Discover Stockholm by Hire Car
Stockholm is the largest city in Scandinavia, with a population of nearly 800,000 in an area of just under 190 square kilometres, and is also the capital of Sweden.
Not only does the Swedish parliament meet here, but the royal couple also live here, residing in Stockholm Castle on the island of Stadsholmen.
The location of Stockholm is already very extravagant. Located in the east on a gulf of the Baltic Sea, it spans 15 islands connected by 53 bridges. Stockholm may be the only capital in the world where you can fish for salmon in the middle of the city.
But it’s not just Stockholm that delights with its diversity. There is also a lot to discover in the surrounding countryside. And the best way to do that is by hire car. For rental and travel we have compiled a few tips.
Receiving the hire car
Most hire car forms are located in “Arlanda's hire car area”. A shuttle bus will take you there. Just take the “Parking Bus Beta” from terminals 2, 4 and 5
If you booked your car with Sixt, you will need to take the Parking Bus Alfa, which will take you to the “Arlanda low-price parking facility Alfa”. Some rental companies do not have their station directly in the airport, but only nearby. In this case, you sometimes have to wait a long time for the shuttle there and lose precious travel time.
Choosing the right hire car
Many travellers underestimate the distances to cover in Sweden. If you want to drive from Stockholm to Kiruna in the north of the country, for example, you will have to cover over 1200 kilometres and spend over 13 hours in your hire car. So better choose a bigger and more comfortable car to enjoy the drive in a relaxed way.
Hire car prices
It is not cheap to hire car in Stockholm. On the other hand, the price differences between small cars and luxury cars are usually pleasingly small. You can usually get the best deal if you reserve the hire car well in advance and use our handy price comparison.
hire car price comparison Stockholm
Insurance
If a moose runs in front of your car in the Swedish wilderness, an accident is usually unavoidable. With a fully comprehensive insurance without deductible you are well insured in such a case.
With liability insurance, you should pay attention to the amount of coverage. It should be at least one million euros.
If the coverage of your rental company seems too low, you should ask your insurance company for a so-called Mallorca policy to be sufficiently protected.
age limit
You must be 21 years old to hire car with almost all hire car companies. Some charge an additional fee for drivers under 25. Find out what the conditions are before you rent.
Accessories
Maybe you want to go camping in Sweden and need a roof rack to carry the equipment. Or they may want to use a navigation device to find their destination more easily.
In such cases, you should check with your rental company before renting the car to see if they have the items you need in stock and if they are available on your arrival day.
Language barrier
Practically all Swedes speak English very well, so you will have no trouble communicating.
Free kilometers
As mentioned before, it is important to travel long distances in Sweden. So if you want to explore more than just the immediate Stockholm area, you should book a car with free kilometres.
Customer Review Hire Car
Most of the customers are satisfied with the hire car companies in Stockholm. There were complaints about rental companies whose station was not directly at the airport but only nearby. With these providers, customers often had to wait longer to be taken to the station. Before booking, find out if your rental company is also located in the airport.
Safety hire car
In Stockholm, you can actually expect to get a roadworthy car. Nevertheless, you should test the car’s lights and brakes before your first drive.
Also inspect the car for dents or scratches and have defects confirmed in writing in a defect report. This is the only way to avoid being held liable after returning the car for damage that you did not cause.
Bail
Only book with rental companies that only block the deposit on your credit card and don’t actually charge it. Then you don’t have to wait for the money to be transferred back into your account after you return the car.
Sights in Stockholm
Old town with medieval structures
The historic old town Gamla Stan is located like the castle on Stadsholmen, with the urban structures from the Middle Ages, still clearly visible today.
Characteristic are the small, narrow streets that slope down to the water. In the centre is the Tyska Kyrkan, a German church.
More imposing is the northern part of the island with the Royal House, or Bondesches Palais, from the 17th century, which used to serve as the town hall.
Riddarholms Church: resting place of kings
The island of Helgeandsholmen in Stockholm is mainly home to 19th-century administrative buildings and the Gothic Riddarholmskirche, where Swedish kings are laid to rest.
Norrmalm: Back to Modernity
In contrast, modern Stockholm can be found on Norrmalm, which was built in the mid-20th century. Also worth seeing is Strandvägen, a magnificent boulevard with wonderful houses from the Wilhelminian period on the island of Östermalm.
Suggestion for a round trip
Norrköping: The Manchester of Sweden
A first trip by hire car could take you first to Norrköping. You can be there in less than two hours.
Norrköping is also known as the Manchester of Sweden, as the city has long made a living from metal production, paper processing, and the spinning and processing of fabrics.
After these industries were no longer profitable, however, the old workshops were not demolished but put to new use.
Museums moved in, other buildings became congress halls or concert halls, so that today “Gamla Industrilandskapet” attracts visitors in droves.
Hjo: picture-book village by the lake
You will experience a complete contrast if you now steer the hire car to Hjo in about two and a half hours. Situated on a lake, the village brings back memories of Pipi Longstocking.
Picturesque wooden houses line the cobblestone streets. Here you can stroll at leisure and take boat trips on the lake in the summer months.
Askersund: picturesque shopping paradise
Before you drive back to Stockholm, you should make a stop in Askersund. You’ll be there in just over an hour. In Askersund, you can hunt for souvenirs in the small shops in the Hantverksboden warehouse and the sailing ship anchored in front of it, and then relax in a cosy café in the pretty town.
You now have three hours to drive back to Stockholm, which you can use to think about where to go on your next hire car trip.
Conclusion
The wider Stockholm area is wonderful to explore by hire car.
However, you should allow plenty of time because of the sometimes long distances.
With our practical price comparison you will always find a comfortable car at favourable conditions.
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