WENNER-GREN CENTER
WELCOME TO YOUR NEW APARTMENT! The apartment is fully furnished. Dishes,
cooking ware and blankets are supplied. Please note that we do not remove any
furniture from the apartments. Linens must be rented from us if you do not bring
your own. Rents should be paid before the first of the month. The Foundation will charge
a fee for each reminder for rent bills not paid before the due date stated on the bill.
At arrival, tenants are required to sign the inventory, stating that all items listed are
intact and in good condition. The inventory will be checked again at your departure.
ADMINISTRATION: The Booking Manager’s office is located at the Reception.
E-Mail: susanne.falck@swgc.org Ph: 736 98 11.
THE RECEPTION is open Monday through Friday. For information send e-mail to:
reception@swgc.org or call 736 98 00.
LAUNDRY FACILITIES: Rules and instructions in several languages are posted in the
two laundry rooms. Tenants are not allowed to wash rented linens or the rugs, blankets,
pillows or curtains in the apartment. These must be washed by the staff. Ask at the
Reception. Please note that sheets must be used in the beds, if you do not want
to rent them from Wenner-Gren Center, you must buy and use your own.
A STORAGE ROOM is usually available, free of charge, but you must provide your own
padlock. Please note that your belongings are not covered by any insurance.
PARKING FACILITIES are available, both indoor garages and parking lots. For rental
information, see the Reception. Please note that cars are not covered by our
insurance.
HOUSEHOLD INSURANCE is included in the rent. The insurance covers only the
apartment in case of a fire or flooding. It does not cover your personal belongings,
your car or you as an individual. For those items, you must take out an insurance policy
of your own.
INTERNET CONNECTION: Internet access is available for an additional, monthly, fee.
TELEPHONE CHARGES for local and long distance calls are charged by the minute.
Bills are issued quarterly and on departure.
TELEVISION LICENSE FEE is included in the rent. You have access to twelve channels
free of charge, including CNN International. If you have had a TV in your previous
apartment in Stockholm, which you have paid the license fee for, you must to give notice
of termination in writing to the TV-company. The address is: Radiotjänst in Kiruna AB,
981 80 Kiruna.
STANDARD VOLTAGE is 220 volts AC 50 hertz (50 cycles per second). You may need a
converter.
MAIL will be delivered to your apartment. Please make sure that the address includes
your apartment number. You are not allowed to receive mail to your apartment for
people not living here. Only you and your immediate family, if they are accompanying
you, may be registered at this address.
BED MEASUREMENTS: There are no double beds in the apartments, as they would be
too difficult for the staff to move during cleaning and refurnishing. The standard single
beds measurements are 90 cm (36 inches) x 200 cm (80 inches). The beds for children
are 80 cm (32 inches) x 200 cm (80 inches). Baby-beds (cribs) are 60 cm (24 inches) x
110 cm (44 inches).
1
GENERAL INFORMATION
TAX OFFICE (Skattehuset). If you are staying in Sweden for more than one year,
you must register at the local tax office. This registration will provide you with a
personal number (personnummer), which entitles you to the same social benefits as
Swedish citizens. Bring your passport and marriage certificate, if you are married, and
birth certificates for your children. If you are staying less than one year, you can apply
for an interim personal number, a samordningsnummer. Please note: You must also
register at the local Insurance Office (Försäkringskassan). If you move to (or from)
another municipality in Stockholm you must reregister at the tax office. If you need to
apply for a Residence Permit, a renewal of your Visitor’s Permit, apply for travel
documents etc, please contact the Swedish Immigration Board. More information on
www.migrationsverket.se
Please note that citizens from non-EEC countries must apply for their residence- and
work permits before leaving their home countries.
BANKS: The SEB-BANK at nearby Odenplan has services tailored to foreign researchers
who are not holding a Swedish Personal Number, who need some banking services. The
services are primarily to pay bills, transfer funds from a foreign bank account and the
need to access cash from bankautomat machines (ATM). These services can be set up
with one visit after your arrival. In case you want to do it before your arrival, their web
address is www.sebank.se/odenplan
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS CONCERNING MOTOR VEHICLES Sweden has strict
regulations concerning what may be imported duty free. Foreign motor vehicles may be
used in Sweden up to one year without paying import- or vehicle tax if the owner
maintains a home abroad, or if the car has a registration valid in Sweden, a valid
Swedish Export Vehicle Registration, or a Tourist Vehicle License. More information on
www.tullverket.se The one-year limit is based on the date of entry of the owner in
Sweden, not the vehicle. If the owner does not maintain a home abroad, an interim
license good for one month can be issued at the Customs Office. A Swedish Automobile
Registration can be done through Vägverket at www.vv.se All cars must pass an
inspection before they can be registered. The Swedish Vehicle Testing Cooperation
(Bilprovningen) will carry out this inspection for a charge.
DRIVING IN SWEDEN
Minimum age is 18 years. The holder of a valid driver license issued in another country
may drive a motor vehicle covered by his license for a period of one year. Then you must
apply to exchange your license for a Swedish one. This can be done at the Drivers
License Office at Länsstyrelsen. Go to www.ab.lst.se Forms are available from any police
station. You will need a Personal Certificate (“personbevis”) from the Tax Office to prove
your identity. Please note: Only people from the EEC-countries, Scandinavia,
Switzerland and Japan can exchange their driving licenses for Swedish ones. Other
nationalities must take a drivers test. Driver’s licenses which are not in English, French,
Dutch, Italian, Spanish, German, Danish or Norwegian must be accompanied by a
Certificate of Authority and Validity of the license into one of the languages above. An
authorized person or organization must issue this certificate. Contact your embassy for
assistance.
IMPORTANT TRAFFIC RULES:
 You must always carry your license with you when driving.
 All vehicles must have low beam headlights or the equivalent (e.g. special warning
lights) lit while driving – also during the day.
 Gas stations have 24-hour automatic gas pumps; they accept SEK100 bills.
 Sweden has very strict regulations about drinking and driving. An alcohol quantity
in the blood of more than 0.02 per mille is a punishable offense.
 It is compulsory for both driver and passengers in front and back seats to fasten
their seat belts.
2
 Children under the age of 7 may not travel in a car if it is not equipped with a
special child restraint or a normal seat belt adapted for a child’s use.
 Motorcycle and moped drivers must wear crash helmets.
 The police strictly enforce speed limits. On-the-spot fines are imposed and your
license is confiscated if you have exceeded the stipulated speed limit by 30 km/h
(19 mph) or more.
 Speed limits outside built-up areas are 110, 90 or 70 kph (68, 56 or 43 mph)
depending on road width and traffic density. In built-up areas the limit is 50 kph
(31mph) or 30 kph (19 mph) in school areas.
 You must give way to all traffic approaching from the right unless the road sign
indicates otherwise.
 Cars may be parked on the right hand side of the street only.
 You may not leave your car idling for more than one minute with the engine
running.
 All vehicles must carry a red reflector-warning triangle that is displayed in case of
an accident or a breakdown.
 Studded tires are permitted only between October 1 st and April 30th.
 For towing assistance, call Larmtjänst, Ph: 522 784 00, which is a non-profit
organization supported by several insurance companies.
MEDICAL AND DENTAL SERVICES
MEDICAL COSTS Guest researchers registered in Sweden are entitled to subsidized
medical consultations, hospitalization and prescriptions – if you are paying taxes in
Sweden. This includes family members also. If you are in Sweden on a scholarship and
you are not paying taxes, you are not entitled to any benefits.
DISTRICT NURSE provides nursing services and basic information on diagnosis and
provides free pre/post natal care, childbirth and childcare classes, family planning and
birth control advisory service. The Well Baby Clinic gives information on childcare,
immunizations, optical examinations and dental services for children 0-6 years. All
services are free of charge.
DENTISTS
To be entitled to lower rates, you must have a personal number and pay taxes in
Sweden. Non-emergency services are available from Folktandvården (National Dental
Services).
IMMIGRANT SERVICE At the web page of the Swedish Immigration Board,
www.migrationsverket.se, you can find information about work- and residence permits.
You can download fact sheets and forms directly from the web page.
The National Agency for Higher Education The National Agency for Higher Education
is a central authority on matters concerning institutions of higher education. You can find
lots of useful information and links on their web page, also in English: www.hsv.se
SOCIAL BENEFITS
The benefit W-G C residents are eligible for is the child benefit (“barnbidrag”) for children
under 16. Studying allowance is only eligible for those staying permanently in
Sweden.
CHILD BENEFIT Visiting scientists who pay taxes in Sweden and are accompanied by
children under 16 years of age, or 18 if they attend school, will receive a child benefit if
they are registered in Sweden. This begins either from the beginning of the year when
the person in charge of the child received his census registration in Sweden, or when the
child and one of his parents has been a resident in Sweden for six months in succession.
This benefit is paid to the mother of the child. It is tax-free and should not be included in
your income when you file your income tax return. When the child leaves Sweden, the
person who receives the benefit is required to notify the Tax Registration Office and the
National Social Insurance Office (Försäkringskassan) if it is for six months or more. If you
neglect to do so, you’ll be required to pay back the allowance.
3
A SOCIAL GUIDE
Punctuality Both at work and in social life, you are expected to be punctual. If you’re
invited for dinner at 8 pm, your Swedish hosts will expect you to be there at 8 pm sharp.
When being invited for dinner it is customary to bring a small present for the hostess,
like flowers or candy. After the party, phone or write a thank-you-note. Verbal thanks are
also expected the next time you meet your hosts.
Shoes off! Swedes take their outdoor shoes off when they go indoors. When invited to
dinner parties you will find it convenient to do as Swedes do and bring another pair of
shoes with you to wear indoors. Do not enter a Swedish home with your shoes on – it is
considered very rude!
No smoking! Smoking is prohibited in restaurants, bars, public buildings, stores, the
entire Stockholm Transportation System and many other places, and the regulations are
getting stricter. Always check if there is a sign saying “Rökning förbjuden” (No smoking)
before you light up a cigarette. It is considered rude to smoke in the home of someone
who does not smoke - at least ask if it is all right first. When dining it is customary to
wait until everyone has finished his or her meal before smoking.
Tipping is not obligatory, but you should give something. Most of the larger pubs and
taverns have mandatory coat checks. They charge SEK 10-20 up front, and you are not
expected to tip above that. Taxi drivers will usually expect tip, 10-15 % is average.
SCHOOLS
Parents at W-G C send their children ages 7–16 to the local English speaking Swedish
school, Rödabergsskolan. More info on www.rodabergsskolan.stockholm.se This is a
tuition free school grades 1–9 and a 5-minute walk from W-G C. Swedish children start
school at age 7.
THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF STOCKHOLM Johannesgatan 18 www.intsch.se
THE FRENCH SCHOOL (FRANSKA SKOLAN) at Döbelnsgatan 9.www.franskaskolan.se
THE GERMAN SCHOOL (TYSKA SKOLAN) at Karlavägen 25. www.tyskaskolan.se
KUNGSHOLMENS GYMNASIUM at Hantverkargatan 67-69, Ph: 508 380 00 or go
to www.kun.edu.stockholm.se A Swedish High School with an international section.
INFORMATION ABOUT STOCKHOLM
For further information about Stockholm, go to: www.stockholmtown.com
THE SWEDISH INSTITUTE is a public agency established to disseminate knowledge
about Sweden abroad. It produces a wide range of publications, in several languages, on
many aspects of Swedish society. More information on www.si.se
THE SWEDEN BOOKSHOP sells books about Sweden on the Internet.
www.swedenbookshop.com
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
The transportation service covers all of Stockholm County using buses, local trains and
the subway. Season tickets as well as 30-days-tickets are available, which entitles you to
unlimited travel on the entire transportation system; buses, subway and commuter
trains, excluding the airport buses. These tickets are not personal and can be used by
any member of your family. The tickets can be bought at subway stations and
newsstands. It is always cheaper to buy prepaid tickets and the longer the period of
validity of the ticket, the cheaper it will be. If you are just visiting temporarily there are
travel cards for 1, 3 or 7 days. All tickets are loaded on an SL Access card, which is an
electronic smart card. You need to pay a fee of 20 SEK to have the card issued, but
you can re-use your card at future visits to Stockholm. In SL Access ATMs, you can get
information about your card content, how long it is valid and if you have a ticket which
4
validity has not yet begun, loaded on the card. Just select "Check card contents" on the
screen and follow the instructions.Tickets cannot be bought on the bus; you have to
buy a ticket before boarding. If you have a Swedish cell phone and using any of the
carriers Telia, Tele2, Comviq or Tre (3), you can buy your ticket by texting HA (A for
zone A, B for zone B etc.) and sending it to 076-7201010. The text reply you receive
from the traffic office is your ticket and you must present this to the driver of the bus or
at the booth on the subway. Before using this service, you must register at www.sl.se
Children under the age of 7 travels free, children 7 – 12 years travel free on Friday
afternoon and on weekends when accompanied by an adult. Senior residents travel on
reduced rates. Buses have a special open area in the middle of the bus for baby strollers
and the ride is free for the baby and one accompanying adult (only on buses, not the
subway). Space is available on first come – first serve basis. There is room for two or
three baby strollers only.
TAXI Some companies have a fixed fare for transfers to and from Arlanda Airport.
AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION
Arlanda International Airport is situated 45 km (30 miles) north of Stockholm.
Buses: Airport buses to and from Arlanda and Bromma Airport leave every ten minutes
from the City Terminal. There is also a bus stop close to W-G C at the Haga Park. It takes
app. 40 minutes to reach Arlanda Airport by bus. Arlanda Express is the train
connecting the airport and the city. Travel-time is app. 20 minutes.
CLIMATE AND BASIC FACTS
Temperatures in Stockholm:
Annual average temperature:
Average high:
Average low:
+7.0C (Fahrenheit 45)
+27.3C (Fahrenheit 85)
-13.0C (Fahrenheit 10)
Average Monthly Temperatures:
Month
Centigrade/Fahrenheit
Month
Celsius/
Fahrenheit
January
-2.1C/ 28 F
July
+16.9C/ 65 F
February
-2.2C/ 27 F
August
+15.0C/ 62 F
March
+0.2C/ 32 F
September
+11.2C/ 55 F
April
+4.3C/ 38 F
October
+6.4C/ 48 F
May
+10.3C/ 50 F
November
+1.8C/ 35 F
June
+14.3C/ 58 F
December
-1.0C/ 30 F
Stockholm gets 18 hours of daylight in the summer months. The winter months only
offer 7 hours of daylight.
LANGUAGE Swedish is the official language. Most Swedes speak English and maybe yet
another language.
Sweden is in the Central European Time Zone (GMT +1), summertime GMT + 2 from
the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
Sweden is on the 24-hour clock. This means that 12 pm is 12:00 o’clock, 1 pm is
13:00, 8 pm is 20:00 and 11 pm is 23:00 etc.
5