Ärla is a locality in Eskilstuna Municipality in Södermanland County. It is today home to around 1.300 inhabitants and mostly consisst of residential buildings. It shares its name with the parish and has its origins in a settlement around the former railway station, which is no longer in service.
A Short History of Ärla
The railway line Norra Södermanlands Järnväg was originally passing by Ärla on its route between Eskilstuna and Södertälje. This changed in 1994 when the construction of the new route known as Svealandsbanan began. Ärla did then lose its connection with the railway that it had enjoyed since its opening in 1895. It was around the railway station that the settlement of Ärla developed and eventually became the center of the parish. The 18th-century parish church was as now located a few kilometers to the west. When the municipalities of Ärla and Stenkvista were merged in 1952 the seat of the new municipality was moved to the locality of Ärla. The locality stayed as the seat of the municipality until it was incorporated into Eskilstuna Municipality in 1971.
Things to Do and See
Where the railway once was is today a paved bike path that can take you all the way from Ärla to Eskilstuna, via places like Odlaren and Hällberga. This opens up the possibility of exploring the area by cycling, but also on foot. The nearby forests also offer good hiking possibilities due to local projects to provide trails with easy access.
In the locality itself, there are a few services available as well as a smaller playground. In addition, there is a small grocery store and a local pizzeria, a requirement for a small Swedish locality.
How to Get to Ärla
- Flights: Stockholm Skavsta Airport (NYO) is 74 kilometers to the south.
- Car: Ärla is along countryside roads south of Eskilstuna.
- Bus: Buses from Sörmlandstrafiken connect Ärla with the surrounding region.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 111 kilometers (1 h 31 min)
- Gothenburg – 418 kilometers (4 h 33 min)
- Malmö – 562 kilometers (5 h 54 min)
- Linköping – 151 kilometers (1 h 54 min)
- Kiruna – 1277 kilometers (15 h 46 min)
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