Vasaloppet is working to reduce queues and congestion during the Winter Week 2025

Facilitating carpooling, recommending alternative routes, improving and expanding parking areas, and using temporary bridges over the river — these are some of the ways Vasaloppet is working to reduce car traffic, queues, and congestion, particularly at the start location in Sälen during the Winter Week 2025.

”We feel confident in the measures we’ve taken and are ready to welcome participants to this year’s event,” says Tommy Höglund, Vasaloppet’s Sports Lead.

The reconstruction of Vasaloppsvägen, coupled with record participation and mild weather that rendered some parking areas unusable, caused traffic queues and stoppages during the Winter Week 2024. This led to several participants arriving late to the start. Vasaloppet is now working on both short-term and long-term solutions to improve traffic flow and reduce queues.

”We’ve been focused on traffic issues for many years, but 2024 still took us a bit by surprise. We’ve analysed what happened and created an action plan with several measures to implement. It was very unfortunate that some participants were stuck in traffic and had to start late, which had cascading effects, delaying checkpoint closing times from Sälen to Mora. We’ve now developed a plan to prevent this from happening again,” says Tommy Höglund, Sport Lead at Vasaloppet.

The reconstruction of Vasaloppsvägen is ongoing, presenting continued challenges for both the Vasaloppet organization and participants, who must factor this into their travel plans. To address these issues, Vasaloppet is employing various solutions, including a collaboration with the SITE Mobility project, which has developed the Freelway app. This app can help participants find and coordinate carpooling options. A long-term effort to increase bus availability is also underway, although the national shortage of both drivers and buses presents challenges. Participants are encouraged to book their bus tickets well in advance to aid planning.

”We’re also working with Destination Sälenfjällen to urge winter holidaymakers to use alternative routes to avoid Vasaloppet traffic. Winter tourism in the Sälen and Mora areas has grown significantly in recent years, and we’re collaborating with other stakeholders to better manage traffic flows across the region,” says Tommy Höglund.

Parking facilities in Sälen are also being reviewed. For example, a new parking area is being completed on the west side of the Västerdalälven river, where cars can park, and participants can walk across the ice to the start.

”This has been done before, most recently in 2019, but this year, we’ve also borrowed floating docks from Vansbrosimningen to serve as bridges across the ice as an extra safety measure. Having parking on the other side of the river will be a big help. Overall, we feel confident in the measures we’ve taken,” says Tommy Höglund.

FACTS: Examples of Vasaloppet’s work to reduce traffic and queues during the Winter Week 2025:

• Collaboration with SITE Mobility and promotion of the Freelway app to encourage carpooling
• Dialogue with Destination Sälenfjällen to inform winter holidaymakers about alternative routes
• Encouraging participants to book bus tickets well in advance to aid planning.
• Improved signage
• Buses dropping off participants at the start will not be allowed to leave the area until traffic queues into the start area have cleared
• Expansion of parking areas, including a new area on the west side of the river, with temporary bridges over the river for participants to walk to the start
• Improved preparation of existing parking areas
• Enhanced logistics in and around parking facilities

Upcoming events in the Vasaloppet Arena

Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2025 and the 101st Vasaloppet – cross country skiing
Friday, February 21, Vasaloppet 30, start Oxberg, 30 km
Saturday, February 22, Tjejvasan, start Oxberg, 30 km
Sunday, February 23, Öppet Spår Sunday, start Sälen, 90 km
Sunday, February 23, Ungdomsvasan, start Eldris, 9 km, start Hökberg, 19 km
Monday, February 24, Öppet Spår Monday 90, freestyle, start Sälen, 90 km
Monday, February 24, Öppet Spår Monday 45, freestyle, start Evertsberg, 45 km
Monday, February 24, Öppet Spår Monday 30, freestyle, start Oxberg, 30 km
Tuesday, February 25, Vasaloppet 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Friday, February 28, Stafettvasan, ski relay, five legs, start Sälen, 90 km
Friday, February 28, Nattvasan 30, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Oxberg, 30 km
Friday, February 28, Nattvasan 45, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Oxberg, 45 km
Friday, February 28, Nattvasan 90, individually or two-person teams, freestyle, start Sälen, 90 km
Saturday, March 1, Vasaloppet 10, freestyle, start Eldris, 9 km
Sunday, March 2, The 101st Vasaloppet, start Sälen, 90 km

Vasaloppet’s Summer Week 2025 – biking and running
Friday, August 8, Ungdomscykelvasan, start Oxberg, 32 km
Friday, August 8, Cykelvasan Öppet Spår, start Sälen, 96 km
Friday, August 8, Cykelvasan 30, start Oxberg, 32 km
Friday, August 8, Cykelvasan 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Saturday, August 9, Cykelvasan 90, start Sälen, 96 km
Friday, August 15, Funkisvasan, start Mora, 4 km
Friday, August 15, Trailvasan 10, start Mora, 10 km
Saturday, August 16, Ultravasan 90, start Sälen, 92 km
Saturday, August 16, Vasastafetten, running relay, ten legs, start Sälen, 92 km
Saturday, August 16, Ultravasan 45, start Oxberg, 45 km
Saturday, August 16, Trailvasan 30, start Oxberg, 30 km

Vasaloppstrippeln – ski, bike and run, all in one year
Vasaloppstrippeln is a challenge where you complete three races – skiing, cycling and running – during one and the same calendar year. Choose between 30, 45 or 90 kilometres.

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High-resolution photos from Vasaloppet
https://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/vasaloppet/latest_media

Text and photos may be freely published.

For more information
Camilla Sandy, Press Manager Vasaloppet
+46 (0)70-384 95 00
camilla.sandy@vasaloppet.se

Gabriel Jansson, Press coordinator
+46 (0)73-097 38 12
gabriel.jansson@vasaloppet.se

More on Vasaloppet
www.vasaloppet.se
Press room: mynewsdesk.com/se/pressroom/vasaloppet
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