With its beautiful Drottningholm Palace, northern forests, Lake Mälaren, and 14 islands called “Archipelago” in Stockholm, Sweden, you’ll soon find yourself immersed in a Nordic fairytale. Come for the romantic sunrises, sunsets and seascapes.
1. Sweden Quick Facts
Language Swedish
Religion Lutheran Evangelical Church
Currency Swedish krona (SEK, kr)
Visa Free 90 day visa for 60 nationalities, Shengen Area rules apply
Power Plugs 230 V 50 Hz (C,F Type)
Capital Stockholm
ATM You can withdraw money in local currency using a credit or debit card at banco mart locations throughout the city.
Use card
Sweden is a global leader in becoming a ‘cashless society’ and has seen its cash usage rate fall by more than half in the last decade. According to the Swedish central bank, the country’s cash usage rate is one of the lowest in the world, at around 1 per cent of GDP.
You can exchange money at banks, post offices, hotels and other exchange offices, but it is generally better to exchange money at an exchange office such as Forex Bank or X-change than at a bank, and hotels tend to be the most expensive. Euro and US dollars are not generally accepted, so if you wish to pay in cash, you will need to exchange your money for Swedish krona.
APP
Google Maps
YR : Weather app created by the Norwegian Meteorological Service and the national broadcaster. It has the most accurate forecasts for Nordic weather.
SJ: The official app of the Swedish Railways, with information on train services and ticket booking.
2. Packing for your trip
Air plain Ticket
Dollar Flight Club has made it easier and cheaper to buy flights to the Airport.
SIM card
Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store that solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving you access to 200+ eSIMs (digital SIM cards) globally at affordable prices.
New member one-time use 15% discount coupon
10% discount coupon for multiple use by all members.
Pacsafe Pro safe 800 Luggage Lock
Good protection against snatchers or impulse thieves.
Universal Power Adapter
One of the most essential but most forgotten items in your travel gear? A power adapter!
Travel insurance
Prepare for risky situations Travel insurance can be a big help in the event of an emergency
GoPro HERO11
If you want to capture your own memories of your travels, GoPro is the way to go. It’s small, has great image quality, and is easy to carry around
3. Transportation
Taxis, subways, trains, city buses, trains, and intercity buses are all available in Sweden.
Taxis and other forms of transport are not as complicated as in South Korea, but they can be very expensive, and public transport such as buses, subways, and trains run at set times according to their respective timetables and have very good service.
Buses
Stockholm has a well-connected city bus and metro system, and one ticket covers both the metro and city bus. City bus fares require a single ticket (37 kronor), which is only shown at the time of boarding, and you can use the same ticket for multiple bus or metro rides within 75 minutes of your first ride.
Tickets must be purchased in advance at SL (Stockholm Local Traffic) Centres, convenience stores (Pressbyran) and supermarkets near metro stations, or at vending machines at bus stops, and cannot be purchased directly from the driver after boarding the bus.
To buy bus tickets by SMS, you need to register your mobile phone number on the SL website in advance, which is not available to visitors. However, you can download the app by searching for SL-Biljetter in the mobile phone app purchase window and selecting either card payment or invoicing in the settings.
Subway
For the metro, all entrances are marked with a blue T (short for Tunnelbana, Swedish for subway). Passes are available for 30 days (970 kronor), 7 days (430 kronor), 72 hours (330 kronor), and 24 hours (165 kronor). Single tickets are 39 kronor for mobile phone apps, cash cards, and vending machines.
Taxis
The price of a taxi ride varies slightly depending on the company and how the price is calculated. Taxi Stockholm, Stockholm’s leading taxi company, charges a basic fee of 45 kronor to hail a taxi to a designated location, and 520 kronor per hour plus 11.7 kronor per kilometre between 9:00 and 15:00. The rest of the time, taxis are more expensive.
Taxis wait near companies, metro stations, or hotels, and don’t roam the city looking for passengers. If you need one, you can ask the front desk of your hotel or call one directly from a phone or payphone. You will need to tell them the number of passengers, where you want the taxi to wait, and where you want to go, and they will usually arrive within 10 minutes of your call. You can pay for the taxi with any credit card, regardless of the amount, and you will receive a receipt for the taxi fare.
Intercity buses
Intercity buses depart from City Terminal, opposite Stockholm Central Station.
4.Safety
Security is very good, but it’s best to avoid walking alone late at night.
Violent crime is rare, but there are a number of petty thieves, so you should always be wary of losing personal belongings such as bags and laptops in public places such as airports, hotels, and train stations. With immigrants now comprising around 25 per cent of the population, there are occasional violent crimes in some immigrant.
Useful phone numbers for tourists
General emergency number: 112
5. Climate
Summers are long with 20 hours of daylight and winter days are short with 5 hours of darkness. The average summer high is 19°C (65°F) in July and the average winter low is -12°C (10°F) in January.
Nighttime temperatures are cold all year round and frost can actually occur at any time.
6. price
It’s generally twice as expensive as Eastern Europe.
Think of everything within your reach as money.
Petrol (1 litre): 20 SEK
McDonald’s combo meal:90 SEK
Water (1.5 litres): 15 SEK
Milk (1 litre): 13 SEK
7. Travel precautions
Tap water in Sweden is still drinkable and of very good quality
There is a charge (10 SEK) for toilets at train stations, and there are changing tables in the men’s room, which is great for dads to change nappies.
VAT refunds (around 12-13%) are available on purchases of at least €40 on the same day in a single shop. Don’t open sealed items.
In Sweden, it’s called Fika culture. It means “coffee break” in Swedish, and it’s a culture of taking a breather from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to catch up with family, friends, and colleagues, and it’s a custom that’s embraced as part of life.
8. Etiquette & Service Tip
Swedes are more comfortable shaking hands than patting each other on the back or hugging until they get to know each other well.
Physical distance between people is strictly enforced. Avoid standing together in public places such as bus stops. In winter, shake off your shoes on the brush by the front door.
Tipping
Tipping is included in most fares, and you can expect to pay around 6-8 per cent when paying by card in fine dining establishments.
10. Holidays
The following are the national public holidays for 2024:
1 Jan Mon New Year’s Day
6 Jan Sat Epiphany
29 Mar Fri Good Friday
31 Mar Sun Easter Sunday
1 Apr Mon Easter Monday
1 May Wed May Day
9 May Thu Ascension Day
19 May Sun Whit Sunday
6 Jun Thu National Day
22 Jun Sat Midsummer Day
2 Nov Sat All Saints’ Day
25 Dec Wed Christmas Day
26 Dec Thu 2nd Day of Christmas
2025 National Public Holidays:
Wednesday, 1 January : New Year’s Day
Monday, 6 January : Epiphany
Friday, 18 April : Good Friday
Sunday, 20 April : Easter Sunday
Monday, 21 April : Easter Monday
Thursday, 1 May : May Day
Thursday, 29 May : Ascension Day
Friday, 6 June : National Day
Sunday, 8 June : Whit Sunday
Saturday, 21 June : Midsummer Day
Saturday, 1 November : All Saints’ Day
Thursday, 25 December: Christmas Day
Friday, 26 December: 2nd Day of Christmas