Sweden in Brief
Some general facts about Sweden:
Currency
Swedish money is called crowns "kronor" (kr) and is abbreviated to SEK at banks, post offices, bureaux de change etc. Currency units are 1 "krona" = 100 "öre". Please check www.oanda.com or the financial section of the daily newspaper for current exchange rates. Coins: 50 öre, 1 kr, 5 kr, 10 kr. Bank notes: 20 kr, 50 kr, 100 kr, 500 kr, 1000 kr. All major credit cards are widely accepted. Cash withdrawals can easily be done at widely spread “ATM” machines.Banks are normally open Monday - Friday, 9.30 am - 3 pm. One afternoon in the week - normally Thursday - open till 5.30 pm. Saturday and Sunday closed. There may be local variations. Take your passport with you to the bank as you will be asked to produce proof of identity when cashing a cheque or travellers' cheque.
Electricity
Electrical current in Sweden is 230 volts and 50 cycles (Hz). The plugs are in accordance with European (not British) standard. An adapter for laptop and mobile phones can be of use while staying in Sweden
Water
Tap water is safe to drink in all areas of Sweden.
Time Difference
Swedish time is known as CET (Central European Time) and is one hour ahead of GMT. Summer time is used between 25 March and 28 October 2007 with CET + 2 hours.
Climate
Sweden is located high up in Northern Europe, so far north that the Arctic Circle crosses its northernmost province - Lappland. However, Sweden is not an arctic country due to the mild winds blowing off the warm Gulf Stream Drift in the Atlantic. In fact, the climate here is quite mild considering how far north it is. It is almost 1 600 km, or 1 000 miles, from the north to the south of the country, which results in wide variations both in natural features and climate. Sweden experiences four very distinct seasons - winter, spring, summer and autumn. In the winter the temperature often falls far below freezing point but rises to + 25oC and even higher in the summer. In October and November the expected temperature is between 5 and 15 oC.
Radio
The Swedish Broadcasting Corporation transmits four channels - Programmes 1-4. Classical music can be found mainly on Channel 2 and popular music on Channel 3. There are also a number of private radio stations broadcasting pop and classical music 24 hours a day. All these stations are Swedish-speaking. SR International - Radio Sweden - an independent division of the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation - broadcasts in several foreign languages on the short-wave to provide foreign audiences with news and information about Sweden and the other Nordic countries as well as the Swedish view of other international events. Radio Sweden can be heard on various foreign radio stations and throughout practically all of Sweden on medium wave 1179 kHz. Call 08-784 0000 (switchboard) for more information on the various language transmissions. Radio Sweden can also be read and heard on English on Internet, www.sr.se/rs/english For foreign news, the BBC is one of the most reliable sources. A short-wave receiver is necessary unless cable TV's radio channels are available in your accommodation. Quality of reception depends on weather and other local conditions. BBC's regular news service is most comprehensive between 5 and 9 pm. Try the 48 metre band at night and the 24 metre band during daytime.
Television
There are five major Swedish TV channels. "Kanal 1" and "TV2" are broadcast by the Swedish Television Corporation without advertisements, as activities are financed by TV licence fees. TV3, TV4 and TV5 are commercial stations. All five transmit a variety of programmes - factual, fiction, news and entertainment. In Sweden, films, plays and series in other languages are not dubbed, but are shown with Swedish sub-titles. BBC Prime and World, Eurosport, Discovery, CNN and many more channels are available on cable.
Newspapers
The two largest morning papers in Sweden are "Dagens Nyheter" and "Svenska Dagbladet" and the two largest tabloids are the evening papers "Expressen" and "Aftonbladet". In South Sweden the largest morning paper is “Sydsvenskan”. Free daily newspapers, like "Metro", etc. are provided at many places, like railway stations, bus stations, underground stations. International newspapers and magazines are sold at a chain of kiosks called "Pressbyrån", often located at railway, underground and bus stations. Many libraries provide international press in a reading room ("läsesal") where they can be read without charge.
Telephoning
The Swedish telecommunication company - Telia - is separate from the postal services - Posten. Using hotel room telephones in Sweden is very expensive. Public telephones are available in some locations around town and in shops, restaurants etc. The telephone booths display instructions in English. Telephones requiring special phone cards have more or less replaced coin-operated phones, although there are a few still remaining in places like railway stations and airports. These pre-paid telephone cards (Telia Telefonkort) can be purchased from newsagents, tobacco shops and kiosks (Pressbyrån). For these pay-phones you can also use commercial credit cards. In case of emergency dial 112. Tell the operator which service you require, and he/she will connect you with the fire brigade, the police, the ambulance or the doctor on duty etc. Speak very slowly in English. Any emergency call can be made free of charge from all public phone booths. Overseas calls to almost all countries can be made automatically by dialling 00 plus the country access code. Please note, that if the first digit of the area code to be used after the country code is 0, 8 or 9 this must be omitted. In some countries automatic dialling is only possible to numbers located in the larger cities. However, it is always possible to book a call through the operator on 020-0018, in which case you will be charged for a minimum of three minutes and then an extra charge for each additional minute. If you book a call through the operator, which could have been dialled through the automatic system, a service fee will also be charged. For more information on international calls such as numbers, prices, etc, call International Enquiries at 118 119. For domestic calls use 118 118. Charges for phone calls vary depending on the time of the day and the day of the week. Generally speaking, calls during office hours are full price, and considerable discounts are given at nights and weekends.
Postal services
Sweden Post is a public enterprise. Post Offices (look for the yellow post horn sign) are open Monday- Friday, 9 am - 6 pm. Saturday 9 am - 1 pm. Closed Sunday. Local variations may occur. However the main post services are provided at a number of grocery stores and gas stations (Ica, Statoil, OK/Q8, Pressbyrån and Axfood) with a special postal sign. They are open every day from approximately 7am - 9pm.Mail is delivered once a day, Monday - Friday. Mail boxes are yellow (blue for local mail). Postal codes (zip codes) should be written in front of the name of the destination city for mail within Sweden, e.g. 752 29 Uppsala. When writing from abroad, the letters SE should be added, e.g. SE-752 29 Uppsala. Any Post Office will supply a postal code directory on request. There is also a register of postal codes at the back of the Yellow Pages telephone directory. Ask for a postage price list at the Post Office. Air mail stickers are provided free of charge.
Internet Cafe
Internet Cafés can be found at some locations. There you can search for information, send and receive e-mails, scan pictures, etc. No advance booking required. In Stockholm at Kulturhuset you can find library, access IT and Galleries.
Public Holidays
As you will understand from the following you need to be aware of the Swedish holidays and vacations in order to function comfortably in Sweden
Official Swedish public holidays are:
* Most places of work, shops and offices are either closed or are closing early on the "Eve" - i.e. the day before these holidays.
Besides these official public holidays, there are other days (like Julafton, 24 December, and Midsommarafton, the day before midsummer) that are as important as the ones listed above.
Summer Vacation
July is traditionally the vacation month in Sweden. Most factories close but offices, etc. maintain a skeleton staff. Some smaller restaurants, shops, etc. close for their holidays.
The academic year
The Swedish academic year consists of two terms. The Autumn Term from approx. 1 September - 20 December and the Spring Term from 15 January - 10 June.
Cost of Living
Living expenses are fairly high in Sweden compared to most countries outside Europe- especially the price of food.
Most foreigners associate Swedish food with the "smorgasbord" with its variety of tasty dishes, but there are many other national dishes worth discovering. Fish and cheese figure very strongly in the Swedish kitchen. However, more recently the trend towards Pizzerias, Thai restaurants, Chinese restaurants and Hamburger Bars has also taken hold in Sweden.
More traditional dishes may be found at simpler, self-service lunch restaurants, where the course of the day "Dagens rätt" - the price often including salad, bread, butter, milk or beer and perhaps coffee - can be bought for SEK 60-75. This is the cheapest way to get a cooked meal. Eating out in the evening is relatively more expensive.
Restaurant bills include a service charge of 15%, additional tipping is not necessary.
The Swedish climate does not allow outdoor cafes and bars as in other countries. However many restaurants have gas heaters outdoors, which permit outdoor eating and drinking during at least April – October. Today many Swedes go out in the evenings for a drink or a snack.
Wines and Spirits
Alcoholic beverages are extremely heavily taxed in Sweden and available only from the state liquor stores. "Light beer" (beer with a low alcoholic content) is sold in ordinary food shops. The liquor stores ("Systembolaget" -look for the green sign) are open on weekdays and half day on Saturdays. They are closed on Sundays. “Systembolaget” can provide an extensive selection of wine, beers and spirits from many different countries in the world.
Drugs
The importation, manufacture, sale and possession of narcotic drugs in Sweden are illegal and results in heavy prison sentences. Hashish, khat, marijuana, amphetamines, morphine, heroin, cocaine, PCP, Ecstasy are all defined as narcotic drugs according to Swedish law. It is a punishable offence to transport, use, store, sell or otherwise handle narcotic drugs.
Smoking in public
Smoking is expressly forbidden in all public buildings, all restaurants and bars as well as on all forms of public transport. Signs indicate where smoking is permitted.
Right of Public Access
There are large areas of untouched and unspoiled countryside, in which visitors are free to walk, pick berries and mushrooms and to picnic. Please, respect this right by clearing up when you leave, making sure all gates are closed and not going closer than 50 metres to residential houses.
Shopping
All commodities sold in Sweden are priced by the seller. Prices are fixed and haggling is not customary. However, the same product may be found for different prices in different stores, so it may be worth while shopping around. Value Added Tax ("Moms"), a sales tax on all goods and services in Sweden, is included in the price. Shoplifting is not acceptable in Sweden and results in a report to the police and immediately departure from the country.
Duty free shopping
This means that, as a foreign resident, it is possible to purchase goods without paying VAT. There is a lower value limit and the following conditions apply:
Sales
Sales, called "Realisation" or "Rea", are always held at the end of the season i.e. after Christmas, at Easter and in August when prices are considerably reduced. Occasional sales (for moving, refitting, closing down, etc.) can be seen throughout the year.
Special offers
Called "extrapris", are often marked with a red label.
Purchase on approval
Purchase on approval is called "öppet köp". When shopping, it is possible to ask the store if you may buy the article with an option of returning it. There are no laws governing this practice, but often larger stores agree to this arrangement for a limited period of time - usually two or three days. Ask the sales assistant to write "öppet köp" on your receipt plus the maximum length of time you may keep the article before returning it. Also the article must be returned unused, looking as it did when purchased, with the original packaging and - most important -
Food shopping
The larger supermarkets usually stay open from 9 or 10 am to 8 or 9 pm. There are also convenience stores - especially those attached to petrol stations - which stay open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Opening times are posted on the door or in the window of the shop.
A brief word list might give shopping help:
| English | Swedish | milk | mjölk | semi-skimmed milk | lättmjölk | skimmed milk | minimjölk | sour milk | filmjölk | cream | kaffegrädde | double cream | vispgrädde | sour cream | gräddfil | butter | smör | flour | mjöl | sugar | socker | cheese | ost | chicken | kyckling | fish | fisk | meat | kött | minced meat | (hamburger) köttfärs | beef | nötkött | veal | kalvkött | pork | fläskkött | lamb | lamm | onions | lök | garlic | vitlök | soup | soppa | washing up liquid (for dishes) | diskmedel | washing powder (for clothes) | tvättmedel | vegetables | grönsaker |
Men's shirts
| Swedish & continental | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 |
| British | 13 | 13½ | 14 | 14½ | 15 | 15½ | 16 | 16½ | 17 | 17½ |
Shoes
| Swedish & continental | 34½ | 36½ | 38 | 39½ | 41 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 47 |
| British | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
Ladies' sizes
| Sweden / Switzerland / Germany | USA | UK | France | Italy |
| 36 | 4 | 8 | 38 | 40 |
| 38 | 6 | 10 | 40 | 42 |
| 40 | 8 | 12 | 42 | 44 |
| 42 | 10 | 14 | 44 | 46 |
| 44 | 12 | 16 | 46 | 48 |
| 46 | 14 | 18 | 48 | 50 |
Conversion table
| 1 kg - one kilo = 2.2 lb |
| 1 kg - one kilo = 10 hg - ten hektos = 100 g - one hundred grams |
| 1 lb = 0.45 kilos |
Washing clothes
All kinds of services are extremely expensive, especially if ordered through hotel receptions. Neither are there many laundromats in Sweden. However, the programme administrator will ensure that you have access to washing machines.
New clothes and textiles often carry labels indicating recommended washing procedures. Some symbols are to be found on the labels. Follow the same symbols on the washing machine dials.
Be careful when ironing - one dot on the iron on the label means cool iron, two dots mean medium iron and three dots mean hot iron.
Dress code
As a rule, Swedes tend to dress quite informally. There is no dress code as such during the training programme
Some tips on Swedish customs
Generally Swedes appear on time for business appointments or social engagements. If you are invited to dinner at 7 pm and have not arrived by 7.15 pm, your hosts may worry that you have lost your way and may even become upset because you are late. Call and alert your hosts if you will be more than 15 minutes late.
When leaving a party, Swedes always express their thanks and shake hands with the host and hostess before putting on their coats.
Health Care
As from your arrival in Sweden you are covered by health insurance arranged by the programme organiser. This policy covers accidents and illness contracted during the period of your stay.
In case of emergency dial 112. Tell the operator which service you require and he/she will connect you with the fire brigade, the police, the ambulance or the doctor on duty etc. Speak very slowly in English. An emergency call can be made free of charge from all public phone booths.
There is also a 24 hours a day Help line Swedish service called "Sjukvårds-upplysningen", providing information and advice on what to do in case of sudden illness or accident. The number is: 090-785 11 77. Major hospitals have an Emergency/Casualty Department called "Akutmottagning" if you become suddenly ill or are the victim of an accident. In Sweden, medical treatment is provided first, then your insurance details are requested which will give time for you to contact the programme organiser.
Pharmaceuticals and medical drugs
All medical supplies are sold at the pharmacy, the "Apotek", only. Straightforward medicines for headaches, colds, etc. are available without doctor's prescription - "receptfritt". Other medicines can only be purchased with the help of a prescription - "recept" - from a doctor.
Transportation
Public transportation is generally of high standard in the cities and towns. Connections from remote course centres can be more difficult. Buses, trains and airlines cover the country reasonably well. Except in special circumstances, public transportation follows the schedules posted and leaves on time.
Local bus companies often operate cheaper rates for e.g. monthly tickets. Domestic flights also operate certain cheap flights. Ask the local travel agent for more information. When travelling by taxi, tips are included in the price.
Car rentals
When renting a car in Sweden, please be aware of some important traffic regulations:
Distances
All Swedish signs are expressed in kilometres. Multiply this number by 0.6 and the appropriate number of miles will be calculated. 1.608 km = 1 mile. (Please note when Swedish people talk about one Swedish mile they mean 10 kilometres.)
Distances
| Miles | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 |
| km | 32 | 48 | 64 | 80 | 97 | 113 | 129 | 145 | 160 |
Speed per hour
| km/hour | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 | 110 |
| miles/hour | 19 | 25 | 31 | 37 | 43 | 50 | 56 | 62 | 68 |
The Swedish Institute
"Svenska Institutet" or The Swedish Institute is an agency financed by the government, which is responsible for the provision of general information on Swedish society and culture to other countries. Its major activity, being the establishment and delivery of material and services to that end.
Address: The Swedish Institute
Hamngatan 27 / Kungsträdgården
Box 7434, 103 91 Stockholm
Tel: 08-789 20 00
Fax: 08-20 72 48
E-mail: si@si.se
Website: si.se
Office hours: