Travel to Sweden (Europe)

It is true what they say that to travel and experience different cultures is the best education one can get. Although a vicarious and anecdotal experience at times can be a good measurement of how things really are, it is in the actual experience when one can realize how things are. It is not therefore a waste of one's resources when spent on traveling to different places, getting out of one's territory and comfort zone to feel how the other half lives. It is the experiences which will help you understand a bit more about humanity and perhaps teach tolerance among other people with their way of life, their culture, and in some sense, their own perspective of things.

The recent advancements in technologies related to infrastructure and travel have made it more affordable, convenient and economical for people to travel these days, added to the economic incentives of freeing up the skies and giving more airlines access to utilize air routes. The economies of scale have resulted in literally cheap seats available at a moment's notice. The internet has helped improved the competitiveness for such seats by making such information available and through online purchases through credit cards, people have taken advantage of such instances. Airlines have banded together and formed alliances which result in heavier usage of their aircrafts, which can fly optimal loads of passengers thanks to advances in structure and material composition for aircrafts. In short, aircrafts are lighter and yet sturdier than those done 45 years ago.

One area in Northern Europe that has benefited from such is Sweden. Before 2000, travel to Sweden was restricted through ferry and boat rides. With the opening of the Oresund Bridge, one can travel non stop between mainland Europe and Sweden. This 16 kilometer or ten mile bridge links Denmark's capital, Copenhagen with Malmo, Sweden's third largest city. One can either cross through by car or just pay an average of 56 dollars or 34 euros. If you are traveling by rail from the United Kingdom to Sweden, you can use the Eurostar service through the Channel Tunnel. Take a train from London or Kent to Brussels, which connects you to the train links to Copenhagen, and from Copenhagen take the Oresund Bridge link to Malmo.

Sweden has been attracting a lot of college and post college travelers for many reasons: the newest one is the musical influence of Sweden into pop culture. From ABBA to the Cardigans to Roxette, this pop sound is now somewhat a point of attraction for people to visit Sweden. But for whatever reason you chose, visiting Sweden is a lot easier these days and it should be a country worthy of consideration for your next vacation.

If you were a backpacker traveling in Europe from the 60's till the late 90's, there is a great possibility that you missed out on traveling to Sweden using your train pass since there were direct train rides to Sweden, being just north of Mainland Europe. In those days to travel to Sweden by train, you would have to pass to some of the Eastern Bloc Countries, which might have been difficult in getting a visa into some of them. But times have changed and today, with the Oresund Bridge effectively connecting Sweden to Mainland Europe through Malmo on the Swedish Side to Copenhagen, Denmark on the other, more and more people are likened to include Sweden in their places to go when getting a train pass. This can only boost the tourism industry of Sweden as it becomes a choice for people on their holidays.

Added to this, even air travelers can easily fly to Sweden these days. Thanks to Star Alliance which is an association of airlines wherein passengers can interchange their frequent flyer miles to go to other places, this integration of sorts have enjoined SAS, the national carrier of Sweden to other airlines, effectively making it worthwhile for travelers to visit Sweden during their holidays. Amongst the members of the Star Alliance are the following carriers: United Airlines and US Airways, Turkish Airlines, Thai Air, Tap Portugal, Swiss Air, Spainair, South African Airways, Singapore Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, Egypt Air, Croatia Airlines, Continental Airlines, Brussels Airlines, BMI, Blue 1, Austrian Air, Asiana Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, Air New Zealand, Air China, Air Canada, and Adria Airways. You can easily check online for any promotions that these airlines have and the net effect of this strategic grouping is that economically made it viable for passengers of these airlines to visit most places in the world.

There are many reasons to go on Sweden holidays. Some prefer the winter months for its nice areas to do winter sports like skiing and snowboarding or prefer to watch the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights which is best viewed between September and March. Some prefer the summer months especially during The Midnight Sun Times which happens from late May to mid July where one can literally have a sun tan at midnight. Others do go there on Sweden holidays for the great party and ambiance of the big cities like Stockholm and Malmo, or for the quieter times traveling to see castles from different centuries. All in all, going to Sweden is a worthwhile undertaking thanks to the many incentives it gives due to infrastructure changes making the country more accessible to all.