Sveriges Järnvägsmuseum – Swedish Railway Museum (Gävle)

The Swedish Railway Museum (Sveriges Järnvägsmuseum) in Gävle is one of the most impressive railway museums in Scandinavia — and an essential stop for anyone searching for the best railway museums in Sweden. Although Sweden never had a major domestic locomotive industry, the country began preserving railway history early in the 20th century, which is why this collection is so strong today.

Originally housed around Stockholm, the collection moved to Gävle (about 2 hours north of Stockholm) in 1970. After a major renovation, the museum reopened in 2024 and it shows: the displays are beautiful, the look and feel super modern, and the locomotives and carriages are gleaming. The exhibition spans six halls covering the development of Swedish railways from the 1850s to today, combining historic artifacts with hands-on, family-friendly experiences and interactive video stations.

Highlights for train enthusiasts include a superbly restored 1927 dining car — remarkably fresh despite 40 years of service — and a wide range of steam, diesel, and electric locomotives and coaches. Few cars are walk-through, but you can step inside the dining car, which looks almost brand new. The museum also clearly explains how first, second, and third class once differed, down to seat comfort (and even the bathrooms).

Outdoors you’ll find a sizeable display of preserved rolling stock in conditions ranging from “okay” to “superb.” Most pieces are not open to enter — partly because this yard doubles as a parking area for operational museum trains that still run special trips across the country. In high season there’s also a heritage railbus to nearby workshops (about 1 km away) with even more locomotives, royal coaches and unique maintenance stock.

The explanations however arent great: they are fragmented, shallow and very politically correct: how the railways are sooooo good for the environment and working everyday to make it better, how they used to have big class differences but now the railways help Sweden becoming an equal opprtunities gender neutral Valhalla, etc. I dont want propaganda for the railways or the social democratic utopia, I want to understand the history of the railways with in depth and critical descriptions.

Still, this is a must-visit. Even if you’ve been to Stockholm’s transport museum (that does a much better job in telling a story), the shine and scope here are worth the journey. From Stockholm it’s about 1.5–2 hours by train; note that it’s roughly a 30-minute walk from Gävle station and no bus. Not ideal for public transpoprt enthousiasts.

Bottom line: a beautifully refurbished, comprehensive railway museum with stellar restorations, strong storytelling, and plenty for families and enthusiasts alike. ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)