Car Hire Vasteras Trainstation

Car Hire

Västerås train station is a stop along the high-speed Mälarbanan railway between Stockholm and Örebro. This significant rail station stands no more than a 10 minute stroll away from the main square of Sweden's sixth-largest city. Visitors who choose not to get car hire at Västerås train station can instead walk to the bus terminal northeast of the rail station or take a taxi. Stockholm Västerås Airport, the nearest air gateway, is four miles outside of central Västerås.

Who to Book With
Avis and Sixt branches are situated directly within Västerås train station and Stockholm Västerås Airport, but offices of Budget and a Swedish car rental chain called Statoil can also be found in other city locations. All of these vehicle providers accept online reservations.

Best Time to Go
Västerås, like the rest of Sweden, may get cold in winter, but is rarely as frigid as most North American cities which share its northern altitude. June and July, however, are not only pleasantly warm and sunny, but enjoy nearly 19 hours of sunlight a day. Lake Mälaren is a popular sunbathing retreat in summer and a busy ice skating spot in winter. Autumn and spring are the least crowded and cheapest times to visit Västerås.

Need to Know Essentials
Requirements for collecting car hire include these documents:

- A valid local driver's licence or an International Driving Permit
- A passport or different form of secondary photo identification
- The credit card used to book the reservation
- A printed reservation

Our FAQs contain more information.

Driving
The E18 is the main road linking Västerås with Stockholm, just over 60 miles to the east. Västerås itself is easily walkable, but driving is pleasant around this peaceful city. Motorists should note only public buses and other authorised vehicles are permitted to drive in the centre of Västerås, which is surrounded by a ring road.

Our Guide to Sweden includes further driving suggestions.

Transport

Driving privileges are restricted to authorised vehicles and buses within central Västerås, which is best explored by walking or cycling along any of the city's 210 miles of asphalt cycling paths. Västerås bus terminal and rail station are conveniently situated adjacent to each other, while Stockholm Västerås Airport is a mere four miles away.

Trains
As an important stop on the Mälaren Line high-speed rail link between Örebro and Stockholm, Västerås train station sells tickets and offers rail trips on the SJ, Tagkompaniet, Veolia Transport and Oresundstag lines. All rail tickets can be purchased directly at the station or online at the Resplus website, which includes detailed schedules of all of the above rail lines.

Buses
Swebus Express is the main long-distance bus operator in Västerås, whose rail and bus stations are just steps from one another. The seat guarantee offered by Swebus Express means the company supplies extra buses for overbooked routes as long as tickets are purchased at least a day before the scheduled departure time. Västerås city buses operate on a cashless system where tickets are sold at local newsagents, supermarkets and ticket machines, as well as at the local tourist office. Tickets valid for 10 or 40 rides are available along with monthly passes.

Taxis
Taxis from reputable companies such as Taxi Västerås and Taxi Kurir park outside Västerås train station. Passengers can book taxis in advance with their train tickets or call a toll free number at a pay telephone located in a parking place next to the station. Taxi fares are fixed at around £10 per trip anywhere in the city.

Exploring

Nearby Lake Mälaren is the most frequent destination for visitors to Västerås, whose own attractions include a 13th century cathedral in the centre of Domkyrkoplatsen square and an art gallery containing exhibits by some of the greatest modernist artists in all of Scandinavia. Anundshög, Sweden's biggest burial mound, is just a brief drive away. Those with half a day to spare may enjoy touring Sala's impressive silver mine.

Recommended Drives

Anundshög – Two huge stone ships stand next to this ancient burial mound, Sweden's largest, just outside of Västerås. This popular picnic spot is believed to be named after the legendary King Anund, who reigned over the region during the middle of the 7th century.

Sala Silver Mine – This impressive mine north of Västerås continuously produced silver between the 15th century and 1908, then briefly resumed mining from 1950 to 1951. Today, most of the old buildings above the mine's surface contain museums and souvenir shops, but guided tours beneath the ground are also available.

Ängsö - Björnö may be the main island of Västerås, but this lesser known island is worth the slightly longer drive outside the city. A small castle overlooks this relaxing island where visitors can swim near towering cliffs or explore Ängsö's many cycling and walking paths.