Stockholm - Post Report Question and Answers
Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Sweden is an almost cashless society. Credit cards and the local electronic payment app 'Swish' are the most common forms of payment. There are ATMs, but since no one uses cash, I never used one. Re safety, I challenge you to find a safer place to live than Sweden. - Dec 2020
Yes, Sweden is a cashless country. I haven't had cash in my wallet for two years. Use debit/credit cards, SWISH on your phone (like Venmo), Apple Pay, anything other than cash. Often, if you try to pay with cash in a store or restaurant, they will look at you in disgust and inform you that they don't accept cash. It's strange to go back to the States now and shove paper bills and coins into my wallet and pockets. Cashless is the future! You'll get a good glimpse of it here. Works seamlessly, for the most part, and once you get SWISH on your phone, you don't even need your wallet to go out. Even taxis take it. The metro system uses an app. Your phone becomes key to everything. - Sep 2020
Credit cards are the only way to pay for many things in Stockholm. At this point, the only places that accept cash are gas stations, grocery stores, and 7-Elevens. - May 2020
Sweden is moving to a non-cash society. We tell visitors not to bother getting cash at the airport because they'll never use it. Credit/debit cards are a must. - Jan 2017
We use credit cards for everything! It is recommended to bring a card with chip and pin, as this will speed up every transaction you have (Swedes aren't used to having patrons sign for CC transactions). - May 2015
Pervasive and safe, but you can have a problem in some places (grocery stores) because if your credit card doesn't have a compatible chip and code system, they will ask you to provide ID along with your credit card. If you don't have a Swedish ID (in other words, if you have not been accredited and given your Swedish "personnummer" yet), they may not allow you to use the card. - Aug 2014
Very accessible, you will be charged the handling fee, of course. - Oct 2008
MC, Visa, Am EX. and plenty safe ATMs - Aug 2008
