A two-week loop from Stockholm: Uppsala and the Falun mine, Lake Siljan in Dalarna, the forests of Värmland, the granite coast of Bohuslän, Gothenburg, Lake Vättern, Småland with its elk and glassworks, Kalmar and the island of Öland, then the Baltic coast. You drive on wide, quiet roads, headlights on day and night, watching out for elk at dawn and dusk.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Stockholm | Start |
| Days 3 to 4 | Rättvik | 310 km · 4h15 |
| Day 5 | Sunne | 228 km · 3h30 |
| Days 6 to 7 | Fjällbacka | 233 km · 3h40 |
| Days 8 to 9 | Gothenburg | 174 km · 2h35 |
| Day 10 | Gränna | 186 km · 2h25 |
| Days 11 to 12 | Kalmar | 271 km · 3h55 |
| Day 13 | Söderköping | 241 km · 3h20 |
| Day 14 | Back to Stockholm | 175 km · 2h20 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
June to August: long days, sites open every day, and no congestion tax in July in Gothenburg or Stockholm (except the first five working days). In winter, winter tyres are compulsory from 1 December to 31 March in wintry conditions, days are very short and many sites are closed on weekdays.
🚗 310 km · 4h15 of driving from Stockholm
E4 to Uppsala, then E4 and E16 via Gävle to Falun, route 69 towards Lake Siljan. First elk forests.
🚗 228 km · 3h30 of driving from Rättvik
Route 70 along the Siljan to Mora, then the E45 (Inlandsvägen) via Malung and Torsby, through the forests of Värmland.
🚗 233 km · 3h40 of driving from Sunne
E45 via Karlstad, minor roads through Dalsland to Håverud, then routes 164 and 163 towards the Bohuslän coast.
🚗 174 km · 2h35 of driving from Fjällbacka
Route 163 then the E6 south, detour via the Tjörn Bridge (route 160) and Skärhamn. Congestion tax on entering Gothenburg.
🚗 186 km · 2h25 of driving from Gothenburg
Route 40 via Borås and Ulricehamn to Jönköping, then the E4 along the east shore of Lake Vättern.
🚗 271 km · 3h55 of driving from Gränna
E4 and route 40 to Eksjö, routes 31 and 28 via Vetlanda to Kosta, route 25 to Kalmar. Elk forests.
🚗 241 km · 3h20 of driving from Kalmar
E22 north via Västervik and Valdemarsvik, between forests and Baltic bays.
🚗 175 km · 2h20 of driving from Söderköping
Skip Dalarna, Värmland and the west coast: Stockholm (2 nights), Gränna (1) via the E4, Kalmar (2) with Öland, Söderköping (1), then back to Stockholm.
| Rental, July (most expensive month) | ≈ €46 a day |
|---|---|
| Rental, October (cheapest) | ≈ €33 a day |
| Annual average | ≈ €43 a day (Kayak, Arlanda, Sept. 2026) |
| Small car | ≈ €42 a day on average |
| Vehicle | Small petrol car: diesel costs nearly 30% more than petrol (September 2026). |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | At Arlanda Airport or in Stockholm. It's a loop, so no one-way fee. |
| Congestion tax | The vehicle owner is liable: the rental company receives the bill and passes it on to you. |
| Age and licence | 18 minimum with some rental companies, often older; licence held for one year; surcharge under 25. |
| Winter tyres | Compulsory from 1 December to 31 March in wintry conditions: check them when you collect the car. |
⚠️ Stockholm and Gothenburg charge for entering the city by camera, with no barrier: the bill goes to the rental company, which passes it on to you after you return the car.
Valid throughout the EU, with no International Driving Permit. Rental companies require a licence held for one year. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
Dipped headlights compulsory day and night, even in high summer.
50 in towns unless signed, 80 to 100 on signed roads, 110 to 120 on motorways.
A very low limit: in practice, not a single drink before driving.
After hitting an elk, roe deer or wild boar: mark the spot and call 112. Otherwise, a fine.
Including 4,820 elk since January (viltolycka.se). Highest risk at dawn and dusk.
Weekdays from 06:00 to 18:29, by camera. Nothing at weekends, on public holidays or in July.
Compulsory in wintry conditions; studded tyres allowed from 1 October to 15 April.
≈ €1.55 per litre of petrol (17.5 SEK), €2.00 diesel (22.5 SEK)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 1,818 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €200 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
National averages, September 2026 (bensinpriser.nu, GlobalPetrolPrices). Diesel costs nearly 30% more: choose a petrol car.
| Motorways | Toll-free; only four bridges charge (Öresund, Motala, Sundsvall, Skuru), all off the route |
|---|---|
| Congestion tax, Stockholm | 11 to 45 SEK per passage depending on the time, 135 SEK max per day (105 outside high season) |
| Congestion tax, Gothenburg | 9 to 22 SEK per passage, 60 SEK max per day |
| Öland Bridge (6 km) | Free |
| Carl Larsson-gården | 265 SEK per adult, guided tour (2026) |
| Mårbacka | 230 SEK per adult, guided tour (2026) |
| Congestion tax, Stockholm | Not charged in July, except the first five working days |
|---|---|
| Congestion tax, Gothenburg | Not charged in July, at weekends or on public holidays |
| Winter tyres | Compulsory from 1 December to 31 March in wintry conditions |
| Mårbacka | Open daily from 13 June to 23 August 2026 |
| Smögenbryggan | Season from late May to mid-September; quay accessible all year |
Allow 10 to 14 days for this loop of 8 stages and 13 nights from Stockholm, through Dalarna, Bohuslän, Gothenburg, Småland and Öland. In 7 days, stick to Stockholm, Lake Vättern, Kalmar and Öland. Lapland needs a separate trip.
Rental in July: about €46 a day at Arlanda (Kayak), so nearly €600 for 13 days. Petrol: 17.5 SEK a litre (about €1.55), so about €200 at September 2026 prices for some 2,000 km. Congestion taxes: a few dozen kronor per passage in town, nothing in July.
Nothing to do on the spot: cameras read the plate on weekdays from 06:00 to 18:29, 11 to 45 SEK per passage, 135 SEK at most per day. The vehicle owner, meaning the rental company, is billed and charges it back to you. Nothing at weekends, on public holidays or in July (except the first five working days).
Put out the warning triangle, mark the spot (marking tape or a visible object) and call 112, even if the animal has run off. It is compulsory for elk, roe deer, wild boar, deer, bear or wolf; failing to inform the police is punishable by a fine. Over 51,000 collisions in 2026, including 4,820 elk.
Yes, dipped headlights on day and night, all year round. The alcohol limit is 0.2 g/l, the default speed limit 70 km/h outside built-up areas and 50 in towns. From 1 December to 31 March, winter tyres are compulsory in wintry conditions.
Yes, but it's another trip: Abisko is more than 1,300 km from Stockholm, about 17 hours' drive. For Lapland, allow at least one more week, or take the night train and rent a car there.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/sweden · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
