Car rental in Sweden - More than IKEA and meatballs

You must be at least 18 years of age to hire a car in Sweden. In addition you must have held your driving licence for a minimum of one to two years. Individual suppliers may have their own age requirements policies raising the age limit to 19. It is important to familiarise yourself with the age requirements if it's your first car rental. If you are under 21 years old, 26 years old for some suppliers, you may have to pay a Young Driver Fee. This may also apply to anyone older than the age of 69 - having to pay a Senior Driver Fee. Additional restrictions may also apply.

To find out which suppliers are willing to rent a car to your age group, enter your age in the age field during your search. Then only suppliers who are willing to rent out their cars will be displayed. For individual information on possible applicable fees, click on the blue info icon next to each rental rate. Information of which is also contained within your rental voucher’s terms and conditions.

Yes - with Sweden being such a vast country, it is common practice for customers to rent a car in one location and drop it off in another. This is especially useful if you are wishing to explore more of Sweden and its vast landscapes. Popular destinations for one-way car rentals are Stockholm to Gotehnburg, Malmö to Skåne and many more. One-way rentals must be approved both by Auto Europe and the supplier beforehand. Generally a small one-way fee is charged for this privilege.

To request a one-way rental simply enter your pick-up and drop off locations into the booking engine, and the rental period. This will allow the system to display only suppliers who are willing to offer such a service. The fee applied will be displayed and for more information simply click on the blue info icon next to the rate. The fee charged varies per supplier, location and duration of rental. Fee amount is also duly mentioned within your voucher’s terms and conditions. International one-way rentals are possible and it is common for customers to collect a car in Sweden and drop it off in Denmark, Finland or Norway.

Yes - a credit card is required when collecting your vehicle in Sweden. This credit card must be under the main driver’s name and contain enough funds for a security deposit to be held. All major credit cards are accepted, including Mastercard and Visa. Debit cards are not accepted for deposit purposes. Click on the blue info icon next to the rental rate and then on payment for more information. Your rental voucher’s terms and conditions will also contain this information.

It is important to fully inspect your vehicle before driving off. The vehicle must then be returned in the same condition for the deposit to be released back onto your credit card. If you fail to provide a credit card you will not be allowed to pick-up your vehicle and you may lose your booking. On very rare occasions the supplier may offer to accept a debit card but will require you to take out a very expensive insurance.

Driving in Sweden is similar to driving in other European countries. Nevertheless, it is important to familiarise yourself with some basic road rules and regulations before collecting your car. Traffic circulates on the right-hand side of the road and overtakes on the left. Everyone in the vehicle must wear a seatbelt. Any kids under 135 cm must use a child car seat. Drinking and driving is not allowed, the limit is 20 mg per 100 ml of blood alcohol level.

Speed limits for Sweden are 50 km/h urban areas, 70 km/h on dual carriageways, 90 km/h on rural roads and between 110-120 km/h on motorways. Speed cameras are very common on roads so be careful. Other things to consider is taking extra care driving in rural areas due to wildlife on the roads - namely, deer and moose. Hitting these can cause a lot of damage to your vehicle and must be reported. It is a criminal offence not to do so. Lastly, petrol stations in rural areas are hard to come by. They are normally self-service and open all week. They accept bank cards and SEK.

No - motorways in Sweden do not have tolls. However, Öresund Bridge and Svinesundsbron operate a toll system. Sundsvallsfjärden and Motalaviken also operate a 24-hour toll system and costs between 5 to 20 SEK per journey. The amount charged is dependent on the vehicle size.

Yes - there is a congestion charge in place when driving into central Gothenburg and Stockholm. In both cities this charge applies from Monday to Friday, 06:00 - 18:30. The charge varies between 9 SEK to 45 SEK, depending on day, time and vehicle type. Generally weekends and public holidays, in some cases the day before a public holiday - aren’t charged. Entry and exit points are monitored by cameras. Vehicles who enter can then pay the fee via the website or by telephone. Credit cards are accepted. Alternatively, you may also pay in cash at 7-11 and Pressbyrån stores.

All base rental rates come with the minimum legal requirement of insurance coverage for Sweden. This is Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Theft Protection (TP) - both of which have deductibles. Sometimes the deductible can be high, thus some customers opt for extra insurance to reduce or eliminate this financial burden. It is important to note that not all vehicle parts of eventualities are covered under the base rental rate coverage.

For added protection, many customers opt for our Full Damage Protection to reduce their responsibility. This extra protection covers parts of the vehicle not otherwise covered, and includes more eventualities. Opting for this means that you will have to pay a small daily amount. This varies between supplier, location and vehicle type.

Lastly, local suppliers may offer you additional insurance during pick-up. These are optional and for the most part, if you have already taken out our Full Protection Coverage, it won’t be needed. Common insurance offered at location include; Super CDW, Roadside assistance, Travel insurance, Personal Effect Coverage (PEC), Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) and many more. Auto Europe does not profit from or recommend such products. No refund will be provided if deemed unnecessary afterwards.

Yes - you may add an additional driver to your booking and share in the joy of driving in Sweden. Generally, additional drivers incur a small fee. However, we do often have Free Additional Driver promotions. These can be seen over the rental rate on the search results. Clicking on the blue info icon will provide you more information. Likewise, your rental vouchers terms and conditions will also contact the same information. You may add one or more drivers.

It is important to always inform us and the supplier of other drivers. Getting prior authorisation is important as not to void your insurance. This will make the driver behind the wheel financially viable should anything happen to the car. In addition, It is illegal to drive without insurance. Additional drivers must provide the same documents as the main driver - ID and driving licence - and must sign the rental agreement.

Yes - from the 1st of December until the 31st March vehicles must adhere to strict winter tyre rules. This is a requirement when driving on icy roads, snow covered roads and within wintery conditions. From the 1st of October until the 15th of April, studded tyres are a must in harsh conditions. Our Swedish suppliers already include winterisation fee encompassing tyres within the rental. Dates may vary between suppliers, so please confirm these are included beforehand. Our free winter tyre deals are highlighted during your online search.

There are some basic recommendations to adhere to when driving in Sweden during harsh conditions. The weather can change rapidly, especially during winter months, so you should always be prepared and inform someone of where you are going. During winter conditions you must drive slowly, take extra care and stay calm. Always keep a safe braking distance from the vehicle in front. Never steer, break or accelerate too harshly - this may make your vehicle skid. This in particular is important in rural areas and on bridges, where ice can form quicker. If you pass a car accident, it is a requirement to offer assistance.

If heading out in snow, make sure you check the weather forecast, check your winter tyres or chains if needed. Take with you an ice scraper, antifreeze fluid, a winter kit, torch, shovel, tow-rope, reflective vests and jump-start cables. Also, check that all the roads you plan to take are open. And lastly, again make sure you inform someone of your journey and make sure your mobiles are fully charged and working.

Travelling on ferries is permitted with prior authorisation from both Aut Europe and the supplier. Normally, a small fee is charged for this privilege. For those wishing to travel to Gotland, we recommend hiring a vehicle in Visby. Another option would be to travel to the island of Öland from Kalmar and Oskarshamn. We recommend instead of using ferries when available using a bridge - for example Öland Bridge or hiring a vehicle on the island itself.