Practical information : Going out Sweden
Timetable
Bars and pubs close for the most part between midnight and 1am, while nightclubs close around 3am, so it is advisable to start your evening early if you want to have time to party.
Budget & Tips
Entrance to the clubs, most of the time, costs between 100 and 150 SEK. However, some clubs have a policy of free entry before a certain time (usually 10 or 11 pm), to encourage partygoers to come earlier! The price of drinks is usually higher than in bars, so be prepared.
To be booked
Reservations are usually required for concerts and festivals.
Night transport
In the capital, most transport services run until 1 a.m. on weekdays and all night on weekends. In other major cities, overnight services are often provided during the weekend.
Age restrictions
In Sweden, alcohol is not a joke. Remember to always carry your ID card with you when you go out, because you will always be asked for it. You have to be over 18 years old to enter a bar, and it is the same to enter a club normally. However, many clubs choose to have a higher age limit in order to sort out their clientele, so sometimes you have to be over 22, 23 or even 25 to get in. However, these rules are not official and exceptions are made, so there is nothing to lose by trying your luck if you are really motivated (provided you are over 18 of course!).
What's very local
Without hesitation, the local speciality is Systembolaget, or "systemet" as it is called. Imagine a large supermarket entirely dedicated to the sale of wines, beers, spirits, and nothing else! This chain of stores, owned by the Swedish state, is the only one authorized to sell alcohol, and you have to be at least 20 years old to enter! The opening hours are very limited in order to fight against the problem of alcoholism in the country. Thus, the stores close around 8pm on weekdays, at 3pm on Saturdays and do not open at all on Sundays. Keep these hours in mind and be on time, because on Fridays in the late afternoon and on Saturdays, real queues of Swedes pushing carts full of bottles are formed in the stores!
Smokers
In Sweden, smoking is only allowed in smoking areas. In clubs, there is usually a clearly marked area outside where you can smoke.