Published 12 Oct 2026
The easiest first trip to Sweden is four nights in Stockholm, including a day among the archipelago islands, then a three-hour train to Gothenburg for three nights. Budget roughly ₹1.4 to ₹1.9 lakh per person for seven days, and start the Schengen visa at least six weeks before you fly.
Visa and entry rules for Indians
Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for tourism in Sweden, applied for in advance. We checked the Swedish Migration Agency’s visiting Sweden for up to 90 days page and the VFS Global Sweden India page on 12 October 2026. They say:
- Where to apply: at the Swedish Visa Application Centre run by VFS Global in India. If you visit several Schengen countries, apply to the country where you spend the most nights, which here is Sweden. You can apply up to six months before departure.
- Fee: €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12, with no visa fee under 6. VFS adds a service charge of €19 (including GST) for everyone. Payment is by cash or card, and fees are not refunded if the visa is refused.
- Processing: a decision is normally made within 15 days of the embassy in New Delhi receiving your application. VFS adds two days for applications lodged at other centres, because of postal delivery.
- Funds: the Migration Agency says you must have SEK 700 for each day of your visit. The amount may be lower for younger children, if you have prepaid meals and accommodation, or if you stay with family or friends. Some third-party sites quote a lower figure, so go by the official page.
- Insurance: travel medical insurance covering at least €30,000, valid in all Schengen countries for the whole trip.
- Passport and photo: issued within the last 10 years, at least two blank pages, valid three months past the visa’s expiry. Fingerprints are taken at submission, but children aged 0 to 12 are exempt.
- Forms: complete the Schengen application form electronically, print it back to back, then sign and date it. Parents or a legal guardian sign for minors.
The Swedish Migration Agency’s page does not publish a document checklist in the text we could read, and VFS links its checklist per visa type, so download the current one before your appointment. The Schengen visa also covers the rest of the Schengen area, the same process as in our Denmark family plan and Norway fjords plan (Norway is in Schengen as well). More facts are on the Sweden hub.
Apply only through VFS Global or the embassy. Look-alike “Sweden visa” sites charge large fees for the same appointment.
What it costs in rupees
Per person, for two people sharing a room, seven days and six nights. These are our estimates, and they move with season and with the day’s exchange rate. One Swedish krona is roughly ₹9 to ₹10, and one euro about ₹100 to ₹105.
| Item | Approx. cost per person |
|---|---|
| Return flights Delhi or Mumbai, one stop | ₹55,000 – ₹75,000 |
| Visa fee (€90) plus VFS service charge (€19) | about ₹11,500 |
| Hotels, 6 nights (double room at SEK 1,100–1,500, shared by two) | ₹31,000 – ₹43,000 |
| Food, mixing supermarkets, fika, lunch menus and one restaurant meal | ₹25,000 – ₹35,000 |
| Trains, metro, buses and ferries | ₹8,000 – ₹12,000 |
| Tickets (Vasa Museum, Skansen, Liseberg or a boat tour, one more museum) | ₹6,000 – ₹9,000 |
| Travel insurance, eSIM, small extras | ₹4,000 – ₹6,000 |
| Total | ₹1.4 – ₹1.9 lakh |
Hotel prices in Stockholm peak in June and July and fall in May and September. Book Gothenburg rooms early if your dates fall on a weekend with a concert or football match. A booked-ahead train fare on the Stockholm to Gothenburg line is much cheaper than a same-day ticket, so buy it on the SJ app as soon as dates are fixed.
Day-by-day itinerary
Days 1–4: Stockholm
Day 1: arrive and walk Gamla Stan. Take the Arlanda Express or the regional train from the airport into the centre, drop your bags and walk Gamla Stan, the medieval old town on its own island, with cobbled lanes around the Royal Palace and Stortorget square. Eat early, then watch the long evening light over the water.
Day 2: Djurgården. The island of Djurgården holds the Vasa Museum, which houses a 17th-century warship that sank on its maiden voyage and was raised intact, and Skansen, an open-air museum of old Swedish buildings with a zoo for Nordic animals. Allow a full day, and take the tram or the ferry from Slussen back.
Day 3: archipelago day trip. Stockholm sits on the edge of an archipelago of about 30,000 islands. A boat to Vaxholm is the easiest version, taking about an hour from the city centre, with waterfront cafés and a small fortress. Check the Waxholmsbolaget timetable, which changes by season, and bring a jacket for the open water.
Day 4: Södermalm and a museum. Cross to Södermalm for the Fjällgatan viewpoint, vintage shops and cafés, then pick one museum: ABBA The Museum for a pop-music fan, Fotografiska for photography, or the Stockholm City Hall tower for the view. Keep the evening free for a last fika.
Days 5–7: Gothenburg
Day 5: train west. Take a morning SJ train from Stockholm Central to Gothenburg, about three hours. Walk the Haga district’s cobbled street and sample a cinnamon bun the size of a plate, then go to the fish market hall, Feskekôrka, for lunch.
Day 6: canals and the archipelago. Take a Paddan canal boat in the morning, then a tram-and-ferry to the southern archipelago islands such as Styrsö or Brännö, which use public-transport tickets. Walk, swim if the water allows and return by ferry in the evening.
Day 7: Liseberg or the botanical garden, then fly home. If your flight is late, visit Liseberg, Gothenburg’s amusement park, which is seasonal, or the Slottsskogen park and its free animal enclosures. Gothenburg’s Landvetter airport is about 30 minutes from the centre by airport coach, but most India flights leave from Stockholm Arlanda, so check which airport your ticket uses.
Midsummer, daylight and the right month
Sweden’s draw in summer is light. In June, Stockholm has about 18 hours of daylight and never gets properly dark. Midsummer Eve falls on the Friday between 19 and 25 June, and many shops and restaurants close for the holiday, so book transport and dinner in advance. May and September are cheaper and quieter, with mild days and a less crowded Vasa Museum. July and August are warmest and busiest, and some café owners and small ferries are on holiday. For an aurora trip instead, our Finland Lapland plan fits winter better.
Eating as an Indian traveller
Sweden is expensive for restaurants, so use dagens lunch (lunch menus at weekday restaurants with a main and salad), supermarkets (ICA, Coop) and bakery fika to keep costs down. Vegetarian options are widespread in both cities, and Indian restaurants are common in Södermalm and Gothenburg’s Linné. Traditional food such as meatballs and herring is meat or fish, so ask about ingredients. Tap water is safe to drink.
Practical tips
- Money: Sweden uses the krona and is nearly cashless. Cards and phones work almost everywhere, and UPI does not.
- Transport: use the SL app for Stockholm and Västtrafik for Gothenburg, and buy intercity tickets through SJ.
- SIM: an eSIM bought before you fly saves queueing at the airport.
- Plugs: Sweden uses Type C and F sockets at 230 V, so pack an adapter.
- Entry: allow time for EU Entry/Exit System checks at the airport.
- Right of public access: Swedish law lets anyone walk and swim across most land, but leave no litter and keep clear of private gardens.
- Alcohol: wine and spirits are sold only at state-run Systembolaget shops, which close early at weekends.
Related guides
For another Schengen trip on the same visa, see our Denmark family plan or the Norway fjords plan. All facts for Sweden are on the Sweden hub.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Sweden?
Yes. Indian passport holders need a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for a tourist trip to Sweden. You apply at the VFS Global Swedish Visa Application Centre in India, and the Embassy of Sweden in New Delhi decides. The visa allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
How much is the Sweden visa fee for Indians?
VFS lists €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 12, with no visa fee under 6. A VFS service charge of €19 applies to every applicant, and optional services such as courier (€7) cost extra. The rupee amount depends on the exchange rate on the day, and fees are not refunded if the visa is refused.
How long does a Sweden Schengen visa take?
The Swedish Migration Agency says a decision is normally made within 15 days of the embassy receiving your application, and VFS adds two days if you lodge outside Delhi. You can apply up to six months before departure. Apply at least six weeks before you fly and do not buy non-refundable tickets until the visa is in hand.
How much money do I need to show for a Sweden visa?
The Swedish Migration Agency says you must have SEK 700 for each day of your visit. The amount can be lower for younger children, if meals and accommodation are prepaid, or if you stay with relatives or friends. You also need travel medical insurance of at least €30,000 valid in all Schengen countries.
How many days are enough for Sweden?
Seven days covers Stockholm (three to four days including an archipelago day) and Gothenburg (two to three days) with a three-hour train between them. With five days, keep Stockholm and add a day trip, and skip Gothenburg.
How much does a Sweden trip cost from India?
Roughly ₹1.4 to ₹1.9 lakh per person for seven days, for two people sharing a room, including return flights, the visa, mid-range hotels, trains, food and entry tickets. Flights and hotels are most of it, so travelling in May or September rather than July trims the bill.
Can I use UPI or cash in Sweden?
UPI does not work in Sweden. The country is almost cashless, and many shops, cafés and public transport accept cards or phones only, so a forex card or an international Visa or Mastercard is the main tool. Carry a small amount of kronor at most.
Is Sweden good for vegetarian Indian travellers?
Mostly yes. Stockholm and Gothenburg have many vegetarian cafés and Indian restaurants, and supermarkets stock vegetarian ready meals. Traditional Swedish food is heavy on fish and meat, so ask about ingredients, and Jain travellers should carry dry snacks.
