Practical Information A-Z
Climate/Temperature – Sweden enjoys a temperate climate thanks to the Gulf Stream. With its northern location the summers are rarely extremely hot and humidity levels are low. Average August day temperatures (Celsius/Fahrenheit) are 21/70.
Clothing – Though the weather is mild and pleasant during the summers, we recommend that you will always bring an extra sweater for the evening just in case it gets chilly. It might also be useful for men to have a jacket and tie if they plan to go to some of the downtown’s more formal restaurants and some of the nicer nightclubs.
Cellular Phones – Cell phones are widely used in Sweden. If you’re having a GSM International phone you can link it up to the GSM network. Cell phones may also be rented prior to your trip. For more information visit: Cellhire and Mobalrental.
Currency – The currency in Sweden is the krona (plural “kronorâ€). Bank notes are printed in 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 kronor; coins in 50 öre, 1, 5, and 10 kronor. For updated exchange rates you can use this link to Yahoo! Finance. For reference, the krona was trading around $1/SEK 5.9 as of July 2008 so the dollar’s recent strength has made a visit in Sweden relatively inexpensive.
Daylight hours – From early May until late August, Sweden’s sun brightens the nights and lengthens the days. In August, sunrise averages 4:35 AM and sunset 9:13 PM.
Electrical Current – The electrical current is 230 volts AC in 50 cycles. Plugs and sockets differ from those in the U.S. so please remember to bring adapters or transformers for electrical appliances. Some hotel and shops can supply adapters. Laptop computers that are made to work on both 110 and 230 volts can be used with an adapter. For laptop computers working on 110 volts only a transformer would be necessary also.
Food and Restaurants – Emphasis is placed on high-quality natural ingredients – notably fresh, pickled, and smoked seafood (particular herring, crayfish, salmon, and eel) and game meats, such as elk and reindeer. The famous Swedish “Smörgåsbord’ is offered in some restaurants and as a breakfast style buffet at most hotels. However, you will never be too far away from all the usual American fast food chains and restaurants. A three-course meal with wine would cost approximately $35-$60 in a medium priced restaurant. The specialty of the day is offered in most lunch restaurants between 11 AM to 2 PM at the cost of $9-$12. Scattered throughout Stockholm there are plenty of cafés and cafeterias for lighter snacks. Swedes love the concept of “fika†which means you meet for coffee/tea and some pastries any time throughout the day.
Foreign Exchange – Two types of foreign exchange offices are usually centrally located. for example at the Central Station, and can be found at major airports. These are Forex and X-Change. Most ATMs accept American cards and give good exchange rates though there are some fees.
Passports and Visas – A valid passport entitles U.S. citizens to up to a three-months stay in Sweden.
Shopping/VAT – Sweden is mostly known for high-quality cutlery, china, sports equipment, textiles, handicrafts, furs, crystal, jewelry, silver, fine glassware, pottery, furniture, quality cars, and cellular phones. For bargain shopping look for the sign “REA†indicating sales. In Sweden, value-added tax (VAT) is always included in the purchase price. Non-EU residents can get refund of the VAT when they leave the EU via Global Refund Sweden. Up to 17.5 percent of the purchased price can be refunded. The minimum purchase price is SEK 200. When purchasing goods, ask for a Global Refund Check to be issued and your items will be sealed. For more information, visit Globalrefund.
Tipping –A service charge is automatically included in most hotel bills. Tipping hotel staff for special services is fine, but is not expected. At restaurants, a service charge is included in the bill, but a small gratitude is expected for evening meals. Taxi drivers should be given a few extra kronor. However, it is simply a matter of personal taste.
Tourist Service – Stockholm has an excellent tourist center called the Stockholm Tourist Center. It is centrally located in Sweden House (Hamngatan 27), entrance Kungsträdgården, and near the Kungsträdgården subway stop. To contact them directly either call at Ph:+46 8 508 28 508, or send an e-mail to info@svb.stockholm.se.
