Björkliden and Riksgränsen

5 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

West of Abisko the E10 and the railway climb towards Norway, and two ski resorts sit along the way. Björkliden comes first, about 15 minutes from Abisko by bus. Riksgränsen lies at the border itself, around 40 minutes by bus from Abisko. By road from Kiruna it is 104 kilometres to Björkliden and 132 to Riksgränsen, and the County Administrative Board measures 6 and 34 kilometres from the naturum at Abisko Turiststation. Both have their own railway station on the line between Kiruna and Narvik.

Riksgränsen's season pass is valid in both areas, and a bus transfer between them is included in all lift passes when booked in advance. With the Arctic Ski Pass, which also covers Narvikfjellet, the Arctic Ski Bus between the resorts is free. For visitors staying in Abisko, Björkliden matters for another reason as well: several snowmobile and aurora tours start there, with pickup from the village.

Skiing at Björkliden

Björkliden is the closer of the two to Abisko, and besides its slopes it offers guided off-piste skiing, also for children. Its winter and skiing season 2027 runs from 4 February to 2 May. The resort no longer publishes lift and piste figures on a fixed page, so check the current snow report on its website before you go.

Björkliden sells itself on its view. From the slopes you look straight at Lapporten, the U-shaped valley between the mountains Nissuntjårro and Tjuonatjåkka. Björkliden station is about a kilometre on foot from Hotell Fjället, where the evening aurora dinner and snowcat tours meet.

Riksgränsen at the border

Riksgränsen calls itself Sweden's northernmost ski resort. Skidfrämjandet opened its tourist station Lapplandia here in 1928, the first lift followed in 1952, and today there are six. The season starts late and ends late: in 2027 it runs from 18 February to 23 May, and the resort advertises May skiing in the bright nights before the midnight sun. Riksgränsen is also the closer resort for visitors coming from Norway: Narvik is about 40 minutes away by car, and Harstad/Narvik Evenes airport about two hours.

Season dates

For winter 2027 Björkliden lists its winter and skiing season from 4 February to 2 May, and Riksgränsen its winter season from 18 February to 23 May. Nuolja Offpist, on the mountain above Abisko, opened on 14 February in 2025, a week after Björkliden. Lift times can change with the snow, so check bjorkliden.com and riksgransen.se before you plan a ski trip. The best time to visit page sets the ski weeks against the aurora season.

Tours from Björkliden

Outback Abisko starts its panorama snowmobile tour in Björkliden. The ride lasts two hours, plus about 30 minutes for pickup, and takes a short climb before crossing a frozen lake to a stop with hot drinks and sweet bread, with views of Lapporten and Torneträsk. Groups are capped at eight, and two people share each snowmobile. The driver needs a licence, and only one child between 5 and 15 may come per adult. Departures run daily from December to February. One reviewer found driving on the mountain demanding, and another describes a cancellation without warning, so keep your phone on before the pickup time.

The same operator runs an evening snowmobile tour up the mountain, with a stop by a fire, hot drinks and tips for finding your own aurora spots afterwards. It runs from December to March, and you can usually pay on site to drive a machine on your own.

Two newer evening tours start at the sport information desk of Hotell Fjället. The aurora dinner serves a three-course meal with a drink package in Rakkaskåtan, a cabin built in traditional style, followed by an easy evening walk under the sky with an introduction to the aurora and hot chocolate at the end. It runs from 18 November to 15 March, starts at 18:30, takes up to 24 guests from 12 years and lasts about six hours plus the transfer. The snowcat tour leaves at 21:00 between 1 December and 15 March and drives up into the mountains above Björkliden for a stop outside under the sky. It takes up to 15 guests, does not suit anyone over 70 and does not include warm clothing, so dress for a long stop in the cold. Both offer pickup from Abisko.

Daytime visitors can also see Björkliden on a guided tour of the canyon and Silver Waterfall in Abisko that ends with lunch at a hotel in Björkliden. In autumn, before the snow, Outback Abisko leads evening walks through the birch forest near Björkliden up to the bare mountain, with a campfire and local snacks; in bad weather the evening becomes a workshop with films and a short Sámi language lesson.

Lapporten up close

Lapporten lies just outside the national park, in the Natura 2000 area Nissuntjårro. Its North Sámi name means goose valley, and a lake, Čuonjájávri, lies on the valley floor at 950 metres. The valley floor itself is easy walking, but there is no marked path into it. Visit Narvik describes the hike as demanding, more than 12 kilometres each way with about 500 metres of ascent, and suggests seeing it from a distance instead, from the Björkliden ski area or from the car park by Restaurang Lapporten.

Driving in winter

From 1 December to 31 March, cars in Sweden must have winter tyres whenever there is snow, ice, slush or frost on the road, and studded tyres are allowed from 1 October to 15 April. The road over the border at Riksgränsen is closed now and then, or driven in convoy, mostly when strong wind and snowfall cause whiteout. Check road conditions with Trafikverket on the Swedish side and Statens vegvesen in Norway before you set off, and watch for reindeer and elk on the road, especially at dusk and dawn. Without a car, bus 91 and The Arctic Route stop in Abisko, Björkliden and Riksgränsen; the getting around page has the details.