Social ConventionsNormal courtesies should be observed. It is customary for the guest to refrain from drinking until the host makes a toast. The guest should also thank the host for the meal with
Tack för maten. Casual dress is acceptable for everyday occasions; smarter wear for social occasions, exclusive restaurants and clubs. Evening wear (black tie) will usually be specified when required. Smoking is prohibited on public transport and in most public buildings.
International Travel:Getting There by AirThe national airline is
SAS Scandinavian
Airlines System (SK) (website:
www.sas.se).
Main AirportsStockholm (STO) (Arlanda) (website:
www.arlanda.lfv.se) is 42km (26 miles) north of the city.
To/from the airport: There are frequent bus services operating between the airport and the city (journey time – 40 minutes).
Arlanda Express trains leave for the city frequently throughout the day (journey time – 20 minutes). Trains travel to a range of destinations, including Sundsvall, Falun, Mora and Uppsala from the airport. Taxi services are also available.
Facilities: Duty-free shop, car hire, banks/bureaux de change, cash dispenser, restaurant/bar, coffee shop and tourist information. There is a good selection of hotels within 10km of the airport.
Gothenburg (GOT) (Landvetter) (website:
www.landvetter.lfv.se) is 24km (15 miles) east of the city (journey time – 25 minutes).
To/from the airport: Coach services are frequent between the airport and the Central Station. Buses and taxis are available into Gothenburg, as well as to and from Copenhagen (journey time - 50 minutes). Car hire is also available.
Facilities: Duty-free shop, car hire, bank/bureau de change, restaurant/bar and coffee shop.
Malmö Sturup (MMX) (website:
www.sturup.com) is 31km (20 miles) east of the city (journey time – 35 minutes).
To/from the airport: Bus and taxi services go to the city.
Facilities: Bureau de change and a duty-free shop.
For more information on the airports, contact
LFV (Swedish Airports and Air Navigation Services) (website:
www.lfv.se).
Getting There by WaterMain ports: Gothenburg (website:
www.portgot.se),
Sundsvalls Hamn (website:
www.sundsvallshamn.se),
Hargs Hamn (website:
www.hargshamn.se) and
Trelleborg (website:
www.tralleborgshamn.se).
DFDS Seaways ferries sail all year round from Newcastle to Gothenburg (journey time – 24 hours). There are also ferry connections from Swedish ports to other destinations including Copenhagen, Gdansk, Helsingør, Kiel, Klaipeda, Oslo, Riga, St Petersburg and Tallinn.
NoteÖresund Runt CardThis pass enables visitors to travel on both sides of the Öresund River (Sweden and Denmark) on boats or trains. The ticket can be bought from the Malmo Tourism Office at Central Station.
Getting There by RailOne UK–Sweden route is from London to Hook of Holland or Ostend, and onwards via Copenhagen (journey time – 22-25 hours). There are connections by ferry from Denmark and through rail routes from Norway (Oslo, Narvik and Trondheim). However, the quickest route is to take the
Eurostar train to Brussels, and then to catch a connection to Hamburg and on to Stockholm.
The Swedish high-speed train
x2000 travels from Oslo to Stockholm/Gothenburg.
Inlandsbanan (inland railway) is a route from Kristinehamn (Mid-Sweden) to Gällivare (North). It is a privately-owned company offering tours during the summer months. Bicycles can be taken on the trains.
Connex AB operates trains from Stockholm to Gothenburg. Other destinations on the route include Kiruna, Luleå, Umeå and Sundsvall.
Rail PassesInterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The
Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The
One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on
Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Eurailpass: offers unlimited first-class train travel in 17 European countries. Tickets are valid for 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months or three months. The
Eurailpass Saver ticket offers discounts for two or more people traveling together. The
Eurailpass Youth ticket is available to those under 26 and offers unlimited second-class train travel. The
Eurailpass Flexi allows either 10 or 15 travel days within a two-month period. The
Eurail Selectpass is valid in three, four or five bordering countries and allows five, six, eight or 10 travel days (or 15 for five countries) in a two-month period. The
Eurail Regional Pass allows four to 10 travel days in a two-month period in one of nine regions (usually two or more countries). Children receive a 50 per cent reduction. The passes cannot be sold to residents of Europe, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia or the Russian Federation. Available from
The Eurail Group (website:
www.eurail.com).
ScanRail: this pass can be used for extensive travel of five or 10 days in two months or 21 consecutive days across Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
Payment of supplement if required on some trains. Seat reservation, couchette, sleeper or cabin charges are not included in the cost of the pass and are payable at the normal rate. The
ScanRail pass also entitles holders to free travel on some ferry and buss routes as well as up to 50% discount on ferries, buses and private railway throughout Scandinavia, free or discounted admission (up to 50% off) to railway museums in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden and reduced room rated at 160 hotels throughout Scandinavia. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/railpasses/scanrail.htm).
Getting There by RoadFrom the UK visitors can either drive to Sweden through Europe via Denmark or Germany, or catch a car ferry from Harwich (all year) to Gothenburg on the southwest coast (sailing time – 24 hours).
The Øresund Fixed Link, spanning 16km (10 miles) of waterway, joins the cities of Malmö (Sweden) and Copenhagen (Denmark). The link comprises a suspension bridge and an underwater tunnel, joined in the middle by an artificial island. It was designed to provide better connections between the Scandinavian peninsula and the European continent.
Coach: There are services from London, Dover and Folkstone to a number of Swedish cities throughout the year, taking approximately 30 hours (restricted service in winter). There are numerous and excellent road links with all neighboring countries.
Eurolines (tel: 0870 514 3219; website:
www.eurolines.com) and
National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080; website:
www.nationalexpress.com) run regular coach services from the UK to Sweden. Travelers can either choose Mini-Pass breaks or book a 15-, 30- or 60-day pass. The six Mini-Passes give travelers the freedom to visit three cities, with prices starting at £55. Travelers can stay as long as they like in each city.
OverviewThe following items may be imported into Sweden from non-EU countries without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco*;
1l spirits over 22 per cent or 2l fortified or sparkling wine, 2l wine and 32l beer*;
a reasonable quantity of perfume;
gifts up to a value of SEK1700.
*Travelers must be over 18 years of age to import any cigarettes or tobacco products; and over 20 years of age to import any alcoholic beverages. These regulations are strictly enforced.
Abolition of duty-free goods within the EUOn 30 June 1999, the sale of duty-free alcohol and tobacco at airports and at sea was abolished in all of the original 15 EU member states. Of the 10 new member states that joined the EU on 1 May 2004 and the two states that joined on 1 January 2007, these rules already apply to Cyprus and Malta. There are transitional rules in place for visitors returning to one of the original 15 EU countries from one of the other new EU countries. But for the original 15, plus Cyprus and Malta, there are no limits imposed on importing tobacco and alcohol products from one EU country to another. Travelers should note that they may be required to prove at customs that the goods purchased are for personal use
only. Member states may follow the EU’s guide levels of: 10l of spirits; 20l of fortified wine; 90l of wine; 110l of beer; 800 cigarettes; 400 cigarillos; 200 cigars and 1kg of tobacco.
Prohibited ImportsNarcotics, firearms, ammunition, weapons, most meat and dairy products, eggs, plants, potatoes from outside the EU, endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic beverages of over 60 per cent alcohol (120° proof).
Internal Travel:Getting Around By AirSAS serves over 30 local airports. Travel by air is relatively cheap and efficient and there are a number of reduced fares offered by
SAS; contact the airline for further details.
Getting Around by WaterUnlike Norway and Finland, there are few domestic ferry services in Sweden. The various archipelagos on the southeast coast are served by small ferries, the most comprehensive network being within the Stockholm archipelago, for which you can buy an island-hopping boat pass. The other major link is between the Baltic island of Gotland and the mainland at Nynäshamn and Oskarshamn, which are very popular routes in summer; booking ahead is strongly recommended. There are frequent coastal sailings to all ports and on the hundreds of lakes throughout the country, especially in the north. For details contact local authorities.
Canal: The Gota canal (served by vintage steamer; website:
www.gotakanal.se) connects Gothenburg and Stockholm.
Getting Around by RailThe excellent and extensive rail system is run by
Swedish State Railways (SJ), SE-105 50 Stockholm (tel: (468) 762 20000; website:
www.sj.se). The network is more concentrated in the populated south where hourly services run between the main cities, but routes extend to the forested and sparsely populated lake area of the north, which is a scenic and popular holiday destination. Restaurant cars and sleepers are provided on many trains. Reservations are essential for most express services.
x2000 high-speed trains travel from Stockholm to Gothenburg; other destinations on the route include Jönköping, Sundvall, Gävle, Malmö and Härnosand. Motorail car-sleeper services are operated during the summer on the long-distance routes from Malmö, Gothenburg and Västerås to Kiruna and Luleå.
Rail PassesInterRail’s
One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Sweden. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on
Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
The
Sweden Rail Pass offers unlimited travel for three to eight days in one month. Supplements for seat, sleepers, etc are not included in the pass. Up to two children under 16 can travel free with one adult and reduced fares are available for others.
Getting Around by RoadTraffic drives on the right. Sweden’s roads are well-maintained and relatively uncrowded, but watch out for animals crossing the road in remote areas. Credit and debit cards are becoming more acceptable as a means of payment at petrol stations. Most petrol stations have 24-hour automatic petrol pumps; they accept SKr100 and 20 notes.
Bus: Express coach services and local buses are run by
Connex (website:
www.connex.com) and
Swebus (website:
www.swebus.se). Cheap and efficient links are available to all towns. Many coach operators do special offers on tickets on weekends (Friday to Sunday). Information is available in Sweden from local tourist offices. The
Gothenburg,
Malmö and
Stockholm Passes (one-, two- or three-day) offer free public transport in those areas as well as free admission to selected museums and tourist attractions. Cards can be purchased from tourist information centers, train stations, camping sites or youth hostels.
Taxi: Available in all towns and at airports. Intercity taxis are also available. Taxi drivers should be tipped around 10 per cent.
Car hire: Available in most towns and cities. All international agencies are represented.
Regulations: Speed limits outside built-up areas are 110, 90 or 70kph (68, 56 or 43mph) depending on road width and traffic density. In built-up areas the limit is 50kph (31mph) or 30kph (19mph) in school areas. Severe fines and sometimes prison sentences are imposed on drivers over the alcohol limit (0.02 per cent). There are on-the-spot fines for traffic offences. The use of dipped headlights is compulsory in the daytime for cars and motorcycles. Crash helmets are compulsory for motorcyclists. Seatbelts must be worn at all times. Children under seven may not travel in a car if it is not equipped with a special child restraint or a normal seat belt adapted for the child’s use. Emergency warning triangles are obligatory. Studded tires are only permitted from 1 November to the first Monday after the Easter holiday.
Documentation: National driving license is sufficient, but it must include a photo or it will not be recognized. The minimum age for car drivers is 18; for motorcyclists it is 17. The car’s log book and written permission must be carried if driving someone else’s car. A Green Card is not required by Swedish authorities, but it tops up the cover provided by a domestic policy. It is advisable to check the validity of insurance policies prior to departure.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesPublic transport is efficient, comprehensive and well-integrated. Stockholm has bus, trams, metro (
T-banan) and local rail services. Pre-purchase multi-tickets and passes are sold, though single tickets can also be obtained on the bus. There are trams in Gothenburg and Norrköping. Taxis are widely available; large taxi companies are cheaper than independents. Several of the main cities, particularly Stockholm, have boat excursions and services.
Journey TimesThe following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from
Stockholm to other major cities/towns in Sweden.
| | Air | Road | Rail |
| Gothenburg | 0.50 | 6.00 | 4.30 |
| Malmö | 1.05 | 8.00 | 6.45 |
| Luleå | 1.15 | 20.00 | 15.00 |
| Mora | 1.00 | 6.00 | 4.30 |
Next Page »
