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Rick Steves' Scandinavia

Updates since the 12th edition:

Norway

Oslo

Thon Hotels' Membership Card now offers a 10 percent discount only after you stay five nights in one year. But you can still save 10 percent by booking ahead and prepaying via their website (no changes/cancellations possible).

Finland

Finland still has international phone cards, contrary to what is printed in the book. These cards are available at the yellow-and-blue R-Kioski convenience stores — ask for the "Turbocard."

Helsinki

Eurohostel now changed its prices a bit: S-€43–47, D-€51–58, T-€69–87, family room with up to 4 kids under age 15-€62–69, shared twins-€26–29 per person, includes sheets, extra bed-€15–17, breakfast-€7.70. All rooms are now non-smoking. Their new fax number is 09/6220-4747.

Estonia

Both international phone cards and insertable phone cards for pay phones still exist in Estonia. These cards are available at the yellow-and-blue R-Kiosk convenience stores. For an international phone card, ask for the "Turbocard." The insertable phone cards are issued by Elion.

Updates for those still traveling with the 11th edition:

General

Parts of Europe are adopting a "chip and PIN" system for their credit cards, where cardholders must enter a personal identification number (PIN) instead of signing a receipt. Some merchants may request that you key in a PIN with your credit card — try asking if they can press a "no PIN" or "signature" button to print out a receipt to sign. (They may ask to scan the barcode on a picture ID, such as your driver's license or passport.) Some merchants might insist on the PIN, so it's smart to know the PIN for your credit card (ask your credit-card company); in a pinch, use your debit card and PIN instead. Some newer, chip-oriented pay points — especially automated ones (such as pay-at-the-pump gas stations or ticket machines) — can no longer read the magnetic strip on American credit cards at all. If this is the case, try to find a clerk to process the transaction the old-fashioned way.

Denmark

Copenhagen

Copenhagen's tourist information office has changed its name, from "Copenhagen Right Now" to "Wonderful Copenhagen." Contact information and hours are unchanged.

Tour guide Christian Donatzky no longer runs tours in English in Helsingør, and the cost of his weekend Copenhagen history tours is now 80 kr/person. The tour season for his Saturday tours runs March–October, and his Sunday tours operate February–November. For more information, see www.historytours.dk.

Private guide Richard Karpen conducts three walking tours June through September (rather than March through September), and the price is now 100 kroner. (Richard's tours of Rosenborg Castle remain 50 kr.) For details, look for Richard's schedule in Copenhagen This Week or at Copenhagen Right Now, or see www.copenhagenwalks.com.

Cykelcenter has changed its name to Københavns Cykler.

The Museum of Copenhagen is now open on Tuesdays (daily 10:00–16:00, Wed until 21:00).

You no longer need to accompany a tour to visit the Christiansborg Palace (we still recommend the tour).

Carlton Hotel and Axel Hotel have a new address for their (shared) website: www.hotelguldsmeden.com, and new email addresses: carlton@hotelguldsmeden.com and axel@hotelguldsmeden.com.

Cab-Inn has a new address for its website: www.cabinn.com. The new Cab-Inn Metro, near the Ørestad Metro station, has opened for 2010 (710 rooms, some quads, on the airport side of town at Arne Jakobsens Allé 2, tel. 32 46 57 00, fax 32 46 57 01, metro@cabinn.com).

Danhostel Copenhagen Amager has a new website: www.copenhagenyouthhostel.dk.

The Danish YMCA/YWCA has a new website and email address: www.ymca-interpoint.dk, info@ymca-interpoint.dk.

Danish Lunch has moved to a new location near the Little Mermaid, right by the polar bear (Langeliniekaj 5–7, tel. 9863-4443 or 9863-4444).

You can now book online for Dine with the Danes (400 kr per person, book online at least a week in advance, tel. 26 85 39 61). Fill out an online questionnaire, and you'll be contacted by email a day or two later.

Ærø

The island has a new website: http://aerotheisland.com.

Vindeballe Kro has a new website: www.vindeballekro.dk.

Graasten Farmhouse B&B has new rates and contact info (D-500 kr for 1 night, D-1,000 kr for 2 nights, extra bed-250 kr, cash only, Østermarksvej 20, short ride on bus #990 — direction Marstal, mobile 23 26 11 38, fax 62 52 13 49, www.greyfarm.dk, greyfarm@adr.dk). Julie still requires a bank wire to secure a reservation. She and husband Aksel also rent out a four-person holiday apartment with its own entrance (260 kr per person, includes sheets, 2-night minimum).

The Ærøskøbing Youth Hostel has closed.

Odense

More info on The Funen Village is available at http://museum.odense.dk/museums/funen-village.aspx.

The Radisson H. C. Anderson Hotel's new website is www.radissonblu.com/hotel-odense.

Blommenslyst B&B is a 15-minute drive from the city center, and works best for those with a car.

Norway

You cannot currently buy train tickets online at www.nsb.no with a Visa or Mastercard issued in the US (or Australia). US-issued Diners Cards still work, as do credit cards issued from other countries. Otherwise, to buy advance tickets you can call the NSB's ticket line at +47 2315-1515 (open 7:00–23:00 Norwegian time).

Oslo

The stunning new opera house opened in Spring 2008. For more information, see http://arts.guardian.co.uk.

The ski jump and ski museum at Holmenkollen, outside Oslo, will reopen in May 2010. The ski jump is being renovated in advance of the 2011 World Ski Jump Championship. During the renovation, a visitors center will be available to tourists in Kollenstua, adjacent to the arena. The visitors center will have information about the renovation project and temporary exhibits from the ski museum, as well as a gift shop, café, and restrooms, and will be open Mon–Fri 10:00–15:00 and Sat–Sun 10:00–16:00.

The Husfliden shop, known for its traditional yarn and Norsk folk items, has closed its shop at Rosenkrantz Gate 19 near City Hall. Its new shop is located in the basement of the high-end GlasMagasinet department store, near the cathedral on Stortorvet.

The Olso Sweater Shop's correct opening times are Mon–Fri 10:00–18:00, Sat 10:00–15:00, closed Sun.

Balestrand

The express boats between Bergen and Sognefjord are so popular that making reservations in advance is recommended (includes the Bergen–Balestrand–Flam boats and also the excursion boats going to Fjarland and Gudvangen to Flam). To make a reservation, email fylkesbaatane@fjord1.no or call 55 90 70 70. You can pick up the tickets on the boat or at a local tourist office. For more information, see www.fjord1.no.

Bergen

Edvard Grieg's Home, Troldhaugen, can now only be visited by tour.

Hotel Havnekontoret has a new email address and website: www.choicehotels.no, cc.havnekontoret@choice.no.

The DFDS Seaways passenger ferry route from Bergen to Newcastle, England no longer operates.

If you're driving through Bergen, you should know about its new system of automated toll collection. All drivers entering Bergen must now pay a 15-kr toll, but there are no toll-collection gates (since the system is entirely automated for locals). The toll just shows up on your credit card bill (which they access through your rental car company). For details, ask your rental company or see www.autopass.no.

South Norway
Stavanger

Fjordline now runs ferries between Hirtshals, Denmark, and Stavanger, Norway. Ships sailing from Norway to Denmark travel overnight, which can save you the cost of a hotel. The boat generally sails four times a week, and is a 12-hour journey (see http://fjordline.no).

Sweden

Stockholm

Prices for the Stockholm Card have gone up. The 24-hour adult pass is now 375 kr, and a child's 24-hour pass is 180 kr. The adult pass also comes in 48-hour (495 kr) and 72-hour (595 kr) versions.

All of the city's sightseeing tours, whether by bus, boat, or on foot, are now operated by Stockholm Sightseeing.

The picture of the view from Kaknäs Tower (mentioned on page 342) is shown on page 313, not page 311.

Plans to turn Stockholm's former Custom House into an ABBA museum have been scrapped due to escalating costs. The collection of ABBA memorabilia will be sold to a promoter who hopes to stage a touring exhibition instead. Fans with tickets to the museum opening will receive refunds.

The Nobel Museum is now free after 17:00 on Tuesdays.

Tours of Parliament are now more frequent: free one-hour tours in English late June–Aug, usually Mon–Fri at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00 (enter at Riksgatan 3a, call 08/786-4000 to confirm times).

Guided tours of the Royal Apartments at the Royal Palace no longer run at 11:00, but a 14:00 tour has been added.

Royal Treasury tours depart an hour earlier than stated in the book. New times: May–Sept daily at 13:00, Oct–April only Tue and Sun at 13:00.

The required tour of City Hall has new departure times: English-only tours daily generally June–Aug at the top of the hour 9:00–16:00; off-season at 10:00, 12:00, and 14:00 (70 kr, call to confirm, 300 yards behind station, bus #3 or #62, tel. 08/5082-9059).

The Vasa Museum's last tour departs at 16:30 and the last movie is shown at 17:00.

Tours of the Drottningholm Court Theater are now offered at the top of each hour (rather than twice an hour).

The Stureparkens Gästvåning no longer has a fax number.

Finland

Helsinki

The city has an exciting new sight: the Ateneum (National Gallery of Finland), which has the largest collection of art in Finland, including local favorites as well as works by Cézanne, Chagall, Gauguin, and Van Gogh.

Martta Hotelli has closed.

Appendix

The Denmark-based budget airline Sterling is now Cimber Sterling.