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Travel - Internal
AIR: SAS and Linjeflyg (LF) serve over 30 local airports. Travel by air is relatively cheap and efficient and there are a number of reduced fares offered by Linjeflyg (website: www.linjeflyg.com) and SAS (website: www.sas.se). Contact airlines 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 and 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), 105 50 Stockholm (tel: 0498 20 33 80; fax: 0498 20 33 91; 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. For tickets and booking information, e-mail: info@swedenbooking.com; website: www.swedenbooking.com
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, Norway, Finland 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 12-25 obtain a discount of 25 per cent, and for passengers aged over 60 fares are discounted by ten 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 travellers 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. Visit website www.scanrail.com for more details.
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 Swebus (website: www.swebus.se) and Linjebuss (website: www.linjebuss.com). Cheap and efficient links are available to all towns. Many coach operators do special offers on tickets at the weekends (Friday to Sunday). Information is available in Sweden from local tourist offices. The Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö 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 centres, 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 tyres are only permitted from 1 November to the first Monday after the Easter holiday. Documentation: National driving licence is sufficient, but it must include a photo or it will not be recognised. 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 Resorts & Excursions 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.
| Air | Road | Rail | | Gothenburg | 0.50 | 6.00 | 4.30 | | Malmö | 1.05 | 8.00 | 6.45 | | Östersund | 0.55 | 8.00 | 6.30 | | Karlstad | 0.40 | 5.00 | 3.30 | | Luleå | 1.15 | 20.00 | 15.00 | | Mora | 1.00 | 6.00 | 4.30 |
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