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OVERVIEW

Sweden is a land of cultural contrast, from the Danish influence of the southwest to the nomadic Laplanders in the wild Arctic north. And while urban Sweden is stylish, modern and sophisticated, the countryside offers many simpler pleasures for those in search of tranquility.

Sweden’s scenery has a gentler charm than that of neighboring Norway’s rugged coast. Much of Sweden is swathed in forest, and there are thousands of lakes, notably large stretches of water between Gothenburg and the capital, Stockholm. The lakeside resort of Östersund, in the center of Sweden, is popular with Scandinavians, but most visitors opt first for the cities and the Baltic islands: the largest island, Gotland, with its array of ruined medieval churches, is a particular highlight. Another major attraction is the so-called ‘Kingdom of Crystal’, a forested area between Malmö and Stockholm boasting many fine glassworks.

The land, as well as its people, has an air of reserved calm, and while best known for its automotive and musical exports – Volvo and Abba are pretty much household names – a strong historical undertone bubbles close beneath the surface. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Stockholm, where dozens of museums deal with all imaginable aspects of the past, and medieval and Baroque edifices housing boutiques and cafes overlook the attractive harbor.

Geography
Sweden is bordered by Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, with a long Baltic coast to the east and south. Approximately half the country is forested and most of the many thousands of lakes are situated in the southern central area. The largest lake is Vänern, with an area of 5540 sq km (2140 sq miles). Swedish Lapland to the north is mountainous and extends into the Arctic Circle.

Social Conventions
Normal 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.

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.

International Travel:

Air
The national airline is SAS Scandinavian Airlines System (SK) (website: www.sas.se). Other airlines serving Sweden include Air Canada, Air France, Aeroflot, British Airways, Finnair, Lufthansa and Ryanair.

Approximate flight times
From Stockholm to London is approximately two hours 30 minutes. From Gothenburg to London is one hour 45 minutes. From Stockholm to Los Angeles is 14 hours 10 minutes; to New York is seven hours 45 minutes.

International airports
Stockholm (STO) (Arlanda) (website: www.arlanda.lfv.se) is 42km (26 miles) north of the city. There are frequent bus services operating between the airport and the city from 0625-2305 (travel time – 40 minutes). Arlanda Express trains leave for the city every 15 minutes between 0600-2359 (travel time – 20 minutes). Taxi services are also available. Airport facilities include outgoing duty-free shop, car hire (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz), 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 (travel time – 25 minutes). Coach services are frequent between the airport and the Central Station. Buses and taxis are available to the city. Airport facilities include full outgoing duty-free shop, car hire (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz), bank/bureau de change, restaurant/bar and coffee shop.
Malmö Sturup (MMX) (website: www.sturup.com) is 31km (20 miles) east of the city (travel time – 35 minutes). Bus and taxi services go to the city. Airport facilities include a bureau de change and a duty-free shop.
Malmö City Hovercraft (HMA), 200m (650ft) from the Central Station, is now the city’s main terminal for international air passengers using the hovercraft service operated by SAS which connects with flights at Copenhagen Airport. The terminal has its own duty-free facilities. Taxi services are available.
For more information on airports, contact LFV (website: www.lfv.se).

Sea
DFDS Seaways ferries (website: www.dfdsseaways.co.uk) sail all year round from Newcastle to Gothenburg (travel 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.

Rail
One UK–Sweden route is from London (Victoria and Liverpool Street) to Hook of Holland or Ostend, and onwards via Copenhagen (travel 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.

Road
From 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 15.3km of waterway, joins the cities of Malmö (Sweden) and Copenhagen (Denmark). The link comprises a suspension bridge (7.8km/4.9 miles) and an underwater tunnel (3.5km/2.2 miles), 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 (Victoria), Dover and Folkstone to a number of Swedish cities throughout the year, taking approximately 30 hours (restricted service in winter). Eurolines, departing from Victoria Coach Station in London, serves destinations in Sweden. For further information, contact Eurolines (tel: (08705) 143 219; e-mail: welcome@eurolines.co.uk; website: www.eurolines.co.uk). Contact the Swedish Travel & Tourism Council for a list of other operators.

Duty Free
The following items may be imported into Sweden 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 SKr1700.

Note
*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.

Prohibited items
Narcotics, firearms, ammunition, weapons, most meat and dairy products, eggs, plants, endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic beverages of over 60 per cent alcohol (120° proof).

Abolition of duty free goods within the EU
On 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 May 1st 2004, 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 now no limits imposed on importing tobacco and alcohol products from one EU country to another (with the exceptions of Denmark, Finland and Sweden, where limits are imposed). Travelers should note that they may be required to prove at customs that the goods purchased are for personal use only.

Internal Travel:

Air
SAS 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.

Sea/Lake
Unlike 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: A canal (served by vintage steamer; website: www.gotakanal.se) connects Gothenburg and Stockholm.

Rail
The excellent and extensive rail system is run by Swedish State Railways (SJ), SE-105 50 Stockholm (tel: 04982 03380; fax: 04982 03391; e-mail: info@swedenbooking.com; 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. Motorail car-sleeper services are operated during the summer on the long-distance routes from Malmö, Gothenburg and Västerås to Kiruna and Luleå.

Discount tickets
There are reductions for families and regular passengers, as well as a link-up with other Scandinavian countries via the Scanrail Pass, which provides unlimited travel in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden for 21 consecutive days. It also gives free travel on the ferries between Helsingør and Helsingborg. Children aged between four and 11 travel at half the fare or reduced fare. Young people aged 12 to 25 obtain a discount of 25 per cent, and for passengers aged over 60 fares are discounted by 10 per cent. All passengers may be eligible for discounted tickets, under a scheme known as raslyst. This card is valid for two people for one calendar year and entitles travelers to up to 70 per cent off when the booking is made at least seven days in advance. Only a limited number of these tickets are available, so it is advisable to book as far in advance as possible. See online for more details (website: www.scanrail.com).

Road
Traffic 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 Cards 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, camping sites or youth hostels. Taxi: Available in all towns and at airports. Intercity taxis are also available. 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. 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.

Urban
Public 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; see Where to Go section for further information.

Travel Times
The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Stockholm to other major cities/towns in Sweden.