Admitted? Here is your guide on how to get to Linköping!

Congratulations if you recently got admitted to LiU! Now you probably have lots of things on your mind and stuff waiting to be organised. One of these things is how do you actually get to Linköping? This is the problem I want to solve for you in this post. Whether you come from another continent or just a neighbouring country, I’ll tell you all the options there are.

First off I recommend you arriving early to Linköping. In my experience it is really useful to have at least a week or two to get settled before classes start. You’ll have many things waiting to be organised and this is also the best time to find new friends through all the events that are going on for new students.

Arriving by plane

If you come by plane the easiest option is flying to Linköping City Airport (LPI). This airport is located very conveniently close to the city. On the arrival days of the university, there is a shuttle that will pick you up from the airport and get you to your accommodation. The problem with this airport is that the flights are very limited. Usually there are only 2-3 flights a day and they all go to the same airport: Amsterdam Schiphol. This can make these flights very expensive, especially in the summer, when everybody wants to arrive on the same dates.

Alternative options are Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) and Copenhagen Airport (CPH). These airports are very well connected and offer you many more options for direct flights than the airport in Linköping. Usually it is cheaper to fly here and then take a train to Linköping as it is just a 2-3 hour train ride to Linköping from these airports. The trains can be booked through the website sj.se/en

Arriving by train

Trains can be a good alternative for those travelling from Europe. Every day there is a night train that leaves Berlin & Hamburg in the evening and reaches Linköping the next morning. This can be a very convenient way of travelling if you leave in Europe as Hamburg and Berlin are well connected by trains to other regions. An advantage of this option often can be the price. If you book ahead you can get very good prices. I’ve seen the night train going for as little as 300SEK (about 30€) if you are lucky. Also keep in mind that this is the most environmentally friendly option of travelling and you’re doing the earth a favour this way!

On the arrival days, there is a shuttle that will pick you up from the train station in Linköping and drive you to your accommodation and to the university (to take care of administrative affairs and to register). A very convenient service, especially considering you’ll have a lot of luggage!

Other options

There are alternatives to the plane and train if those don’t fit your needs. Some students choose to take their own car and drive up to Linköping. This is of course very convenient and it can be useful to have a car in Linköping, but take in mind that there will be significant costs waiting for you. On the way through Denmark to Sweden you have to pass several bridges with very high fees. The Öresund Bridge & Tunnel connecting Sweden and Denmark can cost more than 60€ alone! Also there is no free parking in Linköping, you’ll have to purchase monthly parking passes to leave your car here.

Another possibility is the bus. Companies like FlixBus offer many connections from Europe to Linköping. There are direct busses from northern Germany and from all over Scandinavia. This is probably the cheapest option if you leave in central Europe, but keep in mind that a long bus trip really isn’t very comfortable! On a tight student budget it might be worth considering though.

If you feel fancy and live near the coast in Europe you could also consider taking the ferry to Sweden. There are ferry connections to different ports in Sweden from many countries like Finland, Estonia, Poland and Germany. Getting to Linköping from these ports is usually straightforward with a simple train ride. This can be a very unique and stylish way to get to your new home!