By air: Domestic airlines in Sweden tend to use Stockholm Arlanda (code ARN; 08-797 60 00; www.lfv.se) as a hub, but there are 30-odd regional airports. Flying domestic is expensive on full-price tickets (usually between Skr1000 and Skr3000 for a single ticket), but substantial discounts are available on Internet bookings, student and youth fares, off-peak travel, return tickets booked at least seven days in advance or low-price tickets for accompanying family members and seniors. It's worthwhile asking about stand-by fares.

By rail: Sweden has an extensive and reliable railway network and trains are certainly faster than buses. However, many destinations in the northern half of the country cannot be reached by train alone.

Costs
Travel on the super-fast X2000 services is much pricier than on 'normal' trains. Full-price 2nd-class tickets for longer journeys are expensive (around twice the price of equivalent bus trips), but there are various discounts available, especially for booking a week or so in advance (förköpsbiljet), or at the last minute (for youth and pensioner fares). Students (with a Swedish CSN or SFS student card if aged over 26), and people aged under 26, get a 30% discount on the standard adult fare.

X2000 tickets include a seat reservation. All SJ ticket prices are reduced in summer, from late June to mid-August. SJ trains don't allow bicycles to be taken onto trains (they have to be sent as freight).

Station luggage lockers usually cost between Skr20 and Skr30 for 24 hours

By road: Sweden has good roads, and the excellent E-class motorways don't usually have traffic jams.

Buses: You can travel by bus in Sweden on any of the 24 good-value and extensive länstrafik networks, or on national long-distance routes.

You don't have to reserve a seat on Swebus Express services. Generally, tickets for travel between Monday and Thursday are cheaper, or if they're purchased over the Internet, or more than 24 hours before departure. If you're a student or senior, it's worth asking about fare discounts; however most bus companies will only give student prices to holders of Swedish student cards (the exception is Swebus Express, where you can get an ISIC discount).

The länstrafik bus networks are well integrated with the regional train system, with one ticket valid on any local or regional bus or train. Rules vary but transfers are usually free within one to four hours. Fares on local buses and trains are often identical.

In remote areas, taxis may have an arrangement with the county council to provide a reduced-fare taxi trip to your final destination. These fares are only valid when arranged in advance (they cannot be bought from the taxi departure point). Ask the regional bus company for details

Car-hire: Fly-drive packages may save you money. International rental chains (such as Avis, Hertz and Europcar) are more expensive but convenient; all have desks at Stockholm Arlanda and Göteborg Landvetter airports and offices in most major cities. The best car hire rates are generally from larger petrol stations (like Statoil and OK-Q8) - look out for signs saying biluthyrning or hyrbilar.

Public Transport: In Sweden, local transport is always linked with regional transport (länstrafik). Regional passes are valid both in the city and on the rural routes. Town and city bus fares are around Skr15, but it usually works out cheaper to get a day card or other travel pass.

Some recommended dishes:

• Köttbulla (Swedish Meatballs)
• Plättar (Swedish Pancakes)
• Julgröt (Swedish Christmas Porridge)
• Klimp (Dumplings)
• Jansson's Frestelse ("Jansson's Temptation")

• Liseburg Amusement Park
• Slottsskogen
• Botaniska Trädgården
• Archipilego of South Gotenburg
• Kungsportsavenyn
• Ice Hotel
• Engelsberg Ironworks
• Varberg Radio Station, Grimeton, Sweden
• Church Village of Gammelstad
• Drottningholm Palace

• Swedish embassy
• Tourist guide
• Lonely Planet Sweden