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Voykit pocket guide · Sweden
Kiruna
Giron
Go for 3 nights as a winter aurora and mine base, or 2 nights in summer for midnight sun; skip it as a stopover if you only have one night.
Kiruna is Sweden's northernmost city, 145 km north of the Arctic Circle, built around an iron mine that is slowly swallowing the old town. The centre is being rebuilt 3 km east, so addresses and landmarks move. Come for auroras and dog sledding in winter, midnight sun and hiking in summer, and the underground mine tour any time of year. Three nights covers the essentials without rushing.
- Country
- Sweden
- Local name
- Giron
- Best months
- Feb–Mar (auroras, snow), Jun–Aug (midnight sun, hiking)
- Avoid
- Nov–Jan (polar night, very cold, limited daylight)
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- SEK
- Money
- Currency is the Swedish krona (SEK, kr); the euro is not used. About 11 SEK to €1 — check.
- Daily spend
- Budget kr 700–1,200 excl. bed · Mid kr 1,200–2,000 excl. bed · High kr 2,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU roaming applies for EU/EEA SIMs.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Police non-emergency 114 14 · Health advice 1177
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Included; add 5–10% on the card terminal for good service.; Café and bar: Nothing expected.; Taxi: Round up.; Guides: Optional.
- Water
- Tap water is excellent; ask for 'kranvatten', often free.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are clean but often card-paid (SEK 5–10); cafés reserve them for customers.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | kr 30–50 |
| Reindeer kebab or sandwich | kr 80–150 |
| Restaurant main course | kr 150–300 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at Systembolaget | kr 70–100 / kr 20–35 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | kr 150–250 |
| Local bus ride | kr 30–50 (check) |
| LKAB mine tour | kr 410 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | kr 200–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KRN · Kiruna Airport
- About 8 km from the centre; airport bus meets all arrivals, or book a taxi in advance.About 5 mi from the centre; airport bus meets all arrivals, or book a taxi in advance.
Typical fares
- Airport bus to centre
- about kr 100, 15 min (check)
- Taxi airport to centre
- kr 250–350 (check)
- Train Kiruna to Abisko
- about kr 150–250, 1 h 30 min (check)
Get around
The centre is small and walkable, but dress for the season even for short walks. Local buses (Länstrafiken Norrbotten) serve the airport, Luossavaara and outer districts. Taxis should be booked ahead, especially at night. The train station is several km from the centre with a free shuttle timed to departures.
See and do
Known for
- LKAB iron mine and underground tour
- Northern lights (aurora borealis)
- Midnight sun and polar night
- Kiruna Church
- Sámi culture and reindeer herding
- Icehotel in nearby Jukkasjärvi
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Jukkasjärvi and Icehotel | Bus 501 or car, about 20 min east | About 30–40 min |
| Abisko and Björkliden | Train toward Narvik, about 1 h 30 min | About 2 h |
| Riksgränsen | Train toward Narvik, about 2 h 30 min | About 3 h |
| Karesuando | Car or bus via the E10 and Finnish border roads, about 3 h | About 3.5 h |
Sleep
- New town centre (around Lars Janssonsgatan)
- Hotels, tourist office, restaurants and the bus station; walkable to most sights.
- Camp Ripan / camping area
- Cabins and caravan pitches about 1.5 km east of the centre; good for aurora viewing away from lights.Cabins and caravan pitches about 0.9 mi east of the centre; good for aurora viewing away from lights.
- Jukkasjärvi
- 15 km east; base for the Icehotel and a quieter stay.9.3 mi east; base for the Icehotel and a quieter stay.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hejhey |
| Thank you | Tacktack |
| Excuse me | Ursäktaur-shek-ta |
| How much is it? | Hur mycket kostar det?hoor myk-eh kos-tar deh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan jag betala med kort?kan yag beh-ta-la med kort |
| Where is the toilet? | Var är toaletten?var air too-ah-let-en |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake with eye contact; first names; avoid: Kissing on the cheek with new acquaintances
- Fika: Accept the invitation; it is how people connect at work; avoid: Treating it as a quick takeaway
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring flowers or chocolates; avoid: Arriving early — or late
- Conversation: Keep calm, modest and factual; lagom; avoid: Boasting, raised voices, pushing opinions
- Queues: Take a number (nummerlapp); avoid: Jumping the queue
- Public transport: Let people off first, keep quiet, give seats to elderly; avoid: Loud phone calls
Scams and watch-outs
- The old town centre is being demolished and rebuilt 3 km east; check current addresses before you book.
- Winter temperatures can drop below −30 °C; frostbite is a real risk without proper layers.
- Some roads are occasionally blocked for building relocation.
- Alcohol is not sold in supermarkets after 20:00 on weekdays and 15:00 on Saturdays; Systembolaget is the only option for stronger drinks.
- Reindeer and moose on the roads make winter driving hazardous.
Kiruna is a safe small city with low crime. The real risks are extreme cold, ice on pavements, wildlife on roads and alcohol-related trouble late on weekends.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kiruna yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- LKAB iron mine and underground tour
- Northern lights (aurora borealis)
- Midnight sun and polar night
- Kiruna Church
- Sámi culture and reindeer herding
- Icehotel in nearby Jukkasjärvi
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kiruna in Swedish Lapland (official tourism): www.kirunalapland.se/en/
- Kiruna Municipality: kiruna.se/
- LKAB Visitor Centre: www.kirunalapland.se/en/see-do/guided-tours-to-lkabs-visitor-centre/
- Länstrafiken Norrbotten (local buses): www.ltnbd.se/
- Vy (night trains): www.vy.se/
- Wikivoyage: Kiruna, revision 5313202 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5313202
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
KirunaGiron
Till den här adressen, tack
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most countries: embassies in Stockholm. The US and UK have no consulate in Kiruna; check Stockholm for consular help.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kiruna). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.