Vanille's journey: from the Côte d'Azur to Lapland, by van and then by train
Published on 8 November 2026
« Can you really come all the way to Lapland with your dog? » It's the question we're asked most often. This autumn, Vanille and Bianca gave us the best answer: they did it.
A week, without rushing
Bianca chose to take her time. Leaving the Côte d'Azur on a Saturday, she arrived at our place the following Saturday. A week of travel, thought of as part of the adventure, not as a chore to be rushed through.
By the numbers: 2,256 km by van, 1,540 km by train, 7 days of travel.
The road: 2,256 km to Malmö
The main stages: Queyras, Grenoble, Aix-les-Bains, Geneva, Basel, Baden-Baden, Bispingen (in the Lüneburg Heath), then Denmark by road, the Storebælt bridge, Korsør, and finally the Øresund bridge, which connects Denmark to Sweden, at sunset. Bianca even took a slight detour to go through the Alpine passes. Vanille, meanwhile, traveled comfortably settled in, and didn't miss a chance to keep an eye on the road.
Where to sleep on the way
- In France: in the van.
- In Germany: in a guest house. Bianca didn't feel comfortable about sleeping in a motorway car park.
- In Denmark: in the van, at the port of Korsør. Danish parking areas have showers and toilets.
- In Malmö: at a hotel. Surprise: hotels were more expensive in Germany than in Malmö.
Dogs almost always pay a small supplement, between €8 and €10 per night.
Three trains to our place
In Malmö, the van gave way to the train. A first train to Stockholm, then a night train with sleeper berths from Stockholm to Umeå, and finally a last daytime train from Umeå to Älvsbyn, our station. Vanille watched the Swedish landscape pass by from her seat, then fell asleep on her owner's sleeper berth.
Good to know
- On night trains, compartments are reserved for travelers with dogs. The two lower sleeper berths are reserved for them: so there can be at most two dogs per compartment.
- There are also direct trains between Stockholm and Älvsbyn, in both directions. This is actually what Bianca chose for the return: a direct night train from Älvsbyn to Stockholm.
What it cost (one way only)
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Diesel | €320 |
| Tolls | €38 |
| Bridges (Storebælt and Øresund) | €93 |
| Train, from Malmö to Älvsbyn | €120 |
| Van parking in Malmö (9 days) | ≈ €80 |
| Total one way | ≈ €650 |
Bianca was traveling alone with Vanille: with two people, the van part costs the same, but you need to add another train ticket.
Bianca's advice
- Book your trains in advance: about 3 weeks ahead, prices are significantly lower.
- With a large dog, buy him a ticket: it's the only way to guarantee him a seat.
- In Germany, fill up before taking the motorway: she paid €2.80 per liter for diesel on the motorway, compared to €2.16 just outside it.
- To take a break on the road, there are also ferries, on more or less long crossings. It's more relaxing, but it has a cost.
Arrival: a burning sky
We went to pick them up at the station. After a quick stop for groceries, during which Vanille watched for her owner through the car window, Lapland offered them its most beautiful sky: pink, orange, on fire. Vanille's first strides in the Far North were taken under those colors.
And you?
Vanille's journey proves it: coming to Lapland with your dog is possible, and it can even become a memory in its own right. To prepare yours (passport, rabies vaccine, car, train or plane), everything is explained in our guide Traveling with your dog in Sweden.
Next week, we'll tell you about her stay with us.