SJ - Martijn.be

A new country, a new city, and a newfound appreciation for beer! First impressions of Sweden were great, and as expected, the hashers in Stockholm very welcoming.

A hot shower to start the day in sunny Sweden. Well, it was sunny for about five minutes after I opened the window blinds of my compartment… It was just enough though to enjoy my boxed breakfast in the sun. In the end, the train was even fifteen minutes ahead on schedule, allowing me some extra time—and snacks—in the SJ Lounge at Göteborg Central. Any other week I would not have needed to stop at Göteborg, but track works—announced well in advance—necessitated a transfer there.

Showering on my SJ EuroNight… and it was hot!

After queuing for a bit to get on the SJ X 2000, I found my extremely roomy seat and I was on my way to Stockholm, the original destination of my sleeper. Within minutes a train attendant came to confirm my lunch order, and then later served at my seat at the requested time.

After arrival, and a short metro ride, I was able to check-in to my hotel: Citybox Stockholm. No people involved, I was able to sort it out with just the consoles.

Then it was time for my first proper coffee since Monday, at Drop Coffee, with some pastry from Svedjan Bageri.

But then it was time for a big moment: my first alcoholic beer in a month! In case you missed it: after my birthday brewery crawl, I gave alcohol a rest for a month, so my first proper beer was in Stockholm, in Akkurat, to be accurate. And boy, did it taste good!

I also had some homemade köttbullar there, served with cream sauce, pickled cucumber, lingonberries & mashed potatoes.

My first alcoholic beer in a month, at Akkurat

But a new city usually also means a new hash, so I went back to the hotel to change, and was off to Fruängen—with the underground—for Stockholm Underground H3 #1656 – The Hot Dog Run. A sudden downpour just before the run was about to start, meant not all markings were as legible as intended… We found the drink stop, though!

Big turnout at the Stockholm Underground H3 #1656 – The Hot Dog Run

After circle I headed back to the centre, for the Fjäderholmarnas Bryggeri tap takeover at The Mad Hatter.

To finish the night, I went to Omnipollos Hatt, for some IPAs, and of course a slushie…

All packed again, and back on the rails, all the way up North to Scandinavia this time! To get there would take me two Deutsche Bahn ICEs—what could possibly go wrong?—and for the very first time an SJ EuroNight sleeper train.

As often before, the ICE 15 from Brussels-Midi to Köln Hbf was already waiting at the platform by the time I arrived in the station. While the DB app warned me about border checks, in the end there weren’t any, or at least not in my carriage.

My ICE for Köln already waiting at the platform in Brussels-Midi

Nevertheless, we still arrived in Köln ten minutes late. However, my connection left twenty minutes late, so I had plenty of time to take a seat at the Heberer bakery in the station for my classic Schnitzelbrötchen lunch with an Apfelschorle.

Köln Hbf! With the Dom towering in the background.

The second ICE couldn’t quite make up for the lost time, so I arrived in Hamburg Hbf behind schedule. Luckily I had the foresight to leave plenty of time before my sleeper train departure, so after dropping off my bag at a Nannybag location—the station lockers would be closed by the time I’d come back—I had time for dinner at Im Sprinkenhof: a Hamburger Schnitzel mit Bratkartoffeln, one local specialty I hadn’t had yet.

Then it was about time to retrieve my bag and head back to the station, for the SJ EuroNight 344 to Göteborg. That’s actually not my final destination for this leg of the trip, but more about that tomorrow. Meanwhile, time to enjoy my private, first class sleeping compartment, read a bit, and go to bed, to hopefully wake up in Sweden… Goodnight!

Tag: SJ

Sunny Sweden, Rained Out Run

Heading North!