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When it comes to using your credit card in this country, it’s pretty much as good as it gets; Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, with American Express slightly behind.
Something to consider while planning your trip to Sweden is whether your credit card charges foreign transaction fees. Although not large, these fees can pile up over the course of a vacation.
Using a credit card with Visa or Mastercard branding will not present any significant problems, given their widespread acceptability. While acceptance of American Express cards is less common, even fewer establishments accept Discover cards.
While you can use your credit card just about everywhere in Sweden, some small businesses might offer discounts if you pay in cash and some others may not accept cards at all. As a result, keep small amounts of cash handy.
Cirrus, Plus and other networks provide connectivity to ATMs across Scandinavia, so you can use your Mastercard or Visa debit or credit card to withdraw money. Banks in Sweden impose fees when non-customers use their ATMs, and the fee is usually higher for international cards. This fee is in addition to the fee that your bank might charge. Before you leave, consider asking your American bank if your PIN requires reprogramming for international use.
Depending on the card you use, you might end up paying different kinds of fees when you use it outside of the US.
American credit cards tend to come with 2% to 3% foreign transaction fees, which you’ll need to pay every time to make a purchase outside of the US. The good thing is you can find some cards that come with no foreign transaction fees, examples of which include the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card, the USAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card and the Marriott Rewards® Premier credit card.
What should you do if a merchant in Sweden asks you whether you want your card to be swiped in US dollars? You say no. If your card is swiped in US dollars outside of the US, you become subject to dynamic currency conversion. In this case, there’s no telling what exchange rate you’ll get and there’s a good chance you’ll need to pay a currency conversion fee as well.
| Merchant acceptance | ATM acceptance | |
|---|---|---|
| Visa |  High | High |
| Mastercard | High | High |
| American Express |  Medium | High |
| Discover | Medium |  Low |
Using your credit card to get a cash advance is not recommended and you may think about doing this only in an emergency. While you’ll need to pay a cash advance fee, the cash advance APR is usually noticeably higher than the APR for purchases. Besides, you’ll need to start paying interest from the day of the transaction. The table below serves as an example of how much an overseas cash advance can cost.
Using credit cards in Sweden is largely safe, although it’s best that you exercise some caution.
While crime levels in Sweden are low, instances of petty crime are not uncommon. Petty theft and pickpocketing are common in Stockholm’s Old Town, popular tourist destinations, museums, amusement parks, public transport, bars and restaurants. Don’t leave your bag or purse unattended in hotel breakfast rooms or in parked cars.
While magnetic-stripe cards are on their way out, you can still use them at most businesses and ATMs in Sweden. Some exceptions include vending machines at gas stations, toll booths and railway stations. Since chip cards offer enhanced security, it is ideal that you use them instead. If you have a chip and PIN card, you’ll need to enter the PIN while your card stays in the machine’s slot.
You may not face difficulties in using a chip-and-signature card expect at unmanned vending machines. The merchant will still insert your card in the machine’s slot, and you’ll sign a receipt instead of entering a PIN.
In some instances, machines might prompt you to enter your PIN, and shopkeepers might not know what to do to process the payment, so it’s always a good idea to carry some cash.
You won’t have much trouble in using your credit card when you’re in Sweden, and by asking yourself these simple questions you can look forward to a relatively smooth trip.
Using an American credit card will present no significant problems in Sweden, especially if you’re using a Visa or Mastercard credit card. What you need to look for is the most cost-effective option.
See more guides on using a credit card in other countries.
Swedeen is mostly a cashless society, meaning you can use your credit card virtually everywhere, including at hotels, shops, restaurants and museums. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, but some merchants may accept American Express and Discover cards as well.
Despite this, you will still pay foreign transaction fees on every purchase unless you use a travel credit card.
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