Alcohol
Currency and Credit Cards
Driving in Sweden
Emergency Phone Numbers
Medical treatment
Pets
Public Holidays
Shopping
Smoking Restrictions
Taxis
Tipping
Vaccinations
Value-Added Tax (VAT)
Visa/Passport Rules
What to Wear
Wilderness/National Parks
Alcohol
Sweden has a government alcohol monopoly called Systembolaget for sale of all beverages stronger than 3.5% by volume. Minimum purchase age at Systembolaget is 20 years. Restaurants and bars with proper permission can serve alcohol to anyone who is at least 18, though many nightclubs voluntarily require a minimum age above 18 (usually 20 or 23).
Beer is legally divided into three classes. Class I (maximum 2.25%), called lättöl ("light beer"), is sold without restrictions. Class II (up to 3.5%), called folköl ("people's beer"), is sold in regular stores, but with the minimum purchase age of 18. Class III, starköl ("strong beer", over 3.5%) is not sold in stores.
Beverages are taxed by content of alcohol, heavier than in most other countries - regular vodka costs around 300 SEK (about 32 EUR or 44 USD) a liter. Beverages with 2,8% alcohol or less are exempt from tax.
The import quota from other EU countries is generous (10 L of liquor), and due to the taxes many Swedes supply themselves in Estonia or Germany. Limited rations of duty free shopping is allowed on the ferries between Sweden and Finland, provided they dock at Åland, which is a free trade zone.
Moonshining is common in rural areas.
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Currency and Credit Cards
The monetary unit in Sweden is the krona (plural “kronor”) and equals 100 öre. Bank notes are printed in values of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 kronor, coins 50 öre, 1, 5 and 10 kronor.
There is no limit on the amount of Swedish and foreign currency taken into Sweden.
The Euro replaced 12 national currencies in January 2002 as the single currency of these European nations: Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Greece, Portugal and Finland, with Finland as the single Nordic country participating. Sweden has yet to ratify the Euro treaty.
Credit cards. Major credit cards are widely accepted throughout Sweden at banks, hotels, stores, restaurants, taxis, car rental companies, and for air, ship and rail tickets. Most shops and restaurant require identity card while paying with credit card.
You can get cash with your Visa, MasterCard, Maestro or Cirrus card at any “Bankomat” or “Minuten” ATM.
Travelers’ checks. Travelers’ checks are generally accepted as payment throughout Sweden. Change will be given in Swedish kronor.
Please note that a nominal fee is charged when using the checks as payment.
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Driving in Sweden
There are no tolls (except when crossing the Öresund Bridge), and traffic jams are rare. The roads are usually in excellent condition, with easy-to-read traffic signs.
Here are some tips about driving in Sweden.
Documents required:
• Current valid driving licence
• Vehicle registration documents
• Green card or other insurance documents recommended.
Speed limits (always posted on road signs):
• Motorways 65 mph/110 km/h.
• Dual carriageways and many other roads normally 55 mph/90 km/h.
• Other roads outside built-up areas 43 mph/70 km/h.
• Built-up areas 31 mph/50 km/h.
• Car + caravan (with brakes) 50 mph/80 km/h.
Compulsory motoring equipment:
• Warning triangles obligatory (to be placed 50-100 metres behind the vehicle).
• Headlamp adaptor (desirable but not obligatory).
• Belts must be used (both front and back).
• Children can use any seat but must use seat belt or special child safety seat.
Rules and regulations:
• Minimum age for driving: 18.
• Drive on the right and give way to traffic approaching from the right unless road signs indicate otherwise.
• You must drive with headlights at all times.
• Studded tyres are allowed between 1 October and 30 April (longer if there is still snow or ice on the roads) and are compulsory on vehicles registered in Sweden between 1 December and 31 March. When using studded and winter tyres they must be fitted on all wheels. Drivers coming from abroad are not legally required to have winter tyres fitted.
• Driving fines are levied on the spot.
• Maximum permitted blood alcohol level is 0,2 Promille so alcohol should be avoided completely when driving. The police are permitted to make random checks.
Petrol: Normal types of petrol available are 98 octane (equivalent to four-star), unleaded and diesel.
• In February 2007 the cost of petrol ranged between about SEK 10.52 per litre.
• Major credit cards are usually accepted. At self-service stations you pay through automated machines which accept SEK 20, 50 or 100 notes (not available for diesel).
Emergencies: If you need emergency car repairs you can ring the “Larmtjänst” service, freephone 112 within Sweden.
Most gas stations are self-service, open 7 days a week, and some are open 24 hours a day. Major credit cards are accepted at most stations.
Gas prices
(February 2007)
Unleaded 95 octane SEK 10.86 /liter
Unleaded 98 octane SEK 11.16 / liter
Diesel SEK 10.49/ liter
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Emergency Phone Numbers
Emergency phone calls Dial 112 for emergency assistance from police, fire brigade, ambulance etc. Emergency calls from pay phones are free of charge.
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Medical treatment
Emergency phone calls Dial 112 for emergency assistance from police, fire brigade, ambulance etc. Emergency calls from pay phones are free of charge.
If you need medical services during your stay in Sweden, visit the nearest clinic (Vårdcentral) or hospital emergency room (Akutmottagning). Bring your passport, documents and health insurance.
Most hotels and other accommodations in Sweden maintain contact with a nearby doctor who can be summoned quickly in case of illness. Municipal authorities supply emergency medical care, and hotel staff can direct guests to local emergency centers or hospitals.
Citizens from North America and other countries from outside the EU/EEA countries must pay for the medical treatment. Make sure that you are covered by your health insurance and bring necessary documents on your trip.
Citizens from within EU/EEA countries and some other countries with which Sweden has a special agreement are entitled to the same medical services as the Swedes.
Approximate fees (fees might vary between different hospitals)- Emergency room visit
Adults: USD40
Children: (under 18 yrs) USD21
The fee charged for a stay in hospital is USD12/day.
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Pets
When bringing a dog or a cat to Sweden from a low-risk country, you need
• Veterinary Certificate E9.45 or a pet passport
• identity marking
• rabies vaccination, including the blood test result showing an approved level of rabies antibodies
• deworming against tapeworm (echinococcus)
• Notifying the customs. If you come to Sweden directly from a country outside the EU (except Norway), you may only bring animals via the airports of either Landvetter or Arlanda.
The animals may also be imported via another EC country. It must in that case go through a veterinary check on the border in the first EC country you arrive in, and pay a fee for the check. You must tell the veterinarian that the animal is destinated for Sweden. After having passed the veterinary check, the animal may be imported to Sweden over the customs checkpoint of your choice if it furfills the Swedish import demands. You must however report the import to the customs authorities upon arrival on the Swedish border.
Animals from Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican may be imported via any border communities.
Please start by contacting your veterinarian. Make an appointment for your dog or cat. The veterinarian has more detailed information about what you need to do and about what treatments are recommended for your animal in particular.
Veterinary certificate. The animal must be accompanied by Veterinary certificate E9.45 in which the treatments are noted by a official veterinarian (= veterinarian appointed by the government in each country). Private veterinarians are not allowed to issue the certificate. The certificate sheet can be ordered from www.sjv.se.
If you plan to bring an EU animal to a country outside the EU and back again, you must obtain a passport for pet animals before you leave. In this case, you do not need the veterinary certificate E9.45.
At the time of import you shall bring not only the certificate, but also the documents it is based on, that is vaccination certificates and the result of the blood test. This does not apply if you are using a passport for pet animals.
Identity marking. The veterinarian will mark your animal, using either a microchip (ISO standard 11784 or 11785) or a tattoo. Please ask your veterinarian to verify that the marking is easily legible. If it is not, you may encounter problems at the border. Please observe that AVID-chips come in two series, wherof only one is of ISO-standard. If your animal is already marked with a non-ISO AVID, you must bring your own AVID microchip scanner upon import.
Rabies vaccination. The identity-marked dog or cat must have an approved rabies vaccination. You have to make sure your dog or cat is identity-marked before the rabiesvaccination.
The basic vaccination can be performed on animals that are older than three months. No sooner than 120 days after the most recent vaccination, the veterinarian will draw a blood sample and send it to a approved laboratory (http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/approval_en.htm) to see whether the animal has actually developed sufficient immunity to rabies. The test result shall indicate a rabies antibody level of at least 0,5 IU/ml.
Animals that have been vaccinated against rabies before shall be revaccinated within certain intervals in order for the protection against rabies to last.
Deworming. No more than ten days before you bring your animal to Sweden, it must be dewormed against Echinococcus spp. (tapeworm) by a veterinarian. Please make sure to contact the veterinarian well in advance. If you travel often between Denmark and Sweden, you can use a so-called four-week certificate for the deworming. This certificate is completed by a veterinarian.
Customs declaration. You have to notify the customs at the border in accordance with customs legislation. Please see the website of Swedish Customs (http://www.tullverket.se/en/).
Note! Import of dogs and cats from Malysia to Sweden is generally forbidden, but may be allowed on special conditions. Import may be allowed if following is fulfilled:
• The animal has not been in any contact with pigs the last 60 days before the export.
• The animal has not been kept in facilities where there has been cases of the Nipah disease within the last 60 days before export.
• The animal has shown negative results of ELISA-test when searching for lgG, which has been made in laboratories approved by the authorized veterinary-authority for analysis taken within 10 days before export.
Low Risk Countries: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina,Aruba, Ascension, Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Belorussia, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Croatia, Dutch Antilles, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hong Kong, Iceland, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malaysia*, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Monaco, Montserrat, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Romania, Russia, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, USA, Vanuatu, the Vatican, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna.
Please note that this division into high-risk and low-risk countries may be subject to change.
* Please use the following link for more information about bringing a dog or cat from Malaysia to Sweden: www.sjv.se.
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Public Holidays
In addition to every Sunday, the public holidays in Sweden as defined by law are:
Public holiday Date of observation
New Year's Day (nyårsdagen) January 1
Epiphany (trettondedag jul) January 6
Good Friday (långfredagen) The Friday closest before Easter Sunday. (2007: April 6)
Easter Sunday (påskdagen) The Sunday closest after the full moon that occurs on or closest after March 21. (2007: April 8)
Easter Monday (annandag påsk) The day after Easter Sunday. (2007: April 9)
May Day (första maj) May 1
Ascension Day (Kristi himmelsfärdsdag) Sixth Thursday after Easter Sunday. (2007: May 17)
Whitsunday (pingstdagen) Seventh Sunday after Easter Sunday. (2007: May 27)
National Day of Sweden (Sveriges nationaldag) June 6
Midsummer's Day (midsommardagen) The Saturday during the period 20–26 June. (2007: June 23)
All Saints' Day (alla helgons dag) The Saturday during the period October 31–November 6. (2007: November 3)
Christmas Day (juldagen) December 25
Boxing Day (annandag jul) December 26
De facto holidays. The day before an official holiday is in most cases treated as a de facto holiday in two variants, full day and half day.
De facto full holidays. The de facto full holidays are treated as official holidays.
De facto full holiday Date of observation
Midsummer's Eve (midsommarafton) The day before Midsummer Day (2007: June 22)
Christmas Eve (julafton) December 24
New Year's Eve (nyårsafton) December 31
De facto half holidays. The de facto half holidays are in many cases treated with the afternoon off.
De facto half holiday Date of observation
Twelfth Night (trettondagsafton) January 5
Maundy Thursday (skärtorsdagen) The day before Good Friday (2007: April 5)
Holy Saturday (påskafton) The day before Easter (2007: April 7)
Walpurgis Night (valborgsmässoafton) April 30
Pentecost Eve (pingstafton) The day before Whitsunday (2007: May 26)
All Saints' Eve (allhelgonaafton) The day before All Saint's Day (2007: November 2)
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Shopping
Sweden has set the pace for modern design the world over. High-quality cutlery, china, sports equipment, textiles, handicrafts, furs, crystal, jewelry, silver, fine glassware, pottery, furniture, quality cars and mobile phones.
Bargain hunting – look for the special signs indicating sales. “REA” indicates a sale; “Extrapris”, used along with red price labels, indicates discounts of at least 10%; and “Fynd” indicates special offers.
Best buys: High-quality glass and crystal are widely available throughout Sweden. For bargains in low-cost “seconds” visit the major glassworks shops, such as Orrefors, Kosta Boda, etc. located in Småland. For ceramics, Nya Höganäs-Keramik, at Höganäs in southern Sweden, offers bargains at up to 40% below normal retail levels.
Everywhere in Sweden, even in small villages, you’ll find “hemslöjd” (handicrafts) shops where you can buy traditional handicrafts like knitwear, needlework and woodcarvings.
Many traditional markets and country fairs are held in Sweden throughout the year. Some are big events attracting thousands of visitors. Inquire at local tourist offices about markets in the area you are visiting.
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Smoking Restrictions
In Sweden, smoking was banned in restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs in June 2005. Smoking rooms are, however, allowed in these institutions if the place is very small and if the rooms are totally secluded from the rest of the place. No serving or consumption of food or beverages are allowed in smoking rooms. The ban was very popular amongst the population and even the industries affected.
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Taxis
Taxis in Sweden takes you quickly and comfortably to your destination. A large number of taxi companies, both large and small, transport taxi customers around Sweden.
Depending on where you are on your travels you can either call and book a taxi via taxi reservation services, go to a taxi rank or hail a taxi on the street.
The Swedish taxi industry has been deregulated. Some companies have fixed prices but they can vary depending on the time of day and if it is the weekend. For this reason, it is recommended that you confirm the taxi fare before setting off.
Credit cards are usually accepted.
In line with the Swedish National Road Administration's regulations, the taxi driver must have all price information clearly visible both inside and outside of the vehicle.
Swedish taxi drivers are highly skilled. Gaining a taxi driver license requires that the driver is both skilled at driving and suitable for the job and he or she must meet a number of medical requirements. A license is issued by the Swedish National Road Administration which is then examined by the County Administrative Board to see if the applicant is suitable to hold a licence for prosecuting professional taxi services.
Airport cabs have fixed prices throughout Sweden. A price database is available on their website where you can obtain prices for shared air taxis or own air taxi to and from more than 3,000 places in Sweden.
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Tipping
Hotel prices include a service charge. Service in restaurants is not usually included in the bill; around 10 per cent should be added. Late at night the service charge is higher. Taxi drivers should be tipped around 10 per cent.
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Vaccinations
Sweden has no vaccination requirements.
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Value-Added Tax
In Sweden, value-added tax (VAT) is always included in the purchase price. Non EU-residents can get a refund of the VAT when you leave the EU via Global Refund Sweden.
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Visa/Passport Rules
A valid passport entitles EU and North American citizens to a three-month stay in Sweden. Citizens of other countries should check with a Swedish diplomatic representative in their home country.
The Schengen Agreement: Sweden is now part of the Schengen Agreement, an agreement on unrestricted travel for persons in Europe. This co-operation only regulates the control of persons as travelers, and does not affect EU regulations for the free transport of goods, services and capital.
Travel in the Schengen area is equivalent to domestic travel in terms of the control of persons. You therefore do not need to show your passport when travelling between the Schengen countries, but you still need to bring your passport since you need to be able to confirm your nationality in various circumstances when visiting another Schengen country.
Travellers to or from the Schengen area will go through a personal control, both on arrival and departure. Identity will be checked, as well as the validity of the passport. Travellers will also be checked in relation to a joint police register (Schengen Information System).
If you are travelling to another Schengen country everything will be more or less the same. You can find more information about Schengen at Luftfartsverket's website. Link to the right.
Member countries in Schengen from 2001: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Iceland and Norway are associate members.
Visitors should always bring their passport when travelling abroad!
Passports: A valid EU passport entitles you to a three-month stay in Sweden.
Visas: Not usually required but non-EU citizens are advised to check with the Embassy of Sweden.
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What to Wear
During the summer the weather in Sweden is mild and pleasant. Pack casual summer clothes, like a few medium-weight sweaters, a light jacket or raincoat.
An overcoat is necessary in the autumn, winter and spring.
Comfortable, low-heeled shoes are important, not only for the countryside, but also for sightseeing along cobblestone streets.
Swedes like fashion. However, they avoid standing out in glitzy attire and will never abandon their jeans for too long.
In the restaurants and for business, a jacket and tie are expected for gentlemen. Trousers are acceptable for women on any occasion, including business.
Note: When traveling in the marine, northern, and remote regions, especially during the fall, winter, and spring, special clothing and protective gear is recommended.
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Wilderness/National Parks
Many travellers who visit Northern Sweden for the first time are astonished to discover such a vast, majestic landscape, with such enormous expanses of pristine wilderness and breathtaking scenery, so close and easily accessible from the hustle and bustle of central Europe. The wilds of Northern Sweden and Scandinavia are frequently – and sadly – referred to as ”Europe´s last wilderness”.
It is certainly the largest and least tamed. Sweden is one of the biggest countries in Europe, and the Northern Sweden region covers over half of the country’s total land area, while containing less than a ninth of its population. Northern Sweden is where visitors from all around the world come to experience priceless natural luxuries such as solitude, endless open space, perfect silence, crystal clear air and water, the Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights, complete darkness, polar cold and limitless amounts of splendid natural beauty.
From the magnificent Scandian mountain range along the Norwegian border in the west, the Northern Swedish landscape stretches through boundless forests and marshlands teeming with wild game such as elk, bear, wolf, lynx and wolverine, crossed by a large number of great rivers, several of which are untamed, with wild rapids full of salmon and trout. Along the long eastern coastline one finds numerous interesting towns, picturesque fishing villages and scenic archipelagos to explore.
For the active traveler and lover of the great outdoors, Northern Sweden offers a tremendous abundance of options, for all ages, abilities and preferences, from the most simple, peaceful, contemplative and serene settings, to friendly adventures for the whole family, to extreme challenges for the most advanced mountaineers and sportspeople. Hiking, downhill and cross country skiing, fishing, canoeing and river rafting, climbing, snowmobiling, cycling, dog sleigh and reindeer rides, icebreaker tours – the options are simply unlimited.
Northern Sweden also features a multitude of interesting sights and attractions, plus pleasant towns and villages for those who like to combine rewarding experiences of nature and culture, with the world famous Icehotel near Kiruna as one of many star attractions. Lapland in the far north is of course home to the Sami people, the native Scandinavians, with their unique culture, handicrafts and traditions.
There is a large number of national parks and nature reserves throughout Lapland and Northern Sweden, where travellers can experience various types of unique Arctic scenery, independently or in a wide range of organised tours and excursions, at any time of year. Listed below are a selection of some of the most famous national parks.
Sarek Founded in 1909, Sarek National Park is a vast area of trackless wilderness of a supreme beauty, hard to surpass or even equal anywhere in the world. Together with the adjacent Stora Sjöfallet and Padjelanta parks, Sarek forms Europe´s largest national park, with a total area of over 5,200 square kilometres of unspoiled wilderness. It´s a high mountain area of dramatic alpine massifs and narrow valleys, glaciers, lakes, water courses and wetlands. Sarek´s ”artery” is the famous Rapadalen valley, with the Rapapaäto river carrying a huge flow of bright green water from over 30 glaciers. In Sarek, there is plenty of big game such as bear, lynx, wolverine and the towering Sarek moose. As the vast area has no trails or hiking cabins, and as the weather conditions are harsh and highly unpredictable, hiking in Sarek National Park is only recommended for experienced hikers. They will find a wilderness paradise of truly unique beauty.
Abisko The Abisko National Park, with the deep Abisko Canyon, rises from the Torneträsk lake into high alpine terrain. This is a park of tremendous beauty, overlooking the classic ”Lapp Gateway” mountain formation, and one of the most popular and most easily accesible spots for hikers and skiers from near and far, who use the Abisko mountain station as a base for exploring the vast mountain regions here. Abisko is the start/finish point of the famous King´s Trail, a 440 kilometre marked trail with hiking cabins along the way, passing through some of Sweden´s and Northern Europe´s most magnificent scenery. Abisko is also one of the most popular sites for visitors who come during winter to experience the dramatic Northern Lights.
Vadvetjåkka A national park north of the Torneträsk lake with a unique and diverse flora in its meadows, forests and marshlands.
Muddus One of Sweden´s most exquisite virgin forests, where many of the older pines show scars of wood fires which have affected the landscape. In the park, there are also unique marshlands with an abundance of birds.
Pieljekaise A park best known for its lush meadow birch forests.
Haparanda Archipelago A unique Baltic archipelago consisting of two larger islands, Sandskär and Seskarö-Furö, and a large number of smaller islets and skerries. The national park is known for its unique flora and as a resort for over 200 bird species.
Perämeri/Bottenviken The Bottenviken National Park in the far north of the Baltic Sea is comprised of groups of islands separated by vast open waters. The islands have an interesting flora and intense bird life, as well as a large seal population.
Skuleskogen The national park at the centre of the High Coast World Heritage area, with a unique forestscape that is the result of the dramatic land elevation which is still ongoing. Due to its unique terrain, the park has many trees and species rare to these latitudes. The scenery is dramatic, with Sweden´s highest island, Mjältön, rising 236 metres straight out of the sea. The red granite cliffs are another distinguishing feature of the area.
Source: Swedish Tourist Bureau and Government Sources
Wikipedia.com
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