Page 321 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  319

museums can be as high as telephone or via the Internet. DIRECTORY
150 Kr. Children, students and Brochures with information about
senior citizens usually get a facilities for disabled visitors at Tourist Information
discounted price. In many theatres, cinemas, museums Arrival Guides
places, churches are only open and libraries are available from ∑ arrivalguides.com/en/
for services, although some tourist information offices. Travelguides/Europe/Sweden
have opening hours for visitors.
Stockholm and other cities Etiquette Göteborgs Turistbyrå
have special discount cards for Kungsportsplatsen 2,
tourists. They can be purchased Bans on smoking are increasingly 411 10 Gothenburg.
from tourist information offices common throughout Sweden. Tel 031-368 42 00.
and many hotels and are valid Smoking is generally not ∑ goteborg.com
for one or more days. A family permitted in public places, turistinfo@goteborg.com
card is usually also available. The including all local transport and Malmö Turism
card gives free travel on public queues at bus stops and railway Skeppsbron 2 (opposite Malmö
transport, free or discounted stations. Restaurants and bars central station), 211 20 Malmö.
admission to museums and are also smoke free. Tel 040-341 200.
other attractions and events, The Swedes queue patiently, ∑ malmotown.com
and may also offer discounts but guard their place jealously. malmo.turism@malmo.se
at restaurants and shops. They are usually friendly and Stockholm Visitor Center
Discos and nightclubs pleased to help foreign tourists. Kulturhuset, Sergels Torg 5,
generally charge an entrance The use of first names is the 111 20 Stockholm. Map 1 C4.
fee of 60–200 Kr. Tickets for the norm and a friendly “Hej!” is Open 9am–6pm Mon–Fri (May–
theatre, concerts and sporting the common greeting. mid-Sep: to 7pm), 9am–4pm Sat,
events can be bought locally, Casual clothing is acceptable 10am–4pm Sun.
in the cities at special ticket almost everywhere, including Tel 08-508 28 508;
offices, or online at Ticnet restaurants, particularly in from abroad: +46 8 508 28 508.
(www.ticnet.se). the summer. ∑ visitstockholm.com
Service is always included in touristinfo@stockholm.se
restaurant prices, but it is usual Visit Sweden
Travellers with to round up the bill by up to
Special Needs ∑ visitsweden.com
10 per cent for good service.
In Sweden, public areas have Visas and Customs
to be accessible for physically or Alcohol
visually disabled people, as well Tullverket
as those suffering from allergies. Swedish policy towards alcohol Tel 0771-520 520.
Sweden is a long away ahead is restrictive. Wines and spirits ∑ tullverket.se
of many other countries in this can be bought only in the Travel Safety Advice
respect. All new buildings have relatively few shops of the state
wheelchair ramps and spacious monopoly Systembolaget. Australia
toilets for disabled people. They are open Monday–Friday Department of Foreign
Disabled car drivers with a 10am–6pm, and Saturday Affairs and Trade
disability permit from their 10am– 2pm. The minimum age ∑ dfat.gov.au/smart
home country can park in for buying alcohol in these shops raveller.gov.au
special areas. is 20, and young people may be United Kingdom
In Stockholm, the Tunnelbana asked to produce proof of their Foreign and
underground network and local age. In restaurants, the minimum Commonwealth Office
trains are adapted for disabled age for buying alcohol is 18. ∑ gov.uk/foreign-
passengers. Buses “kneel” at Most restaurants and pubs stop travel-advice
bus stops to give a reasonable selling alcohol at 1am, but some United States
height for passengers to get on bars stay open till 5am. With a US Department of State
or off. Visitors from abroad can maximum permitted blood ∑ travel.state.gov
obtain information in English alcohol level of only 0.2 per mil,
before their stay from DHR by drinking is effectively banned Travellers with
for car drivers. Special Needs
The Swedish custom of
“skåling” confounds many DHR
visitors. To “skål”, look the person (information for disabled visitors)
in the eye, raise your glass, drink, Tel 08-685 80 00. ∑ dhr.se
then repeat the eye contact Alcohol
before putting down your glass.
If the glasses are full of snaps, Systembolaget
The Göteborg City Card, giving free then Swedes like to sing their ∑ systembolaget.se
admission to museums special snaps songs.

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