MISCELLANEOUS
Various general information in alphabetic order.
CLIMATE
The weather in Gothenburg at the end of August is usually pleasant with temperatures around
15-18°C. We recommend that you bring an umbrella or raincoat for possible rainy days.
CURRENCY AND CREDIT CARDS
The monetary unit in Sweden is the krona (SEK). Bank notes are printed in values of 20, 50,
100, 500 and 1,000 kronor; and coins in values of 1, 5 and 10 kronor. There is no limit on the
amount of Swedish and foreign currency taken into Sweden.
Major credit and debit cards (some restrictions apply to American Express and Diners) are
widely accepted in taxis, at restaurants, hotels and in shops. You can get cash with your Visa,
MasterCard, Maestro or Cirrus card at any “Bankomat” or ”Uttagsautomat” (ATM machines).
Please note! In order to pay or withdraw cash with your credit card it requires that you have a
card with chip and PIN (Personal Identification Number). The older magnetic-stripe cards won’t
work.
Current exchange rates visit http://www.x-rates.com/table/?from=SEK&amount=1
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
More
information
at:
Customs
Administration
of
Sweden
(Tullverket)
http://www.tullverket.se/en/startpage/customsguide.4.6edda07011f9252a5a980005.html
at
ELECTRICITY AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
The electric current in Sweden is 220 volts AC in 50 cycles, and plugs and sockets may differ
from those in other parts of the world. Travellers should bring adapters or transformers for
electrical appliances such as hairdryers and shavers. Some hotels and shops can supply
adapters.
Laptop computers that are made to work on both 110 and 220 volts can be used in Sweden with
an adapter. For laptop computers working on 110 volts only, adapters or transformers are
necessary.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE FACILITIES
There are a number of FOREX and X-Change (exchange) offices in Gothenburg centre and at
Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport. Ask at the reception of your hotel for the location and opening
hours of the exchange office closest to your hotel. For more information on locations and
opening hours, please visit http://www.forex.se/en/About-FOREX-Bank/Branches/ / http://www.xchange.se/en/Offices/ and scroll down to Goteborg
HEALTH CARE
In Sweden you must visit the nearest hospital clinic ("Akutmottagning" or "Vårdcentral") for any
health visits, taking your passport and European Health Insurance (EHIC) with you or you will be
charged the full cost of the treatment. With an EHIC, you will still have to pay part of the cost,
which is not refundable. You will also have to pay the full cost of dental treatment up to a fixed
limit, and most of the cost above this limit. Any reductions will be made before you get your bill.
Citizens from North America and other countries from outside the EU/EEA countries must pay for
the medical treatment. It is STRONGLY recommended that non-EU citizens purchase commercial
health insurance in their home country before arriving in Sweden. Make sure that bring
necessary documents on your trip.
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS
The international dialling code for Sweden is +46
• Emergency call (Ambulance / Police / Fire Brigade) – 112
LANGUAGE
The official language of the Congress is English. The vast majority of inhabitants of Goth enburg
have a superior level of fluency in English
LOCAL TIME
Local time in Gothenburg is Central European Time (GMT+1 hour).
PASSPORT, VISA, AND LETTER OF INVITATION
Please visit http://www.eea-esem-congresses.org/index.php?sezn=8&page=25
information
for
more
POSTAL SERVICES
Post offices are nowadays a service integrated in various shops; grocery stores, kiosks, gas
stations etc. The opening hours therefore differ according to the specific store. Generally the
post offices are open during normal shopping hours, but local variations may apply. Look for
the blue postal sign. Letters and postcards of up to 20 grams cost SEK 6 to send within Sweden
and SEK 12 to send internationally. Stamps are available for sale at post offices, and at most
newsstands and supermarkets with postal service. There are two different types of mailboxes.
The blue box is for local deliveries only, and the yellow box for national and international
deliveries.
SHOPPING HOURS
In Gothenburg, department stores remain open until 7 pm or longer. Most are also open on
Sundays between approx. 12 noon and 4 pm.
SMOKING POLICY
A law restricting smoking is in force in Sweden. A smoking ban applies to public spaces indoors
such as restaurants, cafés, nightclubs and pubs. Smoking as allowed in restaurant outdoor
terraces.
TAXIS
There are plenty of low price taxis in Gothenburg, however in the evening they are often fully
booked and hard to order. The alternative is to flag down a taxi yourself. Three reliable taxi
companies are:
Taxi Göteborg
Tel: +46 31 650 000
Taxi Kurir
Tel: +46 31 272 727
Mini Taxi
Tel: +46 31 140 140
TIPPING
A service charge is automatically included in most Swedish hotel bills. At restaurants, a service
charge is included in the bill, but a small gratuity is expected for evening meals.
Porters and cloakroom attendants often charge fixed fees.