# StockholmBoatTour.se - Stockholm boat tours: cruises, canal tours, ferries and the archipelago

> Independent guide to seeing Stockholm, Sweden, from the water: the sightseeing cruises and canal tours, the route
> under the bridges, the SL ferries and Waxholmsbolaget archipelago boats, islands such as Vaxholm, Grinda and Sandhamn,
> day trips by boat, and the boat tours sold on GetYourGuide compared honestly. Independent of every tour operator, SL, Waxholmsbolaget and GetYourGuide.

Site: https://stockholmboattour.se
Languages: Swedish (root), English (/en/), French (/fr/), German (/de/), Spanish (/es/), Italian (/it/). Country: Sweden.
The site prints no prices by design; check the live price on each listing.

## Verified facts (checked 2 October 2026; SL, Waxholmsbolaget, Strömma, Ports of Stockholm, Visit Stockholm, Region Stockholm, Transportstyrelsen, SMHI)

- Stockholm is built on 14 islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic; Mälaren lies about 70 cm above the sea in the city.
- The Karl Johan lock at Slussen has been closed since 2015 (new lock due to open to boats in 2027), so Hammarby lock is the city's lock between the Baltic and Mälaren. Strömma's City Highlights tour (the former 'Under the Bridges of Stockholm') takes 2 h 15 min, passes under 12 bridges and through one lock.
- SL boat lines 80 (Nybroplan - Ropsten), 82 (Djurgården ferry: Slussen - Skeppsholmen - Djurgården), 84 (Strömkajen - Ålstäket) and 89 (Klara Mälarstrand - Ekerö) take the regular SL ticket.
- Since 30 April 2025 any SL ticket is valid all year on Waxholmsbolaget boats between Strömkajen and the Vaxholm area; further out a Waxholmsbolaget ticket is needed. From 14 September to 29 April, SL tickets valid 30 days or longer cover every Waxholmsbolaget line.
- Waxholmsbolaget tickets are sold in the SL app (its own app closed in April 2025) or by tapping a bank card on board; the boats are cashless.
- Travel times from the centre by boat: Fjäderholmarna 20 to 30 min (summer), Vaxholm about 1 h, Grinda about 1.5 h, Sandhamn about 2.5 h; Drottningholm about 1 h from Klara Mälarstrand; Birka about 2 h.
- The Stockholm archipelago has tens of thousands of islands (often quoted as about 30,000) and reaches about 60 km east of the city.
- Drottningholm Palace, home of the Swedish royal family, became Sweden's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991; Birka and Hovgården were listed in 1993.
- Vaxholm Fortress was founded by Gustav Vasa in 1548. The Djurgården canal was completed in 1834.
- Boat licences: none is needed for a recreational boat under 12 m by 4 m; jet ski drivers need a certificate (minimum age 15).
- Ferries: Viking Line and Tallink Silja sail overnight to Helsinki (via Mariehamn) and to Turku; Tallink to Tallinn (about 16 h). There is no direct ferry to Copenhagen.

## Bookable tours listed on this site

Ratings are GetYourGuide figures at the last build.

- Live Guided Archipelago Cruise (Gustav III statue, Skeppsbron, by the Royal Palace) - 2 hours, rated 4.5 from 6,226 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-archipelago-boat-tour-t811343/
- City Highlights Under the Bridges (Strömkajen, opposite the Royal Palace) - 2 h 15 min, rated 4.2 from 3,010 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-highlights-boat-tour-t63533/
- RIB Speed Boat Tour of the Archipelago (Strandvägen, berth 19) - 2 hours, rated 4.9 from 504 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-rib-speed-boat-tour-of-the-archipelago-t418650/
- Archipelago Cruise on a Classic Ship (Strandvägen, berths 14 to 16) - 1.5 to 3 hours, rated 4.3 from 11,973 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-archipelago-sightseeing-tour-t33191/
- Historic Ship Cruise with Swedish Fika (Skeppsbron 101, by the Royal Palace) - 2 hours, rated 4.6 from 1,826 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-guided-archipelago-boat-tour-to-fjaderholmarna-t719216/
- Classic Wooden Boat Archipelago Tour (Skeppsbron 2, Gamla Stan) - 1 h 45 min, rated 4.7 from 851 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-guided-archipelago-tour-by-classic-wooden-boat-t1030725/
- Open Electric Boat City Tour (Skeppsbron 2, Gamla Stan) - 50 minutes, rated 4.8 from 728 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-city-sightseeing-open-electric-boat-tour-wguide-t425069/
- Land and Water Amphibious Bus Tour (Strömgatan 3, by the Opera) - 1 hour, rated 4.7 from 6,245 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-by-land-and-water-on-the-amphibious-bus-tour-t191642/
- Vaxholm Day Trip with a Local Guide (Nationalmuseum, Blasieholmen) - 7 hours, rated 4.7 from 49 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/vaxholm-stockholm-archipelago-guided-excursion-day-trip-t635141/
- RIB Ride and Two Hours on Grinda (Strandvägen, berth 19) - 4.5 hours, rated 5.0 from 42 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/varmdo-municipality-l400/stockholm-rib-speed-boat-tour-archipelago-island-visit-t604814/
- Birka Viking Town Boat Trip (Klara Mälarstrand, by City Hall) - 7 hours, rated 4.3 from 274 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/viking-island-tour-hovgarden-birka-from-stockholm-t33869/
- Evening City Cruise with Fresh Pizza (Gustav III statue, Skeppsbron) - 2 hours, rated 4.4 from 784 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-city-cruise-with-fresh-pizza-t696931/
- City Centre Canal Cruise (Gustav III statue, Skeppsbron) - 1 hour, rated 4.1 from 1,272 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-the-royal-bridges-canal-boat-tour-t61240/
- Royal Djurgården Canal Boat Tour (Strömkajen, opposite the Royal Palace) - 50 minutes, rated 4.1 from 704 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-royal-djurgarden-boat-tour-t32549/
- Archipelago Cruise with Lunch (Strandvägen, berth 15) - 2.5 hours, rated 4.5 from 311 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-archipelago-cruise-with-lunch-guided-t1158822/
- Drottningholm Lunch Cruise (Klara Mälarstrand, by City Hall) - 2 hours, rated 4.5 from 47 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-drottningholm-lunch-cruise-round-trip-t1242990/
- Archipelago Winter Boat Tour (Strömkajen, opposite the Royal Palace) - 1 h 15 min, rated 4.5 from 1,476 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-winter-boat-tour-with-guide-t33338/
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus or Boat (Stops across the centre) - 24 hours, rated 3.9 from 4,433 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-hop-on-hop-off-bus-or-boat-option-t53941/
- Archipelago Kayak Tour with a Picnic (Skärgårdens Kanotcenter, near Vaxholm) - 4 to 8 hours, rated 4.9 from 287 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/stockholm-l50/stockholm-archipelago-kayak-tour-and-picnic-on-the-island-t332691/

## Guide pages on this site

- https://stockholmboattour.se/guider/batturer/ - The best boat tour in Stockholm for you: archipelago cruises, RIBs, the bridge tour and the trips that land on an island, compared honestly.
- https://stockholmboattour.se/guider/kanaltur/ - Stockholm canal tours explained: the Under the Bridges route through Hammarby lock, the Royal Canal loops, short tours and paddling yourself.
- https://stockholmboattour.se/guider/farjor/ - Ferries in Stockholm: which boats the SL ticket covers, the Djurgården ferry, Waxholmsbolaget to Vaxholm and the islands, and how to buy tickets.
- https://stockholmboattour.se/guider/skargarden/ - A day in the Stockholm archipelago: Vaxholm, Grinda, Sandhamn and more compared, public boats on an SL ticket, and the tours that land.
- https://stockholmboattour.se/guider/dagsturer/ - Day trips from Stockholm by boat: Drottningholm Palace, Birka, Vaxholm and Grinda, plus the overnight ferries to Helsinki, Tallinn and Åland.
- https://stockholmboattour.se/guider/stockholm-pa-tre-dagar/ - Three days in Stockholm: Gamla Stan, Djurgården's museums and the archipelago, with a boat every day, a fourth day and honest tips on the seasons.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- The two-hour 'archipelago cruises' from the city sail past Fjäderholmarna and the inner islands and do not land; to walk on an island take a Waxholmsbolaget boat, or a tour that lands (Vaxholm day trip, RIB with a Grinda stop).
- The Under the Bridges / City Highlights tour goes through ONE lock (Hammarby lock), not two; the Slussen lock is closed until 2027.
- Waxholmsbolaget no longer has its own ticket app (closed April 2025) and takes no cash.
- Sweden has no general boat licence for small recreational boats in 2026.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage. Boat timetables change by season; verify with SL, Waxholmsbolaget or the operator close to your date.