Driving to Sweden: Routes, Rules and Tips for a Road Trip
Three tried-and-tested routes for a road trip through Sweden, the key traffic rules, tolls and congestion charges, refuelling, wildlife on the road and what is allowed with a motorhome.
Exploring Sweden in your own car gives you a great deal of freedom: the roads are well built and quiet outside the big cities, and many of the most beautiful places are away from the railway lines. To keep the trip relaxed, it helps to know a few rules and local peculiarities. This article presents three tried-and-tested routes and sums up the essentials for drivers.
Last updated: October 2026
Getting there by car
From continental Europe there are two options: via Denmark and the Øresund Bridge to Malmö, or directly by ferry, for example from Kiel to Gothenburg or from Travemünde and Rostock to Trelleborg. The bridges across the Great Belt and the Øresund charge tolls. All connections in detail can be found under Getting to Sweden.
Three routes for your road trip
1. Southern Sweden loop (7 to 10 days)
Malmö – Österlen with Ales stenar – Kalmar – across the bridge to Öland – through the forests of Småland with the Kingdom of Crystal and Astrid Lindgren’s Vimmerby – via Jönköping on Lake Vättern – Gothenburg – back along the west coast. Around 1,200 kilometres, short daily stages, ideal with children. More about the regions: Småland and Skåne.
2. West coast, lakes and Stockholm (10 to 14 days)
Gothenburg – Bohuslän with Smögen and Fjällbacka – past Lake Vänern and the Göta Canal – Örebro or Västerås on Lake Mälaren – Stockholm with its archipelago – Uppsala – back via the E4 and Lake Vättern. Around 1,600 kilometres with plenty of variety between sea, lakes and cities.
3. The Inland Road north (2 to 3 weeks)
The E45 European route, known in Sweden as the “Inlandsvägen” (Inland Road), runs from Gothenburg through the interior to Karesuando on the Finnish border, around 1,700 kilometres. Along the way lie Dalarna with Lake Siljan, Jämtland and Swedish Lapland. The route is best from June to September. Important: the Strömsund Bridge on the E45 in Jämtland has been closed since it was damaged in autumn 2026, and diversions are signposted (more in our report on the Strömsund Bridge).
The key traffic rules
- Lights: dipped headlights are compulsory during the day as well.
- Alcohol: the limit is 0.2 per mille. Checks are frequent.
- Speed: usually 30 to 50 km/h in built-up areas, 70 to 100 km/h on country roads and up to 110 or 120 km/h on motorways. Limits change often, and there are many fixed speed cameras.
- Winter tyres: compulsory from 1 December to 31 March when winter road conditions prevail. Studded tyres are permitted from 1 October to 15 April.
- Phones: you may not hold your phone in your hand while driving.
A detailed overview is on our page Transport in Sweden.
Congestion taxes and bridge tolls
There is no motorway vignette in Sweden. However, Stockholm and Gothenburg charge a congestion tax (trängselskatt), and the bridges in Motala and Sundsvall, as well as Skurubron near Stockholm, charge a fee. Payment is automatic: cameras record the number plate and the bill arrives later. This also applies to foreign vehicles; with hire cars it is handled by the rental company.
Refuelling, charging and paying
Many filling stations in the countryside are unstaffed machines. They accept common credit cards, but not always every foreign card, so a second card in your luggage helps. In the north, filling stations are far apart, so fill up in good time. Charging points for electric cars are widespread along the main routes, but sparser in the far north.
What this means for your trip
- Wildlife: moose and deer cross the road, especially at dusk. Take warning signs seriously and drive more slowly at night. A collision with wildlife must be reported to the police (emergency number 112).
- Plan your stages: distances are long. More than 300 to 400 kilometres a day quickly makes the trip tiring.
- Overnight stays in a motorhome: the right of public access does not apply to vehicles, and free camping in nature is not allowed. More in The Right of Public Access in Sweden and Camping and Motorhomes.
- Traffic updates: Trafikverket publishes current closures and roadworks online.