Arctic Circle Train&Narvik 北极圈列车

June 9: The Arctic Circle Train connects Stockholm in Sweden and Narvik in Norway; the journey takes about twenty hours. The most convenient option for the Arctic Circle Train would have been a direct overnight train from Stockholm to Narvik by VY Nattag 94. However, for some reason, VY Nattag 94 was not running during the last few days. So we had to take the two-segment trains, Nattag 92 and 96, instead.

We boarded our train, VY Natag 92, which connects Stockholm in Sweden and Boden in Sweden, in Stockholm last night. This morning, we were roused from our sleep by the gentle swaying of the train. This train appeared to lack an automatic balancing mechanism, causing it to tilt slightly with every turn, resulting in swaying. Despite this, we managed to get some decent rest, possibly due to our weariness from the past few days' activities. It is a scenic train journey that takes travelers along the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea and through dense forests and pristine lakes to reach Boden, Sweden. After the twelve-hour journey, we arrived in Boden a little after ten in the morning. There, we switched to another train, VY Nattag 96, traveling seven and a half hours to Narvik, Norway, the second segment of the Arctic Circle Train.

After boarding the VY Nattag 96 train in Boden, the landscape on both sides of the railway began to change into Arctic Circle scenery. The towering pine trees and green grass disappeared, replaced by slender white birch trees and brown tundra. In the last couple of hours, as it was winding through the northern parts of Sweden and Norway near the Arctic Circle, the train ride offered stunning views of the Arctic wilderness, including snow-capped mountains, pristine lakes, and unique flora and fauna.

This 250-mile railway is also known as the Iron Ore Line since it was built to transport iron ore from mines in Sweden to the ice-free port of Narvik for export. The railroad was once an engineering marvel for high-quality construction and design. The downhill train from the mines to Narvik only used 20% of the electricity it generated and used the rest to return the empty train to the mines. The transportation of iron ore occurred virtually cost-free, as the system ingeniously recycled its generated energy, eliminating the need to pay for additional fuel and electricity.

We arrived in Narvik at 5:30 pm, checked into the hotel, dropped off our luggage, and immediately ventured out to find something to eat. In the meantime, we tried to find the bus station and buy the bus tickets for the next day. We searched online to determine how to purchase the bus tickets and got some confusing information. We downloaded two apps from the bus company, one for live schedule and one for ticket purchase. There should be two buses to Tromso tomorrow based on the bus schedule. Using the app, we could purchase the general tickets only, not reserved for seats, and the tickets would expire after six hours. We felt the bus company just didn't want anyone to buy the tickets in advance. The bus station was conveniently located outside the largest shopping mall in the town, so we walked to the mall and the bus station. There was no ticket office, and only 3 ~ 4 bus schedules were posted on the board, but none showed Tromso as the destination. We got confused and frustrated. At this point, there was nothing we could do about it.

We continued our search for a good restaurant and settled in a Fish restaurant next to the fish market hall. After we had ordered the food, Chenggang realized that today's bus from Tromso would arrive in Narvik soon. Why didn't we ask the bus driver about tomorrow's schedule? Chenggang quickly left for the bus terminal, which was only a few minutes' walking distance. When he got to the station, the bus just arrived. He talked to the driver and confirmed the bus for Tromso would leave Narvik at the time based on the online schedule. What a relief!

Our food was ready just a few minutes after Chenggang returned from the bus terminal. Then the waiter came to our table to apologize for giving us the wrong fish dish. We didn't want to waste the food, so we told him it was okay and that we would take the wrong plate. These were all freshly made fish dishes anyway, and they tasted delicious. Ultimately, they only charged us 50% of the total bill due to one of the dishes was wrong. We were very delighted with their food and service.

After dinner, we took a leisurely stroll along the bay, enjoying the picturesque Arctic midnight sun.

June 10: - Latitude 68.45 degree (Narvik): Today, we started our day with breakfast at the hotel. The small town of Narvik does not have many hotel options, and we picked one based on the review and location. Contrary to the not-so-good reputation of Quality Inn's breakfast in the United States, we were pleasantly surprised by the complimentary breakfast here, which was abundant and far better than the expensive $20+ breakfasts we had at hotels in Sweden a few days ago. Moreover, knowing that most guests were heading on long journeys, the hotel offered a great deal – lunch-to-go for just $7. We couldn't resist this opportunity and made two delicious sandwiches to enjoy later during our travels. After the meal, we set out for a leisurely walk around the town, soaking in the serene life of this small Nordic city—the charm of the surroundings and the peaceful atmosphere added to the joy of our morning.

In the afternoon, just a little past 1 pm, we boarded a double-decker bus bound for Tromso, Norway, the largest city within the Arctic Circle. The bus driver recalled his conversation with Chenggang last night and warmly welcomed us. Surprisingly, only a few passengers were on the bus, allowing us to secure seats in the front row of the upper deck, providing us with an astonishing 180-degree panoramic view of the surroundings. The 4.5-hour journey passed swiftly, and the scenery was breathtaking, making this bus ride the most beautiful and comfortable one we've experienced. After taking buses in foreign countries a few times, we realized that bus travel should be seriously considered more often in future trips. The convenience, comfort, and opportunity to appreciate the incredible sights along the way are unparalleled, and it has certainly added a delightful dimension to our travel experiences.

Upon our arrival in Tromso, we wasted no time and headed straight to a nearby supermarket to stock up on groceries, as our hotel here was equipped with a kitchen. While in Sweden and Norway, we noticed a lack of vegetables, especially the Asian leafy greens we're accustomed to having. Therefore, we picked up some fresh green salads, meat, and fruits to create a satisfying dinner for tonight.

After enjoying our meal, we decided to stroll around the neighborhood to get acquainted with the area and its surroundings, preparing for a deeper exploration tomorrow.

6/9: 从瑞典的斯德哥尔摩到挪威的Narvik铁路线也称为北极圈列车线，行程近二十小时。最方便的是坐直达过夜火车。但不知什么原因，直达车这几天都没开，我们就只能订需要转一次的火车。

昨晚从斯德哥尔摩上的火车。大概火车没有自动平衡机制，每次转弯，火车就有点倾斜，觉得有点摇晃，不过睡得还可以，可能是因为前几天玩得有点累了。十二个小时很快就过去了，上午十点多就到达瑞典的Boden, 在那里换乘另一列火车前往挪威的Narvik, 大约需要七个半小时。

在Boden上车后，铁路两边开始变成北极圈的地貌，高大的松树和绿色的野草消失了，替代的是细小的白桦树和棕色的苔原。在最后一，二个小时，路边的风景非常优美。这段二百五十英里的铁路线也被称为铁矿石线，曾经是工程技术上的奇迹。

下午五点半到达挪威的Narvik, 入住旅馆放下行李，马上出去找吃的。晚饭后漫步在海湾边，享受着风景如画的北极白夜。

6/10: 北纬68.45度（Narvik)

今天在旅馆用早餐。小镇旅馆选择不多，我们看评分和旅馆位置选了一家。虽然品质客栈(quality inn)的早餐在美国名声不是很好，但这里的免费早餐却大不相同，比前几天在瑞典的酒店花了每人2 0几美金的早餐还要丰富。另外这个旅馆还很细心，也许知道大多客人都是要赶长途的，花七美金就可以随便打包午餐，我们自己做了二个三明治留着中午吃。饭后就在城里走走，感受一下宁静北欧小城生活。

下午一点多乘坐双层大巴去Tromso, 挪威，是北极圈内最大的城市。大巴上乘客不多，我们坐在二层第一排，有180度全景，一路上风景不错，是我们坐过大巴中最为漂亮舒服的一次，4个半小时巴士行程一会儿就过去了。我们已在外国坐过几次巴士，每次感觉都不错，看来今后旅行应该多考虑坐巴士。

到了Tromso后就去超市买点食品，这次的酒店是带厨房的。在瑞典和挪威这几天蔬菜吃得太少，这里也没亚洲的绿叶蔬菜，所以看到有蔬菜色拉就赶紧买，再配些肉和水果，晚饭就随便吃了。饭后就去附近走走，先熟悉一下环境，明天深度游。