Entry Requirements
Visa requirements for Sweden depend on which passport you hold. Check the Traveller visa tool to see whether your passport needs a visa and, if so, how long you can stay.
Check if you need a visa for SwedenEmergency Numbers
- General
- 112
Currency
- Name
- Swedish Krona
- Code
- SEK
- Symbol
- kr
Sweden is moving toward a cashless society — cards accepted virtually everywhere, including small markets and buses. ATMs available but rarely needed. Sweden has not adopted the Euro. Expensive by European standards but competitive with other Scandinavian countries.
Power Outlets
- Outlet types
- Type C, Type F
- Voltage
- 230V
- Frequency
- 50Hz
Time Zone
CET (UTC+1) — CEST (UTC+2) in summer
Best Time to Visit
June–August is summer — Stockholm's Old Town (Gamla Stan), archipelago boat trips, Midsommar celebrations (late June, one of the world's most joyful festivals), and long daylight hours. December–February is winter magic — the ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi (northern Sweden), dog-sledding in Lapland, and northern lights. Gothenburg and Malmö are year-round cities.
Tipping Customs
| Venue | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants | Not expected | Rounding up is a gesture; never expected |
| Taxis | Round up | — |
Dress Code
- Casual throughout — Swedes dress stylishly but casually
- Warm layers for Lapland winter
Social Etiquette
- Swedish Midsommar (the solstice celebration, late June) is one of the world's great festivals — dancing around a maypole, eating herring, drinking schnapps, and picking wildflowers; it's pagan in origin and completely joyful
- The ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi (200km north of the Arctic Circle) is rebuilt from the Torne River's ice each winter — sleeping in a room sculpted from ice at −5°C is an extraordinary experience
- The Swedish concept of lagom ('just the right amount' — neither too much nor too little) shapes Swedish culture profoundly — moderation, balance, and consensus
- ABBA is from Sweden and the ABBA Museum in Stockholm is genuinely one of the world's best music museums — interactive, joyful, and surprisingly moving
Local Laws
Laws change. Verify current rules with your country's official travel advisory before departure.
- LGBTQ+ rights: Sweden legalised same-sex partnerships in 1995 and marriage in 2009; full equality; one of the most LGBTQ+-welcoming countries in the world
- Allemansrätten (everyman's right): you may roam freely in Swedish nature, including private land, as long as you don't disturb or destroy
Common Phrases
| English | Local | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (Swedish) | Hej / God dag | HEY / goo DAH — 'Hej' is universal |
| Thank you (Swedish) | Tack | TAHK |
| Cheers! (Swedish) | Skål! | SKAWL — always look everyone in the eyes; avoiding eye contact is considered rude |
| Just right (Swedish concept) | Lagom | LAH-gom — 'not too much, not too little' — Sweden's defining cultural concept |
| Midsummer (Swedish) | Midsommar | MID-soh-mahr — the Swedes' favourite holiday; do not confuse with the 2019 horror film |
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