Sweden

<map lat='62' lng='15' zoom='5' view='0' float='right' height='550'/> Sweden is a member state of the European Union as well as the Schengen Agreement. Many say that hitching in Sweden sucks. But it works too! As anywhere in Western Europe, the motorways are the holy temples of car driving religion and someone standing on them is committing blasphemy. But you can hitch on the highway ramps as well as on local roads. Better bring a good map, though, so that you won´t end up in an unexpected place.

A big van driven by a group of Germans, and Israeli hitch-hiker Erga (on the left) on a gas station on the E4 towards Stockholm

There is no special need of practicing your Swedish since almost everyone speaks English there.

Cities

• Göteborg
• Halmstad
• Malmö
• Nyköping
• Stockholm
• Lund

Crossing the border

Sweden is in the Schengen treaty. This treaty is rather well respected at the Finnish and Norwegian borders but has stricter regulations at the terminals where ferries from Denmark port, or at the bridge uniting Copenhagen with Malmö. Stricter control and special attention is usually applied to those of other races. If you get unlucky, you might be made to strip during their search. The reasons of such strict control derive from the Sweden's specific economic situation (incl. high taxes on alcohol, tobacco, etc.) which attracts a number of smugglers, and a high-standard social security system which is a target of illegal immigrants.

Gas station by the lake, North from Gävle

Camping

Ready to sleep - a pitched tent outside the road in northern Sweden.

There is a one night's law in Sweden which allows a traveler to camp one night anywhere he wants.