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Getting around Stockholm

Public transport: 

Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL) (tel: (08) 600 1000; www.sl.se) runs Stockholm's well-integrated network of metros, commuter trains, buses and trams.

The metro (tunnelbana) is the core of the system (stations are marked with a blue 'T' on a white background) and is integrated with the commuter train service, although services on the latter are less frequent.

There are not many trams left in the city, although visitors might find the vintage Djurgårdslinjen (tram 7) useful, as it passes many city sights.

Single tickets, valid on all services, are available on board buses or at metro stations. Rabattkupong (discount coupons) are available from newspaper stands.

SL offers tickets for one, three and seven days' travel on the public transport system inside the Greater Stockholm area. The Stockholm Card (Stockholmskortet) gives free access to public transport among other benefits and is available for either 24, 48 or 72 hours. You can buy it at Stockholm Information Service offices.

Taxis: 

Taxis can be hailed on the street or ordered by telephone from Taxi Stockholm (tel: (08) 150 000) or Taxi Kurir (tel: (08) 744 9400 or 300 000). Computer/radio taxis can also be ordered online and accept major credit cards as payment. Taxis have higher rates for evenings and weekends. Tips are usually included in the fare.

Driving: 

Scattered over 14 islands and governed by strict speed limits, Stockholm is not an ideal city for drivers. Visitors might be better advised to use the excellent public transport system instead. Drivers face numerous restrictions and petrol prices that are among Europe's highest.

The main car park in the centre is the Galleriangaraget, at the Gallerian complex, Hamngatan 37, which has almost 800 car parking spaces. Q-Park (www.q-park.se) provides a website, complete with maps, which focuses on parking in Stockholm. Stockholm Parkering (tel: (08) 772 9600; www.stockholm-parkering.se) offers many parking facilities in the city.

A cheaper alternative if you're planning on arriving early in the morning (before 0900) is to leave your car at one of several park-and-ride car parks just outside the city limits and use public transport to reach the centre. These car parks typically charge less than SKr20 a day and there are 22 scattered around Stockholm, offering over 3,000 parking spaces.

Car hire: 

The minimum age for car hire is 18 years, provided that drivers have held a driving licence for one year. Some larger cars are restricted to those over 24 years. A national driving licence, passport and credit card are required for hiring a car in Stockholm. Fire and third-party liability is mandatory in Sweden and is included in all car hire deals.

Cars are available from Avis (tel: (08) 202 060; www.avis.com), Europcar (tel: (08) 210 650; www.europcar.com) and Hertz (tel: (08) 797 9900; www.hertz.com), all of which are located near the Stockholm Central Station.

Bicycle hire: 

Cykel and Mopeduthyrningen, Strandvägen 24 (tel: (08) 660 7959), and Cykelstallet, Scheelegatan 15 (tel: (08) 651 0066; www.cykelstallet.se), both provide bicycle and scooter hire. Gamla Stans Cykel, Stora Nygatan 20 (tel: (08) 411 1670; www.gamlastanscykel.se), also offers bike hire.

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