Transportation:

Inside Uppsala

The only public transportation within Uppsala is bus. The bus services are exceedingly efficient but just a tad pricey. Buses use the UL card system or credit card. However, using a credit card is not recommended as it is more expensive and can take some time, prompting accusatory stares, exasperated sighs, and shaking heads from the other passengers in the bus.

You can get a UL card at any Pressbyran (the Swedish equivalent of our 7/11 store) or from the Airport Information Counter. You can either top up the UL card with money or purchase a student concession which costs roughly 600SEK (SGD96). You can also use the UL phone app but will need a Swedish phone number for this option. You can load money into the app and purchase tickets on it.

The bus system pricing operates by zone. Most areas in the town are within the same zone and tickets will typically cost 20SEK (SGD3). Other places like Arlanda are outside the zone and multi-zone tickets will need to be purchased. You may request assistance from the bus driver on this.

A single zone ticket lasts 75 minutes and multi-zone tickets last longer depending on the number of zones (e.g. 90 minutes for 2-zone tickets). Within this timeframe you can take as many buses as you like on the same ticket by simply tapping your UL card or showing the driver the ticket on your phone.

Getting out of Uppsala

The only practical way to travel out of Uppsala is by train from the Central Station. You can purchase tickets ahead of time on the SJ.se website. The best way to travel within Sweden is by train, as buses usually don’t run between cities (and if they do, are more expensive than trains). Train map

The best way to get around Uppsala is on two wheels – a bicycle! Practically everyone owns a bicycle and you can purchase a second hand one for around 500 – 1000 SEK (SGD 80 – 160). Second hand bicycles can be bought over Facebook, from the various housing groups, or from bicycle shops.

• Bibblans Cykel – they’re a bit shady but they’re pretty cheap! Make sure you bargain and try out the bike.

Flying Chalks' tip: Do invest in a good lock and use it! Bicycles get stolen all the time so try to park your bike indoors. If you have to park it outdoors, make sure you lock the back wheel (if you lock the front wheel they can just take it off and steal the rest of the bike). 

Banking services:

Having a Swedish bank account in Sweden can be convenient for paying bills and receiving incomes. Note that the offers from banks vary depending on how long you are staying and whether you have a Swedish personal identity number or not.

For short term students (1 or 2 semesters / less than 12 months), you will not be able to open a bank account as you would not have a Swedish personal identity number. Most students will bring large amount of cash and withdraw the maximum amount from ATMs whenever they are in need of it.

If you are long-term students (longer than 12 months in Sweden), you are entitled to apply for a Swedish personal identity number. Receiving your Swedish personal identity number may take a few weeks and should be done before applying for a bank account. You can also apply for a Swedish ID after having your Swedish personal identity number to help you simplify identification at the bank.

Banks in Sweden are generally open only between 10.00 and 15.00, but they normally have one evening a week with extended opening hours. The documents that you need for opening an account are:

• Valid passport (Your passport must have a valid international standard for Swedish banks to accept it as an ID)

• Your residence permit (if applicable)
• Proof of admission showing the duration of studies
• Details of address in Sweden
• A birth certificate issued by the Swedish Tax Authority (if you have a Swedish personal identity number)

Major Banks in Sweden:

1. Swedbank (https://www.swedbank.com/)
   
   

2. Handelsbanken (http://www.handelsbanken.com/)
   
   
3. SEB Bank (http://sebgroup.com/)
   
   
4. Nordea (http://www.nordea.com/en/)
   
   
5. Danske Bank (previously Ostgota Enskilda Bank) (http://www.danskebank.com/en-uk/Pages/default.aspx)

Post office services:

Postage can be sent and received from postal centres. The main postal company is Postnord and has one outlet in the Central Station. You can search for all its outlets here (just type “Uppsala” in the box labelled “Gatunamn, stadsdel, ort eller postnr”. If you live in Flogsta, there’s an outlet in ICA Vast.

Medical services:

Medical services are easily accessible as Uppsala has its own hospital in the middle of town.

Information about Hospitals, Clinics & Medicine

As the Swedish health care system can be quite difficult to navigate, you are recommended to turn to the Student Health Centre (address under Selected Facilities) to get referred to the right place to receive treatment. Referral is free and can be done over the phone (018-15 50 50). The Student Health Centre also provides psychological counselling and therapy. It charges 140 SEK (SGD22) per appointment for these services.

Telecommunications:

You can get a SIM card from the nearest Pressbyran (convenience store). If you only require data, you can get the Comviq SIM card with a prepaid data top-up. It will cost you 100SEK (SGD16) for 3GB.

Flying Chalks’ tip: Your student welcome pack will also contain a SIM card from Telia. Visit their shop in town to find out more about their student plans. 

Weather:

Sweden has four distinct seasons and temperatures vary greatly between north and south. Temperatures can go as high as 25°C in summer and as low as -40°C in winter (in some places!). The higher up north you go, the colder it gets.

Uppsala has generally windy weather. It gets a very nice 20°C in summer and you can expect to see Swedes sunbathing everywhere they can, even on the roadside! In winter, it can get pretty chilly with temperatures reaching as low as -20°C. January and February are the coldest months, while August is usually the wettest month. If you are not a big fan of rain, you may want to consider not going to Sweden during this period!