Getting in and visas for Sweden

Sweden is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement.

By plane

For arrival and departure times, as well as lots of other information about flights and airports in Sweden, visit Luftfartsverket - Swedish Airports and Air Navigation Services[3] Major airports:

• Stockholm Arlanda (IATA: ARN) (ICAO: ESSA)[4] - serves most major airlines. Check the Stockholm page for information on transfer between the airport and Stockholm City.
• Göteborg Landvetter (IATA: GOT) (ICAO: ESGG)[5] - serves several international airlines and provides convenient bus transfer (~20 min) to central Gothenburg.
• Copenhagen Kastrup (Denmark) (IATA: CPH) (ICAO: EKCH)[6] - serves most major airlines. Located on an island between Copenhagen and Malmö and is ideal for travelling in southern Sweden. Train connections leave from the airport to both cities.

Smaller airports:

• Stockholm Skavsta (IATA: NYO) (ICAO: ESKN)[7] - airport for low fares airlines like Ryanair[8] and Wizzair[9]. Located quite a distance (about 100 km) from Stockholm, near the town of Nyköping.
• Stockholm Västerås (IATA: VST) (ICAO: ESOW)[10] - international flights to/from Copenhagen and London. Also about 100 km from Stockholm.
• Göteborg City Airport (IATA: GSE) (ICAO: ESGP)[11] - situated just 14 kilometers from central Gothenburg, this airport is used by Ryanair, Wizzair and Germanwings[12].
• Malmö-Sturup (IATA: MMX) (ICAO: ESMS)[13] - serves domestic flights and low fares flights. Located about 30 km from Malmö.

Most airports can be reached by Flygbussarna - Airport coaches[14] for tickets around 70 to 100 SEK. Copenhagen airport is best reached by train. See Skånetrafiken [15] for schedules.

By train

You can reach Sweden by train from three countries at present:

• Denmark: Trains depart Copenhagen and Copenhagen's airport for Malmö every 20 minutes, and cost only about SEK 85 ("Öresundståg / Øresundstog" regional trains). The train goes over the magnificent Öresund Bridge to get to Sweden in less than 30 minutes. Furthermore direct trains (X2000) leave from Copenhagen to Stockholm. The Elsinore-Helsingborg connection, known as one of the busiest ferry routes in Europe, might also be used (change to ship).

• Norway: Main connections between Oslo and Stockholm and Gothenburg as well as connections between Trondheim - Åre - Östersund and Narvik - Kiruna - Boden - Stockholm.

• Germany: Berlin to Malmö with "Berlin Night Express".

• Finland: Travel via Kemi-Tornio-Haparanda-Luleå / Boden by bus. The train line has been discontinued but there are plans to re-open it in the future.

By bus

Get into Sweden by "Eurolines" or "Säfflebussen" . All connections here go via Copenhagen.

By boat

Baltic Sea cruises "Our level of drunkenness was normal for a cruise of this kind." The managing director of shipping company Tallink gave an interesting quote after his and the entire board's drunken rampage on one of Tallink's cruise ships in 2006. (The accusations against the VIP's included sexual harassment against female staff, beating up a bartender and causing a fire by putting a fish in a toaster.) The director's explanation clearly shows the main PR problem about the cruise ships on the Baltic Sea: they have a reputation as trashy booze boats, far from the glamor of other international cruises. This is largely due to the fact that the tickets can be dirt cheap - sometimes less than 50 SEK - and that tax-free alcohol shopping is among the main attractions. Still, some of the new ships are really pretty, and it is an easy and cheap way to get a glimpse of a country on the other side of the Baltic Sea. Also, not all cruises include obnoxious drunks trying to toast fish. Stockholm is the main port in Sweden for the cruises, and the main destinations are Helsinki, Åland and Turku in Finland, Tallinn in Estonia and Riga in Latvia. Ships are operated by Silja Line [16], Viking Line [17], Birka Cruises [18] and, of course, Tallink [19]. To get the cheapest tickets, try to go on a weekday in low season, share a four-bed cabin with some friends and make sure to keep your eyes peeled for last minute offers. Belgium

• From Ghent to Gothenburg by DFDS Torline (cargo line with limited passenger capacity)

Denmark

• From Grenaa to Varberg by Stena Line
• From Frederikshavn to Gothenburg by Stena Line
• From Elsinore to Helsingborg by Scandlines and HH-ferries

Estonia

• From Tallinn to Stockholm (via Helsinki) by Viking Line
• From Tallinn to Stockholm (direct connection) by Tallink

Finland

• From Helsinki to Stockholm (via Åland) by Silja Line and Viking Line
• From Naantali to Kapellskär by Finnlink
• From Turku to Stockholm (via Åland) Silja Line and Viking Line
• From Vaasa to Umeå by RG Line

Latvia

• From Riga to Stockholm by Tallink

Germany

• From Travemuende to Trelleborg by TT-Line
• From Travemuende to Malmö by Nordö Link
• From Kiel to Gothenburg by Stena Line
• From Sassnitz to Trelleborg by Scandlines
• From Rostock to Trelleborg by Scandlines and TT-Line

Norway

• From Kristiansand to Gothenburg by DFDS Seaways

Poland

• From Gdansk to Nynäshamn by Polferries
• From Gdansk to Visby by Polferries
• From Gdynia to Karlskrona by Stena Line
• From Świnoujście to Ystad by Polferries

Russia

• From Saint Petersburg to Stockholm by Silja Line. Only during spring and summer. Closed since 2005.
• From Baltijsk, Kaliningrad to Karlshamn by DFDS Tor Line.

UK

• From Immingham and Tilbury to Gothenburg by DFDS Torline (cargo line with limited passenger capacity)