Going to Lapland by train: she visited Santa Claus

Written by Lisa Abitbol

Published on December 22, 2024

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“Santa Claus exists": Lapland by train

In this special Christmas episode, we welcome Alix, 26, who tells us about her incredible train journey to Lapland to meet Santa Claus! On the program: dog sledding, magical landscapes, crossing the Baltic Sea and immersion in the magical world of Santa's village.

“We went to Santa's village. There were reindeer, wolves, bonfires, and we got to say hello to Santa... Dog sledding on frozen lakes with the sun rising in the distance was exceptional.”

“It's like living in a dream with these snowy forests and pink and yellow lights bathing the horizon.”

Episode program: Santa Claus, snowy forests and sled dogs

• Preparing for the trip: Alix's tips for organizing an Interrail itinerary and hunting for the best deals.
• Must-see stops: from Berlin to Helsinki, via Warsaw and Tallinn.
• The unique experience of Arctic trains: the Santa Claus Train, a mythical journey through snow-covered forests.
• The highlight of the trip: arrival in Rovaniemi, Santa's village, and snowy activities like sledding and dog sledding.
• And other great things we let you discover right here 👇

“The Santa Claus Train is truly mythical. You fall asleep in Helsinki, and wake up in the forest in Lapland, it's incredible.”

“The most pleasant journey for me was when I was all alone from Copenhagen to Helsinki: the train crosses the sea several times, it's really like “Voyage de Chihiro” with the morning sun. It's very beautiful.”

“The sauna at 90 degrees and the air at -25, it's an incredible contrast. It releases so much energy and you feel so relaxed afterwards.”

Paris-Rovaniemi (Arctic Circle): Alix's detailed itinerary

Here's Alix's complete itinerary, a loop by train between France and the Arctic Circle to Santa's village via 7 countries (Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark), for a total budget of €230 (with a 10-day Interrail pass) :

One way:

• Paris-Berlin (Germany) by night train (€30 - 12h)
• Berlin-Warsaw (Poland) via 3 trains (free Interrail pass and TER - 10h)
• Warsaw-Vilnius (Lithuania) by night bus (€20 - 8h)
• Vilnius-Tallinn (Estonia) by night bus (€20 - 8h)
• Tallinn-Helsinki (Finland) by ferry (29 € - 2h)
• Helsinki-Rovaniemi (Finland), by night train (€7 - 11h)

Return journey :

• Rovaniemi-Helsinki (Finland) by night train (€7 - 1pm)
• Helsinki-Stockholm (Sweden) by ferry (€39 - 18h)
• Stockholm-Copenhagen (Denmark) by night train (€9 - 9h)
• Copenhagen-Hamburg (Germany) by train (free Interrail and TER pass - 4h)
• Hamburg-Dresden (Germany) by train (free Interrail and TER pass - 4h)
• Dresden-Munich (Germany) by train (free Interrail and TER pass - 2x2h)
• Munich-Saint-Malo (France) via 3 trains (€47 - 12h)

Paris-Rovaniemi loop by train !

If you want to organize the same trip as Alix, you'll find her complete itinerary (with booking links) here:

And to inspire you, other train itineraries in the Far North:

Travelling to the enchanting landscapes of Lapland sounds like a dream that's hard to achieve without taking a plane. And yet, as Alix proves, the journey is as exceptional as the destination! With the possibility of ending on a high note with a visit to Santa Claus, and why not catch a glimpse of the Northen Lights?

To make sure you don't miss a single episode and get all the inspiration you need from our guests, don't hesitate to suscribe to the podcast on your favorite listening platforms. Thanks to our partner SNCF Connect, the benchmark application for train travel and sustainable mobility, which accompanies over 15 million users on their journeys in France and Europe.