Travel Information for Guests

Travel Note

The Choice of Wedding Date

The wedding date is 15 June 2024. We chose this date far in advance to give you all plenty of time to book your transportation and accommodation. We also chose this date since it is close to the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere when the daylight hours are the longest. Gothenburg is located at 57°42’ N, which is far enough north to experience dramatic shifts in the daylight hours between winter and summer, hence the reason we chose to have the wedding in the summer. A common question is if Gothenburg is far enough north to experience the midnight sun during summer. It is not, unfortunately, since, by definition, one has to be at or north of the Arctic Circle at 66°33’ N to have at least one day of midnight sun during the year. However, the nighttime sky technically does not get completely dark due to long twilight hours. For a visual representation of the daylight and twilight hours, please refer to the following website: https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/sweden/goteborg. During the wedding, guests can expect a long and (hopefully) sunny day with a slow setting sun at about 22:15 (10:15 PM) local time. After sunset, the sky will remain visibly blue until the sun rises again at around 04:10 (4:10 AM).

Travel Note

Swedish Midsummer

Another reason we chose 15 June 2024 as our wedding date is that it comes the week before the summer solstice, which is an important day in Sweden. Given Scandinavia’s long, dark winters, it should come as no surprise that the arrival of summer is an occasion for celebration. In Swedish, this celebration is called "Midsommar" (lit: Midsummer) and has its roots in a pre-Christian solstice festival. Midsummer is a national holiday and is always celebrated on the Friday closest to the summer solstice. In 2024, Midsummer will occur on Friday, 21 June. For those guests who want to see something uniquely Swedish, we recommend extending your stays for the week after the wedding to experience Midsummer. Midsummer festivals consist of gathering with friends in parks or the countryside and wearing flower wreaths and dancing around a midsommarstång (also called a maypole, lit: midsummer staff; see the picture at the top of this page). Common food includes pickled herring, boiled potatoes, and strawberries with cream. This is usually accompanied with spiced schnapps and/or cold beer. In Gothenburg, many Midsummer parties are held at the park Slottsskogen or in the Gothenburg Archipelago. As one of the informal events after the wedding, we will organize a Midsummer picnic in Slottsskogen on 21 June 2024 for those guests who want to attend. Please see the "Schedule of Events" tab. For more information on Swedish Midsummer, please refer to the following web pages: https://visitsweden.com/what-to-do/culture-history-and-art/swedish-traditions/midsummer-tradition/midsummer/ https://sweden.se/culture/celebrations/midsummer

Travel Note

The Choice of Wedding Venue

For our wedding, we wanted to give our guests, especially those coming from abroad, a taste of the Swedish countryside. In summer, the Swedish countryside is breathtaking with lush forests, colorful flowers, green hills, and and long, sunny days. For this reason, we have selected Brämhults Gård as our wedding venue. It is located about 70 km east of Gothenburg near the city of Borås. Even though we saw the venue during a gloomy day in February, we fell in love with the place and its laidback, countryside charm. The venue used to be a farm, but has been renovated for various events including weddings. While we hope for sunny weather during our wedding, in case of rain, which often occurs in and around Midsummer, Brämhults Gård has a backup plan: there is a renovated greenhouse in which we can have the wedding ceremony. This way, we can still have the ceremony outside while remaining dry. We cannot wait to celebrate with you all in Brämhults Gård!

Travel Note

The Climate in Gothenburg and What to Wear

Given its location on the west coast of Sweden, Gothenburg has a oceanic climate that is heavily moderated due to the Gulf Stream. That is, despite its northerly latitude, the temperatures are quite mild throughout the year and extremely hot or cold days are rare. During June, when the wedding and informal events will take place, the temperatures are usually warm and comfortable, with highs normally around 20-25 deg C (68-77 deg F). As mentioned previously, these temperatures are accompanied by long daylight hours and slow sunsets and sunrises. The weather can still be on the cold side, though, especially if you are accustomed to warm climates. Including during warm days, the temperature can drop during the night, so we recommend to bring along a light jacket. Importantly, Gothenburg is also known for fierce winds and lots of rain, even during the summer. If you plan on travelling to the coast and take a boat, the wind over the water can feel quite cold, even if the day is sunny and warm. For these reasons, we recommend that guests bring along at a minimum: a light jacket, a rain jacket, waterproof shoes, and some long pants, just in case. For the wedding, please be prepared with jackets and/or rain gear if the forecast calls for it.

Flight

How to Get to Gothenburg

If you will be coming from abroad, specifically outside of Scandinavia, the easiest way to reach Gothenburg is via the Gothenburg Landvetter Airport (airport code: GOT), which is located about 25 km outside of the city center. To reach the city center, we recommend taking the bus called Flyggbussarna (https://www.flygbussarna.se/en/), which leaves about every 20 min and stops at several places in Gothenburg city including the Central Station. The cost is about 120 SEK for a single ticket or 190 SEK for a roundtrip ticket. Alternatively, you can get a taxi or an Uber from the airport directly to your hotel or accommodation, but that is much more expensive at about 500-600 SEK one way. If you are having trouble finding reasonably priced airline tickets to the Gothenburg Airport, one travel “hack” that we recommend is to instead find roundtrip tickets from any of the Scandinavian capital cities: Stockholm, Sweden (airport code: ARN), Copenhagen, Denmark (airport code: CPH), or Oslo, Norway (airport code: OSL). All of these airports are bigger than the Gothenburg airport and many times will have more and cheaper options available for travelers, especially if you are coming from outside of Europe. All of these cities are about 3-4 hours away from Gothenburg via bus or train and train/bus tickets can regularly be found for 200-600 SEK or less. Moreover, for those guests coming from abroad, this could be a way of extending your visit to other parts of Scandinavia while saving a bit of money on airline tickets.

Hotel

Where to Stay in Gothenburg

Although the wedding will happen closer to the city of Borås, we encourage our guests to book accommodation in Gothenburg. We will organize a private bus service to take guests to and from the wedding venue with the bus picking up and dropping off guests in central Gothenburg (please refer to the PDF and website tab "The Most Important Wedding Information). We recommend booking a hotel in central Gothenburg. There are many nice hotels close to the Gothenburg Central Station and other major connection points where guests can make efficient use of the trams and other public transportation. Some of our recommendations are: Gothia Towers (https://gothiatowers.com/) - One of the nicest hotels in Gothenburg and one of the few high-rise buildings in the city. It is one of Europe's five largest hotels and has a spa, fitness center, and, most impressively, and outdoor swimming pool with a glass floor 50 meters above the ground! Hotel Eggers (https://www.hoteleggers.se/en) - Located right next door to the Central Station, Hotel Eggers is one of the oldest hotels in Sweden dating back to 1859. Scandic Hotels (https://www.scandichotels.com/hotels/sweden/gothenburg) - The Scandic Hotels are one of the main hotel companies in Sweden and the Nordic countries. We have stayed at Scandic hotels at a few places in Sweden and we have always loved it. There are 9 Scandics in Gothenburg with 6 of them being close to the city center. First Hotel G (https://www.firsthotels.com/hotels/sweden/gothenburg/first-hotel-g/) - This hotel is literally in the Central Station. Sam's parents stayed here the last time and loved it. Quality Hotel Panorama (https://www.nordicchoicehotels.com/hotels/sweden/gothenburg/quality-hotel-panorama/) - Sam's parents stayed here during their first visit to Gothenburg. The hotel is located on a hill and has great views of the city. There are also a variety of hostels in the city (https://www.goteborg.com/en/stay/hostels)

Train

Getting around in Gothenburg and Sweden

Getting around Gothenburg is quite easy as the city boasts a large network of trams, buses, boats, and trains. The main operator is called Västtrafik (lit: “West Traffic,” which is a reference to Gothenburg being on the Swedish west coast). Tickets can be purchased at a Västtrafik office or at other stores such as Pressbyrån, 7-Eleven, and ICA, all of which are scattered throughout the city. The easiest way of purchasing a ticket, however, is via the Västtrafik App, Västtrafik To Go. Tickets can be purchased with debit or credit cards. The validity of tickets can be either for single trips (90 min), day tickets (24 hours), three-day tickets (72 hours), or monthly (30 days). The tickets are also valid for one to three zones, labeled A, B, and C with A being Gothenburg city and B and C being progressively further out. The Västtrafik tickets are valid on any form of transportation operated by Västtrafik including on boats that go out to the Gothenburg Archipelago and that traverse the Göta Älv, the river that runs through Gothenburg. For more information, please refer to Västtrafiks website: https://www.vasttrafik.se/en/ An important point about the Gothenburg public transportation is that for most forms, one need not show a ticket to anyone on board nor are there any turnstiles or gates to ensure that you have a valid ticket for your trip. Instead, ticket checkers or "kontrollanter" regularly enter the tram, boat, or bus to check for tickets. If you do not have a ticket, you will be charged a fine of 1500 SEK. Västtrafik runs services to most areas near Gothenburg, up to about 1-2 hours away. For longer travels (e.g. to Stockholm or Copenhagen), one must purchase train tickets. The major companies are SJ, VY, MTRX, and Öresundståg: https://www.sj.se/en/ https://www.vy.se/en https://mtrx.travel/en https://www.oresundstag.se/en These trains will take you essentially anywhere in the country and to many parts of the neighboring countries of Norway and Denmark.

Rental Car

Renting a Car in Sweden

For those guests who wish to rent a vehicle during their stay, your foreign driver’s license is valid. However, there are a few details to be aware of before renting a car: - Sweden drives on the right-hand side of the road. - The road signs can differ significantly from your home country if you live outside of Europe. Most signs are in Swedish and the units are always metric. For a full list, please refer to: https://korkortonline.se/en/theory/road-signs/ - The legal limit for alcohol while driving is 0.02% (BAC), which is only one-fourth that of most states in the US (0.08%). Even if you are below 0.02%, the police can still charge you with intoxicated driving under certain circumstances. The punishment in all cases is severe. Thus, it is strongly recommended to not drink anything if you plan on driving. - Sweden makes extensive use of roundabouts or traffic circles both in urban and in rural environments. You should be comfortable driving in such conditions. - The driving conditions in the summer should be reasonably warm, but be prepared for slick road conditions if it rains (which is very likely). Overall, since most places can be easily reached with public transport, we recommend to save money and skip renting a car. This will also allow you to enjoy the local Swedish beers and Midsummer schnapps!

Travel Note

Visa Matters

Depending on your home country and passport, international visitors may need a visa to enter Sweden. Sweden is a member of the European Union and the Schengen area, so if you have a visa that is valid for another Schengen country (e.g. Italy, Spain), then you do not need a separate visa for Sweden. We recommend to visit the following website to see if you need to apply for a visa before attending our wedding: https://www.government.se/government-policy/migration-and-asylum/list-of-foreign-citizens-who-require-visa-for-entry-into-sweden/

Travel Note

Money Matters

Unlike much of Europe, which uses the Euro, the currency of Sweden is the Swedish Crown (Swedish: svenska kronan). The currency code is SEK. The value of the Swedish Crown has varied a lot during our time in Sweden, but, as of the writing of this document, the approximate exchange rates are as follows: 1 Euro = 11.3 SEK 1 US Dollar (USD) = 10.5 SEK 1 Australian Dollar (AUD) = 7.3 SEK 1 South African Rand (ZAR) = 0.6 SEK 1 Argentine Peso (ARS) = 0.056 SEK 1 Pound Sterling (GBP) = 12.7 SEK One important piece of information here is that most shops and stores in Sweden have gone completely cashless during the last few years; for this reason, we strongly recommend to NOT withdraw Swedish crowns in cash, but rather to have your credit and debit cards open for purchases within Sweden. Many shops outright refuse cash payments. You can see this by looking out for the sign "kontantfri" (literally: cash free). For better or for worse, Sweden is also one of the more expensive countries to visit, depending on what your home currency is and what your budget is. However, on a positive note, the prices in Sweden always include tax and tipping is not common. Thus, if the price says 150 SEK, then the final price is 150 SEK. At certain restaurants, especially in more tourist-frequented areas, they might ask for a tip. Tipping 10% is fine but is not obligatory. To give wedding guests an idea about the costs of visiting Sweden, we provide the following approximate costs: Fast Food meal: 120-150 SEK Casual restaurant meal with one alcoholic beverage: 200-300 SEK per person Upscale restaurant with two alcoholic beverages and dessert: 400-600 SEK per person Hotel stay: 1000-3000 SEK per night 90-min ticket for public transport: 36 SEK One-day ticket for public transport: 115 SEK Glass of wine at the bar/restaurant: 100-140 SEK

Travel Note

Alcohol in Sweden

Alcohol is highly regulated in Sweden and there is only one store from which to buy alcoholic beverages, the state-owned Systembolaget (literally: The System Company, https://www.systembolaget.se/). It is important to keep in mind that Sytembolaget is closed on Sundays and is only open for part of the day on Saturdays. It is also closed on holidays including Midsummer. Systembolaget does not refrigerate any of their beverages so if you want a cold beer or wine, then you will need to buy the beverage and refrigerate it yourself; cold alcoholic drinks for takeaway are essentially a foreign concept in Sweden. For these reasons, “planning your drinking” has become a part of Swedish culture. If you want cold beer or wine for your midsummer celebration or other activities, for example, then you will need to plan accordingly. Bars and restaurants will, of course, serve alcoholic beverages when they are open including on Sundays and holidays. However, due to taxes, the prices of such beverages are much higher than most other countries and you cannot order them for takeaway. The cost of a beer is typically between 60-120 SEK, wine between 80-150 SEK per glass or 600-800 SEK per bottle, and mixed drinks between 120-250 SEK. For those of you traveling with kids, there are two drinking ages in Sweden: to drink at the bars, the age is 18; to buy from Systembolaget, the age is 20. Even if you are much older than 20, be prepared to show ID at Systembolaget. Your local ID (e.g. driver’s license, national identity card) should work fine, but if you’re worried, bring along your passport. An interesting law in Sweden dictates that those restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages must also serve hot food. Thus, all but one bar in Gothenburg also serves hot food with the one exception being Ölhallen 7:an (lit: the beer hall, https://www.goteborg.com/en/places/olhallen-7an). It is also the oldest beer pub in Gothenburg.

Travel Note

Det Svenska Språket (The Swedish Language)

The national language of Sweden is Swedish, which is a North Germanic language closely related to the other Scandinavian languages of Danish and Norwegian. In fact, these three languages are close enough that they are considered to be mutually intelligible. As an interesting conversation starter, we recommend asking Swedes what they think of Danish and Norwegian. You are sure to get some interesting responses! If you speak other Germanic languages such as Icelandic, German, Dutch, or Afrikaans, you are sure to recognize many words in Swedish. For English speakers, you will also recognize a large number of Swedish words, albeit with a few systematic changes, since English is also a Germanic language and absorbed a large number of words from Old Norse when the Vikings lived in the British Isles. However, one does not need to be fluent in Swedish to efficiently communicate with the locals. Most Swedes, especially those 40 years old and younger, are fluent in English as English is a compulsory subject in schools from an early age. Most television programs and movies from the US, UK, and elsewhere are also subtitled (as opposed to dubbed), which further helps Swedes learn English to a very high level. Most locals are usually more than happy to help you out in English. Most restaurants have English menus, although that is not guaranteed, especially if the owners recently moved to Sweden from a non-English speaking country. Swedish employs the Latin script with three additional characters, specifically vowels: Å, Ä, and Ö. An interesting point here is that, for Sam, when he first moved to Sweden, he recognized the capital letter Å from his studies in physics and chemistry. In these subjects, the unit Å, called an Ångström or “angstrom” in English, denotes a length, specifically 1 Å = 1 x 10^-10 meters or 0.1 nanometers, which is about the length of a chemical bond. This unit Å is named after the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström.