Travel within Sweden

There are many ways to travel around in Sweden. Distances are generally short to moderate, unless you go up north. In northern Sweden (generally anywhere north of Stockholm) distances are great, and your best option is to fly, or possibly the train if you have a little more time.

In southern Sweden, a good way to travel is by bus. If you are travelling mainly between major cities, the high speed X2000 trains are also a good option. For instance, Stockholm to Gothenburg is less that 5 hours on the train, not much different than flying, if you take into consideration airport transfers and check in times.

Renting a car is necessary if you want to see the wonderful Swedish countryside. You can rent a car at the airport, but there are also many smaller places in town. Major gas station chains such as OKQ8 and Statoil rent small cars inexpensively and with little fanfare. A good option if you just want to get out of the city for a day or two.

In the Stockholm area, you can also see the countryside by boat. Just outside Stockholm is an archipelago of over 25,000 islands, many of which are served by regular ferries. Some of these ferries are old steam boats, quite charming and a good way to spend a leisurely day. You can daytrip, or you can island jump and stay at small hotels and hostels. Ticket prices are comparable to bus fares, since the boats are really the buses for the people living on the islands.

You can also see the archipelago and the Baltic in style from one of the many ferries/cruise ships that run from Sweden to Finland and the Baltic States. Some are quite luxurious, and all offer quality cabins and dining. Swedes like the tax free shopping aboard, and the cruise companies offer heavily subsidized tickets to lure more shoppers aboard. It is not uncommon to find "free" 24 hr cruises to Finland/Åland. You only pay for what you eat and drink, and even that is not very expensive. It is a setup similar to Las Vegas, except gambling has been substituted with tax free shopping.