with your car on highway 273 direction Almunge/Norrtälje and after you have passed the tunnel turn left into the street named Navigatörsvägen. You can park your car on the hill at a free parking lot which is to the right.
By public transport: Take bus 806 from the airport and leave at the bus station Arlanda Styrmansvägen. You will see the spot quickly. |
| WHAT | Due to the position on a hill, you can admire the grand airport of Stockholm with an overview of runway 19L/01R as well as taxiway whiskey and photograph departing (01R), arriving (19L) and taxiing aircrafts. |
| TIME | It depends on the operation and season. 19L arrivals from the afternoon hours. |
| MISC. | Restrooms or stores are not nearby. However, there is an indoor picnic table. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | It absolutely depends on the angle and operation. For 19L landings you can also vary your position and get closer or further away depending on your preference. |
Viewing Platform Cable Park - 19L arrivals
| WHERE | This is one of the two official spotting places which offers, apart from the perfect sight, signs portrayed by images and information about Arlanda. From the terminals drive with your car on highway 273 direction Almunge/Norrtälje and take the entry direct next to the obvious lake called Halmsjön and the viewing platform to your left. You can park your car on the hill at a free parking lot.
By public transport: Take bus 806 from the airport and leave at the bus station Arlanda Lindskrog. You will see the spot on the opposite side of the road. |
| WHAT | Only recommend for 19L arrivals. |
| TIME | From early morning until noon. |
| MISC. | Restrooms and snacks possibly at the Cable Park on the adjacent lake which has an own cafeteria. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Not known |
We can´t provide sample pictures at the moment. Please don´t hesitate to contact us if you have photos from this location.
Lindskrog Parking - all movements 19L/01R
| WHERE | This spot is just next the the previous one but totally different as you have more opportunities. From the terminals drive with your car on highway 273 direction Almunge/Norrtälje and after you have passed the 19L approach lights turn right to the Lindskrog Parking. Instead of using this airport parking turn right to park your car on the empty area. From here walk to the fence and find your prefered position.
By public transport: Take bus 806 from the airport and leave at the bus station Arlanda Lindskrog. |
| WHAT | At the beginning of the location you can perfectly photograph 19L arrivals and departures. If you walk further down along the perimeter fence 01R departures are available as well as some arrivals vacating at one of the last two exits. You can select your preferred spot based on your preference and usually you should find many spots where you can shoot over the fence by standing on some stones or other elevated areas. |
| TIME | From sunrise until noon all year round. |
| MISC. | No ladder needed as you are on a higher level than the fence. Next amenities within the “Good Morning Arlanda” Hotel. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Arrivial: 738=140mm; A330=90mm Taxiwy: 752=210mm |
Gravel Hill - all movements 19L/01R
| WHERE | This spot contains a little gravel hills in the south of the fire station Östra. From the terminals drive with your car southwards on highway 273 until you can exit the road at the Jumbo Hostel to the parking lot alfa and parking lot beta. Thereafter you must follow this street until you see the postion to your right shortly after the fire station. Park on the side of the road and walk through the planted area and climb on one of many gravel hills.
By public transport: Take the free parking shuttle bus and leave at the bus station at parking lot alfa. From there, you have to walk in the direction of the runway. |
| WHAT | You have a look on runway 01R/19L and taxiway whiskey. Departing, arriving and taxiing airplanes in both directions can be photographed from here. Please note that the gravel could be used for construction reasons, so we can not guarantee that t will be available or accessible. |
| TIME | From afternoon until sunset all year round. |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing. Nevertheless, there are two hotels in about 500 meters. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-200mm |
Gravel Factory - 01R arrivals
| WHERE | Continue from the previous location #6 southwards and then take the next left into a road which leads to a gravel factory. Continue there until you have passed the approach path of 01R. After that park your car on the side of the road and start spotting. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 01R only. |
| TIME | From sunrise until noon all year round. |
| MISC. | Absolutely nothing nearby! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 738=110mm; SF34=220mm |
Stone Hill - 01L arrivals and threshold
| WHERE | This location is on the opposite side as the previous one. From the airport drive southwards and always follow the signs to cargo city. After you have passed the approach path of 01L you see a small parking bay to your left. Stop there and walk northwards on the path for approximate 2-3 minutes and climb up some stones to get on an elevated positions where you can see the threshold of 01L. If the light is getting bad, just move over to the other side and park as marked on the map. |
| WHAT | Perfect for 01L arrivals as well as line ups in the far distance. |
| TIME | Good location for the whole day. Just move over to the other side when the sun has turned around. Lineup light is good between morning until late afternoon in the summer months and between sunrise until sunset in winter. Be aware of heat distortion at the line up! |
| MISC. | Absolutely nothing nearby. No ladder needed. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 738=130mm; CRJ900=150mm |
Cargo City - 19R departures
| WHERE | Drive to spot 8 and continue towards Cargo City. When arriving you will see a truck parking on the right where you can park, and on the left you will see a large enbankment where you can take photos of departing aircrafts from 19R. Small aircrafts are too high when passing by. |
| WHAT | Departing aircrafts 19R |
| TIME | Most usable in summer when you have light early in the morning from sunrise to about 10am |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby. No ladder needed |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Austrian Airlines = 380mm, TUI = 350mm. Heavies around 300mm |
Fire Station - 01L arrivals and departures
| WHERE | Once again use the direction to the cargo city but after the roundabout turn left following the signs to “Brandkåren Attunda“ (fire station). Continue northwards for approximate one kilometer until you see the fire station to your right but park to the left on the parking lot for a hall. Now just walk to the runway fence and start spotting. You can also walk further northwards along the perimeter fence for a different angle. |
| WHAT | Perfect for runway 01L arrivals and departures. |
| TIME | From afternoon until sunset all year round. |
| MISC. | Absolutely nothing nearby. You are on a higher level and can clear the fence easily. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Air Baltic = 170mm, Nextjet = 300mm, TUI = 105mm |
Kättsta - 19R departures
| WHERE | From the previous spots continue on ‘Kolstavägen’ northwards through a small forrest till you reach some farms. Park your car at this small settlement named ‘Kättsta’. From here you have to walk to the perimeter fence either straight through the field or along the perimeter fence from the north. |
| WHAT | We recommend this location for 19R departures. In order to have a clean shot, the planes will need to be in the air, as the runway is not visible from here. Narrowbodys are fine but heavys are still on the ground. Also some Narrowbodies (especially Norwegian) may depart for longer routes or with low thrust settings, so they can still be on the ground as well. |
| TIME | From afternoon until sunset all year round. |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing except bushes and trees! Bring everything you need with you and be mindful that this might be private property, so you could be sent away. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | XXX |
Forrest - 19R arrivals and lineup
| WHERE | The following locations are very far from any civilization and hard to reach. First you need a car and then you have to walk 1-2 km through the forrest. From the previous locations continue northwards, pass the settlement of Kättsta, turn left there and take the next right. Now drive all the way up straight through the forest until you reach a farm. Park next to the barrier that leads into the forrest than among the scrapyard cars that can be seen when arriving at the parking spot. I’ve heard that the owner doesn’t like that so it’s better to be on the safe side. Then walk for 10 minutes through the forest on the gravel path till you reach a glade from where you can see the beginning of the runway 19R. Now find your preferred position along the path to clear the trees and bushes |
| WHAT | Best for arrivals on 19R and maybe lineup (did not tested that). |
| TIME | From afternoon until sunset all year round. Lineup a bit later. |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing except bushes and trees! Bring everything you need with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 738=140mm; 788=110mm |
Rocks - 19R arrivals
| WHERE | From #12 continue on the gravel road and take the next right to get below the approach path. After you have passed that climb up the stone mound in front of you to get on a higher level. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on 19R mainly. Lineups may also be possible in the very early morning but with major distance. For better position, please check below #14. |
| TIME | From sunrise until noon all year round. |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing except bushes and trees! Bring everything you need with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 77W=90mm; 733=200mm; ATR72=250mm |
Rocks - 19R line up
| WHERE | From the previous spot continue on the gravel road southwards and turn right and walk along the perimeter fence till the corner where you have a perfect view of the line up. |
| WHAT | Recommend for line-up photos but arrivals should be no problem as well. |
| TIME | From sunrise until noon all year round. |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing except bushes and trees! Bring everything you need with you. No ladder needed as there is a huge gap between the fence and its barbed wire on the top (see pic below). But it is an advantage if you are tall and even then you might need to step on a stone or something else to have a clear shot over the fence. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 788=55mm; A333=50mm; A320=85mm |
Forrest - 26 arrivals
| WHERE | Follow the road to spot 1 but continue after the lights, on the left there is a road that leads into a gravel factory. Drive there and after a few meters on the right there is a turning point where you can park your car. Walk towards the direction of the runway straight into the forrest and you will face the runway. There is a small gravel pile to stand on and the planes are high enough so no need for a ladder. If wearing shorts, please check for ticks on arms and legs after walking in the high grass. |
| WHAT | Evening landing on 26 |
| TIME | Summertime only June to August from 19 to sunset |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing except bushes and trees! Bring everything you need with you. No ladder needed. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Air Serbia = 150mm, Qatar Airways = 75mm, Amapola Flyg = 200mm |
Hi,
My husband is very interessted in plane spotting, and for his birthday next weekend I want to take him to Arlanda for a plane spotting day. Any recommendations on what spot is best to take him to? Like where theres a lot of activity (take-off and landings)? 🙂
I have some good suggestions. Have you got any answers? The birthday has been as I understand.
Regards,
Martin
Hello everyone, i’m gonna take my son to spot some planes because he’s so interested in them(i might be guilty of that because i am too 🙂 ) . Does anybody know which Spot number takes you the visually closests to the runways? We’re not going primarly to film but to observe more with our eyes.
I have some good suggestions. Plan to go there some days the coming two weeks.
Spot #2: Trees around it has been cut down and at the moment very difficult to get to the spot.
Hi, Abyone intetestwd to go spotting at Sthlm Arlanda this weekend?
Are there any known possibilities to try some night spotting at Stockholm?
Yes I know some
If i’m going to Arlanda to do some planespotting on the viewing platform will i be fine with a 70-200mm lens or will i need something more if I want to shoot planes both on the taxiway and in the air, and maybe at the runway holding point?
(On spot 3)
Spot 2: The pallets are gone. The spot is still accessible with a ladder, but in the future Patria Helicopters will exapnd their facilities to the east, and the spot will probably become inaccessible.
Thank you for the info. Guide has been updated.
-Julian
The pallets are back
Nice! Thanks for the hint Jan.
-Julian
And now it’s gone again.
As Rui has written, the pallets are now gone again. And to make things even worse Patria Helicopters is expanding their facilities to the east, and the location is now a construction site and inaccessible. The parking place marked on the map is still accessible, but the construction site use some of it as a storage site, so it might be best to only park there on the weekends when they are not working.
From the parking place you can walk up the small hill next to Patria Helicopters and turn right, and then follow the airport fence for about 200-300 meters until you reach the runway. Once there turn left and walk for about 50 meters and you will see a small mound which enables you to see over the fence. Landings on runway 26 and departures from runway 08 can be seen from here. All of the sample photos on spot 2 appears to be taken from this location.
Hi, can you give me the GPS coordinates of the “new” position please?
-Julian
The coordinates are: 59.6601353, 17.9706297
Thanks! I have updated the position.
-Julian
What is the usual weather and light like in mid-March in Stockholm? Is it worth a visit for planespotting?
Can you use the road going from the fire station (Brandkåren Attunda) to spot 12, 13, 14 and 11? It says no unauthorized traffic is allowed…
Is it still true or is the guide outdated?
I just want to know if I can drive that road or if I need to take another.
Thanks!
Best regards
Isak
Nice to see a guide from Arlanda! Spot #7 is still ok and used a lot specially now when they are doing the maintenance on 19R/01L until the 25/8
And for spot 12/13/14 when parking, It’s better to park next to the barrier that leads into the forrest than among the scrapyard cars that can be seen when arriving at the parking spot. I’ve heard that the owner doesn’t like that so it’s better to be on the safe side.