Sweden's extensive municipal transportation network is a source of national pride. The bright, clean buses, trolleybuses, and streetcars look like toys, but they do their jobs well.
Today, public transportation in Sweden has almost completely replaced private cars outside the city limits. Renting a car may only be necessary when traveling long distances.
City transportation.
Buses account for the maximum volume of passenger transportation on intracity and intercity routes; electric vehicles and river steamships perform auxiliary functions.
Stockholm's subway system, famous for its grand interiors, is very popular with visitors and residents. During the tourist season, tours of the capital's metro stations are organized to show visitors the lobby's lavish decorations.
City transportation costs about 25.5 SEK and passes are available. In Stockholm, the Stockholm Travel Card offers free travel on all public transportation, free admission to 79 museums, and free meals in cafes. The card also includes a ferry ride on the Waxholmsbolaget ferry and parking.
To explore the Stockholm archipelago, you can also purchase a discounted Båtluffarkortet pass, which entitles you to unlimited use of all Waxholmsbolaget-owned water transportation within 5 days of opening.
Tourist cards for adults and children aged 7 to 20 years are available for 24, 48, 72, and 120 hours at information centers, hostels, and on the Stockholm Visitors Board website; senior citizens receive discounts. Children's cards can only be sold in a maximum of three copies in addition to the adult card.
Taxi.
The only inconvenience of using public transportation in Sweden comes from the limited hours of operation. Buses stop running at 24.00 and spend the night in parks until 6.00, leaving the tardy traveler at the mercy of numerous taxi companies.
Nevertheless, it's almost impossible to catch a cab on the street; you have to order a car in advance through a dispatch service. Keep in mind that cabs in Sweden are expensive, and you'll have to pay extra on weekends, holidays, and at night.
There is no single cab fare in Sweden. The larger companies follow a fast pris system, which sets fixed fares for boarding and kilometers driven. The average boarding fee is 45 SEK; the cost per kilometer starts at 14 SEK.
Freelance cabs (fritaxi) prefer a more flexible approach to pricing, sometimes shocking tourists. To avoid being taken by surprise by the driver's bill, talk to the dispatcher about the cost of the trip in advance.
Intercity transportation
Sweden's internal transport system is characterized by a clear coordination of rail and bus services. The rail network connecting major cities is complemented by local bus routes serving the surrounding villages and small towns.
Suburban bus tickets can be purchased from the comfort of the ticket office of SJ, the leading Central and Southern railroad operator.
Suburban lines are served by typical European trains; long distances are dominated by high-speed X2000 trains and the familiar long-distance sleeper trains.
In the summertime, the Inland Railway between Kristinehamn and Jöllivare opens to partially relieve the pressure on the main highways. Due to Sweden's considerable meridional length, there are regular domestic flights between the northern and southern cities.
In the northern lännen of Sweden, the connectivity of small towns is limited to bus transportation. Swebus Express offers pensioners and students up to the age of 26 a 20% discount when purchasing travel documents.
If you're planning an excursion tour of Sweden's castles or historic cities, it's better not to buy tickets for each train separately, but to buy a Scandinavian Rail Pass (Scan Rail Pass), which entitles you to unlimited travel on all trains for 5, 10, and 30 days. As a bonus, the holder gets a number of discounts on hotel stays and some ferry crossings.
The Swedish train schedule and current passenger fares can be found on SJ's corporate website.
