Sweden - Becky Ohlsen [273]
On many major roads broken lines define wide-paved edges, and a vehicle being overtaken is expected to move into this area to allow faster traffic to pass safely.
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EXPLORING THE WILDERNESS
Vildmark i Värmland (140 40; www.vildmark.se) organises outdoor activities in the pristine wilderness of Värmland in summer, including canoe trips (one to six days), beaver-spotting safaris, rock climbing and rafting.
For a real get-away-from-it-all, back-to-nature experience, try one of their raft trips on the Klarälven. With help, you actually make your own six-person craft from cut logs and lengths of rope. Prices start at Skr690 for a day trip, and rise to Skr2460 for a full week (eight days, seven nights). The longer trips let you sleep on board the moored raft, or climb ashore and camp for the night (equipment can be hired at additional cost). You can while away your days fishing, swimming, spotting wildlife and enjoying the serenity. Check out the website for more information.
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HITCHING
Hitching is never entirely safe in any country, and we don’t recommend it. Travellers who decide to hitch should understand that they are taking a small but potentially serious risk; consider travelling in pairs and let someone know where you’re planning to go.
Hitching isn’t popular in Sweden and very long waits are the norm. It’s prohibited to hitch on motorways.
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LOCAL TRANSPORT
In Sweden, local transport is always linked with regional transport (länstrafik). Regional passes are valid both in the city and on the rural routes. Town and city bus fares are around Skr20, but it usually works out cheaper to get a day card or other travel pass.
Swedish and Danish trains and buses around the Öresund area form an integrated transport system, so buying tickets to Copenhagen from any station in the region is as easy as buying tickets for Swedish journeys.
Stockholm has an extensive underground metro system, and Göteborg and Norrköping run tram networks. Göteborg also has a city ferry service.
Beware of getting ripped off in taxis. IAgree to a fare before the trip. In Stockholm, flag fall is around Skr32, then Skr7 per km; most taxis in the capital will take you to Arlanda airport for between Skr400 and Skr450, although taxis working as part of the Flygbussarna system are cheaper. Airport Cab (08-25 25 25; www.airportcab.se) goes from Stockholm to Arlanda for a flat fee of Skr350, and the opposite direction for Skr430.
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TOURS
Recommended tours appear throughout this book and include those run by the following companies:
Svenska Turistföreningen (STF; Swedish Touring Association; 08-463 21 00; www.svenskaturistforeningen.se) Offers scores of events and tours, mostly based on outdoor activities (eg kayaking and hiking).
Sweden Booking (0498-20 33 80; www.swedenbooking.com) Can organise rail tickets as well as package trips, like Christmas in Dalarna or canoeing in Värmland.
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TRAIN
Sweden has an extensive and reliable railway network, and trains are certainly faster than buses. Many destinations in the northern half of the country, however, cannot be reached by train alone. The following are the two main train operators in the country:
Sveriges Järnväg (SJ; 0771-75 75 75; www.sj.se) National network covering most main lines, especially in the southern part of the country. Its X2000 fast trains run at speeds of up to 200km/h.
Tågkompaniet (0771-44 41 11; www.tagkompaniet.se, in Swedish) Operates excellent overnight trains from Göteborg and Stockholm north to Boden, Kiruna, Luleå and Narvik, and the lines north of Härnösand.
There are smaller regional