Thank you so much for coming! I had a really great weekend! So much so that I definitely would like to do it again. (Year three!) We are making plans for 2026. But nothing will be confirmed until May at the earliest. In the meantime register your expression of interest and also fill in the feedback form.
What we played together in the final session
Polska efter Båtsman Däck
The Princess Royal
Tierpspolskan
Horses Bransle
The Halsway Parade
• The schedule is at the bottom of the page (it might be a bit flexible, but it's the starting point) .
• Let me know if you need bedsheets and towels.
• If you want to join the group for pizza on the Thursday night, let me know! (Note this is not included in the fee)
• The cost is 4700 sek
• There is a list of arrival times. Check the table and get in touch if you don't see yourself on it. I have a hire car and will do what I can to give lifts. Keep in mind there are 22 of us and I have hired a little car.
Helpful Swedish and ESI stuff
If you have any questions that you'd like to see added here, let me know!
• Power adapter - don't forget to bring an EU adapter!!! (If coming from the USA - it's VERY different to the UK power sockets!)
• Bed sheets and towels - If you can't bring your own then you can rent them for 150SEK. (I'm finding out if you need to order this in advance)
•Shampoo and shower gel - bring your own. But there is soap.
•Room Sharing - room space is limited at ESI, so all rooms are sharing twins. Essentially I get to choose who shares with whom - so if you have a request for a room mate, just let me know.
•Alcohol - There is no bar at the Eric Sahlström Institute, you have to bring your own. To buy alcohol in Sweden you have to do it in government shops called Systembollaget. The closest shop is Tierp.* (Directions) and is about 15 minutes by car.
• Shops - there are absolutely no shops in Tobo so either bring everything, or get it at the airport, or try to get a lift with someone with a car.*
• Shoes - In Sweden you don't wear shoes indoors, shoes are left at the door and then you put your slippers on. So bring slippers!
• Fika - this word means coffee and cake. Very important!
• Currency - the currency is the Swedish krona, this can be written as SEK or as :- so, 50 kronor can be written as 50 SEK or 50:-
• The address is: Eric Sahlström Institutet Bruksgatan 3, 748 50 Tobo, Sweden
• Pizza is at Restaurant Tobo
• The cost in 2025 was 4700SEK
Taking the Train from Arlanda to Tobo - updated 3/2/25
When you get to Arlanda follow the signs for the Trains.
NOTE: You can't buy tickets at the station - it has to be done online. You can do this at the airport - but there is no-where to physically buy tickets (I asked at the desk). You can use a web browser or an app on a smartphone. You can use SJ or Mälartåg. They are slightly different prices - I was told that Mälartåg was slightly cheaper - but I can't seem to make that the case. The train station is in-between terminals 4 and 5. Keep up and into SkyCity. The train station is on the right.
To start with you want to go to Uppsala and then change there and take the train to Tobo. The whole journey takes about an hour and 15.
The thing to note is that there are two ways of doing the journey - one with local trains called Mälartåg and one with the SJ Intercity. This is like the Heathrow Express and is faster but more expensive. However - if you want to get out of the airport via train there is an airport tax of 147SEK. This price is included in the Intercity price. So for the Mälartåg option you have to add 147 SEK into your calculations. Here's what the airport says. It’s easy. Just remember you are NOT going into Stockholm. You are going to Arlanda. So don’t take the Arlanda Express to Centralen/Stockholm.
The train station is in-between terminals 4 and 5. Keep up and into SkyCity. The train station is on the right.
It is easiest to buy a ticket using a smartphone app. You're looking for
SJ - Trains in Sweden and the icon as of today (January 25) looks like the image on the left. For this option you take an Arlanda Express Northward and then change in Uppsala to a Mälartrain.
(I don't have a handy picture of the station platform for this)
The app you want for the local train version is called Mälartåg
and the icon as of today (February 25) looks like the image on the left. For this option you get on a Mälartrain at Arlanda and then change to another Mälartrain in Uppsala. Either way you have to change in Uppsala! This train is called Pendeltåg and is run by SL. You are looking for something like the bottom picture on the left.
Spår means platform
SL Pendeltåg is the Mälartåg local train.
Uppsala is the destination
Hire Cars
You have to take the airport shuttle to get to the hire car place. Make sure you hire in advance and don't leave it to luck when you arrive chances are they won't have any stock. You will get winter tyres as standard. Request studs they may not come as standard, they shouldn't cost you anymore. You will need them! Don't go electric. I don't know how Sweden is set up for Electric and can't help, I just avoid that option. You'll arrive at Terminal 5 and the bus to get to the hire car leaves from Terminal 4 (or 2). It takes approximately 5-7 minutes to walk from the bus stop at Terminal 4 to Terminal 5. The walk is indoors via SkyCity. The bus will be labelled P2 Beta Long Term.
The infographic is below.
Helpful Flight Stuff
I have a flying with a nyckelharpa guidance page here.
I also have a page with my experience of flying here. You need a password, it's: fl1ght
There are also more flight options on the original workshop page.
RYANAIR from Stansted
I flew Ryanair last year. I booked two seats, I added a 20kg bag as I visited family at the start and the price for the two seats and bags was £150.
Book two seats. At the start don't add bags. (Do this later so you don't add bags to both seats).
The nyckelharpa travels as First Name: EXTRA Last Name: ITEM SEAT
Make it the same gender as your passport and when you check in, use your passport number.
The nyckelharpa has to be window seat - so it's best to pay the £8 per seat per flight to make sure you don't fall foul of this later.
The Final Kilometer
I will have a hire car - but keep in mind there are 22 of us and I have a small car. I will do as many trips as I need to - but I can't guarantee to take everyone in the car. I might need to just take bags and instruments and for people to do the final stretch walking. It is easy and flat:
The Schedule
Loosely based on this. It might change, but ids roughly where we start from!
