Sweden is such a beautiful country to visit, not only because of its beautiful nature and modern entertainment but also for its rich history and culture. Just like any other country, Sweden has its unique characteristics that many non-locals don’t know about. To avoid getting problems and confusion during your travel, here are some of the things you should know about Sweden:
1. Some Attractions Are Seasonal
Unexpectedly, many attractions are not available year-round. Some places may be open for some months. Others operate all season but have specific closing days. There have been stories about tourists feeling bummed that the places they visited turned out to be closed.
Fortunately, avoiding such disappointment is easy. Digital information in Sweden is regularly updated and reliable. Hence, checking the operational schedules for your desired destinations will help. Even better, many attractions allow you to buy tickets online in advance. Having alternatives and Plan B for your itinerary may also come in handy.
2. The Swedes Are Not A Fan of Small Talks
In England, people chit-chat everywhere, even with strangers. Swedes are the opposite of it. Most of them dislike wasting their energy to talk to strangers if there is no need for it.
However, don’t get it wrong. It is not that the Swedes are not friendly. These people do have kind hearts. They will gladly help and guide tourists when asked. It is just that they respect the silence and awkwardness more than unnecessary conversations.
3. Punctuality is A Serious Matter
Being punctual is considered a basic manners. It is the bare minimum you do to maintain respect. And yes, a few minutes late without any valid reason will be considered disrespectful. You must apologize for it and avoid making excuses.
Interestingly, punctuality is more than just avoiding coming late in Sweden. It is also about avoiding coming too early. The principle mainly applies when you get invitations or appointments to visit someone’s places. When coming early, the hosts might still be busy preparing the event. They are not ready yet to be social. Hence, coming early may seem like a privacy violation.
4. Cyclists Are Everywhere
Don’t be surprised to see so many bicycles roaming around in the city. Not just locals, many tourists even prefer hiring bikes to go around than renting cars. Public transportation is fun, but the experience of cycling is incomparable.
While riding bicycles on the road can be dangerous in many other countries, it is very safe in Sweden. Almost all roads have a designated lane on the side for bicycles. All citizens are respectful and lawfully obedient on roads. Keep that in mind when you decide to hire a car and ride in this country.
Unfortunately, bicycle thieves are not rare either. A secure lock is always necessary when you park in public places. Some cyclists use multiple locks to prevent thieves from detaching the bike parts.
5. Public Transportation and Travel Cards
Sweden has a well-developed public transportation network that reaches most of the country. It has buses, trains, trams, metro, and even ferries. All of them are safe, convenient, and fast. Not to mention how significantly it can reduce carbon emissions. Even most locals prefer using public transportation to driving around themselves.
If you plan to use public transportation frequently during your stay, investing in a travel card is a more cost-efficient solution. Travel cards are available in various durations, from one day to one full year. The longer you stay and the more often you ride, the more transportation costs you can reduce.
Without a travel card, you can reduce transportation costs by buying the tickets in advance. This trick may cut up to 50% per trip. However, planning a bus ride might be difficult. Even so, travel cards are still the most cost-efficient because you get to make as many trips as you can within your card duration.
6. Drinking Alcohol on the Streets Is Forbidden
Beers and other alcoholic beverages are easy to buy in many places, including convenience stores. Social drinking is also largely acceptable, much like in most Western countries. However, it is important to note that Sweden forbids people from drinking and getting intoxicated on the streets.
Drinking is only permissible at specific places, such as bars, night entertainment centers, and restaurants. Of course, it is also legal to enjoy alcohol in private properties, such as your hotel room. However, remember not to walk around the roads while still drunk.
7. Be Careful with Your Plastic
Sweden is serious about fighting the climate crisis. Besides relying much on public transportation, they also make efforts to reduce plastic waste. The country has one of the best recycling facilities for plastics. Thus, make sure you know the appropriate place to dump your plastic garbage. Locals usually carry their trash with them until they find the right place for it.
Reducing plastic usage is also prevalent, especially disposable ones. Plastic bags are crazy expensive in Sweden, thus forcing people to bring their reusable bags. A single-use plastic bag in regular size costs around SEK 6 or 7, similar to what you would pay for a coffee or a bus ride. Hence, bring along one or two reusable bags everywhere you go just in case you buy something you need to carry.
Bonus Info: Using MySecondLine Mobile Number for Texting is Cheaper and More Convenient Than Sweden SIM Cards
.
It must be fun to hang out with your friends in Sweden, and you might need to keep texting back and forth with them. However, we can’t ignore that roaming fees can drain your budget very quickly if you send messages from the SIM card from your home country. Buying a local SIM card in Sweden is not cheap either. And yet, it will not be pleasant to limit how often you text during your stay in this beautiful country.
Luckily, we now can get an affordable yet secure solution for it. MySecondLine can give you a virtual mobile number in Sweden format for texting at much lower rates. Feel free to text anyone anywhere in this country. You can also change your number when you travel to another country next time.