Page 616 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

614  SC ANDINA VIA

Practical & Travel Information until 6pm at least one day a
week. Bureaux de change can
With Sweden growing rapidly as an important tourist be found in the main cities and
destination, standards in the travel industry have improved airports, and normally provide a
greatly. Foreign visitors will enjoy a comfortable stay in better exchange rate than banks.
Sweden, not least because most people speak English. All the well-known credit cards
are widely accepted in Sweden.
Sweden’s infrastructure is constantly being improved – there
Withdrawals can be made from
are many new highways and the rail system has been upgraded cash machines using all
for high-speed trains. There is also a direct link to Denmark via internationally accepted credit
the Öresund Bridge. In Stockholm, public transportation on cards in conjunction with a PIN.
buses, subway trains, ferries, and local trains is efficient, and
covers the entire city and surrounding region. Communications
Public phone booths are owned
by the state-run Telia company,
Tourist Information Personal Security and are usually operated by card
Tourist information offices are Violent crime is rare in Sweden, only. Phonecards can be bought
located throughout Sweden, although pickpockets are at tobacconists and newspaper
and you can contact the known to frequent the busier kiosks, though normal credit
Swedish Travel & Tourism pedestrian shopping streets and cards or international telephone
Council for more information. train stations in the main cities. cards work just as well.
Stockholm’s official tourist Swedish emergency services Post offices are open 10am–
information organization is are efficient and reliable. The 6pm on weekdays and 10am–
the Stockholm Visitors Board. police are extremely helpful 1pm on Saturdays. Many of the
Check out www.totally and most speak good English. post offices have been closed
stockholm.se for information in and postal services moved to
English about where to eat, Health Issues some grocery stores instead.
what to do, concerts, arts, and Stamps can be purchased at
current events. No special vaccinations are these locations as well as at
Most museums in Sweden are necessary to visit Sweden. post offices, Pressbyrån kiosks,
open from 10 or 11am to 5 or Hygiene standards are among and tourist information offices.
6pm all year round, and often the highest in the world, and the
have longer opening hours in tap water is safe to drink. For Flying to Sweden
the summer. They are usually prescription and non-prescription
closed on Monday. medicines, visit a pharmacy Most major European cities have
(apotek), open during normal direct flights to Stockholm. Many
store hours. A 24-hour apotek of the world’s leading airlines
Visa Requirements service is available in major cities. serve Arlanda Airport, located
Passports are not required for about 40 km (25 miles) north of
visitors from most EU countries, the city center. International
but visitors from the US, Canada, Currency and Banking flights also serve Gothenburg
the UK, Ireland, Australia, and The Swedish unit of currency is and Malmö. Services from the
New Zealand still need a valid the krona, abbreviated to SEK or UK are operated by Finnair, SAS
passport. Citizens of almost all kr. Banking hours are generally (Scandinavian Airlines), British
countries can enter Sweden 10am–3pm Monday to Friday, Airways, and low-cost airline
without a visa. though some banks stay open Ryanair. Direct flights from
North America are available
The Climate of Sweden from SAS and Finnair, and from
STOCKHOLM the US airline American.
Sweden’s summers are
usually fairly cool, although
sometimes there can be °C/ºF Traveling by Ferry
heatwaves for several weeks 23/73 Ferries to Gothenburg from
at a time. Winter temperatures 14/57 Fredrikshavn in Denmark
often fall below freezing, but 10/50 12/54 (2–3 hours), and from Kiel in
7/44
0/32
it is rarely severely cold, except 2/36 -4/25 Germany (20–22 hours), are
in the far north. The snow may 6 8 3.5 1.5 operated by Stena Line.
lie until well after March in the hrs hrs hrs hrs Large passenger and car
north; however, in the rest of 21 65 48 27
the country some recent mm mm mm mm ferries sail to Stockholm from
winters have been virtually Finland; both Viking Line and
free of snow. month Apr Jul Oct Jan Tallink Silja Line operate daily
services from Helsinki (with a
crossing time of about 15 hours)

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