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Most of the time, travelers in foreign countries rely on public transportation to get around. It's so much easier to simply learn the train or subway schedules and where the stations are than to figure out how to get from here to there while you're driving in a foreign country, especially if you don't know the language. But having your own car provides freedom and is especially helpful if you plan to leave the metropolitan areas and venture out into the countryside, where public transportation like trains is not frequent or doesn't exist at all.
If you are taking a trip to beautiful Scandinavia and want to see the mountains, forests, lakes, and islands of Sweden by car, you are in luck. Swedish roads are well maintained, and the country is said to have some of the best highways and secondary roads in Europe.
You won't have many traffic jams outside of the big cities—though once in awhile you might cross paths with a moose or an elk. If you are thinking about renting a car, learn the rules of the road before you go with these practical tips for drivers in Sweden.
United States citizens traveling in Sweden who want to rent a car have it easy when it comes to driver's license rules: All U.S. driver's licenses are valid in Sweden as long as the driver is at least 18 years old and the license is still valid at home. If you are staying in Sweden for more than a year, you must get a Swedish driver's license.
Drivers must be at least 20 years old to rent a car and must have had a driver's license for two years.
Checklist for Driving in Sweden
Countries in Scandinavia have very similar laws and regulations to those in the U.S., but some differences stand out. The Going Abroad app has information about important laws in each country like traffic lights, seat belt rules, and distracted driving.
Public transportation is usually a better option than the local, expensive taxis in Sweden. Some visitors like to take advantage of the big network of trains, coaches, and buses, but renting a car in Sweden is an easy option if you'd like more door to door service.
The car rental agency usually allows you to drive can anywhere in Western Europe. They will ask to see your passport and foreign driver's license, at the very least. Insurance varies by the rental car company.
Road signs use standard international symbols and sometimes include Swedish phrases. It is helpful to familiarize yourself with those phrases before arriving in Sweden.
If you are in Sweden in the winter, you'll need to be ready for freezing cold temperatures as well as snow and ice storms. All cars, both Swedish and from other countries, are required from early December until the end of March to have either studded tires or un-studded winter friction tires. Studded tires may be used during other months if the local police consider the roads to be in winter conditions. Ensure your car has windshield wiper fluid with anti-freeze. You may also want to journey down the road with a winter kit in your car that includes a reflective vest, starting cables, an ice scraper, a shovel, a torch, a tow-rope, and a bag of sand, which aids the tires in gripping.
Hopefully, this won't be the case, but it would be ideal to be prepared for getting stuck in the snow. You'll want to at least have a blanket and some warm clothes in the car for such situations, plus some high-energy snacks. Learn some important winter driving tips and additional useful items to have with you on those snowy days.
Animals of diverse sizes may be seen on Swedish roads at any time and even in the more urban areas, as fences don't always work. Badgers and foxes are often hit by cars and will do little damage to vehicles. But if you hit a wild boar, deer, or a moose at high speed—a moose weighs around 700 kilograms, or about 1,543 pounds—there may be a major impact to everyone in the car and the car itself.
To avoid this risk, be extra attentive at sunrise and sunset, and at bridges across streams and lakes where animals look for water to drink. Also pay more attention than usual during springtime (when moose give birth), moose hunting season in autumn, and where forests meet the road in Sweden. If you hit an animal accidentally, while that in itself is not a crime, according to the law you must report it by calling the Emergency Number 112 and claiming viltolycka (wild animal accident).
