Ferry to Sandhamn: the quick guide and the best routes
Strömma's Cinderella boat from Strandvägen takes 2 hr 30 min. All year round you can also take SL bus 433 from Slussen to Stavsnäs vinterhamn, about 50 minutes, then Waxholmsbolaget's boat for just over an hour.
Taking the ferry to Sandhamn (Sandön) is one of Stockholm's most classic archipelago trips. Depending on whether you want scenic sightseeing straight from the city centre or to reach the outer archipelago as fast as possible, there are two main ways to travel.
Which route should you choose?
| Direct boat from the city | Bus and boat via Stavsnäs | |
|---|---|---|
| Travel time | 2 hr 30 min | Approx. 50 min bus + just over 1 hr boat |
| Departs from | Strandvägen, berth 14 | Slussen |
| Operator | Strömma (the Cinderella boats) | Waxholmsbolaget |
| Season | 30 April–27 September 2026 | All year |
| SL ticket | – | Bus yes; boat only with a period ticket in low season |
- Direct boat from the city: Strömma's Cinderella boats leave from Strandvägen and take 2 hours 30 minutes. In summer, Waxholmsbolaget's boats also run from Strömkajen.
- Bus and boat via Stavsnäs: SL bus 433 from Slussen to Stavsnäs vinterhamn, about 50 minutes, then Waxholmsbolaget's boat, which according to the operator takes just over an hour. This is the route to take when the direct boats aren't running.
Direct boat to Sandhamn from central Stockholm
The Cinderella boat from Strandvägen, berth 14, takes 2 hr 30 min and costs from SEK 255 (2026). It runs from 30 April to 27 September, and SL tickets are not valid on board.
If you want to enjoy the whole archipelago without changing, the direct boat from the city is the best option. Strömma gives 2 hours 30 minutes for the trip, and it works as much as a sightseeing cruise as a way of getting out to the outer archipelago.
Two operators from the city
The Cinderella boats (Strömma): Depart from Strandvägen, berth 14, and stop at places including Nacka Strand, Vaxholm and Grinda on the way. 2026 season: 30 April–27 September. Strömma lists the stops Nacka Strand, Gåshaga, Vaxholm, Södra Grinda, Gällnö, Telegrafholmen and Eknö before Sandhamn.
Waxholmsbolaget: Runs to Sandhamn from Strömkajen in summer, with several departures a day according to the operator. In summer the North/South Line (Nord/Sydlinjen) also calls at Sandhamn. The pier on the island is called Sandhamn.
On board the Cinderella boats: Food and drink: A cafeteria on the main deck, open for the whole trip, with a hot dish of the day, sandwiches, pastries and drinks. Seating: Both indoors and outdoors on the upper deck and at the stern on the main deck. Other: Free Wi-Fi and toilets on board. M/S Cinderella II is wheelchair accessible – if a replacement boat is used, accessibility may differ. Pushchairs are left in the designated area by the entrance. The details apply to Strömma's boat according to the operator. Strömma lists three toilets on the main deck, one of them accessible, and two on the upper deck, plus a bar with wine, beer and soft drinks.
Tickets and timetables: Price: The Cinderella boats from Strandvägen to Sandhamn cost from SEK 255 according to Strömma (2026). The ticket guarantees you a place on board but not a seat, and SL tickets are not valid on the Cinderella boats. Waxholmsbolaget: In low season, 14 September–29 April, SL's 30-day, 90-day and annual tickets are valid on all Waxholmsbolaget services. Passengers with a booking board first and are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.
Via Stavsnäs vinterhamn: the fastest way to Sandhamn by bus and boat
Bus 433 takes about 50 minutes from Slussen to Stavsnäs vinterhamn, and the boat from there just over an hour. By car it is 42 km, and there are about 1,300 parking spaces at the harbour.
If you want to cut down the time at sea or keep the timetable as flexible as possible, the combination of bus and ferry via Stavsnäs vinterhamn is the best option. It is also the main route in low season and the winter half of the year.
Step by step via Stavsnäs
Step 1: SL bus 433 or 434 from Slussen to Stavsnäs (~50 min): Departs from: Slussen. Routes: Bus 433 runs to Stavsnäs vinterhamn. Bus 434 also goes that way, but only some departures stop at Stavsnäs – check the departure before you travel. Travel time: About 50 minutes.
Step 2: Boat from Stavsnäs to Sandhamn with Waxholmsbolaget (just over an hour): Waxholmsbolaget states that the boat from Stavsnäs to Sandhamn takes just over an hour. Check the departures in Waxholmsbolaget's timetable. Stavsnäs Båttaxi also runs scheduled services with the boats Tärnan and Sandhamnspilen straight from Stavsnäs vinterhamn to Sandhamn.
Driving and parking at Stavsnäs vinterhamn: The road: Follow road 222 from Stockholm – it ends at Stavsnäs vinterhamn. Värmdö Municipality gives 42 km and about 50 minutes from Slussen. Parking: About 1,300 spaces, roughly half for visitors and half rented out on an annual basis. The first three hours are free with a parking disc; after that you pay through an app.
SL ticket in low season: SL ticket: In low season, 14 September–29 April, SL's 30-day, 90-day and annual tickets are valid on all Waxholmsbolaget services. Other tickets and prices are available from Waxholmsbolaget.
Is a day trip to Sandhamn worth it?
A day trip works well, but allow plenty of travel time. Via Stavsnäs, the bus takes about 50 minutes and the boat just over an hour – each way. The direct boat from Strandvägen takes 2 hours 30 minutes each way.
Travel time one way
The times the operators, SL and Värmdö Municipality themselves give.
minutes
Approx. 50 min
Bus 433 to Stavsnäs
Just over 1 hr
Boat Stavsnäs–Sandhamn
2 hr 30 min
Direct boat from Strandvägen
- Bus 433 to Stavsnäs: Slussen–Stavsnäs vinterhamn according to SL's timetable.
- Boat Stavsnäs–Sandhamn: Waxholmsbolaget gives just over an hour.
- Direct boat from Strandvägen: Strömma, with seven stops on the way.
By car it is 42 kilometres and about 50 minutes from Slussen to Stavsnäs vinterhamn, according to Värmdö Municipality.
Day trip
A day on Sandhamn
- Trouville
- The white sand beach on the south side of Sandhamn is about a 20-minute walk from the harbour.
- Lunch
- The pub at Sandhamns Värdshus is open all year.
- Getting home
- Check the last boat before you set off – especially outside the summer season.
Where to stay
Day trip or overnight stay?
If you want to stay the night, the options include:
- Sands Hotell
- Rooms and apartments for 1–8 people, with a sauna and terraces facing the harbour entrance.
- Sandhamns Värdshus
- Bed and breakfast in the Missionshuset, the old mission house in the village.
Things to do in Sandhamn, Sweden: sights and nature
Trouville's white-sand beach is about a 20-minute walk from the harbour and the shallow beach at Fläskberget 5–10 minutes, and the Skärgårdsmuseet Australia archipelago museum was founded in 1966.
Most things on Sandhamn are within walking distance of the harbour.
Beaches, the village and the forest
Approx. 20 min walk
Trouville beach
The long white sand beach lies on the south side of Sandhamn, about a 20-minute walk from the harbour. The beach is owned and run by the Eknö homestead (Eknö hemman), and Värmdö Municipality does not test the bathing water there.
5–10 min from the harbour
Fläskberget
Destination Sandhamn says the beach is in the village, about a 5–10 minute walk from the harbour, and is child-friendly thanks to its shallow water. According to legend, the name ("Pork Hill") comes from a ship loaded with pork that ran aground off the beach.
On the way to Trouville
Skärkarlshamn
A beach with views of both the nearby islands and the open sea. Windsurfers and kitesurfers are out here in summer, according to Destination Sandhamn.
Sandön
The village and the forest
The village of Sandhamn lies on the northern part of the island, where the hotels, restaurants and shops are; the island itself is called Sandön. The whole interior of the island is pine forest with heather and moss and has no buildings, because the land is divided into narrow smallholding plots (hemmansdelar) that may not be built on. Värmdö Municipality describes a fine network of paths across the whole island, and says the village began to grow with customs officers and pilots as early as the end of the 17th century.
Founded 1966
Skärgårdsmuseet Australia
Sandhamn's own small archipelago museum stands next to the listed Tullhuset (the old customs house), beside the inn's outdoor terrace, and according to Destination Sandhamn it is open every day in summer.
Sandhamns Tennisklubb
Tennis and rentals
The tennis courts are run by Sandhamns Tennisklubb, and tennis has been played on the island since 1910. Rackets can be rented or bought at the marine fuel station next to the courts. In summer you can also rent bikes and kayaks on the island.
Food, coffee and restaurants in Sandhamn
The pub at Sandhamns Värdshus is open all year, Monday–Saturday 11:00–21:00, and the restaurant every day from mid-June to mid-September.
Restaurants and cafés on Sandhamn often have seasonal opening times. Here is what the businesses themselves state:
Dating from 1672
Sandhamns Värdshus
The pub: Open all year, Monday–Saturday 11:00–21:00. The restaurant: Open every day from mid-June to mid-September, at other times of year mainly at weekends. The outdoor terrace: Opens in spring. The inn says it dates from 1672 and serves everything from the dish of the day to à la carte and seafood platters.
Open half the year
Sandhamnsbageriet
The bakery says it is open for half the year: every day in high season, and mainly at weekends in spring and autumn.
By the harbour
Ice cream and kiosk
In the harbour next to the playground is Sandhamns Glassigaste ställe, with ice cream, drinks, salads and simple meals. By the steamboat pier is Sandhamn Kiosk, with sweets, drinks, snacks, newspapers and hot dogs, open in the summer half of the year.
Westerbergs Livs
Shopping on the island
The island's grocery shop is in the middle of the village, and according to Destination Sandhamn you can also order pharmacy items and goods from Systembolaget, the state alcohol retailer, there. Opening times vary through the year. Sommarboden by the steamboat pier is open all year, with varying hours in the winter half of the year.
Best time to take the ferry to Sandhamn: high season vs low season
The Cinderella boats run from 30 April to 27 September 2026. In the low season, 14 September–29 April, the bus and boat via Stavsnäs is the main route, and SL's 30-day, 90-day and annual tickets are valid on all Waxholmsbolaget services.
Boat services and what's open on Sandhamn differ a lot between summer and the rest of the year.
Seasons on Sandhamn 2026
Waxholmsbolaget via Stavsnäs
All year, just over an hour from Stavsnäs.
The Cinderella boats
30 April–27 September 2026 from Strandvägen.
The inn's restaurant, daily
Mid-June to mid-September; at other times mainly weekends.
The inn's pub
All year, Monday–Saturday 11:00–21:00.
Sandhamn Kiosk
The summer half of the year; see opening times on social media.
SL period ticket on Waxholmsbolaget
Low season 14 September–29 April.
Summer – Boats: The Cinderella boats run 30 April–27 September 2026 from Strandvägen. Waxholmsbolaget also runs from Strömkajen in summer. Food: The inn's restaurant is open every day from mid-June to mid-September.
Rest of the year – Boats: Travel via Stavsnäs vinterhamn with Waxholmsbolaget. In low season, 14 September–29 April, SL's period tickets are valid on all Waxholmsbolaget services. Food: The inn's pub is open all year, and the restaurant mainly at weekends.
Practical tips before your ferry to Sandhamn
If you arrive by your own boat, the KSSS guest harbours have room for more than 400 boats on Sandhamn, Lökholmen and Telegrafholmen, and Sandhamn's fuel dock sells petrol and bottled gas.
Before you board your ferry to Sandhamn, a few practical details make the whole archipelago trip much smoother.
Good to know before you go
Dogs and bikes on board
Waxholmsbolaget: Dogs travel free. An ordinary bike comes along at no extra cost if there's room. The Cinderella boats: Pets are allowed but not in the cafeteria. Bikes if there's room, for a fee paid on board – e-bikes and cargo bikes are not allowed.
Weather and packing for the outer archipelago
Out by the open sea it is windier than in the city. Bring a windproof layer, something warm for the evening, sturdy shoes and sun protection.
By your own boat
KSSS guest harbours (the Royal Swedish Yacht Club) have room for more than 400 boats on Sandhamn, Lökholmen and Telegrafholmen. Sandhamn's fuel dock sells petrol, bottled gas and supplies.
Water taxi
Sandhamn Taxi Charter and Stavsnäs Båttaxi run water taxis in the area; Stavsnäs Båttaxi says it operates around the clock, every day of the year.
Frequently asked questions about the ferry to Sandhamn
7 questions
01How long is the ferry ride from Stockholm to Sandhamn?
Via Stavsnäs: SL bus 433 from Slussen takes about 50 minutes and Waxholmsbolaget's boat just over an hour. The direct boat from Strandvägen takes 2 hours 30 minutes.
02Is the SL card valid on the ferry to Sandhamn?
On Waxholmsbolaget's boats, SL's 30-day, 90-day and annual tickets are valid on all services in low season, 14 September–29 April. SL tickets are not valid on the Cinderella boats – there you buy your ticket from Strömma.
03Where do you park at Stavsnäs vinterhamn?
Stavsnäs vinterhamn has about 1,300 parking spaces, roughly half of them for visitors. The first three hours are free with a parking disc; after that you pay through an app.
04Do boats run to Sandhamn outside the summer?
Yes, from Stavsnäs vinterhamn with Waxholmsbolaget. The Cinderella boats from Strandvägen only run in season – 30 April–27 September 2026 – and Waxholmsbolaget's departures from Strömkajen run in summer. Always check the current timetable.
05How far is it from Sandhamn harbour to Trouville?
Värmdö Municipality gives about a 20-minute walk from the harbour to Trouville on the south side of the island.
06Is there a shop and a bakery on Sandhamn?
Yes. Westerbergs Livs in the middle of the village is the island's grocery shop, and according to Destination Sandhamn you can also order pharmacy items and goods from Systembolaget there. Sandhamnsbageriet is open for half the year – every day in high season and mainly at weekends in spring and autumn.
07Where can you swim with children on Sandhamn?
Fläskberget is in the village, about a 5–10 minute walk from the harbour, and Destination Sandhamn describes it as child-friendly thanks to its shallow water. Trouville on the south side of the island is about a 20-minute walk away.
Sources
Details checked against these sources in September 2026.
The facts on this page are based on these sources. Under each one you can see which details we took from it. Opening times, prices and departures change – always check with the source before you go.
- Waxholmsbolaget: Destination Sandhamn · in Swedish"You can travel to Sandhamn by boat from Stavsnäs and the trip takes just over an hour. In summer you can also travel to Sandhamn from Strömkajen."; the pier is called Sandhamn
- Strömma: Boat to Sandhamn with the Cinderella boatsStrandvägen, 2 hr 30 min, from SEK 255
- Waxholmsbolaget: Low season 14 September–29 April – SL's 30-day, 90-day and annual tickets valid on all services · in Swedish
- SL timetable bus 433 Slussen–Djurö · in Swedishvia Stavsnäs; valid 17 August–12 December 2026
- Strömma: FAQ about the Cinderella boatsStrandvägen berth 14; 2026 season 30 April–27 September; ticket guarantees a place but not a seat; cafeteria, Wi-Fi, toilets; pets not in the cafeteria; bikes for a fee, no e-bikes or cargo bikes
- Värmdö Municipality: Stavsnäs vinterhamn · in Swedishroad 222, 42 km and approx. 50 min from Slussen; 1,300 parking spaces
- Värmdö Municipality: Parking · in SwedishStavsnäs: about half of the 1,300 spaces for visitors; 3 hours free with a parking disc, then a fee
- Värmdö Municipality: Trouville, Sandhamn · in Swedishsouth side, approx. 20 min walk from the harbour; owned by Eknö hemman; not tested by the municipality
- Sandhamns Värdshus · in Swedishpub open all year Mon–Sat 11:00–21:00; restaurant daily mid-June to mid-September, otherwise mainly weekends; rooms in the Missionshuset
- Sands Hotell · in Swedishrooms and apartments for 1–8 people; sauna, terraces facing the harbour entrance
- Waxholmsbolaget: What you can bring on the boat · in Swedishordinary bike at no extra cost if there's room; animals free
- Destination Sandhamn: About Sandhamn · in Swedishthe village on the northern part of Sandön; the interior pine forest unbuilt because of narrow smallholding plots; the Australia archipelago museum from 1966 next to Tullhuset, open daily in summer
- Destination Sandhamn: Eat · in SwedishSandhamnsbageriet open half the year – daily in high season, mainly weekends in spring and autumn; the inn dating from 1672; Glassigaste stället by the playground
- Destination Sandhamn: Things to do · in SwedishFläskberget in the village 5–10 min from the harbour, shallow and child-friendly; Skärkarlshamn with windsurfing and kitesurfing; tennis since 1910; bike and kayak rental in summer
- Destination Sandhamn: Groceries and shops · in SwedishWesterbergs Livs with pharmacy items and Systembolaget; Sommarboden open all year; Sandhamn Kiosk in the summer half of the year
- Destination Sandhamn: Services · in SwedishStavsnäs Båttaxi with Tärnan/Sandhamnspilen direct to Sandhamn; KSSS guest harbours with room for more than 400 boats; Sandhamn fuel dock
- Värmdö Municipality: Sandhamn · in Swedishthe village on the island of Sandön; a fine network of paths across the island; the village grew with customs officers and pilots from the end of the 17th century