Customs
Travelers are not required to pay duty on an appropriate amount of items for their personal use during their visit. In addition, the following duty-free allowances apply: no more than 1 liter of alcohol, 2 liters of wine and 15 liters of beer; and 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco.
Currency Exchange
Expect the best rate at FOREX currency exchange offices, located in several major cities and at airports in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo, and the ferry terminals at Helsingborg and Ystad. You can also change money or travelers checks at banks, hotels, or post offices bearing the NB Exchange sign. Banks are typically open from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, with additional Thursday hours from 4 to 6 p.m. Some banks in the larger cities stay open until 6 p.m. every weekday. Credit cards are widely accepted for services and there is no lack of ATM machines in the urban areas and increasingly in rural Sweden as well.
Tipping
Tipping is rarely expected in Sweden. A service charge is a included in most hotel and restaurant bills, but a small gratuity (between 7 and 10 percent) is appropriate for higher end evening meals at restaurants. For taxi drivers, a good rule is to round up to the nearest 10 kronor. Porters and coatroom attendants often charge fixed fees.
General Business Hours
Museums: 10 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. Many museums are closed Mondays. Post offices: Post offices in the major cities are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The post office in Stockholm's Central Rail Station is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Restaurants: Swedes eat early, with lunchtime starting around 11 a.m. and many establishments closing by 9 p.m. or earlier. Shopping: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and until 1, 2 or 4 p.m. Saturday. Department stores in major cities are open from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Value Added Tax
25%
