Peace Of Mind When Trying To Catch Your Flight…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taxi-stockholm-15-00-00-stockholm-2?select=OYlkopPH5VCs7TBVZ-YnAQ&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w
SITREP
We just disembarked from Royal Caribbean's "Serenade of the Seas" at one of Stockholm's Cruise Liner Ports of Entry. We were not the only cruise shop disembarking either.
Imagine the logistical nightmare this can be when trying to get to another destination - this time an airport - within a specific time frame to make your flight.
THE SETUP
Unfortunately, we find out at the last minute as we are disembarking that Royal Caribbean Customer Service really dropped the ball on hundreds of us passengers when their system "disappeared", "lost", "screwed up" (take your pick) our final destination transportation plans to get us either back to downtown Stockholm and/or to the airport to catch flights.
So there we are: we've just arrived at the Frihamnscaféet port terminal, and are trying to locate & grab our luggage, find our loved ones and friends in order to figure our transportation detail.
ALTERNATIVES
For those who did not make plans - or had theirs botched - it's difficult enough, like herding cats trying to find your ride (anywhere) with thousands of people in the terminal, at the curb, in the streets trying to locate your pre-made rides (if those were set-up correctly).
Imagine if you are then stuck trying to secure a ride.
*CABBIES & VANS: The port is some dozen miles or so outside of Downtown Stockholm. Cabbies and vans usually are only going to the port if they already have a patron reservation made in advance (and this is where Royal Caribbean dropped the ball on us because our reservations were not processed by the front desk as we had communicated to their agents, in person;
* BUS: Only about $5 U.S., but the nearest bus stop is more than a mile away - imagine those in your party with two or three suitcases trying to make it down the street, and THEN deal with that on the bus. [That's how I actually got to the port with my one roller suitcase, which wasn't a big deal, but walking through half the harbor was a chore with it.]
But the Port is basically on the other side of downtown Stockholm, so the buses come back to the downtown Stockholm "Central Station", where you then have to jump another $10 bus ride to get to the airport which is about another 20 miles out. Or you can catch a $15 bus that goes straight from Central Station to the airport.
So at this point, you in at least about $15-$20, and anywhere between two (2) to three (3) hours transit, just to get to the airport.
TAXI STOCKHOLM 15
Another international passenger gave us the recommendation to call Taxi Stockholm 15. As it turned out, a Taxi Stockholm 15 cabbie was going to be there in 20 minutes after they dropped off another cruise passenger on a nearby line's pier.
RIDE METRICS:
* The fee to go DIRECTLY to the airport was $125, but split between the five (5) of us worked out to $25 each;
* The cabbie flagged us at the curb where he stopped and we saw him immediately since we recognized his taxi logo;
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taxi-stockholm-15-00-00-stockholm-2?select=OYlkopPH5VCs7TBVZ-YnAQ&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w
* The car was big enough for 5 passengers (out of nine; four in our group were staying in Stockholm another 2 days) and all of our luggage; and most importantly;
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taxi-stockholm-15-00-00-stockholm-2?select=sTxVf6s3m_1me5MrDJlDUQ&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w
* We made it to the airport within 20 minutes, which meant that ALL of us would make our flights with plenty of time to make it through Security, through Passport Control, and even catch a quick snack.
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taxi-stockholm-15-00-00-stockholm-2?select=AD7dbcWTjFZposclfUBGJA&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w
THE LOWDOWN
Much obliged to Taxi Stockholm 15 for putting our minds at ease and getting us to the airport without any attendant-incidents associated to being late. Thanks!
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taxi-stockholm-15-00-00-stockholm-2?select=TMgGI4X2Zb3rAKm0gh4xbQ&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w