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August 12, 2019Stockholm Arlanda Airport – Spotting Guide
- last modified on September 25, 2026
Stockholm Arlanda (ARN/ESSA) represents the biggest airport in Sweden and was founded in 1960 in order to relieve the modest airport in Stockholm-Bromma. The airport, consisting of 4 terminals, is situated 40km north of the city center in the vicinity of Märsta. According to Swedavia, more then 24 million passengers were handled in 2025.
Next to the main flight operators such as SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian, many other common European carriers can be seen at Arlanda. Also non-European airlines like Thai Airways, Air India, China Eastern Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines frequently fly towards Stockholm. As anywhere in Sweden, there are still daily Fokker 50 movements (f.g. Amapola Flyg), which make the airport worth a visit, too.
You can easily reach the airport by public transport: The most comfortable option is the so-called Arlanda Express which takes approximately 20 minutes to downtown Stockholm. However, I personally recommend to use the regional train to Märsta and then continue by bus since it is significantly cheaper. Due to the soil conditions and courses, the usage of bicycles is not recommended at all.
Altogehter, Stockholm Arlanda has several splendid spotting locations by reason of its size and three runways. Unfortunately the Swedish weather is not always well, regardless whether in the winter or summer season and many places are relatively difficult to access.
Radio scanners are allowed in Sweden. Stockholm Control on 126.650 is good to listen to approaching traffic and if they are starting to land on another runway. And ATIS 119.0
Written by Julian Ahlbrand, Henrik Nilsson, Felix Gullin and Jan Seba. Last change: June 2026 – Spot 4 and 11
| Rating | |
| Movements |  |
| Airline Variety | |
| Photo Locations |  |
| Weather |  |
| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 01R/19L | 2.500m (8.202ft) |
| 01L/19R | 3.301m (10.830ft) |
| 08/26 | 2.500m (8.202ft) |
| Terminals | |
| 2 (international) | Mainly Sky Team, Oneworld and partially Star Alliance |
| 3 (domestic regional) | Air Leap, AIS, Amapola, LOT (domestic), Nyxair |
| 4 (domestic) | SAS and Norwegian |
| 5 (international) | SAS and mainly Star Alliance as well as majority of intl. carriers and those using heavy aircraft |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Usually you are always standing on a mound which are on a higher level than the fence. Furthermore do not stay directly at the fence and keep a distance of at least 3 meters.. Sometimes though a minor elevation can be helpful, for example at spots 11 & 14. |
| Car/Public Transport | Very helpful for position change. For runway 01R/19L and 26, buses are available (spots 1-6). See description below. Nevertheless, you have to walk to some of the spotting, especially for 19L as car parking positions are very far! In general ARN is also prone to switch runways, so a car is recommended. |
| Restrooms | Available in the terminal building only (and surrounding hotels spots 1-6) and of course themany trees and bushes. |
| Drinks/Food | Available in the terminal building only (and surrounding hotels spots 1-6). All other spots are very far from civilization and absolutely nothing is nearby except trees, bushes and stones. |
| Hotels | The Radisson Blue Hotel offers great view of runway 01R/19L and the Good Morning Arlanda is a good opportunity to discover the nearby locations, even on foot. Otherwise there are several hotels and other accommodations in the surrounding areas, which are possible if you have a car. |
| Season | Summer is recommend due to light and temperatures. As ARN lies so northerly the days are very long and you can start spotting as early as 5 AM and finish after 10 PM. It also means that the sun does not rise so high during the noontime. In winter the sun is out for just a few hours, so it limits spotting opportunity significantly. |
| Runway Usage | |
| General Information | In general the runway configuration in Arlanda is hard to predict. Most of the time there are two runways active, one for departures and the other one for landings, meaning one is normally inactive. The systems seems to alternative between the runway a bit and also strongly depends on the wind. For example only in case of strong northern or southern winds the 01/19 runways are both in use leaving 08/26 inactive. Always check the radar app before you are going out and possibly have a look into NOTAMs once in a while in case a runway is not open at the time. |
| 08/26 | This is mostly the preferred Runway and it is usually always in use for either landing (26) or departure (08) if the wind conditions permit. |
| 01R/19L | Used in both directions. Is more often used for landings, not so often seen used for departures due to the longer taxi times. |
| 01L/19R | Used in both directions, seems to be used both equally for landings and departures. |
Mound/Farm Road - Arrival RWY 26
| WHERE | From the terminals drive with your car on highway 273 direction Almunge/Norrtälje and take the entry direct next to the obvious lake called Halmsjön and the viewing platform (spot 4) to your left. Pass the helicopter station and military buildings. Now you can either turn left and stay directly next to the new military buildings on a small mound (parking is available). Or you continue for 200 meters and turn right into a farm road and stay there with your car.
By public transport: Take the parking shuttle bus and leave at the bus station Arlanda Lindskrog parking lot. Then you have to walk on the street next to the lake towards the helicopter station and spot 2. |
| WHAT | Only recommended for arrivals on runway 26. |
| TIME | Light between late morning until late afternoon in the summer months and between sunrise until sunset in winter. |
| MISC. | Restrooms or stores are not available officially. Possibly at the Cable Park on the adjacent lake which has an own cafeteria. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Not known |
Samples will follown soon!
View from the small mound 1A
View from the farm road 1B
Patria Helicopters - Arrival 26, Departures 08
| WHERE | From the terminals drive with your car on highway 273 direction Almunge/Norrtälje and take the entry direct next to the obvious lake called Halmsjön and the viewing platform (spot 4). In about one kilometre, you will find a helicopter station on the left side. The name of the street is Helikoptervägen 1 – a beneficial point for orientation. Park your car close to the station. From there walk up the small hill next to Patria Helicopters and turn right, and then follow the airport fence for about 200-300 meters until you reach the runway. Once there turn left and walk for about 50 meters and you will see a small mound which enables you to see over the fence.
By public transport: Take bus 806 from the airport and leave at the bus station Arlanda Lindskrog. Then you have to walk here: first towards spotting point #3 (viewing Platform) and then you can take the gravel road (called “Badvägen“) at the foot of the Viewing platform hill all the way past the approach lights of RWY19L, the displayed Caravelle of SAS, Swedavia MD-80 (and another Maddog) on the apron and some small wooden houses (there are 2-3 abandonend wooden houses with broke windows, leave them on the left) and go straight up to the top of the hill. |
| WHAT | On this spotting location you have a fabulous view of the most used runway due to the elevated position. In case of 08 operation, you will be capable to spot airplanes while departure and in rare cases even arrivals. If runway 26 is active, you directly see incoming planes. |
| TIME | Light between late morning until late afternoon in the summer months and between sunrise until sunset in winter. |
| MISC. | Restrooms or stores are not available officially. Possibly at the Cable Park on the adjacent lake which has an own cafeteria. Do not stay directly at the fence and keep a distance of at least 3 meters. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 80mm up to 250mm while departures Arrival: A333=80mm; 738=135mm |
Viewing Platform - 19L arrivals, taxiway
| WHERE | This is one of the two official spotting places which offers, apart from the perfect sight, signs portrayed by images and information about Arlanda. From the terminals drive with your car on highway 273 direction Almunge/Norrtälje and after you have passed the tunnel turn left into the street named Navigatörsvägen. You can park your car on the hill at a free parking lot which is to the right.
By public transport: Take bus 806 from the airport and leave at the bus station Arlanda Styrmansvägen. You will see the spot quickly. |
| WHAT | Due to the position on a hill, you can admire the grand airport of Stockholm with an overview of runway 19L/01R as well as taxiway whiskey and photograph departing (01R), arriving (19L) and taxiing aircrafts. |
| TIME | It depends on the operation and season. 19L arrivals from the afternoon hours. |
| MISC. | Restrooms or stores are not nearby. However, there is an indoor picnic table. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | It absolutely depends on the angle and operation. For 19L landings you can also vary your position and get closer or further away depending on your preference. |
Lake - 19L arrivals
| WHERE | This is one of the two official spotting places which offers, apart from the perfect sight, signs portrayed by images and information about Arlanda. From the terminals drive with your car on highway 273 direction Almunge/Norrtälje and take the entry direct next to the obvious lake called Halmsjön. You can park your car for free in the parking lot.
Update June 2026: the “Cable Park” does not longer exist. However still visible on Google Satellite View, all the buildings have been demolished. Now you can take the path from the carpark down to the lakeside and spot the 19L arrivals from there. The spotting hill is still there, but we can’t recommend it because the trees block the view. By public transport: Take bus 806 from the airport and leave at the bus station Arlanda Lindskrog. You will see the spot on the opposite side of the road. |
| WHAT | Only recommend for 19L arrivals. |
| TIME | From early morning until noon. |
| MISC. | No amenities available at this place. Do not stay directly at the fence and keep a distance of at least 3 meters. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70-300 mm |
Lindskrog Parking - all movements 19L/01R
| WHERE | This spot is just next the the previous one but totally different as you have more opportunities. From the terminals drive with your car on highway 273 direction Almunge/Norrtälje and after you have passed the 19L approach lights turn right to the Lindskrog Parking. Instead of using this airport parking turn right to park your car on the empty area. From here walk to the fence and find your prefered position.
By public transport: Take bus 806 from the airport and leave at the bus station Arlanda Lindskrog. |
| WHAT | At the beginning of the location you can perfectly photograph 19L arrivals and departures. If you walk further down along the perimeter fence 01R departures are available as well as some arrivals vacating at one of the last two exits. You can select your preferred spot based on your preference and usually you should find many spots where you can shoot over the fence by standing on some stones or other elevated areas. |
| TIME | From sunrise until noon all year round. |
| MISC. | No ladder needed as you are on a higher level than the fence. Next amenities within the “Good Morning Arlanda” Hotel. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Arrivial: 738=140mm; A330=90mm Taxiwy: 752=210mm |
Gravel Hill - all movements 19L/01R
| WHERE | This spot contains a little gravel hills in the south of the fire station Östra. From the terminals drive with your car southwards on highway 273 until you can exit the road at the Jumbo Hostel to the parking lot alfa and parking lot beta. Thereafter you must follow this street until you see the postion to your right shortly after the fire station. Park on the side of the road and walk through the planted area and climb on one of many gravel hills.
By public transport: Take the free parking shuttle bus and leave at the bus station at parking lot alfa. From there, you have to walk in the direction of the runway. |
| WHAT | You have a look on runway 01R/19L and taxiway whiskey. Departing, arriving and taxiing airplanes in both directions can be photographed from here. Please note that the gravel could be used for construction reasons, so we can not guarantee that t will be available or accessible. |
| TIME | From afternoon until sunset all year round. |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing. Nevertheless, there are two hotels in about 500 meters. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-200mm |
Gravel Factory - 01R arrivals
| WHERE | Continue from the previous location #6 southwards and then take the next left into a road which leads to a gravel factory. Continue there until you have passed the approach path of 01R. After that park your car on the side of the road and start spotting. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 01R only. |
| TIME | From sunrise until noon all year round. |
| MISC. | Absolutely nothing nearby! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 738=110mm; SF34=220mm |
Stone Hill - 01L arrivals and threshold
| WHERE | This location is on the opposite side as the previous one. From the airport drive southwards and always follow the signs to cargo city. After you have passed the approach path of 01L you see a small parking bay to your left. Stop there and walk northwards on the path for approximate 2-3 minutes and climb up some stones to get on an elevated positions where you can see the threshold of 01L. If the light is getting bad, just move over to the other side and park as marked on the map. |
| WHAT | Perfect for 01L arrivals as well as line ups in the far distance. |
| TIME | Good location for the whole day. Just move over to the other side when the sun has turned around. Lineup light is good between morning until late afternoon in the summer months and between sunrise until sunset in winter. Be aware of heat distortion at the line up! |
| MISC. | Absolutely nothing nearby. No ladder needed. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 738=130mm; CRJ900=150mm |
Cargo City - 19R departures
| WHERE | Drive to spot 8 and continue towards Cargo City. When arriving you will see a truck parking on the right where you can park, and on the left you will see a large enbankment where you can take photos of departing aircrafts from 19R. Small aircrafts are too high when passing by. |
| WHAT | Departing aircrafts 19R |
| TIME | Most usable in summer when you have light early in the morning from sunrise to about 10am |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby. No ladder needed |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Austrian Airlines = 380mm, TUI = 350mm. Heavies around 300mm |
Fire Station - 01L arrivals and departures
| WHERE | Once again use the direction to the cargo city but after the roundabout turn left following the signs to “Brandkåren Attunda“ (fire station). Continue northwards for approximate one kilometer until you see the fire station to your right but park to the left on the parking lot for a hall. Now just walk to the runway fence and start spotting. You can also walk further northwards along the perimeter fence for a different angle. Update September 2026: the bushes/trees has been cut for a better view on the runway. |
| WHAT | Perfect for runway 01L arrivals and departures. |
| TIME | From afternoon until sunset all year round. |
| MISC. | Absolutely nothing nearby. You are on a higher level and can clear the fence easily. Do not stay directly at the fence and keep a distance of at least 3 meters. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Air Baltic = 170mm, Nextjet = 300mm, TUI = 105mm |
Kättsta - 19R departures
| WHERE | From the previous spots continue on ‘Kolstavägen’ northwards through a small forrest till you reach some farms. Park your car at this small settlement named ‘Kättsta’. From here you have to walk to the perimeter fence either straight through the field or along the perimeter fence from the north.
Update July 2026: there are some gravel hills on the airside so the view is blocked. Stay a bit further south as marked on the map. At these coordinates there’s a elevated rock like few meters from the perimeter to the bushes. |
| WHAT | We recommend this location for 19R departures. In order to have a clean shot, the planes will need to be in the air, as the runway is not visible from here. Narrowbodys are fine but heavys are still on the ground. Also some Narrowbodies (especially Norwegian) may depart for longer routes or with low thrust settings, so they can still be on the ground as well. |
| TIME | From afternoon until sunset all year round. |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing except bushes and trees! Bring everything you need with you and be mindful that this might be private property, so you could be sent away. Do not stay directly at the fence and keep a distance of at least 3 meters. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | XXX |
Forrest - 19R arrivals and lineup
| WHERE | The following locations are very far from any civilization and hard to reach. First you need a car and then you have to walk 1-2 km through the forrest. From the previous locations continue northwards, pass the settlement of Kättsta, turn left there and take the next right. Now drive all the way up straight through the forest until you reach a farm. Park next to the barrier that leads into the forrest than among the scrapyard cars that can be seen when arriving at the parking spot. I’ve heard that the owner doesn’t like that so it’s better to be on the safe side. Then walk for 10 minutes through the forest on the gravel path till you reach a glade from where you can see the beginning of the runway 19R. Now find your preferred position along the path to clear the trees and bushes |
| WHAT | Best for arrivals on 19R and maybe lineup (did not tested that). |
| TIME | From afternoon until sunset all year round. Lineup a bit later. |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing except bushes and trees! Bring everything you need with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 738=140mm; 788=110mm |
Rocks - 19R arrivals
| WHERE | From #12 continue on the gravel road and take the next right to get below the approach path. After you have passed that climb up the stone mound in front of you to get on a higher level. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on 19R mainly. Lineups may also be possible in the very early morning but with major distance. For better position, please check below #14. |
| TIME | From sunrise until noon all year round. |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing except bushes and trees! Bring everything you need with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 77W=90mm; 733=200mm; ATR72=250mm |
Rocks - 19R line up
| WHERE | From the previous spot continue on the gravel road southwards and turn right and walk along the perimeter fence till the corner where you have a perfect view of the line up. |
| WHAT | Recommend for line-up photos but arrivals should be no problem as well. |
| TIME | From sunrise until noon all year round. |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing except bushes and trees! Bring everything you need with you. No ladder needed as there is a huge gap between the fence and its barbed wire on the top (see pic below). But it is an advantage if you are tall and even then you might need to step on a stone or something else to have a clear shot over the fence. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 788=55mm; A333=50mm; A320=85mm |
Forrest - 26 arrivals
| WHERE | Follow the road to spot 1 but continue after the lights, on the left there is a road that leads into a gravel factory. Drive there and after a few meters on the right there is a turning point where you can park your car. Walk towards the direction of the runway straight into the forrest and you will face the runway. There is a small gravel pile to stand on and the planes are high enough so no need for a ladder. If wearing shorts, please check for ticks on arms and legs after walking in the high grass. |
| WHAT | Evening landing on 26 |
| TIME | Summertime only June to August from 19 to sunset |
| MISC. | Here is absolutely nothing except bushes and trees! Bring everything you need with you. No ladder needed. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Air Serbia = 150mm, Qatar Airways = 75mm, Amapola Flyg = 200mm |
Staircase - Ramp & Taxiway
| WHERE | It’s a staircase where you get above the fence located very close to the cargo terminal. There are some parking lots nearby but this one is great but us the one as marked on the map (next to spot )). It’s easier to get there by public transport, you get off the bus at Gränsgatan you walk down the sidewalk for about 200 meters until you reach the truck passage. Keep right and walk thru the turnstile. From there continue walking to the left (fraktvägen) and when you have reached the t-intersection and turn right. Keep on walking until you reach the abandoned building at the end of the road. Walk along the fence and follow it to the right until you see the staircase to your right. |
| WHAT | Aircraft on taxiway U and apron taxiway D. You can also see the ramp to the right of T2 and the parked Cargo aircrafts at the cargo terminal. You can barely spot some aircrafts at runway 01L/19R |
| TIME | During fall, winter and spring, you’re able to spot there at any times without it getting backlit, some planes at the gate might get backlit in the noon but most of it works great, during the summer the spot might become a bit backlit during noon. Heat haze might become a problem during the summer months. |
| MISC. | There are no, restaurants, places to get drinks nor restrooms availible nearby. Security guards have said that you can’t stand on the roof of the building with the staircase. You might also be told to stay at least 3 meters away from the fence if you’re not at the staircase. Keep a low profile here! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 300mm lens and easily spot most aircrafts, if you’re standing close to cargo aircrafts you might have to use a lens with around 20-50mm focal lenght to get the aircrafts standing close to you. |
Jumbo Hostel - Taxiway
| WHERE | This spot is located on the wing of the ex Jumbo Stay 747. From there you have an elevated view on taxiway U. Just climb the staircase to the wing or the upper level platform. All gates should be open at any time. Unfortunately your view to the east is blocked by some trees, and you only have a few seconds to take your picture. A ladder is not needed, but could be useful if you want a different angle of the taxiway. You can park your car on the open concrete space right next to the 747. If you park unfavorable, airport security might ask you to move your car. |
| WHAT | From here you can see planes taxiing on Taxiway U only. The view to the eastern part of the taxiway is blocked by some trees, and you only have a few seconds to take your picture. Anything that is bigger than an A321 might not fit completely and parts of the plane will be cut off by trees. |
| TIME | From around 07:00 till early afternoon. |
| MISC. | No restrooms or shops nearby. Airport security checks the location from time to time but tolerates spotting from here. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | A321 = 50mm, Fokker 50 = 80 mm |
Since 2025, being stopped by security has become a lot more common due to most likely the activists who broke into some airports at that time, and it has become a standard rule set by security to try to keep yourself at least 3 meters away from the fences and to not goof around with friends. (Personal experience: we were questioned about our names, where we lived, and what we were doing by security because we were bored and goofing around, so just be respectful and calm lol.)
So, keep in mind that if you are going to spots like 10, 11, 2, and 5, try to stay 3 meters away from the fences. I can advise people planning on spotting at spot 5 to walk along the gravel road near the Good Morning Hotel instead of the yellow-advised walking path.
I can also advise you to keep everything very respectful and low-profile at spot 16, as it is a very common place for security to stop you.
But some good news are that at spot 10 (beside the woods), the airport cut a lot of the bushes and trees that blocked some views, at the request of spotters, so you can get a better angle for landings on 01L.
Hi Charlie, thanks for the hints and updates. I left some notes in the guide. At spot 5 are the photo opportunities and not the path.
Cheers, Julian
Hi, on Google Streetview, it seems the dirt road, leading to the park mentioned for spotting point #5, is now blocked. Anybody able to confirm or deny the current situation?
An available alternative is to park at spot 4, which is very close.
-Julian
hello, i plan to transit in ARN for around 5 hours in early september, what would be the ideal spots to chase the populair fokker 50s? thanks!
Spot 11 not usable as of 26.7.2026, view was obstructed by large gravel hills. I would rather come here: 59.643924,17.909780
At these coordinates there’s a elevated rock like few meters from the perimeter to the bushes.
Thanks for the hint, I moved the location further south.
-Julian
Update to hotels general description: The Jumbo hostel closed May 2025, so not any longer available.
Update Spot #2: I walked there today (14.01.2026) from the Terminal and it took me 25min. First I walked towards spotting point #3 (viewing Platform) and then you can take the gravel (for me it was snow) road (called “Badvägen“) at the foot of the Viewing platform hill all the way past the approach lights of RWY19L, the displayed Caravelle of SAS, Swedavia MD-80 (and another Maddog) on the apron and some small wooden houses till you reach the hill (there are 2-3 abandonend wooden houses with broke windows, leave them on the left and go straight up to the top of the hill (I made a photo in snowy conditions). So you do not need a car neccessarily for this spot…
Thanks, just updated the guide.
Do you want the picture by the way?
https://ibb.co/BHtNJDFX
Spot 2 has come back they have now removed the fence and the spot is acceble.
The spotting place beside patria helicopters (#2) is now open again! Unsure how long tho
Good news, thanks for the hint!
-Julian
Kan man köra bil fram till 12 13 14 eller är det bara fram till P ? Har handikapp tillstånd.
can you drive past the sign when going to kättsta or do you need to park yor ´car at the firestation location and walk
I was wondering the same thing but I think the road is only for those who live in that area
01R/19L closed until August 17th, source: https://www.swedavia.net/airport/arlanda/airportinformation/Sidor/banunderhall-bana-3-01r-19l-samt-twy-w.aspx