Travel Tips - Things you might not have thought of!

[seymour glass]

This is a great thread! Has anyone encountered any challenges with purchasing fuel in Sweden, Norway, or Finland--specifically regarding finding filling stations and finding gasoline as opposed to diesel? Or regarding paying for fuel at the gas stations?

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[rpmccormick]

Has anyone encountered any challenges with purchasing fuel in Sweden, Norway, or Finland--specifically regarding finding filling stations and finding gasoline as opposed to diesel? Or regarding paying for fuel at the gas stations?

Not at all. My experience is gas stations are pretty plentiful and you should find Euro 95 grade gas everywhere. (That is about equiv to the US 91 octane and what you need to use in the drive-e cars.)

With today's navigation systems you should also have access to a large POI database including where all stations are!

I've never had a problem with paying for fuel - whilst I've always used a credit card without problem ... I would recommend carrying some local currency for emergency cases where a credit card may not work.

[seymour glass]

Not at all. My experience is gas stations are pretty plentiful and you should find Euro 95 grade gas everywhere. (That is about equiv to the US 91 octane and what you need to use in the drive-e cars.)

With today's navigation systems you should also have access to a large POI database including where all stations are!

I've never had a problem with paying for fuel - whilst I've always used a credit card without problem ... I would recommend carrying some local currency for emergency cases where a credit card may not work.

Thanks rp!

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[Siru]

I travel in Finland every couple of years and have had problems trying to use the fully automated (no attendant) gas stations with an American credit card without a chip. So, if you don't have a chip card yet, I'd recommend getting one. Cash is always a good idea, as rpmccormick recommended.

[Siru]

rpmccormick, what's the best way to the first morning delivery at Volvo and how much in advance should we do that?
Thanks, again!

[rpmccormick]

rpmccormick, what's the best way to the first morning delivery at Volvo and how much in advance should we do that?

In your OSD paperwork they tell you to contact the FDC (best just by email) to make arrangements. I think the recommendations are for some number of days prior to arrival - but I always contact them as soon as I have my itinerary complete.

You should tell them your name and the order number.

They will provide courtesy transportation to the hotel if you need that. For example, if you are arriving via air let them know the date, time, flight number and number of people and they will have a driver at the airport to meet your flight and take you to the hotel. (If by chance you are coming in via train to Göteborg CS that's a short walk to the hotel.)

Then ask for an early morning delivery time on the day you'd like. I think the first OSD vehicles are around 9 or 10 in the morning (they are there earlier but often delivering other vehicles, including police cars!) - when they confirm your time slot they'll also arrange transportation for you from the hotel to the FDC.

HTH

[caruttop]

This is a great thread! Has anyone encountered any challenges with purchasing fuel in Sweden, Norway, or Finland--specifically regarding finding filling stations and finding gasoline as opposed to diesel? Or regarding paying for fuel at the gas stations?

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There is absolutely no problem finding fuel in/ around Scandinavia and other parts of Europe -- I did OSD last Summer (late June 2015) of 2015.5 V60 T5 - we drove through Sweden, ferry to Finland, separate ferry to Estonia, then through Latvia and Lithuania on way to 3rd ferry back to Sweden --- never a problem finding gasoline (vs diesel) --- only problem I had was in Latvia (I think) where I pre-paid fuel at an unattended station -- the only way to receive refund was to call toll free number -- did this, but then phone was dying and I got cut off -- on very tight schedule and didn't have time to wait on hold again. I only lost about $3 (USD).

[William]

Summers in Sweden are something special. It is no wonder why people spend more time outdoors and in the countryside, as the sun never seems to truly set.

Explore the variety of things Sweden has to offer during the warmer months of the year! From Malmo in the south to Lapland in the north - here are the top 10 tips for enjoying a Swedish summer

[Row57]

My tips are mostly for continental Europe as I didn't spend much time in Sweden. I might do a trip report of my three week OSD in the near future.

Don't rely on the Sensus navigation system. Cross reference the overall route details with Google Maps or another source to make sure you have the best route. ViaMichelin isn't entirely accurate for trip duration or tolls fee estimations. For some countries, Sensus navigation will have speed camera locations, but it's not all of them. Assume all traffic lights have red light cameras so don't try to beat the light if you can safely stop when it turns yellow.

Volvo will preload European maps before you arrive, you don't have to ask. It's still a good idea to save the latest version of the maps on a USB drive as the FDC staff might not have used the latest version (mine was a couple of months old). It takes about an hour of the car being on to install the maps and it will require turning off the car to finish the install. That means start the install when your next turn is in 150 miles and you need a rest or fuel stop in an hour or so.

Volvo pays your tolls for Sweden. They'll forward speeding, parking, and other fines to you from all countries.

Gas stations on toll roads and major motorways are open 24 hours a day. Most gas stations and some stores will not take the 200 and 500 Euro bills - some cashiers say it's because those bills are easily counterfeited. If you decide to exchange currency to Euros, make sure you don't get a bill higher than 100 just to avoid any hassle. All of those gas stations took my chip and signature card without issue. Gas in most expensive in Germany, France, and Italy. I didn't fill up in Sweden so I don't have information for it. Expect to pay 90+ Euros per fill up, depending on the type of premium fuel you want to use. Regular 95 (RON) octane will work, but you might notice slower acceleration at higher speeds. I found 102 (RON) octane gas and that provided a very noticeable performance boost.

Some countries like Austria and Slovenia require a vignette as a toll payment to drive on their motorways. The major border entries in Slovenia have billboards or banners stating "buy vignettes here" as a hint. Austria does not give such hints on the route I took. Go to the first gas station once you enter Austria and buy a vignette.

For those of you taking Stena Line ferries, remember that the floors in the car decks can be very dirty from exhaust and other things. When loading your luggage in the trunk, place it wheels out. You don't want to spend an hour or more of your vacation cleaning your light colored interior after that mistake. The rubber floor mats for the first and second row at the FDC are around 110 USD and we ended up buying a second set since the first got so dirty.

On the Gothenberg to Kiel route, have your reservation number ready and they'll print out your tickets at the entrance gate. On the Kiel to Gothenberg route, go into the "Schwedenkai 1" building with your reservation number and passports to print off your tickets. If you arrive early enough for either route, you might be able to board by walking onto the boat with your luggage and coming back out to drive your car on once that process starts. Once your car is parked on the boat, bring everything from the car you will need. They lock the doors from the elevators right away and you will not have access to your car until arriving at the port the next morning. In case you did forget something, you can go to the information desk and be escorted by security to your car, if they are available. You'll have more luck a few hours after departure. In the morning, expect a long wait at the elevator so it's best to go at the last moment.

It's not something most of us will ever experience in the US but worth a mention. If you will taking advantage of the unrestricted sections of the German autobahn, being in top gear will feel like you have no power at all. I'm not sure if it's some limiter or just aerodynamic drag but acceleration is very sluggish past about 185 kph (T6). Expect to get 8-14 (US) MPG. For best gas mileage (and longevity of your brakes) at higher speeds, keep a faster car half a kilometer in front. The faster car will get the people who are doing 114 kph in the passing lane out of the way while you coast to the traffic speed.

If you witness this colossally stupid example of driving by someone in a Peugeot, van, or caravan, just take it in your stride and move on. It's a myth that German drivers on the autobahn are aggressive - all that I've seen throughout the country have been reasonably polite if you behave properly. Remember that it's your responsibility to not hit the vehicle ahead of you or faster traffic in the left lane, if there is one. While it might not be the law, at high speed the left lane should not be treated as a passing lane but rather the only lane to be in. If you're going very fast, stay in the left lane and don't switch lanes unless there is faster traffic behind you. Slower traffic a kilometer ahead (if they can even see you, there are a lot of long curves on the autobahn) will more likely slow down instead of try to pass the vehicles ahead if they notice a car in the passing lane behind them. If you move out of the passing lane at high speed, it is now your responsibility to not hit the car ahead of you, even if they switch to the left lane seconds after you do. Following this advice will result in much less wear on your brakes.

However, German precision is a myth. If you're around Hamburg, you'll see plenty of its road construction thanks to the delays. Before the construction zones, there will be a sign indicating the width restriction in a red circle for the passing lane. The smallest width restriction I've seen is 1.9 meters and many are 2.2 meters. The XC90 is about 2.01 meters wide. In some zones, the XC90 can easily fit in the 1.9 meter width restricted lane but in some 2.2 meter restricted lanes, even some small cars moved to the outside/slow lane. The metal divider/median also moves around a bit as people hit it over the weeks. Play it safe and move to the slow lane in road construction zones. Disable the lane keeping assist before any construction zone. Sometimes you might want to move out of your lane a bit into the shoulder to give the person next to you more space, but lane keeping assist will want to move you back. In this situation, the safety feature is a hindrance.

Doctors can make "house calls" to your hotel if it's needed. The total price after-hours, during the weekend, with medication in France was 300 Euros. For an emergency room visit, followed by a hospital visit for stitches to be sown and a prescription for antibiotics, expect to pay about $70 USD in an eastern European country. In many cases, additional health insurance might not be needed. For unfortunate circumstances where more serious care is required, it's a good idea. If you're going to visit most of Europe like I did, insurance coverage for many countries will not be cheap and might not be worth getting. If you're visiting only a couple of countries, it's a few hundred extra dollars and is worth getting.

The Landvetter Airport Hotel is kind of weird, but nice. It's best if you have an early flight as it's a four minute walk from the hotel's front door to the baggage drop off counters in the airport. They have a shuttle if the weather isn't cooperative.

[hiamitabha]

We did a OSD trip in November 2016, and visited Copenhagen, Gothenburg, and Stockholm. Volvo's OSD package is really 5 star treatment, and I cannot think of a reason why new car buyers should not seriously consider this option. The highlight of the trip was the seafood, both at Gothenburg and Stockholm; food lovers: please sample as much fish as you can, it is really worth it.

The New years break gave me some time to compose a video highlighting our experience. Please view it at your leisure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NNKA2q8GHI

[eksy]

Thanks for putting the video together! I enjoyed it!

[hiamitabha]

Thanks for watching and for the feedback.

[GregK]

We did a OSD trip in November 2016, and visited Copenhagen, Gothenburg, and Stockholm. Volvo's OSD package is really 5 star treatment, and I cannot think of a reason why new car buyers should not seriously consider this option. The highlight of the trip was the seafood, both at Gothenburg and Stockholm; food lovers: please sample as much fish as you can, it is really worth it.

The New years break gave me some time to compose a video highlighting our experience. Please view it at your leisure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NNKA2q8GHI

Thanks for the memories.......

[Profiler]

Thanks for the memories.......

What a delightful way to remember your trip!

Congratulations!


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[William]

New Visit Sweden website:

Sweden's official website for tourism and travel information "Visit Sweden" has a new web home. The new and improved www.visitsweden.com is now open! You are invited into their new home to learn about Swedish destinations, sights & landmarks, facts and info about things to see and do when you fly over to receive you new Volvo at the factory in Sweden.

[Gammelgubbe]

Not sure if this the right thread but are there only certain hours which you can drop your car for return in Gothenburg?
Just trying to plan for driving from Stockholm and getting there in time.

Thanks

[SeabeckS]

We’re also interested in this information. Our flight to Paris leaves on Monday at 12:15 May 28th. Hope we don’t cut it too close!

Thanks for any information!

[Mikey54]

Not sure if this the right thread but are there only certain hours which you can drop your car for return in Gothenburg?
Just trying to plan for driving from Stockholm and getting there in time.

Thanks

As I recall, the car needs to be dropped off no later than 3:00.

[Orphanscribe]

Not sure if this the right thread but are there only certain hours which you can drop your car for return in Gothenburg?
Just trying to plan for driving from Stockholm and getting there in time.

Thanks

My first OSD will be in June, but I'll summarize my recollection of what others have reported elsewhere on the OSD forum.

The Foreign Delivery Center is only open Monday through Friday. I think it opens, and closes, quite early. It shuts down after the day's deliveries, roughly at 2:30 pm local time. If you call and let them know your ETA, the short drop-off process goes even faster. Good for you and for them.

Someone also reported that when they called and reported they had been delayed enroute, one (?) person stayed at the FDC, accepted the redelivery, then locked up as soon as the car owner was out the door. So be sure they know that, and when, you're coming. Otherwise you could roll in at 3:30pm and find the place locked and empty.

Allow also for time needed to get to your next destination.

If you ask, Volvo will arrange transportation after drop-off to airport, train station, or your local hotel. Again, let them know in advance that you're coming, and your destination. If they have to call for transport after you arrive, you and they may wind up waiting for it to arrive.

In all this, remember Metro Gothenburg is a real live city, population 1MM. There can be traffic between the FDC and all those destinations. Plan accordingly.

Hope that helps. If you search this forum you'll find the "first hand" war stories I've summarized.

[SeabeckS]

Thank you kind sirs, we’ll be sure to coordinate with FDC for the drop off. Hope it’s true they can give us a ride to the airport!

[Gammelgubbe]

Very helpful! Tusen tack! 😀
It’s a 6 hour drive from Stockholm so that would mean a wretchedly early start.
I think I’ll plan for an extra day.

[Mikey54]

Thank you kind sirs, we’ll be sure to coordinate with FDC for the drop off. Hope it’s true they can give us a ride to the airport!

yes, its true. I suggest coordinating via email before you drop off so they have a driver ready.

[SeabeckS]

yes, its true. I suggest coordinating via email before you drop off so they have a driver ready.

Will do! Cheers!

[amd2800barton]

For those looking how long to plan, FDC told me that returning the car typically takes about 30mins - 1hr at the FDC. Add in travel times to/from your destination, and leave room for traffic.

[SeabeckS]

Another minor detail question...? Is it customary to tip drivers who transport you to the hotel, FDC, and back to the airport? If so, how much? I don’t want to offend anyone...

Totally ignorant newbie here! 🤔

[skibum50]

That's a good question; I'd like to hear answers too.
I've never been to Sweden, so I'm just assuming they have the usual European practice of simply rounding up amounts instead of straight percentage tips, but for a "free" service like Volvo's pickups I have no idea. What do you all do?

[Laslonimne]

That's a good question . . . they have the usual European practice of simply rounding up amounts instead of straight percentage tips, but for a "free" service like Volvo's pickups I have no idea. What do you all do?

"Rounding up" is the usual tipping practice in Sweden.

I did not tip the courtesy transportation drivers. I assumed they were Volvo employees and well-paid.

[Orphanscribe]

"Rounding up" is the usual tipping practice in Sweden.

I did not tip the courtesy transportation drivers. I assumed they were Volvo employees and well-paid.

+1. However, some people reported Volvo just hired them a taxi.

[Mikey54]

None of our 3 drivers were Volvo employees

[SeabeckS]

None of our 3 drivers were Volvo employees

So, did you tip them?

[Mikey54]

So, did you tip them?

2 of them yes, the one who tried to kill us, no : )

[Orphanscribe]

the one who tried to kill us, no : )

Details, snalla du?

[SeabeckS]

2 of them yes, the one who tried to kill us, no : )

Yikes!

[skibum50]

I've read in various places that there are many establishments in Sweden that refuse payment in cash -- credit cards only, and the trend is accelerating.

Have other recent travelers found this to be true? I'm OK with using a card, but I'm old fashioned enough to often prefer cash.

[Orphanscribe]

I've read in various places that there are many establishments in Sweden that refuse payment in cash -- credit cards only, and the trend is accelerating.

Have other recent travelers found this to be true? I'm OK with using a card, but I'm old fashioned enough to often prefer cash.

According to many reports, one Scandinavian "establishment" not only refuses cards, but demands not just cash, but coins. Public toilets, and even toilets in many retail spaces, are apparently almost all "pay." Few have been upgraded to take cards, nor have they been, ah, pressured by inflation to take bills. Forewarned is forearmed.