Overland Sweden Travel
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Contents
- 1 Visiting Sweden
- 2 Entering Sweden with a Car or Motorbike
- 3 Driving in Sweden
- 4 Gas price in Sweden and Diesel price in Sweden
- 5 Safety and Security Considerations
- 6 Camping in Sweden
- 7 Navigation
- 8 Special Overland Travel interests
- 9 Vehicle Maintenance
- 10 Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Sweden
- 11 References
- 12 Helpful External links
Visiting Sweden
Give a brief overview of what it's like to visit. How easy is the border, how safe is the country, are there great things to see and do, etc.
Entering Sweden with a Car or Motorbike
Correct as of: January 2013
Required Paperwork
(To check if you need a travel Visa for Sweden, application instructions and fees see: Sweden Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)
List the paperwork required to enter with a vehicle, including number of copies
Process at border
Important: From December 2015 there are border controls carried out by police. This is due to the current immigration situation in Europe. A valid passport is required and all necessary papers to visit Sweden can be requested by border officers.
Sweden is part of the Schengen Agreement, meaning there is normally no identity check when entering from other Schengen countries, which include all countries with road crossing or ferry to Sweden. However, there are frequent customs check, conducted on a random basis, where they mainly search for drugs. They will ask questions to determine level of suspicion. This will normally not take long time.
Cost of entry
There is no cost of entry at the border office. However, the E20 bridge from Denmark (kr375.00 SEK without discount for cars), the E6 bridge from Norway (kr23.00 SEK) and all ferries (from kr400.00 SEK to kr4,000.00 SEK incl cabin) have fees.
Permitted length of stay
A non-EU/EEA citizen has a maximium permitted stay. It is 90 days if no visa is required. For longer stays, a visa, work permit, etc is needed.
A foreign vehicle can be used in Sweden as long as the owner is not or should not be registered as resident of Sweden. This happens one year after entry. After that the vehicle must go through the import process.
One year after getting resident, foreign driving licenses are not valid anymore. EU/EEA citizens can replace it with a Swedish one, while other citizens must do the full test.
Extension of stay
Describe the process to extend the permitted length of entry for the vehicle, if possible.
Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.
Exiting with a vehicle
Describe the paperwork requirements and process at the border to exit.
Driving in Sweden
Recommended books for Overlanding in Sweden
Travel insurance for Sweden
World Nomads offer the most flexible Travel Insurance at the best prices for multi-country / multi-year trips. You can buy, extend and claim online, even after you've left home.
Vehicle insurance requirements
Liability insurance is mandatory, issued in the country of registration. No extra insurance in Sweden is needed. If buying a Swedish registered vehicle, the owner has to buy an insurance.
Cost of vehicle insurance
It varies with residence and experience. Big cities are more expensive than small (because of theft and accident risk). Someone having owned a vehicle for some years will get a bonus, giving lower cost, unless causing an accident, which will remove bonus.
Where to purchase vehicle insurance
From e.g. aktsam.se ; if.se ; skandia.se ; folksam.se
These websites seem to be Swedish only, but you can find the phone number and call; most Swedes can speak English.
Driving license
A driving license is needed for driving. All driving licenses are valid for short stays, but if it does not conform with European standards, an International Driving Permit is also needed.
Driving side of road
Right.
RHD vehicles can be driven in Sweden.
Mandatory items in vehicle
State any mandatory items that must be carried in the vehicle. (i.e. safety triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc.)
Safety triangle is mandatory in all vehicles under 3500 kg.
Roads
General Road quality
The general road quality is good. Regional roads might be curvy. Inside cities speed bumps, roundabouts and one way streets are fairly common. Any kind of normal vehicle with any kind of tires should be able to drive 99,9 of the roads. In the northern region Norrland many of the smaller regional roads are gravel. In winter time Nordic winter tires are mandatory if winter road conditions. Studded tires are highly recommended for the northern 3/4 of the country. Any tires are legal if fitted with chains. Smaller roads on the countryside may not be cleared during winter. Snow depths can vary from nothing in the south, to several meters deep in the far north.
Off road driving requires a permit. So unless you are joining a club for an organised off road event, you have to stick to the roads. It is aloud to park at the side off the road if necessary so that you are not blocking the other traffic. But venturing many meters out in the woods will be considered off road driving. If you do join on a off road event it's highly recommended with a raise off the vehicle, mud-tires, bash-plates and a winch. Most off road parks offer mud, rocks and big strong trees.
Road signs
The road signs have a good quality and show the route well. Hazards are generally signposted.
Toll roads
Generally there are no road tolls. However two border crossing bridges are tolled: E20 to Denmark (around kr375.00 SEK) and E6 to Norway (around kr23.00 SEK). Also there are road tolls to get in and out of Stockholm and Gothenburg inner city. There is also additional tolls for passing Gothenburg and Stockholm ("Essingeleden"). These city road tolls vary with time of day and can be up to kr18.00 SEK and are not applicable for foreign registered vehicles.
Bribery in Sweden
Bribery is not accepted by the police, and anyone trying is likely to be penalized.
Checkpoints
Checkpoints are not common, and are mostly sobriety checks. At sobriety checks the police will also check the drive's license and if the driver is wanted etc. This will take a few minutes. If the car looks like bad safety they might check it. Heavy vehicles might more often encounter checkpoints for drive time checks etc. The military is not allowed to do police work in Sweden.
Traveling with pets
- Dogs and cats at entry from EU countries (and a few more European countries like Norway): EU rules are valid. Id-marking, animal passport and rabies vaccination certificate is needed. The customs has to be visited at entry.
- Dogs and cats at entry from other countries: EU-rules plus: A veterinarian certificate on rabies freedom and effective rabies vaccination must be max 10 days old, and must be made more than 3 months after the vaccination is made. A further check must be made at Arlanda or Landvetter airport. If traveling into Copenhagen airport, Danish rules must be followed, but Swedish customs must also be visited according to EU rules. Dogs, cats and ferrets at Jordbruksverket.se
Gas price in Sweden and Diesel price in Sweden
Last updated: December 2021
Currency and unit to display:
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Unleaded | €1.80 EUR per Liter[1] |
| Diesel | €1.80 EUR per Liter[1] |
Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency
There might be some distance between gas stations, especially on regional roads in sparsely populated areas. New rules requiring sales of ethanol has around 2010-2012 caused many smaller gas stations to close down because of expensive pump installation.
Gas and Diesel Quality
Discuss if gasoline / diesel considered "clean" or "dirty", and generally high or low quality.
State the sulfur content of diesel, if known.
Safety and Security Considerations
Driving at night
Should be no problems. In very cold winter temperatures, avoid sparsely trafficked roads in the mid of the night, since it is not good to be stuck alone at very cold winter temperatures.
Vehicle parking
Parking outdoors should be ok as residents do that. Do not leave visible or valuable stuff in the car, especially in bigger cities. The parking rules are sometimes tricky. Do not park in cities on places where no one parks, since that might give you a fine. It's forbidden to park within 10 meters from a street crossing.
Special driving considerations
There are moose which are very nasty to collide with. Keep a look on the edges of the road and slow down when seeing warning signs.
Cars have to stop at pedestrian crossings without traffic lights and some people consider themselves protected from harm by that rule.
Many smaller back country roads might not be cleared of snow int wintertime. Snow depth can vary from nothing i the south to several meters in the far north.
Winter tires When there is or is feared to be a winter road conditions, in Sweden you need to use winter tires or chains.
Winter tires 1 December – 31 March Your vehicle must have winter tires or equivalent equipment from 1 December to 31 March if it is winter road conditions. The requirements apply to both heavy and light vehicles and also apply to vehicles registered abroad. Winter tires can be studded or stud-free. Examples of equivalent equipment are snow chains or sand spreaders.
The definition of winter road conditions Winter road conditions prevail when there is snow, ice, snowdrifts or frost on any part of the road. The police decide if there is a winter road condition at the place where you are.
Studded tires allowed 1 October – 15 April It is permitted to use studded tires during the period 1 October – 15 April. If it is or is feared to be winter road conditions, you may also use studded tires at other times.
If cars with a total weight of up to 3500kg have studded tires, a trailer that is connected to the car must also have studded tires in winter road conditions. This applies even if the vehicle is exempt from the requirement for winter tires. If the car has unstudded tires, the trailer may have either studded or unstudded winter tires. There must be no combination of both studded and unstudded tires on the vehicle.
Requirements for vehicles with a total weight up to 3500kg Winter tires used on cars and on trailers for cars with a total weight of not more than 3500 kilos shall:
- be marked with the symbol alpine peak / snowflake (3PMSF)
Tires that are marked with M + S, MS, M & S, MS, MS or "Mud and Snow" and are specially designed for winter driving are considered winter tires on cars with a total weight of no more than 3,500 kg up to and including 30 November 2024 On trailers with a total weight of not more than 3500 kg, tires with the above marking are considered winter tires if they are specially designed for winter driving up to and including 30 November 2029.
If the car has studded tires, the trailer must also have studded tires in winter road conditions.
The tread depth of winter tires on these vehicles must be at least 3 millimeters.
For the latest update please look further at [[1]]
Security advisories and information
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Sweden - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Camping in Sweden
Organized "pay" camping are common. These generally have toilets, shower, laundry, often food for purchase. Often there are cabins for rental.
List the approximate average price range of camping in organized campgrounds.
Roadside camping can be done at roadside parking places (not on shop parking places). It is not allowed to camp with camper vehicle on private ground or drive on private roads. However, tent camping is allowed in the forest. Roadside camping is common, but not so recommended. There are thieves stealing from such campers, mainly along the biggest roads.
Camping guide books
List and link to books specifically for camping.
Drinking water
Regular tap water is safe to drink. Bottled water is available in food shops, but is fairly expensive.
Paper maps
Reise Know-How are amoung the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in Sweden
GPS Maps of Sweden
Review different GPS companies, quality and coverage (Tomtom, Garmin, OSM, Tracks4Africa). (with links to each). At * Housenode you can get a detailed streetmap of Sweden.
GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Sweden
- iOverlander is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.
Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.
Special Overland Travel interests
List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders
Vehicle Maintenance
Dealers
4x4s / Trucks
- Toyota Global Dealer Locator
- Land Rover International Dealer Locator
- Mercedes Benz International (select country on bottom right)
- Jeep International site locator
Motorbikes
Local Garages
Add known good mechanics here.
Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Sweden
Buy
Every owner must register their ownership, and buy an insurance.
A foreigner has to apply for a personal id number (if settling in Sweden, that is staying for a longer period) or a coordination number (other cases). Only after that the ownership can be registered.
Read http://www.transportstyrelsen.se/en/road/Vehicles/Change-of-ownership/
A vehicle can be imported from other EU/EEA countries. Read http://www.transportstyrelsen.se/en/road/Importing-vehicles-and-verification-of-origin/ It will be hard to import it from other countries.
Sell
The easiest way to sell a vehicle is though a dealer, even if they might pay less than a private buyer. Check that the buyer registers their ownership, otherwise you might get responsible for parking violations, insurance and taxes.
Marketplace
A common place to buy and sell vehicles is Blocket.
References
Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.
Helpful External links
Add any helpful external links here.
- Sweden: Visa and Passport requirements | World Travel Guide
- Health Information for Travelers to Sweden - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Sweden travel guides at wikivoyage
- Sweden - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
