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Events & seasonsStudents and alumni

Valborg in Uppsala: Arriving for 30 April

Updated 3 min read

Uppsala's Valborg, on 30 April, is one of the biggest single-day gatherings the city sees all year — white student caps, the rafting down the Fyris river, and a wave of alumni returning for the day alongside the current student body. If you're flying in for it, whether as a current student, a graduate coming back, or a visitor who's heard about the tradition, the scale of the crowd is the thing that changes how you should plan the arrival.

This guide is about the logistics around the day itself: when to land, how to get from Arlanda to Uppsala when trains are at their busiest of the year, and where to be dropped so you're not fighting through closed streets with a suitcase.

Why the day itself is the wrong day to travel light on planning

Uppsala is a university city with a resident population that swells noticeably on Valborg, as alumni return from across Sweden and abroad. Trains between Arlanda and Uppsala, already a well-used route on an ordinary day, get considerably fuller around the 30th, and Uppsala's central streets close to traffic for parts of the day as the crowds move between the castle, the river and the main squares.

None of that is a reason to avoid the trip — it's the reason to book the Arlanda-to-Uppsala leg in advance rather than assuming you'll sort it out on arrival with a suitcase and a crowd around you.

Arriving the day before

Landing on the 29th rather than the 30th is the simplest way to sidestep the worst of it. You get into Uppsala the evening before, check into wherever you're staying without competing for space on the busiest trains of the year, and wake up on Valborg itself already in the city rather than racing to get there.

If your flight schedule only allows arriving on the day, that's manageable too — just build in more time than you would on an ordinary day, and don't plan a tight connection straight into the middle of the afternoon's events.

Drop points that avoid the worst of the crowd

Central Uppsala on Valborg afternoon is not where you want to be dropped with luggage — the streets around the castle and the river fill early. If you're staying centrally, ask to be dropped somewhere you can walk the last stretch rather than trying to reach a hotel entrance a car physically can't get close to once the crowds are out.

Because your pickup at Arlanda follows your flight's actual landing time rather than a fixed schedule, there's no risk of a delay throwing off a booking made well in advance — useful on a day when you'd rather not be thinking about logistics at all.

What every Förare booking includes

The fixed price you see before booking is the price on your receipt — 6% VAT included, whole car, not per person.

  • Flight tracked — pickup follows your live arrival
  • 45 minutes free waiting, from your driver's confirmed arrival
  • No terminal fee
  • No surge pricing, ever
  • Free cancellation up to 12 hours

Questions people ask before booking

How different is Valborg in Uppsala from Stockholm's?

Uppsala's is the larger, more traditional student event — white caps, rafting on the Fyris, alumni returning in numbers. Stockholm's Valborg is bonfires and singing spread across the city, notably at Skansen, and is a separate, smaller-scale evening.

Should I fly in on 30 April itself or the day before?

Arriving on the 29th is the more relaxed option — you avoid the fullest trains of the year and are already in Uppsala when the day starts. Same-day arrival works too, just allow more time than usual.

Are trains from Arlanda to Uppsala full on Valborg?

They get considerably busier than an ordinary day, as students and alumni move through Uppsala. That's the main reason to book your Arlanda transfer ahead rather than plan around public transport on the day itself.

Will the price change because it's a busy day?

No — there's no surge pricing here. The price for your route is fixed and shown before you book, whatever the date.

Where should I ask to be dropped in Uppsala on the day?

If you're staying centrally, expect to walk the final stretch once streets close around the castle and river. Tell us your address when you book and we'll get you as close as the day's road closures allow.

Book your Arlanda pickup

Enter the address and you will see the price for the whole car before anything is paid. No account needed.

  • One fixed price for the whole car, 6% VAT included, shown before you pay.
  • We follow the live arrival and move the pickup to the actual landing time.
  • Cancel free of charge more than 12 hours before pickup, refunded in full.
See your fixed priceSee the price list

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