Tunnelbana art ride: T-Centralen, Kungsträdgården, Rådhuset, Solna centrum, Stadion, Tekniska högskolan

Stockholm's metro stations double as an underground art gallery. Ride the blue line from T-Centralen's blue leaf vines to the palace fragments at Kungsträdgården, the joke details of Rådhuset and the red-and-green cave of Solna centrum, then change at T-Centralen to the red line for Stadion and Tekniska högskolan. Get off, look, and take the next train.

Best time: Any day and in any weather, avoiding the weekday rush; you need a valid SL ticket

The route, stop by stop

1. 1
   T-Centralen blue-line platform

   The only station where all three metro lines meet. On the lower (blue line) level, Per Olof Ultvedt's blue vines, flowers and silhouettes of the construction workers cover the rock; in the passage with the moving walkway is Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd's enamel work "Take the A-train" (1984). 15 min.

   The hub of the tunnelbana opened in 1957 and was the first station with art. On the blue-line platform (1975) Per Olof Ultvedt covered the cave walls in calm shades of blue.

2. 2
   Kungsträdgården

   Blue-line terminus opened in 1977, the lowest station in the network at 29.3 m below sea level. Ulrik Samuelson designed it around the palaces that stood at Kungsträdgården: a war god from the roof of Riddarhuset, fifty masks and two torsos from the lost Makalös palace, and an elm stump recalling the 1971 "elm battle". 15 min.

   Stockholm's central park, nicknamed 'Kungsan', once the walled pleasure garden of the court and site of the Makalös palace. Today it hosts more than 200 events a year, an outdoor…

3. 3
   Rådhuset

   Blue-line rock station opened in 1975 with Sigvard Olsson's playful details from Kungsholmen's history: a root cellar, numbered hatches, a chimney base, a woodpile and a 17th-century-style portal. 10 min.

4. 4
   Solna centrum

   Opened in 1975 with art by Karl-Olov Björk and Anders Åberg: the ceiling and walls are painted green and red, with Swedish scenes about the problems of the 1970s and peepshow boxes. 15 min.

5. 5
   Stadion

   Red-line station opened in 1973, decorated by Åke Pallarp and Enno Hallek on the theme of the Stockholm Olympic Stadium, including the 1912 Olympic poster; it won the Kasper Salin Prize in 1973 together with Tekniska högskolan. 10 min.

6. 6
   Tekniska högskolan

   Red-line station opened in 1973, 18 m underground below Valhallavägen, the other half of the 1973 Kasper Salin Prize. End here, or walk up to Stockholms östra station. 10 min.

Walking directions

More walks in Stockholm

• Gamla stan beyond the crowds: Riddarholmen, Stortorget and the back lanes2.5 km · 2 h 30 min
• Söder heights at sunset: Mariaberget, Monteliusvägen and Skinnarviksberget1.7 km · 2 h
• East Södermalm: Fjällgatan, Vita bergen and the 18th-century wooden houses2.4 km · 2 h 40 min
• Djurgården: Vasa, Rosendal and the art villas to Blockhusudden5.8 km · 6 h
• Skeppsholmen and Kastellholmen: the museum island and the citadel1.3 km · 2 h 40 min
• Östermalm and Strandvägen: Hallwylska, the market hall and the waterfront boulevard2.4 km · 3 h 20 min
• Kungsholmen waterfront: City Hall, Norr Mälarstrand and Rålis to Västerbron3.2 km · 2 h 40 min
• Långholmen and Reimersholme: the prison island and the bathing rocks2.7 km · 2 h 40 min
• Hagaparken: Gustav III's pavilions and the Copper Tents on Brunnsviken2 km · 2 h 30 min
• Vasastan: Strindberg's Blue Tower, the observatory hill and Asplund's library1.6 km · 2 h 10 min
• Skogskyrkogården: Asplund and Lewerentz's Woodland Cemetery (UNESCO)1.6 km · 1 h 40 min