Fast Facts

Area Code -- The international country code for Sweden is 46. The local city (area) codes are given for all phone numbers in the Sweden chapters.

Business Hours -- Generally, banks are open Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 3pm. In some larger cities, banks extend their hours, usually on Thursday or Friday, until 5:30 or 6pm. Most offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 or 9am to 5pm (sometimes to 3 or 4pm in the summer); on Saturday, offices and factories are closed, or open for only a half-day. Most stores and shops are open Monday through Friday between 9:30am and 6pm, and Saturday from 9:30am to somewhere between 1 and 4pm. Once a week, usually on Monday or Friday, some of the larger stores are open from 9:30am to 7pm (July-Aug to 6pm).

Camera & Film -- Cameras (especially the famed Hasselblad), film, projectors, and enlarging equipment are good values in Sweden. Practically all the world's brands are found here. Photographic shops give excellent service, often developing and printing in 1 day.

Dentists -- For emergency dental services, ask your hotel or host for the location of the nearest dentist. Nearly all dentists in Sweden speak English.

Doctors -- Hotel desks usually can refer you to a local doctor, nearly all of whom speak English. If you need emergency treatment, your hotel also should be able to direct you to the nearest facility. In case of an accident or injury away from the hotel, call the nearest police station.

Drug Laws -- Sweden imposes severe penalties for the possession, use, purchase, sale, or manufacture of illegal drugs ("illegal" is defined much like in the U.S.). Penalties are often (but not always) based on quantity. Possession of a small amount of drugs, either hard or soft, can lead to a heavy fine and deportation. Possession of a large amount of drugs can entail imprisonment from 3 months to 15 years, depending on the circumstances and the presiding judge.

Drugstores -- Called apotek in Swedish, drugstores generally are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday from 9am to 1pm. In larger cities, one drugstore in every neighborhood stays open until 7pm. All drugstores post a list of the names and addresses of these stores (called nattapotek) in their windows.

Electricity -- In Sweden, the electricity is 220 volts AC (50 cycles). To operate North American hair dryers and other electrical appliances, you'll need an electrical transformer (sometimes erroneously called a converter) and plugs that fit the two-pin round continental electrical outlets that are standard in Sweden. Transformers can be bought at hardware stores. Before using any American-made appliance, always ask about it at your hotel desk.

Embassies & Consulates -- All embassies are in Stockholm. The Embassy of the United States is at Daj Hammarskjölds Väg 31, S-115 89 Stockholm (tel. 08/783-53-00); United Kingdom, Skarpoügatan 6-8, S-115 93 Stockholm (tel. 08/671-30-00); Canada, Tegelbacken 4, S-103 23 Stockholm (tel. 08/453-30-00); and Australia, Sergels Torg 12, S-103 86 Stockholm (tel. 08/613-29-00). New Zealand does not maintain an embassy in Sweden, but there is a consulate located at Norrlandgatan 15, 103 95 Stockholm (tel. 08/506-32-00).

Emergencies -- Call tel. 112 from anywhere in Sweden if you need an ambulance, the police, or the fire department (brandlarm).

Language -- The national language is Swedish, a Germanic tongue, and many regional dialects exist. Some minority groups speak Norwegian and Finnish. English is a required course of study in school and is commonly spoken, even in the hinterlands, especially among young people.

Liquor Laws -- Most restaurants, pubs, and bars in Sweden are licensed to serve liquor, wine, and beer. Some places are licensed only for wine and beer. Purchases of wine, liquor, and imported beer are available only through the government-controlled monopoly Systembolaget. Branch stores, spread throughout the country, are usually open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm. The minimum age for buying alcoholic beverages in Sweden is 21.

Lost & Found -- Be sure to tell all of your credit card companies the minute you discover that your wallet has been lost or stolen. Your credit card company or insurer also may require you to file a police report and provide a report number or record of the loss. Most credit card companies have an emergency toll-free number to call if your card is lost or stolen; they may be able to wire you a cash advance immediately or deliver an emergency credit card in a day or two. Visa's emergency number outside the U.S. is tel. 410/581-3836. American Express cardholders should call collect tel. 336/393-1111. MasterCard holders should call collect tel. 314/542-7111.

Mail -- Post offices in Sweden are usually open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday from 9am to noon. Sending a postcard to North America costs 7.18SEK (99¢/50p) by surface mail, 10.5SEK ($1.45/74p) by airmail. Letters weighing not more than 20 grams cost the same. Mailboxes can easily be recognized -- they carry a yellow post horn on a blue background. You can buy stamps in most tobacco shops and stationers.

Maps -- Many tourist offices supply routine maps of their districts free of charge, and you also can contact one of the Swedish automobile clubs. Bookstores throughout Sweden also sell detailed maps of the country and of such major cities as Gothenburg and Stockholm. The most reliable country maps are published by Hallweg. The best and most detailed city maps are those issued by Falk, which have a particularly good and properly indexed map to Stockholm.

Newspapers & Magazines -- In big cities such as Stockholm and Gothenburg, English-language newspapers, including the latest editions of the International Herald Tribune and USA Today, and The London Times, are usually available. At kiosks or newsstands in major cities, you also can purchase the European editions of Time and Newsweek.

Passports -- Allow plenty of time before your trip to apply for a passport; processing normally takes 3 weeks but can take longer during busy periods (especially spring). And keep in mind that if you need a passport in a hurry, you'll pay a higher processing fee.

For residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 61/13-12-32, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

For residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; passport.dublin@iveagh.irlgov.ie). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a €12 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525), or at most main post offices.

For residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from the website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand, or 04/474-8100; or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

For residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency, or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410 or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

For residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free number (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Police -- In an emergency, dial tel. 90-000 anywhere in the country.

Radio & TV -- In summer, Radio Stockholm broadcasts a special program for English-speaking tourists, "T-T-T-Tourist Time," on 103.3 MHz (FM) from 6 to 7pm daily. Swedish radio transmits P1 on 92.4 MHz (FM) and P2 on 96.2 MHz (FM) in the Stockholm area. P3 is transmitted on 103.3 MHz (102.9 MHz in southern Stockholm), a wavelength shared by Radio Stockholm and local programs.

The two most important TV channels, STV1 and STV2, are nonprofit. Three major privately operated stations -- Channel 4, TV3, and TV5 -- operate, as well as several minor stations.

Restrooms -- The word for toilet in Swedish is toalett, and public facilities are found in department stores, rail and air terminals, and subway (T-bana) stations. DAMER means women and HERRAR means men. Sometimes the sign is abbreviated to D or H, and often the toilet is marked WC. Most toilets are free, although a few have attendants to offer towels and soap. In an emergency, you can use the toilets in most hotels and restaurants, although, in principle, they're reserved for guests.

Shoe Repairs -- Shoe-repair shops rarely accommodate you while you wait. If all you need is a new heel, look for something called klackbar in the stores or shoe departments of department stores. They'll make repairs while you wait.

Taxes -- Sweden imposes a "value-added tax," called MOMS, on most goods and services. Visitors from North America can beat the tax, however, by shopping in one of the 15,000 stores with the yellow-and-blue tax-free shopping sign. To get a refund, your total purchase must cost a minimum of 200SEK ($28/£14). Tax refunds range from 12.5% to 17.5%, depending on the amount purchased. MOMS begins at 12% on food items but is 25% for most goods and services. The tax is part of the purchase price, but you can get a tax-refund voucher before you leave the store. When you leave Sweden, take the voucher to a tax-free Customs desk at the airport or train station you're leaving from. They will give you your MOMS refund (minus a small service charge) before you continue on to your next non-Swedish destination. Two requirements: You cannot use your purchase in Sweden, and it must be taken out of the country within 1 month after purchase. For more information, call Global Refunds at tel. 08/545-28-440 in Sweden; www.globalrefund.com.

Telephone, Telex & Fax -- Avoid placing long-distance calls from your hotel, where the charge may be doubled or tripled on your final bill.

Time -- Sweden is on central European time -- Greenwich mean time plus 1 hour, or Eastern Standard Time plus 6 hours. The clocks are advanced 1 hour in summer.

Tipping -- Hotels include a 15% service charge in your bill. Restaurants add 13% to 15% to your tab. Taxi drivers are entitled to 8% of the fare, and cloakroom attendants usually get 6SEK (85¢/40p).

Water -- The water is safe to drink all over Sweden. However, don't drink water from lakes, rivers, or streams, regardless of how clean it appears.