Security

Public spaces are regularly patrolled in Sweden. Police have a visible presence, but much of the work in transport hubs, shopping spaces and outdoor gatherings is by ordningsvakter, guards dressed in blue-grey fatigues.

The Krisinformation.se website is produced by the civil emergency agency MSB and contains a lot of information for residents of Sweden travelling aboard, but also alerts on Sweden.

Safety & crime

The website Numbeo, which provides data on destinations for travellers or expats, compiles crime and safety indexes for countries based on surveys of expatriate residents.

Numbeo compiles responses from site users regarding feelings of safety while walking during daylight and at night, worries regarding mugging, robbery, car theft, physical attacks by strangers, harassment in public places, and discrimination based on factors such as skin colour, ethnicity, gender and religion. Survey results provide an assessment of the extent of property crimes and evaluation of the perception of violent crime, including assault, homicide and sexual offences.

Numbeo's crime index for Sweden is moderate at 48.04, its safety Index 51.96 (lower figures for crime are good, high figures for safety are good). But users had a strong perception that crime had increased in the past five years.

Numbeo's indexes put Sweden about the same overall level as the US, UK, Australia, Ireland, Greece, Italy and Belgium.

Among Swedish cities, contributors assign Malmö the highest crime index (56.1) with a safety rating of 43.9. Stockholm's crime level is lower (46.1) but safety (53.9) is of greater concern. Gothenburg (45.8 and 54.2) is very close, but smaller Lund (33.0 and 67.0) has a crime rate that is low and a high level of safety. This seems to reflect the situation in most of Sweden's small cities. Violent crime is considered rare.

Terror: However, the Swedish government considers the country a priority target for terrorism and early in 2025 said the threat level was high, rating four on a scale of five. Western governments warn attacks could occur and their citizens should monitor media reports and security warnings. The UK government warns travellers "attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by foreign nationals".

Embassies & consulates

Contact details for embassies of English-speaking countries, or countries where English is widespread, are below. Home countries recommend their citizens register for "smart traveller" services, which provide email updates to travellers detailing current advice and perceived threats.

Australia
Australian Embassy 
8th floor, Klarabergsviadukten 63, Stockholm
tel 08-6132900 (M-F 8.30-16.30)
Australian citizens emergency number tel 08-6132900
Email: [email protected]

Canada
Embassy of Canada
Klarabergsgatan 23, Stockholm
tel 08-4533000 (M-F 9-12, 13-17)
Canadian citizens emergency number tel 08-4533000
Email: [email protected]

India
Embassy of India
Kornhamnstorg 4, Stockholm
tel 08-68432100 (M-F 9-17.30)
Indian citizens emergency number tel 073-4844992
Email: [email protected]

Israel
Embassy of Israel
Strandvägen 58, Stockholm
tel 08-52806500 (M-Th 9-12.30, 13.30–14.30, F 11-13.30)
Israeli citizens emergency number tel 08 -52806500
Email: [email protected]

Malaysia
Embassy of Malaysia
Karlavägen 37, Stockholm
tel 08-4408400 (M-F 8.30-16.30)
Malaysian citizens emergency number tel 08 -7918760
Email: [email protected]

New Zealand
New Zealand Embassy
Skarpögatan 6, Stockholm
tel 08-40017270 (M-F 9-17)
New Zealand citizens
emergency number tel +64 0800-301030
Email: [email protected]

Singapore
Embassy of the Republic of Singapore
Singapore citizens emergency number tel +65 63798000

South Africa
South African Embassy 
6th floor, Alsnögatan 7, Stockholm
tel 08-6607693 (M-F 9-12.30)
South African citizens emergency number tel
Email: [email protected]

UK
British Embassy
Skarpögatan 6, Stockholm
tel 08-243950 (M-F 9-17)
British citizens emergency number tel 08-243950
Email: [email protected]

US
US Embassy
Dag Hammarskjölds väg 31, Stockholm
tel 08-7835300 (M-F 8-16.30)
US citizens emergency number tel 08-7835300