Sweden runs in Swedish, but you can still follow what is happening. Here is where English news comes from, which sources to trust when something goes wrong nearby, and the one situation where you must not wait for English.
When you need this
You want to keep up with Swedish news before or during a trip, or you are staying for work or study and want something regular. More urgently: there is smoke on the horizon, sirens, a closed road or a power cut, and you want to know what is going on.
It also matters the moment the outdoor siren sounds or your phone shows a VMA. That is the one case where reading comes second and acting comes first.
Everyday news in English
Sweden’s public-service TV has no English news service, and the mainstream press publishes in Swedish. A visitor still has three solid English sources, each with a different job.
| Source | What it is | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radio Sweden (Sveriges Radio) | Public-service news podcast in English | Free | Daily headlines, weekdays |
| The Local Sweden | Private English news and practical-guide site | Partly paywalled | Explainers for people living in Sweden |
| government.se | The Government Offices’ English site | Free | Official decisions, press releases, speeches |
The Local publishes news and practical guides in English. Some articles are free; many are for paying members, and there is a free newsletter. It is a private company, so for emergencies and official decisions go to the official sites below.
Radio Sweden: still on air
If you read that Sveriges Radio cut its language services, that is partly true. Over the years it closed Radio Sweden’s German department and, in a 2024 savings drive, its Kurdish, Russian and Tigrinya services. English stayed.
In October 2026 Radio Sweden publishes a news podcast every weekday — we checked an episode for every weekday from 18 September to 5 October 2026 in Sveriges Radio’s own programme data. A weekly summary, Radio Sweden Weekly, airs on the P6 channel in Stockholm (89.6 FM) on Friday at 16:30, repeated Monday at 16:30. Elsewhere, listen at sverigesradio.se/radio-sweden or in the Sveriges Radio app (earlier called Sveriges Radio Play).
Learning Swedish? Radio Sweden på lätt svenska is a weekday podcast in easy Swedish for newcomers, and the newspaper 8 Sidor has written news in easy Swedish (lätt svenska) since 1984.
When something happens: crisis information
The decisive English source is Krisinformation.se, run by the Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (Myndigheten för civilt försvar, MCF, formerly MSB). It collects information from Swedish authorities before, during and after a crisis or serious incident.
Its English news section is genuinely current: on 5 October 2026 it carried a bus accident near Växjö and exercises on Gotland. It also has pages in about 20 further languages, including German and Dutch.
For weather, SMHI publishes its warnings in English on smhi.se, even though its app is Swedish-only — see SMHI weather warnings.
113 13, the number for questions
113 13 is Sweden’s national information number for accidents and crises: power cuts, contaminated water, storms, large fires, disease outbreaks. It is open around the clock, every day of the year, and costs your operator’s ordinary call rate.
| Number | Use it for |
|---|---|
| 112 | Emergencies — someone needs help now |
| 113 13 | Information about an accident or crisis |
| +46 77 33 113 13 | 113 13 from a foreign mobile or from abroad |
| 114 14 | Police, for crimes that are not ongoing |
Calling 112 to ask what is happening ties up the line for someone in danger. More on each number in emergency numbers in Sweden.
Alerts come in Swedish
A VMA (Viktigt meddelande till allmänheten, important public announcement) is Sweden’s public warning. Krisinformation says information about these announcements is primarily broadcast in Swedish.
Don’t wait for a translation. The instruction is the same every time:
- Go indoors.
- Close windows, doors and ventilation.
- Listen to Sveriges Radio P4.
P4 is the right station because Sveriges Radio runs more than 20 local P4 stations, so it carries news about your area. Krisinformation.se may publish details in English afterwards. The siren signals, SE-Alert and the 112 app are explained in Sweden’s emergency alerts.
What stays in Swedish
Most local reporting is Swedish-only, and it helps to know where the gaps are:
- Police incident reports (händelser) on polisen.se are published in Swedish. The police’s English pages cover services, permits and victim support, not news.
- SVT’s news site has sections in Finnish (Uutiset) and Sámi (Sápmi), but not in English.
- Municipal sites often have an English gateway that points onward to Swedish pages; the City of Stockholm’s English site marks many links “(in Swedish)”.
A translation app on your phone closes most of the gap. People are a different matter — see do Swedes speak English.
Mistakes to avoid
- Expecting SVT to have English news. It doesn’t.
- Waiting for an English VMA. Act on the Swedish one.
- Ringing 112 for information. Use 113 13.
- Dialling 113 13 from a foreign phone. Use +46 77 33 113 13.
- Trusting an old list. Radio Sweden’s language line-up has changed; check the dates.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Radio Sweden | Free; weekday podcast at sverigesradio.se/radio-sweden and in the Sveriges Radio app |
| Radio Sweden Weekly | P6, Stockholm 89.6 FM, Friday 16:30, repeat Monday 16:30 |
| Krisinformation.se | Free; English at krisinformation.se/en, about 20 other languages incl. German and Dutch |
| 113 13 | 24/7, ordinary call rate; +46 77 33 113 13 from a foreign phone |
| government.se | Free; official English press releases and speeches |
| The Local Sweden | Some articles free; paid membership for the rest (price on thelocal.se) |
| VMA | Primarily in Swedish; go indoors, close up, listen to P4 |
FAQ
Is there Swedish news in English?
Yes. Sveriges Radio’s Radio Sweden publishes a free English news podcast every weekday plus a weekly summary, The Local runs an English news and guides site with some articles behind a paywall, and government.se carries official statements. SVT has no English news service, so most local reporting stays in Swedish.
Does Radio Sweden still exist?
Yes. In October 2026 Sveriges Radio still publishes Radio Sweden in English, with a news episode every weekday and Radio Sweden Weekly broadcast on P6 in Stockholm on Fridays. Several of Radio Sweden’s other language services, including German, Russian and Kurdish, have closed over the years, so check the episode dates before relying on any service.
Where can I find emergency information in English in Sweden?
Use krisinformation.se/en, the government’s crisis-information site, which publishes English news on accidents, power cuts, severe weather and other incidents. For questions during a major event, call 113 13, or +46 77 33 113 13 from a foreign phone. SMHI publishes weather warnings in English on smhi.se. Call 112 only if you need help.
What is 113 13 in Sweden?
113 13 is Sweden’s national information number for accidents and crises, such as power cuts, contaminated water, storms, large fires or disease outbreaks. It is open around the clock and costs an ordinary call. From a foreign mobile or from abroad, dial +46 77 33 113 13. It is not an emergency number: for help, call 112.
Are Swedish emergency alerts in English?
Not reliably. Krisinformation says information about public announcements (VMA) is primarily broadcast in Swedish. Do not wait for a translation: whenever you hear the siren or receive a VMA, go indoors, close windows, doors and ventilation, and listen to Sveriges Radio P4. Krisinformation.se may publish details in English afterwards.
Is The Local Sweden free?
Partly. The Local publishes Swedish news and practical guides in English, and some articles are free to read, but much of the site is reserved for paying members; a free newsletter is also offered. It is a private news company, not an official source, so for emergencies and official decisions use krisinformation.se and government.se.
Related guides
- Sweden’s emergency alerts — what the siren, a VMA and SE-Alert mean and exactly what to do.
- SMHI weather warnings — the yellow, orange and red levels, readable in English.
- Emergency numbers in Sweden — 112, 114 14, 1177 and when to use each.
- Offline maps and apps — what to install before you lose signal.
- Do Swedes speak English? — people yes, many official systems no.
Facts verified 2026-10-06. Sources: Sveriges Radio, Krisinformation.se / Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency, SOS Alarm, Government Offices of Sweden, Swedish Police, SMHI — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.