Overnight on Arctic Circle Sleeper Train - The Lapland Express

This month I tried...

Join me today on the Arctic Sleeper train to Lapland where i'll be trying out the best First Class, ensuite bedroom for a 13 hour trip to the furthest North i've ever ventured. This will be quite the experience travelling from Helsinki central station all the way to the Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle. I'll not only show my ensuite bedroom but also show you what Coach is like and my thoughts on whether I could do an overnight train in a recliner! I'll explore all elements of the onboard service, from dinner in the dining car, to breakfast and what the different carriages are like (such as bikes & pets!).

0:00 - Starting our Journey
1:28 - Getting onboard
3:00 - The Dining Car
5:25 - Bedroom Tour
9:07 - Day 2 Lapland
10:44 - Breakfast
12:04 - Coach Tour
15:19 - Welcome to Arctic Circle

[CheapCharlieChronicles]

Long train rides and winter is a perfect match.

[TorbjornMain]

I've been in a deep depression and your videos have helped me escape through this difficult period. Thank you

[Jasuli]

I live in Rovaniemi and take this exact train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi a few times a year (traveling for work). I couldn't help but smile when you said something about a person having to be hardcore to sleep on the economy class seats, because that's what I do every time. :D It was so fascinating to see the journey through your eyes!

[cyclingtj]

During my Army years, I was stationed in Germany in the early 90s. I did security missions on trains. There was usually a "guard car" where we lived for the duration. We had to bring everything we needed to survive for lengthy trips. Still, it was some of the best sleep I've ever had. Loved watching Europe go past my window. Except some issues with the French.

[SMJU_King_]

Does anybody always forget about the real world when their watching this? Like they feel like they actually went in a trip with him!

[ollipaukola]

As a Finn, it's interesting to see your perspective on our trains :) Glad you enjoyed!

[jerrychen]

We were there last Christmas. It was absolutely great experience from Helsinki to Rovaniemi especially if you are in the room with bed and bath. You also got a chance to see the northern light along the route. Thanks for reviewing this trip!

[trojak]

The wait outside Helsinki is usually to add cartrain, you can actually bring your car on the train.

[chrisbarnes]

We did this trip a few years back and it was awesome. They used to do a free breakfast box for all sleeper passengers. You were stopped a while outside of Helsinki because they were attaching a carriage containing cars other passengers were taking up North. We got on at a station just outside Helsinki after loading our car on to a separate carriage which was attached to the end of the train. ( Made visiting Santa and other Artic circle sights much easier as Uber doesn’t have the best coverage up there!!!)

[ReyOfLight]

I’m Swedish so taking this trip in Finland is on my list of things to do! I live alongside the railroad between Gothenburg and Stockholm so my idea is to take the express train (MTR Express or SJ X200) up to Stockholm and then take the ferry, preferably Silja Line over to Helsinki and then the sleeper train up in Finland before somehow going over to the Swedish north, rent a car in Kiruna to drive out to the Kiruna mountains and over to Narvik in Norway and maybe some more places in Norway like Senja and Tromsø that aren’t too far away, and then take the SJ sleeper train home from Kiruna or Luleå. I spent time in the far north every summer of my childhood, road tripping with car and caravan, usually about 5000-6000km in a 4-5 week period, for me to take this trip I’m planning on my mind, it would be both to see new things (haven’t really been to Finland other than passing through a part of the far north on the way to Norway) and experience new ways of traveling as I (still) haven’t taken the ferry to Finland (or spent much time on a ferry at all, only a mini cruise from Gothenburg to Newcastle and back once, and some shorter trips) and the only time I’ve been on sleeper train was in China when going to and from Beijing from a city near Shanghai. The trip would also mean visiting places I remember from my childhood and that means a lot to me. Tromsø is a really beautiful city, as is the surrounding area, Senja may well be the most beautiful island of Norway, Narvik is really nice as well as is the road from the Swedish border in Riksgränsen. And the E10 from Kiruna over to Norway just has a special place in my heart with going alongside Torne Träsk, seeing the mountains towering around you with Malmbanan on the side of the road. Then in Abisko... Take the ski lift up on the mountain and just sit there and be astounded by the view with the lake on the left, Lapporten on the right and just Swedish mountain nature when it’s at its best! When I just relax, my mind travels to that mountain in Abisko...

I’m an ambulatory wheelchair user with severe chronic pain though, so a trip like this would be very demanding, but I will do it, one day, and very likely document it as well and probably upload on YouTube if YouTube still exists by that time (there’s no knowing when I’ll take this trip and what the world looks like then)

[romeants]

Loving the train rides! May not be as luxurious and sensational as first class flying, but the scenes are beyond anything money can buy. Really makes you appreciate the terrain, nature, diversity, and culture of places around the world.

[doorswhofan]

Pretty cool how those cabins are designed: Compact and sparse, but comfortable and fully functional, with food always just down the corridor. They have similar service in Japan, as I imagine is the case in numerous other countries. Would love to go on such a journey someday.

[mattdaniels]

These train videos are so cool!!! I’d love to ride in a sleeper like that! Keep up the dope videos bro!! I’ll always be a happy subscriber!!

[sklman]

I've made this overnight journey myself, but on the Swedish side of the Baltic sea.
I'm 6'8, so I guess my experience was from quite a unique perspective. The shower certainly is an awesome feature! The shower in the SJ sleeper train was however in a separate room, looked like a mini spa with wooden details, plants, benches and piles of folded towels

[eaglewinnings]

Absolutely love this narrator. He’s unassuming and he doesn’t make the content about him but rather the travel is first.

Great channel, soothing and entertaining content.

[laurafranich]

That was a lot of fun to watch. Train looked very clean and spacious

[johnvsymons]

Hi Will. It's so great to see another train adventure. I am a plane and train enthusiast and feel like I've hit the jackpot with your channel. One of my all time favorite overnight sleeper car trips was taking the train from Oslo to Bergen in the winter. I didn't get much sleep as I couldn't stop looking out the window as the train wound its way through the mountains. It was snowing and the the scenery was incredibly beautiful. Can't wait to see more of your trip up north. Take care and have a great week. 👍🏻 💯

[bsr]

I really appreciate that you included the door card footage. These things are extremely helpful yet so often overlooked in reviews. Loving the content mate!

[karrankanna]

Good to see a combination of freezing cold and a train journey. Really excited to be there once in a lifetime.

[fantasip]

I lived in Lapland for 10 years and when it comes to biking in wintertime, using a simple bicycle to get around was the norm. The plow trucks clear everywhere around the clock. I was so used to biking around in wintertime, no special winter tires, either or mountain- or fat bikes, just a basic, simple bike. ❄🚲❄