Sweden is one of Europe’s easier countries to travel alone as a woman. This guide covers the Swedish specifics that generic advice leaves out: how the law defines consent, which numbers to save, how to get home at night, and where to go if something happens.
When you need this
- You’re deciding whether Sweden suits a first solo trip.
- You’re planning late nights out, night buses or a night train on your own.
- You’re choosing between a hostel dorm, a private room or a mountain hut.
- You want to hike alone in the mountains or forests.
- Something has happened, whether harassment, a spiked drink or an assault, and you need to know where to turn.
What traveling alone is like
In Sweden, a woman eating alone, drinking alone at a bar or taking a night train alone draws no attention. English is widely spoken, and the overall crime picture for visitors is low and falling; our guide to whether Sweden is safe sets out the official figures.
The honest part is that sexual crime is not rare, and it falls mostly on women. In the national victim survey run by Brå (Brottsförebyggande rådet, the National Council for Crime Prevention), 6.2% of women and 1.0% of men said they were exposed to a sexual offence during 2024, with the highest exposure among women aged 20–24. Around 9,300 rapes were reported to the police in 2023.
Those are figures for the whole resident population, not rates for tourists. The reporting count is also high partly because Sweden’s legal definition of rape is broad, as the next section explains. We name no neighborhoods and single out no group on this page. Police area classifications are not risk maps for visitors.
The law on consent and harassment
Since 1 July 2018, Swedish law has turned on frivillighet (voluntariness). Sex with someone who is not participating voluntarily is rape, and violence or threats are not required for a conviction.
| Offence | What the law says | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Våldtäkt (rape) | Voluntariness must be expressed in words, actions or some other way. It is never voluntary under violence, threats or coercion, or when someone is unconscious, asleep, seriously frightened or intoxicated | Prison (Brottsbalken 6 kap. 1 §) |
| Sexuellt ofredande (sexual harassment) | Unwanted sexual touching, indecent exposure, conduct violating sexual integrity | Fines or up to 2 years |
| Ofredande (molestation) | Conduct that physically affects someone or seriously disturbs their peace | Fines or up to 1 year |
For a visitor, this matters in two ways. Groping in a crowd is a crime you can report, not just bad behavior. And if you were too drunk to consent, the law does not treat that as consent.
Numbers to save before you go
Put these in your phone before you land. The police line needs its +46 format from a foreign SIM.
| Number | What it is for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 112 | Danger to life, property or the environment | Free; Swedish or English |
| +46 77 114 14 00 | Police, non-urgent (114 14 on a Swedish SIM) | Open 24 hours; charged at your own rate |
| 116 016 | Kvinnofridslinjen, the national helpline for anyone exposed to violence or sexual violence | Free, anonymous, 24 hours; interpreters for most languages |
| 116 006 | Brottsofferjouren, support for crime victims and witnesses | Free; not 24 hours |
Kvinnofridslinjen changed number in 2025. It moved to the EU-wide 116 016 on 28 April 2025. Many English guides still list only 020-50 50 50. That old number still connects, but 116 016 is the one to save. The helpline is not limited to domestic violence: it covers sexual violence too, and relatives and friends can call as well. Counsellors can bring an interpreter into the call for most languages spoken in Sweden, though connecting one can take up to ten minutes. The chat service is in Swedish only and has limited hours.
Getting home at night
Night transport in the big cities runs later than many visitors expect.
- Stockholm: the metro runs all night at weekends. On other nights, night buses take over; their route numbers end in 90. See Stockholm public transport.
- Skåne: Öresundståg trains between Copenhagen, Malmö and Lund run through the night, roughly hourly in the small hours. See Skåne public transport.
- Taxis: book by app or phone so the car and price are fixed before you get in. A legal taxi has yellow plates and a visible driver ID. Never accept a ride from a driver who approaches you in an arrivals hall or on a platform. At Arlanda, use only the official ranks. Our taxi guide explains the pricing.
- Night trains: SJ lets you choose a women’s compartment (damkupé) when you book a shared berth. You can also book a whole compartment. See night trains to Lapland.
On a night out, the usual habits apply: watch your drink, and agree beforehand how you’ll get home. If something feels wrong, tell the bar staff and call 112.
Hiking and the outdoors alone
The hazards on a solo hike are remoteness, weather and phone signal, not other people.
- Leave a trip plan (färdmeddelande): tell someone your route and when you expect to be back. The guestbooks in mountain shelters are not followed up unless something happens.
- Don’t rely on your phone alone. Coverage is patchy, and cold drains batteries fast. Carry a map and compass.
- Know the help phones. Most huts and shelters in roadless mountain areas have one, and they can be used out of season.
- Call 112 and ask for fjällräddning (mountain rescue) if you need help.
Our mountain safety guide covers the rest.
If something happens
After a sexual assault in Stockholm, Södersjukhuset runs the Akutmottagning för våldtagna, an emergency clinic for rape victims. It is open 24 hours and every visit is free. You don’t need to have reported to the police. The clinic accepts women, men and trans people aged 13 and over, including people who are just passing through Stockholm. Call 08-123 646 70 before you go.
The clinic secures evidence within seven days of an assault and stores it for two years if you haven’t reported, so you can decide about the police later. Outside Stockholm, go to a hospital emergency department; see emergency rooms in Sweden.
To report to the police, call 114 14 (or +46 77 114 14 00) or go to a police station. Visitors can’t use the online form, because it needs a Swedish ID number. See reporting a crime as a visitor.
Emergency contraception is sold without a prescription at Swedish pharmacies. One type works up to 72 hours after sex and the other up to 120 hours. Take it as soon as you can.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Emergency | 112, free |
| Police, non-urgent | 114 14 / +46 77 114 14 00; charged at your own rate |
| Kvinnofridslinjen | 116 016, free, 24 hours (old number 020-50 50 50 still works) |
| Victim support | Brottsofferjouren 116 006, free, not 24 hours |
| Rape clinic, Stockholm | Södersjukhuset, 08-123 646 70, 24 hours, free, no police report needed |
| Emergency contraception | Pharmacies, no prescription; price varies |
| Consent law | In force since 1 July 2018 |
FAQ
Is Sweden safe for solo female travelers?
Yes. Eating, drinking and traveling alone as a woman is unremarkable in Sweden, and overall crime against visitors is low. Sexual crime still happens: in Brå’s 2024 survey, 6.2% of women reported exposure to a sexual offence. Ordinary precautions apply, and the helpline 116 016 and police number +46 77 114 14 00 are worth saving before you go.
What is Sweden’s consent law?
Since 1 July 2018, Swedish law treats sex with someone who is not participating voluntarily as rape. Voluntariness must be expressed in words, actions or another way, and violence or threats are not required for a conviction. A person who is asleep, unconscious, seriously frightened or intoxicated cannot be considered to participate voluntarily.
What number do women call for help in Sweden?
In an emergency, call 112. For support after violence or sexual violence, call Kvinnofridslinjen on 116 016: it is free, anonymous and open 24 hours, and staff can bring in an interpreter for most languages. The old number 020-50 50 50 still works. For non-urgent police matters, call +46 77 114 14 00 from a foreign mobile.
What should I do if I am sexually assaulted in Sweden?
Get safe and call 112 if you are in danger. In Stockholm, Södersjukhuset’s emergency clinic for rape victims is open 24 hours, free, and does not require a police report; call 08-123 646 70 first. Elsewhere, go to a hospital emergency department. Evidence can be secured now and the reporting decision made later.
Is it safe to take night buses and trains alone in Sweden?
Generally yes, and they run later than many visitors expect. Stockholm’s metro runs all night at weekends, with night buses on other nights, and Öresundståg trains link Copenhagen, Malmö and Lund through the night. On SJ night trains you can book a berth in a women’s compartment or take a whole compartment.
Is it safe to hike alone in Sweden as a woman?
The risks on a solo hike are weather, distance and phone signal rather than other people. Leave your route and return time with someone at home, carry a map and compass, and know that huts and shelters in the mountains have help phones. Call 112 and ask for mountain rescue, fjällräddning, if you need help.
Related guides
- Is Sweden safe? — the full crime picture and what the UK and US advisories say.
- Solo travel in Sweden — costs, hostels and meeting people when you travel alone.
- Emergency numbers in Sweden — every emergency and support line in one place.
- Reporting a crime as a visitor — the police report, step by step.
- Mountain safety in Sweden — for anyone hiking the fjäll alone.
Facts verified 2026-09-24. Sources: Brå, Riksdagen (Brottsbalken), Polismyndigheten, SOS Alarm, Kvinnofridslinjen / Nationellt centrum för kvinnofrid, 1177 / Södersjukhuset, SJ, Transportstyrelsen, Swedavia, Fjällsäkerhetsrådet, SL, Öresundståg, UK FCDO — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.