Sweden

Sweden is part of both the EU and the Schengen Area, so entry follows the common Schengen framework. Visitors from many visa-exempt countries — including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — can enter for tourism without a visa for up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period. That allowance is shared across the entire Schengen Area, so time spent in Denmark, Germany or Finland counts toward the same limit.

Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen Area, have at least two blank pages, and have been issued within the last 10 years. For longer stays or to work or study, apply for the appropriate permit with the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) before you travel.

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is now active — non-EU visitors are registered with biometrics (fingerprints and a facial image) at the border instead of getting a passport stamp. A separate authorisation, ETIAS, is expected to launch later in 2026 for visa-exempt visitors and is not yet in effect — any site claiming to accept ETIAS applications now is a scam. Verify the current requirements for your passport with official sources before booking.

Sweden kept its own currency — the Swedish krona (SEK, often written 'kr') — and did not adopt the euro. A few border or tourist businesses will take euros, but at poor rates and with change given in kronor, so it is not worth relying on. Prices include 25% VAT (called 'moms'), so what you see is what you pay.

Sweden is one of the world's most cashless societies, and many businesses — cafés, museums, even some buses — refuse cash entirely. Visa and Mastercard contactless work almost everywhere, including for buying transit tickets. The locals' instant-payment app, Swish, is linked to a Swedish bank account and phone number and is not really available to short-term visitors, but you rarely need it: a tap-enabled card or phone wallet covers essentially every situation a traveller will encounter.

Tipping is not expected in Sweden — service is included by law and staff are paid a proper wage. The custom is simply to round up the bill at a sit-down restaurant if service has been good, or to leave nothing at all without offence. There is no need to calculate a percentage, and tipping in cafés, taxis or hotels is unusual.

Swedish culture is shaped by two ideas worth knowing on day one. 'Lagom' — roughly, 'just the right amount' — is a quiet preference for balance, modesty and not overdoing things. 'Jantelagen' (the Law of Jante) is the related social rule that you should not consider yourself special or stand out from the group. Together they explain a lot: understated dress, modest portions, soft voices on public transport and a general dislike of bragging or loud showing-off.

Queuing is a serious business and almost always handled with a numbered ticket dispenser called a 'köbricka' or 'kölapp'. At pharmacies, bakeries, government offices, the post counter inside a supermarket and many shops, grab a number from the little machine on the wall and wait for it to appear on the display — joining the apparent line at the counter without one will jump the queue and is genuinely impolite.

Two other things to know: fika and allemansrätten. Fika is a real institution — a coffee-and-pastry pause taken once or twice a day, usually with other people, and it is the easiest way to spend time with Swedes. Allemansrätten, the 'right to roam', lets you walk, swim and camp in nature on land you do not own, as long as you take nothing, damage nothing and stay well away from homes. Swedes are also very punctual — for trains, reservations and social plans, on time means on time.

Most visitors arrive at Stockholm Arlanda; the Arlanda Express non-stop train reaches Stockholm Central in about 20 minutes and is the fastest option, though the cheaper SL commuter train (Pendeltåg) also serves the airport with a station-passage fee. Within Stockholm, the SL network — metro (Tunnelbana), buses, trams and commuter rail — is clean and frequent; the simplest way to pay is to tap a contactless card or phone at the gate, or use a rechargeable SL Access card or the SL app for day and longer passes.

Between cities, the state operator SJ runs a comfortable intercity rail network — fast trains link Stockholm with Göteborg and Malmö (and onward across the Öresund Bridge to Copenhagen), and SJ's overnight trains run all the way up to Kiruna and Narvik for the Arctic north. Booking online a few weeks ahead almost always saves money, and seat reservations are usually included.

For shorter hops and airport runs, ride-hailing apps Uber and Bolt operate in Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö and are generally cheaper and more transparent than street taxis — Swedish taxis are deregulated, so always check the yellow price sticker in the rear window before getting in. In summer, regular Waxholmsbolaget ferries fan out from central Stockholm to the islands of the archipelago.

Sweden has four main mobile carriers — Telia, Tele2, Tre (Three) and Telenor — all with strong 4G and 5G coverage across the populated south and along main routes; coverage thins out in the far north and in some archipelago islands. For most short-trip visitors the easiest option is a travel eSIM, bought and installed before you leave and activated on arrival; physical prepaid SIMs are also sold at airport shops, carrier stores and many supermarkets.

If you are travelling from elsewhere in the EU/EEA, 'Roam Like At Home' rules mean your existing EU mobile plan works in Sweden at no extra charge. Travellers from outside the EU should check their carrier's roaming rates first — an eSIM or local SIM is usually much cheaper. The country code for Sweden is +46, and free wifi is common in hotels, cafés, museums and on most SJ intercity trains.

Sweden is a very safe country for travellers — the US, UK and Australian advisories all place it at their lowest risk level, and violent crime against tourists is rare. The main day-to-day risk is petty crime: pickpocketing and bag theft in busy tourist areas, around Stockholm Central Station and the T-Centralen metro interchange, and on crowded trams and trains. Keep valuables out of back pockets and bags zipped in crowds.

Sweden has had a well-publicised problem with gang-related violence — shootings and explosions — concentrated in a handful of suburbs and other areas, mainly in greater Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö. Tourists are not the target and the central districts visitors actually use are not affected, but it is worth checking your government's current advisory before you go and avoiding any specific neighbourhoods it flags.

Tap water is excellent and safe to drink across the country. Pharmacies (look for 'Apotek') are plentiful in towns and cities, and the single emergency number is 112. One seasonal note: the Midsummer weekend in late June is the biggest party of the year and sees a sharp spike in alcohol-related incidents and drownings — if you are around water, be sensible. Healthcare for visitors is not free, so travel insurance with medical cover is recommended.

Power: Sweden runs on 230V / 50Hz and uses the standard European Type C and Type F round two-pin plugs. Travellers from the UK and US will need a plug adapter; North American visitors should confirm their devices support 230V (most modern chargers do).

Language: the official language is Swedish, but English is close to universal — Sweden consistently ranks at the top of global English-proficiency surveys, and almost anyone working in a shop, café, hotel or transit office will switch to English without hesitation. Learning a few words ('hej' for hello, 'tack' for thanks) is still appreciated.

Best time to visit: May to September offers the long daylight Sweden is famous for, with June to August the warmest months and the season for the archipelago, lakes and outdoor cafés. Above the Arctic Circle the sun does not set for several weeks around midsummer (the 'midnight sun'); the same regions are the place to head for the northern lights between roughly September and March.

Time zone: Sweden is on Central European Time (UTC+1), shifting to Central European Summer Time (UTC+2) from late March to late October.