Driving rules, and the ones that bite.
- Drive onRight
- Motorway limit110 km/h
- Drink drive0.2 g/L · effectively zero
- Emergency112
Sweden drives on the right. The motorway speed limit is 110 km/h (120 on select stretches). The emergency number is 112.
0.2 g/l - roughly half-pint limit. Treat as effectively zero.
Driving tips
- Daytime headlights are compulsory at all times, all year round.
- Elk (moose) collisions kill Swedish drivers every year. Watch for elk-crossing signs, slow down at dawn and dusk, and expect oncoming traffic to flash to warn you.
- Keep a safe distance on gravel roads in rural Sweden. Flying stones are common and will crack a windscreen.
- Road tolls do not exist, but ANPR-based congestion charges in Stockholm and Gothenburg apply to all vehicles including foreign ones.
- Motorhomes over 3.5 tonnes follow lorry speed limits, not car limits.
- Many residential streets are limited to 40 km/h, with speed bumps to enforce it.
Worth knowing before you go.
Sweden's drink-drive limit is one of the strictest in Europe. Roadside breath tests are routine and penalties are severe, including prison for serious offences. Do not drink the night before an early start either.
The toll system, and the city emissions rules.
- TollsMixed
- VignetteNot required
- Emission zoneYes · Miljozon (environmental zone)
Swedish motorways are free. The charges you will encounter are ANPR congestion fees in Stockholm and Gothenburg, plus small bridge tolls at Motala and Sundsvall. Foreign plates are billed automatically by post from Epass24 a few weeks after your visit. Nothing to register or pay in advance.
Sweden does not use a vignette.
Low emission zones
Check per city: https://www.transportstyrelsen.se/en/road/
Most UK motorhomes under 3.5 tonnes are unaffected by Miljozon class 1. Class 3 in central Stockholm is the strictest and mostly catches older passenger cars. No sticker is needed, enforcement is ANPR-based and rules vary by city.
Read our complete guide to motorhome tolls and vignettes in Europe, and our guide to low emission zones.
What to carry, and what to bring.
- Required kit5 items
- Over 3,500 kgspeed stickers, blind-spot stickers
- Documents5 items
Sweden requires a set of kit to be carried in the vehicle. Most of it is cheap and worth having anyway, so pack it before you leave rather than buy it at a roadside price.
- UK Sticker.
- Warning Triangle.
- Reflective Jacket. Carry 1 per occupant.
- Headlight Converters. Carry 1 set.
- Winter Tyres. Carry 4.
- First Aid Kit. Carry Recommended.
- Towing Mirrors.
Towing a caravan or trailer.
Motorway 90 km/h, rural 80 km/h
Towing a caravan or trailer.
From August 2025, UK trailers over 750 kg need DVLA registration for international travel. Check DVLA guidance before your trip.
Towing a caravan or trailer.
The towing vehicle must meet the winter tyre rule. Many campers also fit them on the caravan, though not strictly required.
Read this before you go.
Motorhomes over 3.5 tonnes follow lorry speed limits. Make sure you know your vehicle's MAM (maximum authorised mass) before you travel.
Documents to bring
For your own vehicle, carry your Passport, UK Photocard Driving Licence, Vehicle Log Book (V5C), Insurance Certificate and Travel Insurance Proof.
For a rental or hire vehicle, you also need your VE103 Certificate, Driving Licence Check Code and International Driving Permit (if you still hold a paper licence).
Gas, electric, and the weekly shop.
- LPG fittingDish
- CurrencySEK
- Emergency112
- Sunday shopping10:00-21:00 (most open)
Sweden uses the ACME and Dish fittings for Autogas refills. The LPG network is very limited, roughly 25 stations across the whole country, concentrated around the southern cities and motorway corridors. Plan refills carefully if you rely on an Autogas tank, and fill up in Germany or Denmark before crossing.
For bottled gas, the main Swedish brands are AGA and Primus Gas. Bottles are widely stocked at fuel stations and camping shops but use different fittings to UK Calor.
UK Calor bottles cannot be swapped or exchanged anywhere in Europe. Either carry a 3-piece adapter kit or fit a refillable system before you leave. Read our complete guide to motorhome gas and LPG in Europe.
Electric hook-ups
Swedish campsites and stallplatser typically offer 10A to 16A hook-ups, which is plenty for most motorhome needs. Standard CEE blue plugs are universal. Voltage is a stable 230V.
Reverse polarity is uncommon in Sweden but a socket tester is worth packing for any European trip. Stallplatser (municipal aires) frequently have pre-paid electricity bollards, topped up by card or coin.
Read our complete guide to motorhome electric hook-ups in Europe.
Where to shop
Supermarkets here: budget chains are Lidl, Willys; mid-range chains are ICA, Coop, Hemkop; premium chains are ICA Maxi, ICA Kvantum.
Typical opening hours: weekday 08:00-21:00 or 22:00; saturday 08:00-21:00 or 22:00; sunday 10:00-18:00 or 20:00, most cities; supermarkets Folkol only (beer up to 3.5% ABV); systembolaget (state monopoly) Anything over 3.5% ABV; systembolaget hours Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00 or 19:00, Sat 10:00-15:00, closed Sundays and public holidays.
Supermarkets are open seven days a week in most of Sweden. Rural stores may close earlier on Sundays. Public holidays affect everything, plan ahead around Midsummer and Christmas.
Plan weekend shopping carefully. If you arrive on a Saturday afternoon, you have until 15:00 to visit Systembolaget before it closes until Monday morning. Supermarket folkol is drinkable but weak, stronger beer, wine, and spirits are monopoly-only.
- Card and Swish (mobile payment) are universal. Cash is rarely needed or even accepted.
- Most towns have a weekly marknad (market), worth seeking out for local bakery goods and fresh produce.
- Pharmacies (Apotek) are the only source for medicines, supermarkets do not sell paracetamol.
- Many ICA and Coop stores have dedicated motorhome service points with water and waste disposal outside.
More detail in our guides to gas and LPG and electric hook-ups across Europe.
Taking a dog, and crossing the border.
- SchengenYes
- AHC requiredwithin 10 days
- Tapeworm on UK returnYes
- Dog leadRequired
To take a dog to Sweden, the standard pet travel rules apply. The detail below covers what your dog needs.
- AHC required. Yes, issued by your vet within 10 days before entry
- Rabies vaccination. Yes, must be at least 21 days old at the time of travel
- Tapeworm treatment for UK return. Required between 24 hours and 120 hours before you arrive back in the UK, administered by a vet
- Breed restrictions. No specific breed ban, but dogs must be kept on a lead in many public areas and always in wildlife reserves.
Pack the dog's Dog lead, Water bowl, Vaccination records and AHC.
Meat, milk, and products containing either cannot be brought into Sweden from the UK under EU rules. The main exceptions are powdered baby milk, baby food, and medically prescribed pet food. Honey, fish, fruit, and vegetables are generally permitted in reasonable personal quantities.
Sweden is in the Schengen area.
Schengen area: Yes. EES biometric checks: Yes. You will need to register fingerprints and a photo on entry and exit once the system goes live. Trailer registration (UK): UK trailers over 750 kg require DVLA registration for international travel from August 2025. Allemansratten: Yes - see wild camping note below. Mobile roaming: Charges vary by provider since the UK left the EU. Check with yours before you travel.
Allemansratten (the right of public access) permits some wild stopping on uncultivated land away from buildings. For motorhomes the interpretation is grey: "one night, out of sight, no mess" is the pragmatic rule. Private land and cultivated fields are always excluded. For longer stays use official stallplatser.
Useful links
- Transportstyrelsen (Congestion and LEZ rules)
- Epass24 (Foreign vehicle billing)
- Trafikverket (Road conditions)
- Systembolaget (Alcohol stores)
See also our complete guides to the Schengen 90-day rule and taking a dog to Europe.
The questions people ask most.
Will I be charged Stockholm congestion tax as a UK driver?
Yes. Stockholm and Gothenburg charge foreign vehicles via ANPR cameras just like Swedish-registered ones. Expect SEK 11 to SEK 45 per passage on weekdays, with peak-hour rates highest. The bill arrives by post from Epass24 a few weeks after your visit. Nothing to register or pay in advance, just expect the invoice.
Can I wild camp in Sweden under allemansratten?
Allemansratten (the right of public access) is generous by European standards but motorhomes are a grey area. The safe interpretation is one night only, out of sight of buildings, on uncultivated land, leave no trace. Do not use it to park up for a week. Official stallplatser (municipal motorhome aires) are a better bet for longer stays and usually come with water and waste facilities.
Why is alcohol so hard to buy in Sweden?
Anything over 3.5% ABV can only be sold by the state-owned monopoly Systembolaget. They are open Monday to Friday 10:00-18:00 or 19:00, Saturday 10:00-15:00, closed Sundays and public holidays. Supermarkets stock folkol only (beer up to 3.5% ABV). Plan weekend purchases on Friday or Saturday morning.
Can I take my dog to Sweden in a motorhome?
Yes. Your dog needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination that is at least 21 days old, and an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) from your vet issued within 10 days of travel. Coming back to the UK, your vet must administer a tapeworm treatment between 24 hours and 5 days before arrival. Dogs must be kept on a lead in many public areas and always inside wildlife reserves.