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When will Sweden scrap its non-EU travel ban?

UPDATED: Swedish authorities lifted most Covid-19 restrictions on February 9th. But what does this mean for the non-EU entry ban?

Published: 3 February 2022 16:08 CET
Updated: 9 February 2022 08:37 CET
When will Sweden scrap its non-EU travel ban?
File photo of passport control on the Swedish border. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

February 9th: Updated to reflect Sweden’s removal of entry restrictions for arrivals from EU countries.

What are the current rules?

On February 9th, the Swedish government removed all border restrictions for travellers from the EU, EEA or any of the Nordic countries. This means that if you travel from one of these countries directly to Sweden, you don’t have to show a Covid vaccine pass or negative test.

But the entry ban is still in place until March 31st for non-EU arrivals, also referred to as “third country” arrivals.

This means that people travelling to Sweden from non-EU/EEA countries cannot enter the country unless they are covered by one of a series of exemptions from the entry ban. Such an exemption could be for example living in a so-called “exempt country”, having a valid Covid vaccine pass issued by an “approved country”, or being a resident of Sweden.

What do we know so far, and what is unclear?

When the government lifted the restrictions for the rest of the EU, it said that the entry restrictions for the rest of the world would remain in place for now “in accordance with EU recommendations regarding entry from third countries”.

They are currently set to expire on March 31st, but could in theory be extended again.

“The government is continuously reviewing the entry restrictions introduced due to the pandemic. It is important that the restrictions do not go beyond what is justified,” a Health Ministry spokesperson told The Local when asked for a comment. “The government will be back as soon as possible with further information on this issue.”

The Local will provide updates when more information is available.

Member comments

  1. Thank you for your informative articles. As new residents of Sweden, they help us navigate the sometimes confusing regulations of our new, and wonderful home.

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For members

TRAVEL NEWS

When will trains between Stockholm and Uppsala be back to normal?

Trains between Uppsala and Stockholm are currently running at reduced capacity due to a signal fault, which may take days – or even weeks – to fix.

Published: 9 February 2022 10:45 CET
Updated: 9 February 2022 15:14 CET
When will trains between Stockholm and Uppsala be back to normal?

What has happened?

A fire in a signal box between Arlanda and Knivsta on Tuesday evening caused a signal failure affecting trains between Stockholm and Uppsala, according to the Swedish Transport Administration’s website.

Both regional trains and commuter trains are affected. All departures on the Stockholm-Uppsala line were still cancelled at the time of publication on Wednesday morning.

The following stations may be affected: Uppsala C, Knivsta, Märsta, Stockholm Central, Sundsvall Central, Hudiksvall, Söderhamn, Gävle Central, Arlanda Central, Örebro Söder, Örebro Central, Arboga, Kungsör, Eskilstuna Central, Strängnäs, Läggesta, Nykvarn, Södertälje Syd, Flemingsberg, Falun Central, Borlänge Central, Säter, Hedemora, Avesta Centrum, Avesta Krylbo, Sala and Heby.

When will the problem be fixed?

As of 11am on Wednesday morning, a very limited number of trains are now running on the affected service –  two commuter trains and one long-distance train in each direction, every hour.

However, trains are not stopping on the affected line between Upplands Väsby and Stockholm, and all trains are passing via Arlanda, with none travelling via Märsta.

“It’s a lot less than usual, but that’s what we can handle right now,” said Katarina Wolffram, press spokesperson at the Swedish Transport Agency to newswire TT.

The Swedish Transport Administration’s press service told TT that it could take weeks until train services are back to normal, due to the time it will take to repair wiring in the affected signal box.

According to the press service, the Swedish Transport Agency are working to ascertain whether a technological solution can be used which would allow trains to run while repairs are being carried out, TT reports.

“We hope we’ll be able to find a technical solution so that trains can pass through, especially the long-distance trains which are difficult to replace with bus services,” Wolffram told TT.

Anders Hedgren from Swedish railway company SJ was more optimistic, telling TT that it may be fixed in days rather than weeks.

“We haven’t received a prognosis yet, but I think we’re talking about days,” he told the newswire.

How can I get to my destination if my journey is affected?

The Swedish Transport Administration advises travellers to contact their train company for specific information about their journeys.

Travellers holding tickets from SJ, SL or Mälartåg train companies will be able to use their tickets on any of these services.

The same is true for affected travellers on SJ, UL and X-trafik services, who can use their tickets on any of these services.

Rail replacement buses will be running on affected lines.

Trains departing from further north will be running but may be diverted, leading to delays.

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