Scheduled boat
Waxholmsbolaget line 9 from Strömkajen in central Stockholm via Vaxholm, straight to the island's jetty.
About 1.5–2.5 hours. Often needs booking in advance.
Travel guide
Getting to Stora Timrarö
The island can only be reached by boat. There are four ways to get here, and the most important thing to know is that on many departures the scheduled boat stops only if you have booked in advance.
Information checked
Quick answers
Four ways to get here
Car and ferry
Drive to Östanå and take the free road ferry across to Ljusterö.
A 7-minute crossing. Boat for the last stretch.
Bus
SL bus 626 from Danderyds sjukhus via Åkersberga to the Östanå ferry landing.
Not 676 — it does not stop there.
Boat taxi
Several operators in the Österåker archipelago run around the clock, on request.
From around SEK 900.
By scheduled boat
Waxholmsbolaget line 9
Lines 9A and 9B run from Strömkajen in Stockholm via Vaxholm and out towards Ljusterö. The jetty on Stora Timrarö lies along that route, between the Öran and Laggarsvik jetties. It was built in 2016 and boats began calling there in June the same year.
- Name of the jetty
- Stora Timrarö. Also appears as Timrarö Östra in older material.
- Line
- 9A and 9B
- Departs from
- Strömkajen in Stockholm, or Vaxholm
- Journey time
- About 1.5–2.5 hours from Strömkajen depending on the departure
- 2026 season
- Around 2 April–12 December. Summer timetable 19 June–16 August.
- Customer service
- 08-600 10 00
The most important thing to know
Many departures stop only if you have booked in advance
Several of the calls at Stora Timrarö are request stops, which means the boat stops only if a passenger has booked it beforehand. Book your journey in the SL app, on the Waxholmsbolaget website or through customer service on 08-600 10 00 — at least one hour before departure, and by 17.00 at the latest.
Some early morning departures have an earlier deadline: book by 19.00 the day before. The timetable states which rule applies to each departure.
The semaphore at the jetty
There is a semaphore at the jetty — a mechanical signal arm that you raise to show that someone is waiting to board. It is an old archipelago solution for jetties with no staff, and it is still in use here. Raise it in good time before the boat arrives.
Waxholmsbolaget changes its timetable four times a year. Always check your specific departure before you travel — especially at the start and the end of the season.
By car
Ljusteröleden — the free ferry
The road ferry run by Trafikverket, the Swedish transport administration, crosses between Östanå on the mainland and Ljusterö. It is part of the public road, costs nothing and runs frequently.
- Route
- Östanå–Ljusterö, 1,100 metres
- Crossing
- 7 minutes
- Price
- Free of charge
- Frequency
- Every 10–20 minutes during the day
The ferry takes you to Ljusterö, not to Stora Timrarö. For the last stretch across the water you need your own boat, a boat taxi or the scheduled boat. Trafikverket's app Trafikinfo Färjerederiet shows current departures and how long the queue is.
By public transport
Bus 626 — and not 676
SL bus 626 runs from Danderyds sjukhus, a metro station north of central Stockholm, via Åkersberga station and Roslags-Kulla to the Östanå ferry landing, and on across Ljusterö. The whole journey takes about 1.5–1.8 hours. The bus goes across on the ferry.
A common mistake
The 676 express bus towards Norrtälje looks like the faster option, but it takes the motorway via Arninge and Brottby and stops at neither Roslags-Kulla nor Östanå. Take it and you will end up in the wrong place.
By boat taxi
The fastest way — and reasonable split between several people
A boat taxi goes when you want it to and takes you all the way. The price is for the boat, not per person, so split between a group it often works out comparable to the scheduled boat. Several operators serve the Österåker archipelago and normally take up to twelve passengers.
Österåkers Båttaxi
Skeppsdal, Österåker
Runs around the clock and gives a fixed price to Stora Timrarö in its price list — SEK 900 according to the rate from March 2026.
Siarö Sjötaxi
Siarö, northern Ljusterö
Has its home harbour on the neighbouring island and is therefore the closest of the operators.
GoPer Sjötaxi
Åkersberga and Linanäs
Passenger and freight transport throughout the Stockholm archipelago.
Gula Båten
Löparö, Norrtälje
Covers the northern and central archipelago, including Furusundsleden.
Prices change with the season and the cost of fuel. The figures above are taken from the operators' own price lists and should be confirmed when you book.
By your own boat
The island lies in the middle of Furusundsleden
Furusundsleden is the northern of the main shipping channels into Stockholm, and the ferries to Finland and Åland pass here every day. That makes the approach easy to navigate, but it also makes demands: the wash from large vessels is noticeable, and erosion close to the shore has been a documented problem in the sound.
- Position
- 59°29′53″N 18°29′44″Ö
- Channel depth
- 8 metres in the shipping channel
- Speed limit
- 10 knots since 2016, along a stretch about 10 kilometres long
Before you moor
The jetties on Stora Timrarö are private or managed by the community association. There is no public guest harbour on the island. Ask before you come alongside — get in touch in advance if you are planning to moor.
Services nearby
- Linanäs Gästhamn & Sjömack
- Southern Ljusterö. Petrol, diesel and alkylate fuel, a restaurant, a grocery shop and a Systembolaget agent, where orders from the state alcohol retailer can be collected.
- Siaröfortets gästhamn
- Kyrkogårdsön, a couple of kilometres to the north. A guest harbour sheltered from the shipping channel, plus a free daytime jetty by the restaurant.
- Furusunds Hamn
- Furusund. A guest harbour with full service, wifi, boat wash and a harbour restaurant.
Before you travel
Four things worth knowing
- There is no shop on the island. Do your shopping on the mainland or on Ljusterö. The nearest groceries are at Linanäs.
- Much of the land is privately owned house plots. The Swedish right of public access, allemansrätten, does not apply on a private plot, and much of the island is built up with holiday homes. Keep to the paths and the shoreline, and respect the signs.
- Winter services are unclear. The timetables that it has been possible to check cover April to December. Whether the jetty is served in the middle of winter could not be established — check with Waxholmsbolaget before you plan a winter trip.
- Expect wash from passing ships. Large vessels pass close to the island. Moor with that in mind, and do not leave loose items on the jetty.
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers
Does Waxholmsbolaget go to Stora Timrarö?
Yes. Lines 9A/9B serve the Stora Timrarö jetty during the season, roughly from the beginning of April to the middle of December. Many of the calls are request stops, however, which means the boat stops only if someone has booked the journey in advance.
Do I have to book the journey in advance?
On many departures, yes. Book in the SL app, on the Waxholmsbolaget website or through customer service on 08-600 10 00, at least one hour before departure and by 17.00 at the latest. For some early morning departures the deadline is 19.00 the day before.
How long does it take from Stockholm?
Allow about 1.5 to 2.5 hours from Strömkajen on the scheduled boat, depending on how many jetties the departure calls at. The figure of around 60 minutes that appears in older marketing material does not match the timetables.
What is the semaphore and how do I use it?
The semaphore is a mechanical signal arm at the jetty that you raise to show that you want to board. It is used at jetties with no staff. Raise it in good time before the boat arrives — and remember that it does not replace booking in advance.
Does the boat run in winter?
It is unclear. The timetables that it has been possible to check cover the period from April to December. Several property listings claim that the island is served all year round, but that is contradicted by the official timetables. Check with Waxholmsbolaget before a winter trip.
Can I get here by car?
Not all the way. You can drive to Östanå and take the free ferry to Ljusterö, a crossing of seven minutes, but the last stretch across the water to Stora Timrarö requires a boat.
Which bus goes to the Östanå ferry landing?
SL bus 626 from Danderyds sjukhus via Åkersberga station. The 676 express bus towards Norrtälje does not stop at Östanå.
Can I moor with my own boat?
The jetties on the island are private or managed by the community association, and there is no public guest harbour. Get in touch in advance if you are planning to come alongside. The nearest guest harbours are Linanäs on southern Ljusterö and Siaröfortet on Kyrkogårdsön.
Is there a shop or a restaurant on the island?
No. Bring what you need. The nearest groceries, fuel station and restaurant are at Linanäs on southern Ljusterö, and Siaröfortet on the neighbouring island has a restaurant during the summer season.
Transparency
Where the information comes from
Everything on this page can be checked. Times and prices are taken from the transport companies' and the operators' own channels, and the page is fact-checked again when the timetable changes. Where something could not be established, that is written out in the text rather than guessed at.
- Waxholmsbolaget — tidtabeller
- Trafikverket — Ljusteröleden
- SL — busstidtabeller
- Visit Roslagen — Stora Timrarö
- Stora Timrarö Samfällighetsförening
If you find something that is wrong or out of date — get in touch, and it will be corrected.
Something not covered here?
Ask about the journey, the jetty, mooring or conditions on the island. It is easier to answer than to guess.