Sweden - very practical

Aktualisiert – November 11, 2025

Sweden - very practical? Yes, reported from practical experience for practical use, to give those who are considering Sweden as their adopted country a realistic idea of the surprises that Sweden has in store for everyday life, which can make life a little confusing for someone who is not familiar with it.

For a good start in Sweden, here are some very practical tips on how to get off to a good start in your new adopted country.

How do I find an apartment or house?

If you want to settle down in Sweden, you will want to find an apartment or house to rent or buy.

Mietobjekte

Rental properties are rare unless you intend to make the big city your home. One portal that specializes in rental properties throughout Sweden, for example, is Samtryggwhich currently (as of 01.07.2025) offers 691 rental apartments.

Kaufobjekte

Purchase objects are e.g. on hemnet.se to find, this in extremely abundant numbers (as of 01.07.2025) apartments (bostäder) 24,893, vacation homes (Fritidshus) 4,224, houses (Villor) 16,284, agricultural buildings and forests (Gårdar / Skogar) 1,368 and land (Tomter) 3.708.

Weitere Quellen sind u.a. Facebook-Marketplace und -gruppen, booli.se und auch auf deutschen Immobilien-Portalen, wie in Zeitschriften.
Ebenso lohnend kann die direkte Nachfrage bei Maklern, Banken oder auch in der Nachbarschaft einer möglicherweise interessanten Immobilie sein.

Property tax

Also the Property tax bemisst sich nach dem Einheitswert (taxeringsvärd), der üblicherweise bei 75% des Marktwertes liegt. Sie ist jedoch der Höhe nach auf 9.525 SEK (Stand 11.2025 – der vorgenannte Link führt auf die offizielle Seite des Skatteverkets, auf der der jeweils aktuelle Betrag bezeichnet ist) gedeckelt und bezieht sich stets auf EIN Objekt.

Der Wert wird alle zwei Jahre über einen Fragebogen, den das Skatteverket jedem Eigentümer schickt und wertsteigernde Maßnahmen abfragt, neu ermittelt.

Deutsche Makler / Angebote

Die Crux mit deutschen Angeboten ist meist, dass diese ein großes Maß an Eigenmanagement voraussetzen und u.U. auch überteuert sind. Zudem können deutsche Makler auch vom Käufer Provision verlangen, während schwedische Makler ausschließlich Provision vom Verkäufer erhalten.
Zudem sind oft schwedische Vorschriften / Rechtsgrundlagen unbekannt und werden daher nicht berücksichtigt, was wiederum nachteilig für den Käufer sein kann.
Ohne Hilfe eines schwedischen Rechtsbeistands ist der Kauf oft ein Risikogeschäft.

Hausarten / Preise

In the countryside, there are usually seasonal so-called "summer camps" in the summer months. Stugas or Fritidshus small, non-winterproof houses that are rented out for vacation purposes.

Häuser für dauerhaftes Bewohnen (permanent) sind in allen Preislagen ab ca. 150.000 SEK bis hin zu etwa 20 Mio SEK zu haben.

Baustandard

The frequently made comment that houses in Sweden are comparatively cheap is very wrong. A wooden house is not comparable to a stone house, nor is the usual "German" standard.

It is simply "Swedish" construction. Anyone using domestic statics as a yardstick will quickly realize that these are hardly to be found in Sweden either. Nevertheless, even wooden houses that are over a hundred years old still stand rigidly and firmly in their original position.
And anyone who thinks that you have to use much thicker beams and boards for "these" snow loads will also be quite surprised and rub their eyes when they see the "thin" parts, which were obviously not only erected after the winter, but have apparently already survived many a snowy winter with three quarters of a meter of snow.

Swedish differently ...

Many things are different in Sweden. For example, no 230 V systems, i.e. lamps and sockets, may be installed in the bathroom, a socket outlet can accommodate two Schuko sockets and switches can consist of three individual switches in one.
Conventional junction boxes are usually not found on walls close to the ceiling because they are integrated into the lamp connection "boxes".
WAGO clamps have only recently been used. Instead, several, sometimes coarse-stranded cables, as well as the rigid installation cable, are combined in an insulation displacement connector, which "bites" into the twisted cable ends when tightened.
The functional separation of sockets, lamps and other loads in terms of distribution across several fuses is often a pious wish, but rarely a reality: it may well be that sockets and lights in the next room happily share a single fuse with the kitchen lighting, the extractor fan and the central ventilation system. This has the inevitable effect that all these consumers fail when the fuse blows.
Oh yes, and these are usually 10A fuse-links, so you should keep a pack of ten in reserve. To be on the safe side, you should also have some of the 20A fuses used for the stove connection in stock.
Circuit breakers are also available, but mainly in new buildings, rarely in old buildings.

Also interesting: kerosene lamps are usually found in the rooms of a house. They are not only used for decoration or to create a romantic atmosphere, but are also a reliable source of light in the event of a power failure in the evening or at night, provided that, like the biblical virgins, you have not(!) neglected to fill them with oil!

The aforementioned ventilation system, usually equipped with heat recovery in newer installations, is used for (forced) air exchange, especially as there are usually no windows that can be opened. Only a narrow, window-high flap allows additional "ventilation". An integrated fly screen prevents the unwanted entry of various pests such as bugs, mosquitoes, etc.

Buildings without basements are constructed above ground level, with a "crawl space". On the one hand, this is to keep moisture away from the supporting structure and, on the other hand, to be able to lay insulated supply and disposal lines. Attention should also be paid to this area during house inspections. The 'boiler suit' and wellies should therefore be in your luggage.
The sealing of this area should also be undamaged all round so that, for example, animals cannot find shelter and soil cannot be washed under the house when it rains.

Broker

The estate agent in Sweden is not only responsible for the brokerage, but also for all documentary activities, thus also fulfilling the function of a notary. The costs are borne by the seller.

Some brokers support their profit maximization with corresponding general terms and conditions that stipulate fees for this and that.

Others refuse to accept money from banks outside Sweden or insist on a Swedish bank account, which the buyer usually does not yet have.

Fortunately, there are also brokers who are extremely agile, very prudent, customer-oriented and cooperative. You should give preference to them.

Incidentally, the estate agent is not obliged to check statements made by the seller regarding the condition or defects of the property. The seller fills out a questionnaire which indicates the current condition, as well as renovation work, etc. Answers such as "I don't know" must therefore always be checked during the viewing by visual inspection.

Likewise, he is not obliged to check property boundaries or the existence of building permits, etc.. He is also not the contact person for "hidden" defects discovered after the purchase, but the seller.

However, brokers are liable if they intentionally or negligently disregard their duties, or knowingly withhold information or provide incorrect information on conditions that were important at the time of purchase. This exposes the estate agent to recourse claims from the buyer.

Buying privately without an estate agent is also possible. However, this requires the presence of two independent witnesses who also confirm the signing of the purchase contract by the buyer and seller.

Incidentally, the seller is liable for hidden defects for ten years, unless, as is often the case, this liability has been contractually excluded!

The so-called köpebrev wird vom Makler ausgestellt und von beiden Parteien unterzeichnet. Danach schickt der Makler diesen an das Lantmäteriet, damit die Grundbucheintragung stattfinden kann. Der köpebrev dient quasi als Auflassungsurkunde.

Obligations of the buyer

The familiar apartment/house inspection is just a hint of what you should do as a buyer in Sweden. It makes perfect sense to take a pair of work overalls with you to inspect the houses that don't have a basement from below. From below means that you slip under the floor of the house through a hatch in the house and thus have access to the crawl "basement", in which water, sewage and heating pipes are laid, but also possibly traces or nests of unpleasant subtenants can be found.

It is also a good idea to use a moisture meter (capacitive, not e.g. wood moisture meters) to detect any hidden moisture in wooden houses.

Freshly painted or wallpapered walls should always be given special attention, in the same way that a spick and span steam-blasted engine of a used car makes possible oil leaks invisible.

The best time to visit is possibly, even in winter, crispy cold outside and cozy and warm inside? In other words: is the heating (not the wood-burning stove, but rather the heat pump) also designed for such outside temperatures?

However, the chimney should also have a very good draught, be intact and the last chimney sweeps(Sotare) invoices serve as proof of proper inspections.

The energy performance certificate must be presented and is payable by the seller. It provides information in the usual way and offers the possibility of checking the estate agent's statements regarding heating costs. Invoices from the electricity supplier support this.

Costs of the buyer

The buyer pays 10% of the purchase price when the contract is concluded, and the remaining 90% when the keys are handed over.

Die Eintragung ins Grundbuch für die Eigentumsübertragung (lagfart) wird vom Vermessungsamt (Lantmäteriet) mit 1,5 % des Kaufpreises, bei juristischen Personen 4,5 % berechnet. Ist das Haus mit einer Hypothek belastet, werden zusätzlich 2 % der Höhe der Hypothek fällig.

• Sofern der Kaufpreis den vom Finanzamt (skatteverket) im Vorjahr festgelegten Einheitswertes unterschreitet, wird die Berechnung auf Grundlage des höheren Einheitswertes durchgeführt.
• Liegt keine amtliche Bewertung vor, wird dies durch einen Gutachter erstellt.
• Ist der Kaufpreis höher als der Einheitswert wird der höhere Betrag zu Grunde gelegt.

Die aktuellen Informationen hierzu finden sich auf der Seite des Lantmäteriet.

Zuzüglich in Rechnung gestellt wird eine Bearbeitungsgebühr für den Verwaltungsakt der Grundbucheintragung von etwa 825 SEK (Stand 2025), sowie 375 SEK (Stand 2025) für eine Hypothek.

Die Rechnung wird kurz nach Mitteilung des Maklers über die vollständige Kaufpreiszahlung, den Eigentumsübergang, per Post zugestellt und ist i.d.R. binnen vier Wochen zur Zahlung fällig.

Experts - Anticimex

If you want to play it safe and avoid unpleasant surprises, you have two options for having the object of your desire inspected by an expert. They can commission a surveyor themselves, contact the company Anticimex or take out insurance for the house, if it has already been purchased.

Anticimex® was founded in Sweden in 1934 and initially specialized in pest control. Today it operates worldwide and has expanded its portfolio of services, including real estate appraisals.

Insurers also use the services of Anticimex®, e.g. when applying for home insurance. In this case, the use of these services is free of charge for the policyholder. For economic reasons, the insurer wants to be sure that the risk to be insured is comprehensible and verified before the contract is concluded. A wise decision ...

If you would like an expert opinion on the property in question before buying, you can either ask the seller to commission Anticimex®.
The costs are agreed - in writing - in such a way that the seller assumes half of the costs if the purchase is concluded, i.e. if no significant value-reducing circumstances become known.
However, if the expert opinion is so bad that you feel compelled to refrain from buying, the seller should pay the costs in full.
So if the seller has no 'skeletons in the closet', this agreement should not be a problem for him.

The reports are very detailed, with photo documentation and a detailed description of any defects identified, and are therefore a solid basis for estimating the costs of rectifying the defects. In addition, you are 99.9 % safe from unpleasant surprises after the appraisal.
Depending on the size of the property, the costs amount to around 500 . 2,500 euros.

Rent or buy?

If you want to get an overview of the country and its people first, a rental property (usually temporary anyway, possibly for less than a year!) is a good option. You have time to find out whether you can cope with the Swedish mentality, whether the climate is suitable and whether there are work opportunities, kindergartens, schools, etc. in the desired way.

If you are sure about the main features and prefer a certain area, you will tend to buy and look around accordingly.

As house prices seem unbeatably cheap compared to those at home, buying is often preferred.
To be honest, of course, it has to be acknowledged that house prices seem cheap because a timber house is naturally cheaper to build than a brick house.
Likewise, the standard in Sweden is not necessarily identical to what we are used to. Anyone who simply wants to rearrange a Swedish kitchen and realizes that the cabinets have been nailed to the plinth with proper carpenter's nails will quickly guess what is meant.

Instandhaltung und steuerliche Aspekte

Wer Reparaturen oder Installationen am Haus nicht selbst vornimmt, sondern diese Arbeiten in Auftrag gibt steht mitunter vor der Frage, ob das nicht auch günstiger geht, als einen Fachbetrieb zu beauftragen.

Wie allgemein üblich begibt man sich damit nicht nur auf gewährleistungsmäßiges Glatteis, sondern auch auf gesetzlich nicht gesichertes Terrain, von steuerlichen Aspekten abgesehen.
Versicherungen bieten meist nur dann Schutz, wenn Arbeiten, auf Grund derer ein Versicherungsschaden entstanden ist, von zugelassenen Fachbetrieben durchgeführt wurden.

Aus steuerlicher Sicht lohnt es sich in Schweden durchaus, derlei Arbeiten „offiziell“ durchführen zu lassen, insbesondere dann, wenn man in Schweden einkommensteuerpflichtig ist: Der Staat bezuschusst nämlich Unterhalt-, Instandhaltungs-, Reparatur- (auch z.B. Energieeffizienz-Massnahmen), wie Um- oder Anbau-Kosten mit bis zu 50% der Brutto-Arbeitskosten (gültig bis 12.2025, ab 01.2026 nur noch 30 %), auch bei für Wohnzwecke geeigneten Ferienhäusern, bis zu einer Höchstgrenze von 50.000 SEK p.a.. Diese Steuererleichterung nennt sich ROT–avdrag.

The RUT-avdrag bezieht sich auf haushaltsnahe Dienstleistungen (z.B. Reinigung, Unterhalt oder Babysitter-dienste) und beträgt gleichfalls 50.000 SEK p.a..

Beide Vergünstigungen beziehen sich nicht auf das Objekt, sondern den Eigentümer dessen. Sind zwei Eigentümer eingetragen, hat jeder Eigentümer diesen Anspruch, mithin 100.000 SEK p.a. für jeweils den ROT- and RUT–avdrag.

Ebenfalls ab 01.2026 ändert sich der gesamte ROT- and RUT-avdrag auf 75.000 SEK p.a., statt zuvor 100.000 SEK p.a. und Person.

Um die Steuererleichterung in Anspruch nehmen zu können, muss der Betrieb die F-skatt-Bescheinigung besitzen und die Arbeitskosten müssen auf der Rechnung separat ausgewiesen sein.
Die Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer des Kunden, wie Betriebes muss, neben dem Hinweis der Umkehrung der Steuerschuld (omvänd betalningsskyldighet), auf der Rechnung vermerkt sein.
The ROT-avdrag wird vom Finanzamt direkt an den ausführenden Betrieb gezahlt, so dass der Kunde diesen Betrag nicht entrichten muss.

Electricity and water

Unless you have your own electricity and water supply, you will have to rely on public supplies.

Anyone who has not previously had a close personal relationship with Sweden will rarely have the essential requirements that make life in Sweden possible in the first place, according to the personal number (PN) (entry in the people's book), ID card (ID Kort - proof of identity for non-Swedes) and Bank ID (bank account).

This makes it impossible to conclude contracts for e.g. telephone / DSL connections, electricity contracts, bank accounts, even online purchase contracts, because the latter often require a Swedish cell phone number ...

However, as electricity and water are essential for the apartment or house, it is helpful here to ask the seller to transfer the registration to the new owner at the local authority (water, waste disposal) and the electricity provider for you.

As the electricity provider is unable to check the creditworthiness of the new customer due to the lack of a Swedish bank account, it will request a deposit, usually amounting to around SEK 10,000.

Statements such as "electricity is dirt cheap" are often circulated. No, unfortunately not. Electricity itself costs around -5 to +8 öre/kwh. Now 1 Öre is roughly equivalent to a tenth of a cent. i.e. we are talking about tenths(!) of a cent.
What drives the price up to the equivalent of around 25 cents/kWh are the "ancillary" costs, state levies and electricity transportation costs, which are lower in the north than in the south of the country. Electricity generation in the north is powered by hydropower, e.g. by the SkelefteälvenThe river, which has its source in the far north of Sweden, western Lapland, is 410 km long and feeds turbines from a total of 14 hydropower plants (the oldest went into operation in 1908, the newest in 1970) with a total output of over 1,000 MW via barrages.

The municipality sends the invoice for water and waste disposal (by the way, this is based on the weight of the waste to be disposed of) by post, also due to a lack of bank details. The payment period is usually four weeks.

The municipal fees are structured differently depending on the municipality. As a rule, the fees are billed on a quarterly basis. The following dates can be used as examples:

• Basic fee for water supply approx. 59 SEK
• Water per cbm approx.17 SEK
• Unit value EFH approx. 87 SEK
• Property tax approx. 111 SEK
  based on a taxable value of SEK 434,000
• Basic waste disposal fee approx. 54 SEK
  based on a 240 liter 2-compartment garbage can with 14-day emptying
• Organic waste / kg approx. SEK 2.30
• Residual waste / kg approx. SEK 4.30
• Sludge disposal septic tank (annually) approx. SEK 1,300

Muck out

Once you have finally found the property of your dreams (this can take a good three years online), it's time to start planning your move.

A good time to think about whether everything you own really needs to be moved.

Anyone who has moved with 120 boxes and furniture, of which around 20 boxes have been stored unopened in the cellar for years, will agree that no matter what is packed in them, they can be disposed of unopened.

Those who sold their house and then spent a few years living in a motorhome will confirm that you can get by with VERY much less. You might miss the oven, the spacious sofa or the hobby room, but the essentials were still on board, possibly even including a fully equipped office.

The remaining 100 boxes can easily be reduced by 70%, which will probably still be too much.

What should you take with you?

What you should definitely take with you are all kitchen appliances, ovens, induction stoves, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers. Some of the appliances available in Sweden are not at the usual technological level of development and are also considerably more expensive.

It is therefore quite possible that ordering a device in Germany, including freight, is cheaper than buying it directly in Sweden - if the model is available for purchase in Sweden at all.

Entry routes

There are various routes that lead to Rome, er ..., Sweden! There are the bridges, for example, as well as the ferries. Both routes have their charms, times and costs. For the sake of simplicity, let's assume that the journey starts from Hamburg.

From Hamburg to Sweden - over the bridges

The approximately 520 km long route first leads via the A7 towards Flensburg to Padborg / Kruså, Denmark. Now take the E45 towards Kolding, then change to the E20 towards the Storebælt Bridge, also known as the Great Belt Bridge. The toll for a car is around 35 euros.

We continue on the E20 through Copenhagen in the direction of the Öresund Bridge, which costs around 65 euros - and we are already in Malmö, Sweden.

Without taking breaks, this route takes about 7 hours.

From Hamburg to Sweden - via ferries

The approximately 320 km long route starts with the section from Hamburg to Puttgarden, taking about 1.5 hours, to cross over to Rødby on the Scandlines ferry within 45 minutes, costing around 70 ... 100 euros. From Rødby it takes about 2 hours to Helsingør. The ferry (ForSea) departs from there and takes 20 minutes to Helsingborg, Sweden, with a ticket costing around 40 euros.

Advantages / disadvantages of the routes

The ferry route is significantly shorter, both in terms of time and the distance traveled by car.

In terms of costs, the ferry route is also likely to come out on top, as the savings in fuel costs make up for the small additional ferry costs compared to the bridge toll.

Equally advantageous: you can enjoy the rest periods during the ferry trip(s), although the last twenty-minute crossing is hardly enough time to get out of the vehicle. Incidentally, the ferries all run every 30 minutes, which takes away the time pressure of arriving at the ferry on time on other routes.

A disadvantage of the bridge route can be possible traffic jams, which are hardly to be expected on the ferry route.

Rest areas

Along the European roads there are designated Rest areaswhich are usually located in idyllic tourist locations close to the route.

This lake is located just a few meters behind the toilet house pictured below on the right. To the left is an information board showing the nearby POIs.

The parking lanes are long enough for a large(!) truck with an equally long trailer.

In contrast to the rest areas we are used to in Germany, which are usually overcrowded, noisy, dirty and therefore uninviting, the Swedes here have to be given a straight "A". Not only because of the tidy, beautifully situated sites, but above all because of the exemplary cleanliness of the sanitary facilities, which are heated in winter and of course have hot and cold water available.

The rest areas are often frequented by trucks in the evening, which is why it makes sense to arrive at the rest area around 17:00 in order to secure the best spot.

Relocation

You should avoid moving portals where you get the "cheapest" surcharge, at least if you are concerned about the safe arrival of the removal goods.

Good experiences are consistently this Moving company to report. Friendly owner, who also lends a hand himself, staff who work just as courteously and carefully.
As in all sectors, staff shortages are the limiting factor in terms of capacity. It's not for nothing that the boss takes matters into his own hands. Availability is - unhealthily - guaranteed at all times, by phone or email, and an answer is usually not far away.

Competitively priced but still good. No, stinginess is not cool and if you buy cheap, you buy twice. And many a good item has intangible values that you don't want to do without just because the company employs cheap temporary workers who are neither motivated nor trained and deliver the good item in a possibly damaged or even unrepairable condition.

Deadlines are met, additional loads are also possible, even larger goods that are purchased in Germany and would be too uneconomical to ship with normal freight are transported inexpensively as part of an additional load, provided they do not "bite" (live animals excluded ;-)) and the destination just fits into a tour.

Customs clearance / tax exemption

Removal goods, including vehicles that have been left with a family member for at least six months, can be imported duty and tax-free with the removal goods. However, vehicles may not be sold, loaned or given away before one year has passed since importation.

Special rules apply to alcohol, tobacco, weapons, etc. Regulations.

Items declared as removal goods can be imported duty and tax-free 12 months after first entry.

Import of (domestic) animals

Pets imported from the EU must be microchipped or tattooed (before 03.07.2011) and a pet passport must be presented.

You must be able to provide proof of a valid rabies vaccination dated at least 21 days prior to entry.

The import must be completed online in advance. Form be registered.

Perfect timing

Now it's time to schedule the arrival of the removal goods so that they can be placed in the right places in the apartment or house.

In other words, renovation and installation work should be completed, floors laid, walls designed, etc..

Arrival is announced by telephone and also perfectly timed.

The unloading of, for example, around 24 cubic meters by two removal specialists and two clients took about two hours, went hand in hand and therefore very quickly.

Personal number - ID card - BankID ...

Before you head straight for the tax office (Skatteverket) is the printout, including filling in and signing, this form to notify the move to Sweden is required if you do not want to fill this out on site. Your passport is also required, as well as financial documents (e.g. certificate of income, bank statement, pension statement).

There are now two ways to book an appointment with the tax office, on-line or - by taking a number - on site. The latter option is also very practical and does not require a particularly long waiting time.

However, as soon as the number appears on one of the monitors, one of the employees will move towards the people waiting. This is the person responsible for requesting the personal number.

The ID card is issued online requested and costs SEK 400, which should be transferred immediately after application. The receipt or the proof of transfer (screenshot) must be brought to the (photo) appointment, also to be arranged online, for the "passport" photo, which is incidentally made in grayscale, as proof of payment.
It is essential to present your passport, as an identity card will not be accepted.
After around two weeks, a text message is sent to a Swedish(!) cell phone number as soon as the ID card is ready for collection.

After receiving the PN by post and collecting the ID card from the Skatteverket, the next step is to go to the bank. It is best to limit yourself to branches in smaller communities. There are only a few employees there and a personal relationship is quickly established. You explain why and where you have moved to, what your plans are (preferably in terms of incoming money, of course) and, in addition to the priority of learning Swedish, you want to open a bank account.
Although almost all Swedes speak English very well, but also understand German(!), the exchange in English or German is a pleasant interim solution, but the explicit desire to learn Swedish quickly is always a good bridge builder at the mutual goodwill level.

Once the bank account has been opened and the bank card (MasterCard) has been received by post about a week later, you will appear at the branch again to receive your BankID and SWISH. In preparation, you should already have the app from both the bank and SWISH, one of the most frequently used payment service providers, even in small markets, etc..
The activation of the BankID with the bank card and the subsequent activation for SWISCH takes place within minutes.
Now you are not yet a Swede, but at least you are able to overcome all contractual hurdles in combination with PN, ID Kort and BankID.

According to current case law, it takes five years until naturalization and receipt of the Swedish identity card including citizenship, and eight years until 27 June 2024. The five-year period can be shortened to three years if, for example, the C1 language level has been reached.

SWISH

What is SWISH? A payment service that uses an app on a cell phone and scans a code to transfer any amount of money to the recipient's account, which can be a friend or acquaintance, a stranger, a merchant or a trader, for example.

SWISH is a service set up by six Swedish banks to enable instant transfers. Danske Bank, Handelsbanken, Länsförsäkringar Bank, Nordea, SEB, Skandia and Swedbank operate SWISH together. Over time, other banks such as ICA Banken, Marginalen, Sparbanken Syd, Svea, Åland Bank and the Savings Banks have joined.

Use is free of charge for the payer, but the payee will be charged SEK 2 plus 0.6% of the payment amount plus EUR 0.11 in fees.

SIWSH is mainly used in Sweden at markets, events and youth hostels, etc. as a form of payment. However, tourists who do not have SWISH (personal number and BankID required) can pay in cash. Incidentally, cash payments are also used by Swedes, who naturally meet the requirements for SWISH use. The trend is moving back towards cash. This is partly due to possible technical failures in the Internet infrastructure, but also because the Swedish government is promoting the use and storage of cash in the event of a crisis.

Set up direct debit

Now it's also time to log in to your electricity supplier's website using the BankID app in order to use the direct debit procedure (Anmäl autogiro). This saves you having to ensure that payments are made in good time before SVEA debt collection becomes costly.

Incidentally, you will not be asked for the IBAN / BIC as usual, but only the account number. However, this is not(!) the "account number" stated on the account opening confirmation (for commercial banks), but the "contract number". It is also derived from the last 17 digits of the IBAN without leading zeros.

If the login to the electricity supplier's website fails, contact the supplier's support team and ask them to enter the PN into their system.

KFZ in Schweden registrieren

Meist gilt es früher oder später (innerhalb eines Jahres seit Einreise) das eigene Fahrzeug in Schweden registrieren zu lassen. dies nicht nur, weil Steuern und Versicherung meist günstiger sind, sondern weil man in Schweden die Möglichkeit hat, nicht mehrere Fahrzeuge permanent angemeldet zu lassen, aber auch dem schwedischen Staat zu helfen, die Instandhaltung und den Bau der Straßen zu finanzieren.

Schweden bietet die Option, das aktuell nicht genutzte Fahrzeug zu „parken“, sprich, temporär per App ab- und bedarfsweise wieder anzumelden. Das spart Steuer- und Versicherungskosten.

Zuständig für die Registrierung ist die Verkehrsbehörde Transportstyrelsen in Örebro.

Zunächst füllt man auf deren website das Antragsformular aus. Die Erläuterungen sind leicht verständlich, das Formular selbsterklärend. Neben den üblichen Angaben, wie Anschrift, Personennummer und Fahrzeugtyp, Hersteller, Baujahr und Fahrgestellnummer, wird noch der Grund für den Antrag erfragt, meist der Umzug (flyttsaksfordon).
Sollte ein Fahrzeug auf den Ehepartner zugelassen sein, aber auf den anderen in Schweden registriert werden, muss das Fahrzeug formlos per Übertragungsurkunde (överlåtelsehandling) auf den in Schweden Anmeldenden überschrieben werden.
Dieses Schreiben muss alle spezifischen Fahrzeugdaten, wie Hersteller, Typ, Fahrgestellnummer, Baujahr Kennzeichen, – entsprechend den im zugehörigen Versicherungsschein aufgeführten Daten -, sowie die persönlichen Daten des Anmeldenden samt Personennummer enthalten und vom Zulassungsinhaber unterzeichnet sein.

Als Anlagen fügt man dem Antrag, Fahrzeugschein, -brief, Kaufvertrag und die letzte Versicherungsrechnung bei. Die Unterlagen versendet man als Einschreiben (REK) an:

Transportstyrelsen, Tunnlandsgatan 5, 701 96 Örebro

Etwa zwei Wochen später erhält man eine Rechnung zur Bezahlung und wenige Tage nach Zahlungseingang den Bescheid. Jetzt kann das Fahrzeug, nach Terminabsprache, in der nächstgelegenen Gemeinde zur TÜV-Untersuchung (bilprovning) vorgestellt werden.

Die schwedischen Kennzeichen werden, nach erfolgreichem „TÜV“, per Post etwa eine Woche später im Briefkasten landen.

Übrigens: die aus Deutschland bekannten TÜV-Plaketten gibt es in Schweden nicht. Auch ist das Kennzeichen nicht auf die Person, sondern das Fahrzeug bezogen. Bei Verkauf wandert das Kennzeichen also mit dem Fahrzeug mit.

Communication by e-mail

Gerade im Anfang, wenn man noch nicht des Schwedischen mächtig ist, ist die Kommunikation mittels e-Mail (e-Post) in Kooperation mit Online-Übersetzern ein probates Mittel, die Sprachbarriere elegant zu umschiffen. Dies soll jedoch nicht(!) ermuntern, sich auf dieser Möglichkeit auszuruhen, sondern durchaus sich der schwedischen Sprache zuzuwenden, um sie zu erlernen und – ohne Scheu hinsichtlich mangelnder Perfektion – zu sprechen.

Regardless of whether it's government offices, local authorities or electricity suppliers, support via e-Mail is usually answered very quickly, sometimes within minutes or hours, and it rarely takes longer than two days for a reply.

In addition, the tone is very accommodating and friendly, not just because you "do it that way", but because you see people and want to help them.

This is precisely why communication should always be conducted in Swedish, not in English or even German.

But you shouldn't underestimate the Swedes' knowledge of the language and talk in German without thinking: Many Swedes understand German, and the younger ones have often already studied German at school. The majority of Swedes also speak excellent English. Again, this should not be taken as an excuse to take your time learning Swedish!
Sollten einem partout erforderliche Vokabeln in Englisch fehlen, hilft es oft einfach den deutschen Ausdruck zu verwenden: Viele Worte klingen in Schwedisch ähnlich, so dass durchaus eine große Chance besteht, dass sie verstanden werden, wie z.B. „Hund“ in Schwedisch „hund“ :-).

A good idea might be, for example, to ask for the Swedish word or, before entering the store, office, etc., to borrow a sentence in Swedish from the translator to ask a question and then mention in English that you have only recently arrived in Sweden.
This usually brings a smile to the other person's face and opens the way to helpful and friendly support in the matter in question.

Pronunciation: "k", "sk", "sj", "skj", "stj", "sion", "tjon" are pronounced as "sch", the "å / Å" is pronounced like the English "aw" in e.g. "awful", "dj", "gj", "hj", "lj" like "j", "2kj" and "tj" like a mix of "ch" and "sch", "u" like a mix of "ö" and "ü".

Beispiel: „köpa“ (kaufen) in Schwedisch „schöpa“, „die Stadt Skelfteå“ in Schwedisch „Schellefteo“, abgekürzt auch „Schellefte“, bzw. „diskbänk“ (Waschbecken) in Schwedisch „dischbänk“ oder die Stadt „Umeå“ wird „Ümeo“ ausgesprochen … Die schwedische Sprache ist sehr kreativ …

Post / Parcel delivery

Online order, ordered today, delivered tomorrow - that used to be the case. Firstly, everything in Sweden takes "slightly" longer, secondly, the notified delivery does not actually have to take place on the date and thirdly, larger "parcels" are usually delivered to a parcel store (this can be a petrol station, grocery store, etc.) where you can then pick them up.

Delivery to the front door (hemleverans) can be selected from the online shippers and also works for small and medium-sized parcels, while larger consignments are deposited in the store for collection.

Pick-up takes place on presentation of the delivery e-mail (via cell phone) and ID (ID card is also accepted as long as you do not have a Swedish ID card or bank ID).

Alternatively, you can download the app PostNorth on his cell phone, registers with his phone number and finally with his e-mail address. From then on, all deliveries made under this e-mail address can be found in the app and can be checked by showing the QR code at the Ombud-point, e.g. at ICA, COOP, etc.

Cost of living

First of all: overall, the cost of living is comparable to Germany. Overall, costs in Sweden are more predictable, as many cost items are limited in amount and some are completely eliminated, as they are already financed through income tax. This means that the financial burden in Sweden may be lower.

Food

Goods are more expensive in Sweden simply due to the fact that VAT is 6% higher at 25%. However, there are three other reduced rates: 12 % on food, non-alcoholic drinks, hotel accommodation and restaurant services, 6 % on books, newspapers, magazines, tickets for cultural events such as concerts, theater and cinema, sports and leisure facilities and passenger transport such as cabs, buses, air and rail travel.

More expensive is, of course, relative. Foodstuffs such as meat, vegetables, etc. are all "organic" in Sweden thanks to legal regulations. Whereby "organic" simply means natural, untreated, whereas the organic label in Germany is more of a marketing tool than a seal of quality.

Some foods are comparatively - extremely - cheap. If you're used to shrimp salad and are happy about the 28g of fish in 222g of mayonnaise, you'll rub your eyes in amazement when you get 250g of shrimp for the same price.

Other foods are roughly the same price, while others are more expensive. Ultimately, it still doesn't come out to the same average, unless you change your diet to be significantly more fish-heavy, which wouldn't necessarily contradict a healthier diet ...

When it comes to health, the third, additional sentence with 0% should not go unmentioned: It applies to prescription medicines, charitable and cultural services, exports of goods and services related to international transportation.

Refuel

Fuels are comparable, but it is more pleasant that prices are (more) stable and only fluctuate in the öre range. You won't find the kind of price jumps you were used to here. So you can fill up wherever you like, whether on the highway, the country road, in the city or in the village, at more or less the same price.

Interesting: People generally think that fuel is cheaper in the city than in the countryside. However, it is often the other way around. It is therefore more worthwhile filling up at a rural filling station than at one in the city.

In addition, refueling here at 99% is done with the card at the pump, just like at night fuel terminals in Germany. What is slightly disconcerting at first proves to be helpful in practice: there is no need to take opening hours into account.
If the technology should ever fail, you can of course also pay with cash as long as the filling station is staffed, i.e. during normal business hours.

Nursing / geriatric care

With a capped personal contribution for basic care of around EUR 250 per month, this is around a tenth of what is payable in Germany. This is because these services are tax-financed.

Water supply

The municipal water supply charges around SEK 20 per cubic meter (corresponding to around EUR 1.80), SEK 1,800 per year basic fee (approx. EUR 164).
Drinking water is therefore just below the lowest end of the price range in Germany, which extends to over EUR 8/cbm.

Card vs. cash

Sweden only passed a law this year (2025) that not only stipulates cash as a legal tender, but also requires the population to keep cash at home to cover at least two weeks' shopping, precisely because of the technical uncertainties.

Road traffic

The well-known stress factor in road traffic is eliminated in Sweden, underlined by a non-existent "forest" of signs and a comfortable cruising speed of mostly 90 km/h.
The wildlife crossing signs have been supplemented with meterage information, namely when the wildlife fence separating the road from the forest ends. Whereas a (maximum) speed of 100 km/h was previously permitted, 90 km/h is now the norm.
It's also nice that speed camera "falls" in Sweden always have to be announced(!). If you get flashed here, it's literally your own fault.

STOP signs should be recognized as such: It is not uncommon for a police car to stop you somewhere unnoticed if you have ignored the STOP sign with a gentle rollover ...
Speed limits are used sensibly here. 70 km/h before busy junctions, 80 km/h at one-way junctions or junctions with little traffic. 50 km/h, as known, in built-up areas. 40 km/h at unclear or frequent junctions, 30 km/h in residential areas with children, kindergartens, hospitals or retirement/nursing homes.

Fines in Sweden are usually in the three-digit range, so they are definitely noticeable. In Finland, by the way, the amount of the fine is based on income. This means that an offense can easily be in the five-figure (euro) range!

Blue speed limit signs are often erected at roadworks. They are not punishable if they are exceeded, but are a friendly appeal to common sense to choose a speed adapted to the situation and not to exceed the maximum speed indicated.

Game change

The moose is a well-known road sign as a wildlife crossing sign, but is somewhat more important in Sweden than in Germany. Wildlife crossings are mainly contained by game fences, but for moose they are not really an insurmountable obstacle, they simply climb over them if necessary.

The end of a game fence is indicated by an additional sign "Viltstängsel upphör", if necessary also together with a distance specification indicating the distance to the end of the game fence in meters.

Another traffic sign merely indicates an interruption of a wildlife fence, e.g. due to a merging road, an intersection or other circumstances. Two meter indications can be found here, e.g. "200 – 600 m": The game fence ends after 200 m and begins again after 600 m.

Reindeer and elk alike take advantage of this welcome opportunity to enjoy the supposedly greener grass to the side of the highways and freeways. Not always alone, sometimes in herds. While reindeer only waste a glance when approached by a car, but otherwise do not allow themselves to be prevented from eating, the moose seem to be more interested in asserting their territory: they may stand demonstratively on the road shortly before the vehicle approaches, as if to say "YOU stop first, and then I'll think about whether I let you pass or let my family cross the road first!".

Incidentally, moose in southern Sweden cannot keep up with their counterparts in the north in terms of weight: The moose in the north weigh 50 % more, - 600 kg to just 400 kg live weight.
Nevertheless, it is important to avoid accidents with moose, such as reindeer, which are often privately owned and marked (trackers), especially as you always lose out, even in the car, and hospital stays lasting several weeks are not uncommon.

Insurances

Insurance companies are also vying for customers' favor in Sweden. As always, the small print reveals the insurers' options for NOT having to pay.

In comparison, they perform differently in terms of lines of business. It is therefore worth paying attention not only to the discounts of usually 20% when taking out insurance for several areas, but rather to exclusions or deductibles.

Car insurance is comparatively cheap(er), especially if you have several vehicles, only the one currently in use needs to be registered. You can use the app to "park" the vehicle that is not being used, e.g. the motorhome, activate it at the start of your trip and park the car that is otherwise being used at the same time.

As a rule, home insurance usually includes separate lines of insurance, such as legal expenses insurance, which in turn has a cost-saving effect.

Jagd & Wild

Wer in Schweden ein landwirtschaftlich oder forstwirtschaftliches Grundstück von mindestens 5 ha besitzt oder gepachtet hat, der ist zur Jagd von Niederwild auf diesem berechtigt. Großwildarten, wie auch Elche werden nur in Jagdgemeinschaften bejagt.

Ein gültiger Jagdschein (jaktbevis) und eine Jagdkarte sind Voraussetzung. Auch ausländische Jagdscheine werden anerkannt.

The Jagdverordnung (jaktförordningen) gibt Auskunft über Jagdzeiten der verschiedenen Arten.

Ausgenommene Regionen sind z.B. Naturschutz- und Rentierzucht-Gebiete, Nationalparks und der Kronopark. Hier gelten gesonderte Regelungen.

Landkreisspezifische Informationen zu jedem der 21 Landkreise Schwedens finden sich auf der Webseite lanstyrelsen.se.
Dort kann der betreffende Kreis oder Landkreis aus einer Liste gewählt werden.
Unter dem Tab djur (Tiere) finden sich alle Informationen zur Pflege von Tieren, dem Kauf, gefährdete Arten, invasive gebietsfremde Arten, Jagd und Wild, Ratschläge zur Tierwelt und zum Angeln.

Zu jedem Themenkreis sind jeweils Telefon und Mail-Adresse des zuständigen Ansprechpartners aufgeführt.

Climate

... cold

While the climate in the south of Sweden is rather mild and comparable to Germany, it is more Canadian in the north.

Auxiliary car heater

Vehicles are generally equipped with auxiliary electric heating systems to prevent them from freezing. Parking lots in front of stores, clinics, but also public parking lots are equipped with sockets to supply the auxiliary heaters with 230V AC during the parking period.

Auxiliary vehicle headlights

The large additional headlights or LED bars (up to five) mounted not only on trucks but also on cars, sometimes across the entire width of the vehicle, are also striking. This is not due to the longer winter period or the winter darkness, but to the wanderlust of the moose, who like to take a sightseeing tour along and across freeways and main roads.

In order to spot these animals, which can weigh up to 600 kg, in good time at dusk or at night in winter, spotlight installations extending up to 1,200 m are a safety aspect that should not be underestimated.

Oncoming trucks are equipped with many more additional headlights. If you can see a daylight sky approaching from a distance, you are soon in the dark when the truck switches off its illumination so as not to dazzle oncoming vehicles. Only then do you really become aware of the installed light intensity.

An accident with a moose usually ends in a total loss of the vehicle and a lengthy hospital stay for the occupants, including possible years of consequential health damage.

Winterreifen

Rechtzeitig zum 01.12. eines jeden Jahres tritt in Schweden die Winterreifen-Pflicht in Kraft. Sie gilt bis zum 31.03. und setzt voraus, dass montierte Reifen mit dem Symbol „Schneeflocke“ oder Spikes ausgestattet sind und ein Mindestprofil von 3 mm aufweisen.

Für Anhänger bis 3,5 to Gesamtgewicht gelten auch M+S-Reifen als Winterbereifung. Diese Regelung ist aktuell bis zum 30.11.2028 befristet.

Spike-Reifen dürfen vom 01.10. bis zum 15.04. gefahren werden.

Clearing snow

If you don't have a vehicle with a snow plow to clear 35 cm of snow from your slightly longer driveway overnight, you will have to think about how to keep your driveway passable.
Of course, there are occasionally neighbors with the appropriate equipment who will clear someone else's driveway for a small fee. However, the question always remains as to whether they are on hand when you need to leave or whether they are unable to do so due to illness.
This may leave the purchase of a (battery-powered) Snow blower to consider. Especially helpful for penetrating the snow "wall" of the municipal snow plow that clears the road in the early morning hours on a daily basis.

As all house and garage doors open outwards in Sweden, it can be useful to protect these areas from snow accumulation. While house entrances are covered anyway, garage doors are usually not. A carport built in front not only helps to keep the entrance free of snow, but also the exit of a snow blower parked in the garage in order to clear the other access routes from there.

... and hot

And yes, it can get really warm in Swedish Lapland, even in the far north, where temperatures of 30°C and above don't make you feel like you're near the Arctic Circle ...

Klimazonen

Schweden ist in 8 Klima- oder besser Anbauzonen unterteilt, Bergregionen ausgenommen. Je höher die Zone, desto kürzer die Vegetationsperiode.

Trotz extrem niedriger Temperaturen überleben empfindliche Pflanzen den (Perma)frost dank der zu diesen Zeiten gut isolierenden Schneedecke.

Efeu, bekannt als immergrüne Kletterpflanze, ist ein gute rIndikator für die vorherrschende Luftfeuchte: nahe Seen wächst es hoch oben an Felsen, Bäumen, fernab Feuchte spendender Gegebenheiten nur noch als Bodendecker. Die Luftfeuchte ist also durchaus ein nicht zu unterschätzender Faktor.

Für den Gartenbau ist die Anbauzonenkarte eine grobe Orientierungshilfe, zumal der Einfluss der Luftfeuchte in der Karte keine Berücksichtigung fand.

Kindergarten - School - University

Kindergarten

A pleasant experience: The local authority must offer a kindergarten place within 4 weeks. If no place is available in the desired daycare center before the four-week period expires, a place in another nearby daycare center can often be used immediately on a temporary basis.
It can be claimed by all parents who are studying, working, unemployed or on parental leave with younger children.

In addition to the classic KiTa, there is also day care with childminders (familjedaghem), the open preschools (öppen forskola) for parents with children aged 0 - 5 years, whose attendance is free of charge and without registration, but where no care is provided except by the parents themselves, as well as all-day and even emergency day-care centers, where care is provided outside normal opening hours to help parents who, for example, are on night duty (nattis or also nattförskola work on public holidays, etc. and therefore need to have their children looked after at these unusual times.

For children under the age of 3, an income-related contribution of 3% (but not more than SEK 1425) applies for the first child, 2% for the second and 1 % for the third.

The costs for children aged 3 and over have been capped since 2002 (Maxtaxa) and may not exceed SEK 1,260 for the first, SEK 840 for the second and SEK 420 for the third child, regardless of income. Each additional child is free of charge.

Children aged 6 and over can attend the preschool class free of charge (förskoleklass) and are entitled to continuous care in the afternoons (usually from 06 ... 07 a.m. to 17:00 ... 18:30 p.m.).
The facility not only provides care, but also has an educational mandate in accordance with the national curriculum for at least 525 hours per year, not only for school subjects, but also for social and health topics.

Parents who are not working, studying or otherwise involved can still make use of the facilities for at least 15 hours a week, in Stockholm even 30 hours.

School / Study

School attendance is compulsory from the age of 7 and begins with the 1st grade of elementary school (grundskola) and ends with the 9th grade, divided into three sections, 1st - 3rd grade (lågstadiet), 4th - 6th grade (mellanstdiet) and 7th - 9th grade (högstadiet), followed by the 3-year Gymnasium, which offers six academic and twelve vocational branches.

There are no school fees or tuition fees, not even for EU citizens or citizens of the EEA who are permanently resident in Sweden.

Job search

The Employment office in Sweden offers the opportunity to register as a jobseeker after receiving a personal number. Jobs are arranged, application assistance, including translations, is provided, free language courses (SFI) and training measures or internships.

Independent platforms, such as Blocket Jobb or in large cities Metrojobb are popular protals, alongside Indeed and others. For career starters, students and academics Academic Work good.

Application

The theoretical application process is as usual: CV and cover letter (in Swedish). The practical part, on the other hand, starts with a personal visit to your favorite employer, a casual interview and making a good impression.

Working environment

As a rule, employers endeavor to entrust employees with tasks that do justice to their abilities. Stress is frowned upon and should be avoided. Colleagues should support each other to ensure that no one experiences stress and, if the worst comes to the worst, consideration should be given to how stress can be avoided. If an employee does not feel comfortable in his or her position, an attempt is made to find him or her another, more suitable position in the company.

FikaThe break is an important part of the working day and is NOT used for discussing professional matters, but purely private topics. It should be a free time within the working environment to clear your head!

The Fika-understanding reminds the German of leisure time. When a Swede asked a German who had been living in Sweden for years "What do you actually do in your free time?", the Swede immediately listed all the things he had to do at home "I have to fix something in the house, plant something in the garden, build a swing for the kids ...". When the Swede repeated his question, he was taken aback and said "... I've just told you everything ...!" But the Swede didn't let up and added "I mean in your FREE time, what are you doing for YOURSELF?" The Swede would reply "I go fishing, take the boat out, ...."
This is certainly a justified and, in view of burnout and exhaustion syndrome, urgently needed suggestion to think about what you could do for YOURSELF in your FREE time.

Arbeitslosen-Versicherung

In Schweden gibt es drei Arbeitslosenversicherungen, die staatliche Alfa-kassawhich A-kassa (arbetslöshetskassa), die von Berufsverbänden oder Gewerkschaften unterhalten wird, sowie die GS-Akassa.(Grafiska Samfundet), die für den grafischen Berufsstand begründet wurde, heute aber auch Beschäftigte im Forstwesen und der holzverarbeitenden Industrie abdeckt.

The Alfa-kassa and the A-kassa können parallel in Anspruch genommen werden, was such häufig der Fall ist, da die Leistungen der staatlichen Arbeitslosenversicherung als nicht ausreichend gilt.

Um Anspruch auf Leistung zu haben müssen in allen Fällen mindestens 480 Arbeitsstunden in einem zusammenhängenden Zeitraum von 6 Monaten innerhalb der letzten 12 Monate geleistet worden sein.

Karenzzeiten, in denen keine Leistungen fließen, betragen 5 Tage. Die Leistungsdauer beträgt 300 Tage und kann bei Vorliegen besonderer Lebensumständen verlängert werden. Der Leistungsbetrag beläuft sich, unter Berücksichtigung der Karenzzeit, auf täglich 365 SEK.

• Alfa-kassa
  für Personen über 20 Jahre
  vom Staat aus Steuern finanzierte Versicherung
  Arbeitnehmer zahlt einen Verwaltungsbeitrag von etwa 150 SEK mtl.
  Arbeitslosmeldung beim regional zuständigen Arbeitsamt (arbetsförmedlingen)
  Aktive Mitwirkung bei Vermittlungsmaßnahmen
• A.-kassa
  freiwillige Versicherung
  Beiträge variieren je nach Berufsgruppe und Versicherung
  Es werden im Versicherungsfall für die ersten 200 Tage 80 %, für die folgenden 100 Tage 70 % des letzten Bruttogehaltes gezahlt, maximal jedoch ein Tagessatz von 680 SEK
• GS-Akassa
  freiwillige Versicherung
  Beiträge bewegen sich je nach Berufsgruppe / Versicherung um 185 SEK, bei Akademikern 260 SEK
  Leistungen wie A-kassa

Nimmt man beide möglichen Leistungen in Anspruch, hat man maximal 1.045 SEK am Tag zur Verfügung, sprich rund 31.350 SEK mtl.

Um die Leistungen zu erhalten, muss ein Formular täglich ausgefüllt werden, ob man z.B. gearbeitet hat oder arbeitslos, krank oder im Urlaub war.

Auszahlungen erfolgen i.d.R. am Donnerstag der Woche des Monats, in dem der 25. liegt. Sollte dieser ein Feiertag sein, wird die Auszahlung am nächstfolgenden Werktag ausgeführt.

House distribution - fuses

A switch to higher energy awareness is to be achieved by increasing grid charges with higher fuse values. A commendable approach in itself, but without appropriate load shedding devices it is always a balancing act: does the fuse hold or does it not?

As Sweden still has a lot of distribution boards with fusible links, it's a good idea to have a few spare packs ready. After all, it naturally takes a while to understand the dependencies, i.e. the wiring of consumer supply lines. This is ample opportunity to sacrifice a few fuses.

Depending on the provider and region, you can choose between 16 A (SEK 2,135 p.a.), 20 A (SEK 7,815 p.a.), 25 A (SEK 9,480 p.a.), 35 A (SEK 12,340 p.a.), 50 A (SEK 17,315 p.a.) and 63 A (SEK 20,965 p.a.) connections. Prices include VAT (25 % MOMS)

The pricing for the kWh is made up of four components: the pure electricity price (transmission fee - Överföringsavgift) of e.g. SEK 0.88, the energy tax (Energiskatt) is approx. 0.343 SEK, a variable component includes electricity certificates, balancing group responsibility, volume surcharges, guarantees of origin and SVK and adds up to approx. 0.04537 SEK, the authority levy (Myndighetsavgift) is approx. 131.82 SEK p.a., plus VAT in each case, making a total of around 1.5855 SEK / kWh.

However, this price of the equivalent of around 15 cents does not yet include the monthly charges for the connection price depending on the protection, etc.

Where is the house connection buried?

Knowing this makes sense if you want to dig a foundation close to the house, or alternatively set ground screws or drive in earth rods. It would be silly to give Murphy the chance to spit in your soup and - promptly - hit the underground cable. But there's also the water pipe or the fiber optic cable for the internet connection.

Sweden makes it very easy, and free of charge, to find out about such hidden cables: All you have to do is go to the ledningskollen (Line control) to register. The prerequisite is the existence of a BankID.

After registering, you can describe your building project, mark the affected area on your property and send the request.

The local utility companies are automatically contacted and asked for feedback. This is done within a few days (or even just hours) and contains information on whether the respective supplier's lines run on the property or cross the designated part of the property.

In the case of electricity and Internet providers, an employee of the Geomatics Group on site after about five working days. He registers in advance via SMS, but may come by shortly afterwards.
He measures the points of the corresponding lines according to his maps and marks their course with red spray paint for electric cables and green for fiber optic lines.

You can then note the turn-off and route points using GPS data (e.g. from your cell phone) and save them on the ledningskollen-account and printed out from there. This means that you still have the exact course available even if the color has been washed away by precipitation in the meantime.

Electricity provider

Electricity providers in the north are regional and rarely selectable. The situation is different in the south, where several providers vie for customers' favor.

What they all have in common is that they send invoices, usually with a four-week payment term, but not reminders if you have failed to pay an invoice.

Instead, the suppliers offer their own apps. These can be downloaded free of charge from the well-known app stores, but you will look in vain for the button to register.
This must first be requested from the supplier, stating the customer number.

Among other things, these apps have the function of statistically evaluating consumption, displaying contract conditions, but also invoices. If a bill is marked with a red exclamation mark, it is overdue. The exclamation mark is effectively a reminder and announcement of the collection letter.
Although this is not explicitly stated, it is practiced.

It can therefore be a matter of urgency to monitor incoming invoices on the one hand and to install the relevant app and keep track of invoicing and due dates on the other.

Once you have received your BankID from your local bank, you can deposit your bank details with your electricity supplier and benefit from automatic direct debit on the due date in future, thus avoiding any reminders.

Electricity price - south-north divide

Sweden is divided into four price zones in terms of electricity costs: SE1 and SE2 in the north are the same price, while S3 is around two and a half times more expensive and S4 up to almost four times more expensive.

• Area SE1 comprises the regions of Luleå, Norrbotten and partly Västerbotten.
• Area SE2 consists of Dalarna (partly), Gävleborg (partly), Jämtland, Sundsvall, Västerbotten, Västernorrland
• Area SE3 covers Dalarna (partly), Gävleborg (partly), Gotland, Halland, Kalmar, Jönköping (partly), Örebro, Östergötland, Södermanland, Stockholm, Uppsala, Värmland, Västmanland, Västra Götaland
• Area SE4 serves Blekinge, Kalmar (partly), Halland (partly), Jönköping (partly), Kronoberg, Malmö, Skåne, Västra Götaland (partly)

This is due to the fact that the hydropower plants are located in the north and the transportation costs (electricity pylons, lines, etc.) from the north to the south are constantly increasing.

There are also three billing types:

• Fast elpris
  Fixed price - regardless of whether the electricity price is more expensive or cheaper, the kWh always costs the same
• Rörligt elpris
  Variable electricity price, varies depending on the supplier's purchase price
• Timpris
  Time-dependent electricity price, based on the exchange price applicable at the time of consumption (spot price)

In addition to these three basic principles, it is always worth asking the electricity supplier for the "cheapest" tariff offer based on previous "standard" billing and the corresponding consumption. In most cases, you will then be offered a 12-month, but cheaper tariff. If you accept it, you will receive confirmation shortly afterwards.

However, the haggling over the cheapest electricity price is put into perspective when it comes to shifting power-hungry consumers to cheaper times.
That would make sense if you only paid 12 cents per kWh instead of 25 cents, for example. However, the share of the "electricity" price is in the one to two-digit euro range, i.e. it is a matter of fractions of a cent to a maximum of around 2 cents.
Well, it's a well-known fact that every little helps a lot, but it's up to you to decide whether the effort of excessive timing pays off in significant euros or crowns over the year and is in a healthy proportion.

The following graph comparing two days shows that the difference in "electricity" prices can also be completely different and therefore considerable:

Yes, the electricity price can also be negative!

Charging e-vehicles at the wallbox

Sweden does not currently offer a special tariff for charging electric vehicles at the home wallbox. However, there is a subsidy of 50 % of the costs for installing one.

Due to the usually very 'economical' fuse protection in Swedish homes, in addition to the three-phase connection to the domestic power grid, the charging current at the wallbox should be set to a reasonable level, taking into account the other loads on the individual phases, in order to avoid tripping the main fuses.
If necessary, loads that cause an uneven load on the phases can be reconnected to the fuses in order to achieve a more even load.

Of course, charging then takes longer, but it is still faster than a single-phase charging process.

Please also note: If peak loads are used as the basis for calculating electricity consumption, it is worth aiming for a predominantly constant consumption over the course of the day.

Rengård power station

The Rengård power station at Skellefteälven has been generating 35 MW of electricity since October 1970 with a waterfall height of 19.30 m, which corresponds to an annual output of 200 GW.

The Skellefteälven is dammed by the dam to a width of 800 m and a length of 20 km. The Kaplan turbine water masses flow down at 137 ... 220 m³/s and feed the further course of the river.

Is a PV system in Sweden worthwhile?

The dream of self-sufficiency is not just about having your own well, your own sewage treatment plant, but also your own electricity.

In an age of falling PV module prices and falling battery costs, you might be tempted to consider setting up a PV (stand-alone) system.

There is plenty of sun in Sweden, especially in summer, when the nights only last a few hours and therefore far more solar yield is possible.

However, as is so often the case, it is precisely the winter period when, due to the few hours of sunshine, you need less yield but more power. So the question is: is it worth the investment?

The decision for or against is complicated by political uncertainties. Electricity suppliers suffer losses through self-supply, which they may want to be compensated for. As we know, almost anything is conceivable ...

So let's calculate a model: Average annual consumption in Sweden is 4.00 kWh per person.

The PVGIS (Photovoltaic Geographic IinformationSystem) gives the following data for the location, based on 1 kWp module output, 0° inclination (i.e. most unfavorable position) and total system loss of 3.5 %

• Stockholm
  - 875.57 kWh, corresponding to 986.08 kWh/m²
  - Required PV area 4.0565 m² per person
• Malmö
  - 968.72 kWh, corresponding to 1,083.49 kWh/m²
  - Required PV area 3.6918 m² per person
• Umeå
  - 808.97 kWh, corresponding to 912.58 kWh/m²
  - Required PV area 4.3832 m² per person
• Skellefteå
  - 762.79 kWh corresponding to 864.80 kWh/m²
  - Required PV area 4.6253 m² per person
• Luleå
  - 835.70 kWh corresponding to 938.73 kWh/m²
  - Required PV area 4.2611 m² per person

A 4-person household requires an estimated 16,000 kWh over around 20 m² module area. With calculated costs for material, incl. inverter, battery storage and installation, these amount to approx. 26,000 euros when using 20,000 kWh battery storage, plus maintenance and insurance costs of approx. 400 euros per year.

At a gross electricity price of approx. 25 cents/kWh, such a system would pay for itself in around 7.25 years, excluding financing costs, unless the system is paid for from existing funds.

Even if the theoretical service life of the LiFePo4 batteries can be ten years (depending on compliance with the depth of discharge of less than 80 %), taking into account the ageing and thus lower yield of the PV modules, the investment could save consumption costs over almost two years, provided no major repairs are required.

If you factor in possible repair costs prophylactically, it can quickly turn into a milkmaid's calculation that comes to plus-minus zero.

If you have an affinity for technology and enjoy being "simply self-sufficient", you should definitely have fun. However, anyone who equates self-sufficiency with saving money runs the risk - at present - that the effort is not really worth it.

SVEA debt collection

SVEA Inkasso is a worldwide operating The companywhich purchases receivables, including from electricity providers, and takes care of the dunning process, albeit for the usual high fees charged to customers by debt collection companies.

The disadvantage is that if, for example, an electricity bill is not paid on time, no reminder is sent, as is usual in Germany, but the bill, which is significantly higher due to the added charges, is sent immediately.

If a payment has overlapped with the dispatch of the SVEA "reminder" and you can prove this, SVEA may be so accommodating that it cancels its own invoiced costs. However, you should not rely on this.

So here's a hot tip: keep a close eye on the invoices and the display in the respective app if you want to avoid the unloved, costly contact with this company!

Telephone provider

With a contract in the EU, you have enjoyed the following since 13.04.2022 in accordance with the amendment to the Roaming Regulation EU2022/612The same convenience and identical quality of domestic network usage. Telephony, SMS and Internet should therefore be available at the same cost as in the home country.

The largest network provider is Telia and unites in its network Lycamobile and Halebop as an in-house discount provider, comparable with Telecom and e.g. Congstar..
Other providers are Tele2also used by Comviq, Telenor and Tre (3).

When choosing a prepaid card or fixed contract, you can roughly follow the Mesh cover cards of the individual providers: Telia, Tele2, Comviq, Telenor, Tre.

More important, however, is the actual network coverage in the area where you usually live. It may well be that there is sufficient coverage in the house "next door", but you are fishing in the mud a few dozen meters away because you have just jumped over the edge of the radiation lobe into the off.

It is therefore advisable to buy a monthly pass from one provider and test whether the coverage meets your own requirements. If the coverage proves to be unsuitable, the next provider has the chance. This should allow you to find the "best" provider for your individual needs.

5G, controversial but unfortunately unthinkable, is omnipresent, not only in the urban environment (although much more intensively there because the distances between the transmitting antennas are smaller and the frequency of the antennas is therefore higher), but also in the countryside in the middle of nowhere (albeit with a much lower power and antenna density).
"One" bar of 5G is roughly comparable to "one" bar of 4G in terms of reception, i.e. rather mediocre.

The problem with 5G is simply the comparatively much higher frequency. And the higher the frequency, the shorter the range. The air alone dampens the propagation (Basics explained), which is why the health aspects of 5G lose their horror at such low power densities.
If you would like to find out more about 5G and co. EHS (electro-hyper-sensitivity), 5G- (medical study situation) and here (STARLINK - Frequencies and transmission power compared to cell phone networks).

Another option for telephony is the use of messenger services via WLAN, some of which are free of charge.

Currency converter

Here is a currency converter SEK EUR, but other currency pairs can also be selected for conversion according to current live exchange rates:

Typical for Sweden - mosquitoes

Not for nothing are many place names on -sluggish ending, indicating that it is a swampy area, simply "swamp". And a swamp or generally damp environment is the home of mosquitoes.

Anyone who is allergic to mosquitoes and reacts with severe inflammation can be told that it is not always due to the mosquito as such, but often to what it has been sitting on beforehand. If it has recently been in contact with a field treated with pesticides or similar, it carries these on its biting organ and "inoculates" the host quesi not only with its pain-relieving secretion, but also with the usually strong toxins. It is therefore not surprising that the body reacts with a serious inflammation.

Now this knowledge doesn't necessarily help when you live or stay in an area. So what about the Swedes? Do they all walk around with bites and infections covering their bodies during the mosquito season? No! Why not?

This question can certainly be answered scientifically, but from a purely subjective point of view, there seem to be fewer to no such "poisons" being sprayed here. Mosquito bites here itch as usual, but the inflammatory reaction is very limited and sometimes barely noticeable. Sometimes you can't even find the mosquito bite and are surprised that it itches, only after rubbing or scratching does the usual red spot appear and you know where the itching is coming from.

What to do?

The chemical club

So what to do? Here, too, there are many approaches. The best known is probably the chemical club (e.g. Icaridin, Picaridin, Saltidin, DEET - Diethyltoluamid, originally a military development of a repellent on a synthetic basis) to stop the pests from biting you, i.e. you spray yourself with it. Since the skin, as our largest organ, absorbs at least part of any substance applied to it, these ingredients also enter the body.

Followed by the evaporator plates (Pyrethroids), which exude an attractant and entice the mosquito to come closer so that it can be killed with a neurotoxin on contact with the platelet. These preparations are not entirely uncontroversial either, as there is a possibility that some of this poison is also vaporized and can therefore also have a damaging effect on the bronchi and lung tissue in humans. All of the aforementioned products have allergenic, neurotoxic and dermatologically irritating potential and are generally unsuitable for children or babies.

In Sweden you will often find large boxes that use butane gas to attract and burn the mosquitoes. But they only help in a stationary position, because who wants to go through the woods with a butane gas bottle and the accompanying "box"?

Essential oils

Essential oils, on the other hand, are hardly known; at most, citronella oil is still known. Just as plants with their thousands of essential oils selectively attract insects for fertilization, but effectively keep pests at bay, we can also make use of these properties of essential oils in the form of a commercially available essential oil mixture. Homemade blends are also cheaper than ready-made products, but equally effective - beneficial to health and effective as an insect repellent.

If you would like to find out more and purchase the oils, please use the following links: If you are resident in Germany, you will find here the products, who lives in Sweden, about this Link.

Both formulations contain the same pure (i.e. also approved for internal use) essential oils to make the spray yourself using an empty spray bottle and spray head. Also included is an ointment that provides significantly faster relief and healing after a sting than without.

In addition to the property common to all oils of repelling mosquitoes (repellent effect, efficiency comparable to DEET), clove also has an analgesic and disinfectant effect, lavender soothes the skin and relieves itching, peppermint cools and lemon eucalyptus masks the odors of exhaled air (CO₂) and sweat, also has antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.

And if you, like me ;-), want to know WHY essential oils, like Dr.Dr.Dr.med.habil. Hanns Hatt from the Ruhr University in Bochum has been researching for several decades using around 2,000 essential oils from his institute and explains in his video "Healing with fragrances", click here.

ByteAway

I personally use the spray after a sting if I have forgotten to use it again. ByteAwayFirst in the center of the stitch, then about six times around the stitch area. The relatively high temperature of 50 ... 53 °C does not destroy the injected allergenic protein, but it does inhibit the release of histamine* which triggers the itching.
Repeated application is therefore necessary, usually at intervals of around 6 - 8 hours, at the latest whenever the itching has noticeably increased. After two to three days, the itching is usually over.

Since the device works with two AA batteries, which - of course - usually give up the ghost just when you need them most, I have a modification with 5V PowerPack supply. Practical because: It feels like it lasts forever, you can also charge your cell phone and possibly even operate a USB light from it.

*histamine (or also biogenic amine is secreted by immune cells. It promotes inflammation and is responsible for redness, swelling, mucus formation and itching, among other things.

p.s. This product even gave me immediate relief from two wasp stings in my tongue and lip: after 10 minutes there was only a slight pain at the sting sites.
The wasp must have been keen on my bite of cake and suddenly found itself in my mouth, while I wondered about the strangely pointed and painful "components" of the piece of cake, before I realized that a wasp was up to mischief and I spit it all out violently.
The ByteAway used a minute later did its job surprisingly well and I was able to enjoy the rest of the cake with increased caution :-).

Mosquito repellent - Predator Dynamic

The manufacturer of the Predator-Dynamic mosquito catcher. Here, mosquitoes are attracted by means of an attractant (Octenol - (R)-(-)-1-octen-3-ol), often replaced by the more easily synthesized 1:1 mixture (Racemat)) and sucked into a catch basket by a fan or left to adhere to a strip of paper coated with adhesive.

The development was carried out in Sweden, so they know how to catch mosquitoes. Octenol is a scent to which 40% of all olfactory cells of the tsetse fly react, which many plants use as an attractant to invite female insects and induce them to lay eggs.

Contact with the attractant should be avoided at all costs as it is classified as harmful to health. The LD₅₀ at oral intake is 340 mg/kg, dermal at 3,300 mg/kg and ophthalmologically irritating.

There are indications from Inamdar e.a., which is Investigation „Fungal-derived semiochemical 1-octen-3-ol disrupts dopamine packaging and causes neurodegeneration" of 11.11.2013 proved that Octenol-vapors cause a disturbance of the Dopamine-metabolism (Neurotransmitters), both in Drosophila and in human cell lines, and may be responsible for movement disorders and neuropsychological problems such as Parkinson's disease.

The device, which is powered by a propane gas cartridge, is designed to have a long-term effect on pesky insects. A Octenol-platelet lasts for 30 days of operation and decimates the mosquito population in an area of, according to the manufacturer, about 5,000 square meters.

The price is high in view of the size, weight and obviously unsurpassable effect and processing quality, but is probably reasonable. A comparable device does not appear to be available on the market at a lower price.

Wildlife

In addition to the aforementioned pests, there are other animals such as elk, reindeer, brown bear, lynx, fox, wolf, red deer, badger and wolverine.

Elks (älg), with a population of 300,000 to 400,000 animals, are found in large numbers in central Sweden, especially on the Halleberg and Hunneberg mountains.

Reindeer (ren) are mainly bred by the Sámi in Lapland, the northernmost province of Sweden. They number up to 2980,000 animals. It is interesting to note that both males and females have antlers,

The brown bear (björn) populates the northern part of Dalarna, Jämtland, Västerbotten and Norrbotten with over 1,000 specimens.

The lynx (lodjur) has spread throughout Sweden, with the exception of the islands. However, its population is declining and now numbers around 1,000 animals. However, a minimum population of 1,500 animals is aimed for.

The fox (räv), especially red fox (rödräv), is rather rare in rural areas. Its population density is quite low at just over one fox per 100 hectares of land, whereas it is up to 12 times more common in urban areas.
Even rarer is the Arctic fox, which was on the verge of extinction and can now be found in Norway and Sweden, after both countries made efforts to preserve the species.

Wolves (varg) prefer the areas in the border region between Sweden and Norway, but also in Dalarna or Värmland in the south of Sweden. According to the government, their population density is to be reduced to around 170 specimens, after the population had recently risen to over 400 animals.

The red deer (rödhjort) prefers Götaland, but also Västerbotten. A numerical record is not available.

Also for the badger, which lives all over Sweden (grizzly) there is no information on their number.

There is also no information for the wolverine (järv), but is a protected species. It lives in the mountainous regions of Scandinavia, tundra and northern coniferous forests.

Winter and snow

The first snow can fall as early as the beginning of October and last until around the end of March. The average snow depth is given as 75 cm. This is certainly not optional every year, but clearly indicates that it may not be very amusing to clear the driveway with a snow shovel, especially for longer driveways, but more on that later. Let's turn to the positive side of the white splendor first.

Vacation pleasure

Ski slopes in Västerbottens län have lengths of up to 30 km with altitude differences of up to 665 m, e.g. the ski area Hemavan in the province of Lapland, which ranges from 470 to 1,135 m and offers guests 10 lifts. Connections to and from Stockholm are possible via the local airport. The airport is only 700 m away from the ski resort.
However, most slopes in other regions are significantly shorter and have less difference in altitude.
In addition to skiing activities, ice fishing, motorized and dog sledding are also offered, as well as cross-country skiing routes, of which there are countless - everywhere.

Everyday duties

Like everything in life, snow has two sides to the coin. In everyday life, snow can quickly become a limiting obstacle if you need to set off in the car to get things done and 35 cm of snow, plus the wall left by the snowplough in front of the driveway, can be an effective barrier to spontaneous plans.

There are often neighbors who have suitable clearing equipment (tractor, pickup with clearing attachment, etc.) and, for a small fee, clear the driveway in winter. But as it happens, the person may be enjoying a well-deserved vacation, is ill or the tractor is on strike ...

So it's either off with the snow shovel for some - dubious - snow clearing fun or tackle the snow with a snow blower. The petrol-powered machines make a loud and "smelly" noise, not always to the delight of the sleeping neighbors.

EGO SNT2400 cordless snow blower

The EGO SNT2400 cordless snow blower, powered by 58 V, promises to provide a remedy. Video demonstrates impressively the maximum of its performance: after that, snow depths of one meter and more are no problem, - know how ;-)!

The operating volume is kept within limits and the throwing range of up to 15 meters should be sufficient for any driveway to transport the snow to areas outside the area to be cleared.

The kit, which offers a complete set for an immediate start with two LiIon batteries and two quick chargers, is always interesting in terms of price.
Delivery is on a pallet. The box is best slit open on all sides to gain access to the appliance from all sides.

Only the handle with the operating elements needs to be attached to the tiller using two screws on the left and right, the two wheels attached to the shaft with the drive pinions and each secured with a split pin.

The two batteries are inserted into the quick chargers, which are connected to 230 V and after a short time, four green light fields indicate that the batteries are ready for use.
After inserting the batteries into the shafts of the tiller and closing the shaft cover, the tiller is ready for use.

To ensure the longest possible battery runtime, both speed controls (tiller and drive) should be left at level 2, which is completely sufficient for most applications.

The middle lever, which can be moved to the left and right, is used to set the ejection direction. The power supply is switched on via the central pressure switch.
The tiller and forward drive are activated via the two handles on the left and right above the black handles by holding them down on the black handle area while guiding the tiller in the desired direction.

Whether you use the electric reverse gear or pull the tiller back manually is up to you: Manual mode saves battery energy and thus extends the range.

Einkauf für den täglichen Bedarf

Das Pendant zu Kaufland, Marktkauf, Real, Magnet, etc. sind in Schweden aus Kundensicht sind:

• ICA mit einem Marktanteil von etwa 50 – 60 % und über 2.000 Filialen
• Coop macht etwa 20 – 25 % bei über 800 Filialen
• Axfood ist mit 13 % vertreten, Großhändler, der auch an Endkunden verkauft

Discounter:

• Lidl
• Willys
• Hemköp, Tempo und City Gross als Großmarkt, alle drei in Südschweden

Kundenkarten

ICA und COOP geben Kundenkarten aus. Bei ICA werden registrierte Kunden als „Stammis“ (Stammkunden) bezeichnet, bei COOP als „Medlem“ (Mitglieder).

ICA-Angebotspreise können durch Vorzeigen der Kundenkarte an der Kasse oder Scannen am Kunden-Terminal im Kassenbereich genutzt werden. Auch ohne Kundenkarte kann an der Kasse der Normal-Kunde binnen einer Minute zum Stammi erklärt werden, Personennummer vorausgesetzt. Anschließend ist nur noch der Code auf dem Quittungsbeleg der Registrierung auf der darauf erwähnten Webseite einzugeben, um binnen rund einer Woche die ICA-Karte per Post zugestellt zu bekommen.

COOP agiert ähnlich einer Genossenschaft: das Mitglied zahlt 100 SEK ein, die es bei Austritt wieder zurück erhält. Danach erhält man per Post binnen knapp zwei Wochen die Mitgliedskarte. Mittlerweile sind knapp 4 Mio. Mitglieder registriert.
Mit Vorzeigen der Kundenkarte an der Kasse oder Scannen an den Selbstbedienungs-Terminals kommt man in den Genuss des Stammkunden-Vorteilspreises (der durchaus markant sein kann) und erhält zudem noch Punkte.

Willys gibt keine gesonderte Kundenkarte aus, bietet aber vor Ort die Möglichkeit, jede beliebige VISA oder MasterCard mit einem online erstellten Kundenkonto zu verknüpfen.
Es reicht also nicht, wenn die Mitgliedschaft online beantragt und bestätigt wurde. Durch das Verknüpfen der Bezahl-Karte mit dem Mitgliedskonto wird bei jedem Kauf nicht mehr der Normal-, sondern stets der Angebots-Preis berechnet.

Alles Zero, Light – oder was?

Schlendert man durch die Märkte fällt einem spätestens in der Getränkeabteilung auf, dass scheinbar 99 % aller Getränke mit Zuckeraustauschstoffen auf „zero“ getrimmt sind. Auch in anderen Produkten finden sich zunehmend Zuckerersatzstoffe.

Ebenso fällt auf, insbesondere in der warmen Jahreszeit: CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring, bzw. Glucose-Sensor-Messsystem), der „Knopf“ am Arm ganz junger wie älterer Menschen ist erschreckend oft zu sehen. Diese Sensoren werden in Verbindung mit insulinpflichtiger(!) Diabetes verwendet. Zero und Light fordern offenbar ihren Tribut, – überdeutlich.

Online purchases - amazon.de vs. amazon.se

The range in Sweden is comparatively drastically reduced; depending on the product, there may be just ten percent of the selection available in the German counterpart. Some products are simply not available.

This may be understandable in view of Sweden's population, which is one tenth of that of Germany, but the people in this tenth are certainly also happy about a broader product portfolio.

This can be remedied by entering the Swedish delivery address in the account on amazon.com obtain. Items that are delivered to Sweden are then displayed accordingly, naturally with a corresponding surcharge for shipping abroad.

Sometimes you can also find products that are amazon.se are listed. A price comparison taking into account the amazon.com listed shipping costs. It may be cheaper on amazon.se to order, but sometimes also, despite additional shipping costs, on amazon.com.

The advantage of ordering from Amazon, whether the German or Swedish equivalent, is delivery to your door (hemleverans), - and it actually works!

Large appliances (white goods)

If you can't find large appliances (white goods) of your choice in Sweden, you will often have to resort to idealo.de especially when it comes to finding the best price for the item of desire.

Only shipping to Sweden can become a game of patience if, in addition to Germany, you are only offered Austria as an alternative delivery country to choose from, for example, or if Sweden can be selected in the country list but then turns out not to be deliverable. Such a country selection list looks particularly intelligent if the information "We only deliver to Germany" is displayed after selecting any country. ...

Persistence pays off, however, and in most cases the good piece is still significantly cheaper than buying it in Sweden, despite the considerable, possibly three-digit, shipping costs - if the device is available there at all.

No go

Batteries are definitely not delivered from Germany to Sweden. So if you want to buy a battery-powered device with a battery or as a kit with a charger and spare battery from a German retailer who also delivers to Sweden, you will find out when you go to the virtual checkout that delivery to Sweden is not possible for this very reason.

In such cases, the only option is to search for prices online at Swedish retailers. With luck, you will find a price offer that is almost as good, even if it is slightly more expensive due to the six percent higher VAT, but also arrives slightly faster than shipping from Germany.

Ordered today - delivered tomorrow

... you can safely forget that. There are different delivery services, just like in Germany. However, they collect deliveries and do not deliver every day of the week. Just like the post office does not deliver on every working day.
On a positive note: There is a sign in the letterbox which, if you hang it over the flap, signals to the letter carrier that there is an item in the letterbox - which can be opened from the outside - that is franked and should be sent. He takes it with him and you have saved yourself a trip to the nearest letterbox!

Your own letterbox does not necessarily have to be at the entrance to your property. In the worst case, it can be located on the street several hundred meters away, in a row with a few others from the assembled neighborhood (possibly also on the opposite side of the street), as is also known from Canada or America.

Delivery times vary between one and four week(s). The good news is that deliveries sometimes arrive earlier than announced. However, you should not rely on this.

Patience is not only a virtue here, but also a good prerequisite for escaping the typical German stress level and, true to the Swedish practice, to be able to relax, lagom (meaning: always take it easy), lifestyle.

You don't necessarily find your parcels in your letterbox or on your doorstep, but sometimes 20 - 30 km away at the nearest 'Ombud', usually a grocery store or gas station.
You can find out where the parcel has been deposited by text message or e-mail.
Armed with an ID card, or alternatively a German identity card or passport, as well as a text message or e-mail on your cell phone, you can pick up your package at the relevant location.

Although this practice is primarily perceived as a nuisance, the journeys can also be combined with shopping or other things and thus used more sensibly.

Camping gas cylinders (exchange & filling)

If you are traveling Sweden by motorhome or caravan, you will need to refill or exchange your cylinders, especially in the winter months.

However, camping sites that often offer gas cylinders for exchange are rarely or never open in winter, which is why they are unfortunately rarely available during this period. So you have to find other sources.

In Germany you would look for camping gas, camping gaz or propane or butane gas cylinders, in Sweden the magic word is Gasol.

Here is a list of the currently known filling stations (40) - from the north to the south. The list follows the decreasing longitude.

It is advisable to call before visiting to make sure that, on the one hand, it is open and, on the other hand, that the desired service is offered and that exchange bottles are available. If telephone numbers or links are not listed, they were not known at the time and / or are invalid.

Wenn auch normalerweise die Füllstationen über alle gängigen Adapter für die Befüllung der – deutschen – Gasflaschen verfügen, kann es durchaus empfehlenswert sein, auch selbst einen solchen Adapter mit sich zu führen.
Während deutsche Gasflaschen bekanntermaßen ein Außen-Linksgewinde aufweisen, sind die schwedischen mit einem Innengewinde M14 x 1,5 versehen. Der zur Befüllung einer deutschen Gasflasche in Schweden benötigte Adapter wird als D3-Adapter bezeichnet und ist in z.B. diesem Set enthalten.

Sweden - Air travel

Sweden and back? If you want to get to Swedish Lapland by car, you need to allow three days each way. Flying is quicker and cheaper.

Best time to travel

The best time to travel determines which experience you choose to focus on.

If you want to experience the midnight sun, June to August is a good time, but if you want to see the Northern Lights, it is better to travel from September to around March, with December to February particularly recommended. This is when the nights are longest and the chance of experiencing this natural phenomenon is highest.

April and October surprise with the rapid sprouting of the budding green and the magnificent autumn colors of the foliage.

August, on the other hand, is usually the rainiest month, although the rain is moderate and it rarely rains continuously for several days in a row. In the evening, the sun usually gains the upper hand, making the drops on the leaves shimmer in all the colors of the rainbow and providing pleasant warmth.

Book

So no matter when the trip is to take place, early booking is advisable if you want to get the - more or less - cheapest price.

A flight from Hamburg (HAM) to Skellefteå (SFT) is simulated as an example. Normally you fly with the Swedish airline SAS with a stopover in Stockholm (Arlanda - ARN) of about one hour on the outbound flight and just under two hours on the return flight and a combined flight time of 2 hours and 40 minutes.

If you book a month in advance, you can expect to pay around EUR 240 for a return flight for one person, including one item of checked baggage, hand baggage and a bag for under the seat.

Departure times are currently, depending on the airline, 06:15, 09:45, 12:15 and 15:55 for the outbound flight from Hamburg and 06:15, 11:35 and 15:55 for the return flight from Skellefteå.

Check-In - Baggage check-in

Es ist ratsam 90 Minuten vor Abflugzeit am Flughafen zu sein, um genügend Zeit zur Orientierung, Check-In und Gepäckaufgabe zu haben, – zumindest in Hamburg und vergleichbaren oder größeren Flughäfen.

SAS bietet mit der eigenen Handy-App eine komfortable Möglichkeit online einzuchecken und die Bordkarte verfügbar zu haben. Alternativ kann man vor Ort die Bordkarte über den Buchungs-Code ausdrucken. Ebenso wird auch an 20 Automaten im Terminal-Bereich 1 der Ausdruck für die Gepäck-Aufgabe mittels der in Papierform oder im Handy vorhandenen Bordkarte angeboten.

Mit Auflegen des Gepäcks wird dieses gewogen, man bringt den Aufkleber am Gepäckstück an, damit es entsprechend geroutet werden kann. Auch eine Quittung wird ausgedruckt, sie dient im Zweifel bei Gepäckverlust dem Nachweis der Gepäckaufgabe, – also gut aufbewahren!

Sollte übrigens bei mehreren Fluggästen eines Fluges das Gepäck nicht auf dem Laufband erscheinen und die offizielle Aussage „Die Gepäckausgabe ist geschlossen.“ lauten, sprich, es kommt kein Gepäck mehr, dann ist meist ein Gepäck-Container im Flugzeug lediglich vergessen worden zu entladen … – Hartnäckiges Nachfragen, verbunden mit diesem Hinweis, lässt das Gepäck dann doch noch auf dem Band erscheinen.

The app also provides flight-related data and changes to departure times or gates.

Flight and stopover

The days when food and drinks were included in the price of the flight are long gone. However, airlines now offer such services on board for a fee.

The waiting time in Stockholm passes very quickly: the range of stores, restaurants, perfumeries and technology stores is too great. On the outbound flight, you will hardly really notice this variety, especially as an hour flies by quickly. But if you get your bearings in this short period of time, you can take your time and browse more carefully on the return flight, which lasts almost twice as long.

Arrival in Skellefteå

Skellefteå is a very small, clearly laid out airport: the reception hall, check-in, baggage check-in and check-out, and waiting area can be passed through in just a few minutes.

Die Fotos wurden kurz vor Mitternacht vor Ankunft der letzten Maschine aufgenommen: keine Menschenseele weit und breit.

The parking lot in front of the airport is also very clearly laid out and, in contrast to its counterpart in Hamburg, conveys the typical Swedish calm and serenity that - among other pleasant experiences - makes it difficult to start the journey back.

Vor dem gebührenpflichtigen Parkplatz liegt noch ein sehr großer kostenfreier Parkplatz, der entsprechend zumeist gut gefüllt ist. Dennoch findet sich bei langsamem Durchkämmen hier und da ein freier Platz. Der Fußweg ins Flughafengebäude beträgt etwa 5 – 10 Minuten.

Auch ein gebührenpflichtiger Langzeitparkplatz, mit Anschluss für Motorvorwärmung (im Winter nicht nur ratsam,, sondern fast schon obligatorisch), ist vorhanden.

Beim Rückflug genügen 60 Minuten vor Abflug, selbst wenn der Flug voll ausgebucht ist. In der Ruhe liegt die Kraft ;-)!

Skellefteälven - Leisure time

Leisure time - FREE time - is written in capital letters in Sweden, as is the break(s) in the working day, the fika, in which topics from working life are not discussed, but only free time: Switching off and relaxing come first, and the end of the day is the end of the day, period.

Leisure is everything that is conducive to relaxation and family. Fishing, taking a boat out on the lake, dangling your feet in the water, simply gazing at the sunny blue sky - holes in the air - and letting your gaze wander into the distance.

The Skellefteälven offers 410 km of opportunities to practice and enjoy leisure activities. It has its source at Lake Jurunjávrre in the north of Sweden, near the Norwegian border, and flows into the Gulf of Bothnia at the eponymous town of Skellefteå.
Along its course, it feeds 14 hydropower plants with a total output of 945 MW and an annual generation of 4.1 TW.

Angeln ist nicht vom sog. Jedermannsrecht“ abgedeckt. Es erfordert keine Prüfung, jedoch die Kenntnis über regionale Bedingungen, wie Mindestgrößen, Fanggrenzen, Schonzeiten oder Sperrzonen. Weiter ist der Fang auf die Menge begrenzt, die selbst am selben Tag verzehrt werden kann. Zudem ist eine Angelkarte zu erwerben, die gegen eine geringe Gebühr, meist zwischen 150 und 250 SEK in Geschäften, an Tankstellen oder on-line zu erwerben ist.

For the five largest inland lakes Vänern, Vättern, Mälaren, Hjälmaren and Storsjön no fishing license is required. The usual rules for fishing itself naturally apply here unchanged.

Boating in Swedish waters with (leisure) boats purchased in Sweden up to 12 m in length and 4 m in width is not subject to licensing and requires no license. If a boat purchased in another country is used, the regulations of the country of origin apply.

Ungeachtet dieser schwedischen Freizügigkeit wird erwartet, dass man die Regeln des internationalen Schifffahrtsrechts, Seeverkehrsordnung und Seeverkehrsgesetz, Seemannschaft, Seezeichen, etc. kennt und beachtet. Verstöße können mit Geldbuße oder Freiheitsstrafe geahndet werden.

It is up to everyone to prove themselves worthy of the trust placed in them, so that the freedom of movement granted is not abused, but appreciated gratefully and with respect.

... The article will be continued and updated as required ...

- Questions are also welcome and will be considered here! -