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Which type of Covid-19 tests are accepted for entry to Sweden?

As of February 6th, many foreign travellers are required to show a negative Covid-19 test result in order to enter Sweden. Here's a look at the test requirements.

Published: 13 February 2021 12:18 CET
Which type of Covid-19 tests are accepted for entry to Sweden?
The test requirement applies to all travel to Sweden, by road, sea or air, but Swedish citizens and residents are exempt. Photo: Adam Ihse/TT

Hi, The Local! Could you tell me which negative test results are accepted? Are LAMP tests ok?

First of all, there are several exemptions to the requirement, including Swedish citizens and people living in Sweden.

But for those who are not exempt from the requirement, the test must be no more than 48 hours old – and that 48 hours is counted as the time between taking the test and crossing the border to Sweden.

Three types of tests are accepted: PCR, LAMP and antigen tests, which show you do not currently have an ongoing Covid-19 infection. Antibody tests, which show whether you have previously been infected by Covid-19, are not accepted, and proof of a Covid-19 vaccine is not accepted in place of a negative test.

In order to be accepted, the following information must be included on the test result:

  • The name of the person who was tested
  • The time of the test
  • The type of test carried out (PCR, LAMP or antigen)
  • The test result
  • The company or organisation that carried out the test

The result and the information above must be in English or a Scandinavian language (Swedish, Danish or Norwegian) to be accepted.

Everyone who travels to Sweden, regardless of whether you are included by the requirement of a negative Covid-19 test or not, is also asked to get tested in Sweden on the day of arrival or as soon as possible, and again five days after that. You can arrange your test through 1177.se or by calling a local doctor’s office (vårdcentral) and this should be free. 

You should also self-isolate for seven days after arriving. Self-isolating means keeping all close contact to a minimum, so avoiding going to places where you could come into contact with others such as shops or public transport; avoiding having guests come into your home; and having groceries ordered online or have a friend or neighbour bring them to you. Anyone else living in your household should also self-isolate for this week, even if they have not recently travelled abroad.

This article was written in response to a question from members of The Local. If you have any questions about Sweden’s Covid-19 rules, email [email protected] and we will do our best to answer if we can.

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TRAVEL NEWS

What you need to know about travel in Sweden this summer

From weather forecasts to rail disruptions, here’s what to consider when planning a trip to Sweden this summer.

Published: 30 May 2024 11:09 CEST
What you need to know about travel in Sweden this summer

What’s the weather going to be like?

Sweden is (usually) the perfect country to visit in summer – long, warm days that never really turn into night, but not as suffocatingly hot as southern Europe.

It’s hard to know whether that will be the case this year. According to SVT’s forecast for the summer, there are three possible scenarios for the Swedish weather, depending on where a forecast high pressure front ends up.

  1. If the high pressure front ends up in the east, closer to Scandinavia, then summer could be very hot.
  2. If the low pressure front in the west expands further east, then the weather will be more rainy and unstable – although there would probably be some periods with hot weather coming in from the east.
  3. Sweden and Finland end up with warm weather from the east, with cold weather in the west. This is the most unpredictable option, as there’s a possibility the low pressure front could move up from the south, bringing with it high temperatures and a lot of rain.

Keep up-to-date with weather alerts via Sweden’s meteorological office SMHI, whether that’s flood alerts or a risk of wildfire.

You can also keep up to date with any fire bans here.

A standard fire ban means that you’re not allowed to light fires in the wild, but you may still light a fire at designated spots for grilling. This could even be upgraded to a total fire ban – no fires permitted at all – if temperatures get too hot.

You should also keep an eye on local hosepipe bans or appeals to save water. You can always use water for food, drink and personal hygiene, but perhaps you can help avert a water shortage by having shorter showers and not letting the tap run longer than needed.

Restaurant closures and empty cities

Swedes take long summer holidays, with most full-time workers legally entitled to four consecutive weeks off in June, July or August. If you’re planning a city break, be aware that a lot of shops and restaurants close for several weeks, as Swedes leave the cities and head to their countryside summer houses. You will still find some places open, though.

Travel disruptions

If you’re travelling by train, be aware that several parts of the rail network are being upgraded this summer, so you should expect altered routes and replacement buses. Here’s a list and map of planned construction work.

You can also keep up-to-date via the Swedish Transport Administration’s website. Click here and scroll down to trafikinformation, where you can choose train (tåg), road (väg) or car ferry (vägfärja). You can also sign up for text messages about the traffic situation here.

If you’re driving, read this to avoid parking fines. The speed limit in Sweden is usually 50 km/h in villages, towns and cities, 70 km/h in the countryside and 110 km/h on the motorways, but it does vary and there are nearly always signs stating the speed limit.

Not sure what to do in Sweden this summer? Check out this guide from our readers.

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