Quick answer. Sweden is one of the most cashless countries on earth (many shops and cafes are literally card-only), so at Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) most visitors need no cash at all; a contactless card or phone pays for everything including the train to the city. Sweden has no bank-branded ATMs on most streets: the machines are the shared Bankomat network owned by the big Swedish banks, and they add no operator surcharge. Avoid the orange Euronet machines, which add a fee and push DCC. Sweden has no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, so a BoA card pays its 3% fee anywhere; a no-FX-fee card (Wise, Schwab) is cleaner. Always decline DCC and choose Swedish kronor (SEK). To the city (about 40 km south): the Arlanda Express (~18 min, ~SEK 320), a cheaper commuter train (pendeltåg) or SJ regional, or the Flygbussarna coach (~45 min), all taking contactless cards.
Where to get Swedish Kronor at ARN
The key Arlanda fact is that you may need no cash at all; a contactless card pays the airport train and nearly everything in a country where many businesses refuse cash. If you do want kronor, use a shared Bankomat machine, not the orange Euronet units. The cost math below assumes you withdraw or exchange the equivalent of $100.
| Option | Where | Markup | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared Bankomat ATM (ARN arrivals, no surcharge) | Arrivals / SkyCity | Interbank rate, no operator fee | ~$100 + home-bank fee only |
| Just use a contactless card (no cash needed) | Everywhere, incl. the airport train | Interbank rate on a no-FX-fee card | ~$100 |
| Forex Bank exchange counter (ARN) | Arrivals | A few percent off interbank; fair for a changer but behind a card | ~$96-98 |
| Euronet ATM (orange, ARN) | Arrivals / transit | Operator fee + DCC pitch | ~$88-93 |
| Accepting DCC at any machine | Anywhere | +4-12% if you choose 'charge in USD' | ~$88-96 |
Where to find the Bankomat ATMs and Forex counter at Stockholm Arlanda (ARN)
Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) is Sweden's largest airport, about 40 km north of the city centre, with four terminals (international Terminal 5, plus Terminals 2, 3, and 4). As in Norway, the first thing to know is cultural: Sweden is among the most cashless societies in the world, to the point that many shops, cafes, and museums are openly card-only and will not take banknotes at all, while locals settle person-to-person payments with the Swish app. Most visitors complete a whole trip without any kronor. A Swedish quirk follows from this: you will not see bank-branded ATMs the way you do elsewhere, because Sweden's cash machines were consolidated into the shared Bankomat network jointly owned by the big banks (SEB, Swedbank, Handelsbanken, Nordea, Danske). The Bankomat machines at Arlanda dispense SEK at the interbank rate with no operator surcharge. Avoid the orange Euronet ATMs, which add a fee and push DCC, and treat the Forex Bank exchange counter (a legitimate Nordic changer, fairer than Travelex) as a fallback that still trails a card. Sweden has no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner. Decline DCC and choose Swedish kronor.
Terminal 5 (international)
SAS and Norwegian long-haul and European services, plus Lufthansa, KLM, British Airways, Finnair, and the United/SAS transatlantic connections. Terminal 5 is Arlanda's main international building and where most US arrivals land
Shared Bankomat ATMs are in the arrivals area; they add no operator surcharge on foreign cards. Avoid the orange Euronet machines. The Forex Bank counter is a fair-but-not-best fallback. Withdraw only a small float if any, decline DCC, choose Swedish kronor, then head to the train station under the terminals (SkyCity links T4 and T5).
Terminals 2, 3, and 4 (mostly domestic and European)
Domestic and short-haul European services on SAS, Norwegian, and BRA, plus some charter. Linked to Terminal 5 via the SkyCity central area
Bankomat machines and the rail station are reached via SkyCity, the central concourse linking the terminals. Same rule: use a Bankomat, skip Euronet, decline DCC, choose SEK. If you are connecting, you likely need no cash at all.
Do you actually need cash at Stockholm Arlanda (ARN)?
No, for almost everyone, and less than almost anywhere. The Arlanda Express, commuter trains, Flygbussarna, taxis, and rideshare all take cards. Here is what works on a card, and the rare cases where a little cash still helps:
Arlanda Express (to Stockholm Central) (~SEK 320 one way): Fastest, ~18 min to the city, every 10-15 min. Tap a contactless card at the gate. Station under the terminals.
Commuter train (pendeltåg) / SJ regional (~SEK 90-170 one way): Much cheaper than the Express to the city; the pendeltåg line 40/41 and SJ regionals serve Stockholm C. A station passage fee may apply.
Flygbussarna airport coach (~SEK 119-139 one way): To City Terminalen by Stockholm Central, ~45 min. Pay by card or in the app.
Taxi / rideshare (~SEK 500-700 fixed to the centre): Use only the reputable companies (Taxi Stockholm, Sverigetaxi) with a fixed airport fare; the train is far cheaper. Bolt and Uber operate.
⚠ DCC trap. When the ATM or terminal asks if you want to be charged in your home currency instead of the local currency, always decline and choose the local currency. Accepting locks in a 3-13 percent markup that your no-FX-fee card cannot undo. Full DCC explainer →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash to get from Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) to Stockholm?
No. Arlanda Express (to Stockholm Central) accepts contactless. Most taxis accept cards. Uber and other apps are card-only.
Can I order Swedish Kronor before flying?
Yes. CEI Currency Exchange ships physical Swedish Kronor to your US address in 2-5 days at rates well below airport counters. Order 50-100 Swedish Kronor for taxis and tips on day one.
Do I actually need any cash in Sweden?
For most visitors, no, and Sweden takes this further than almost anywhere. Cards and phones pay for the airport train, the metro and buses, restaurants, museums, and kiosks, and a large share of Swedish businesses are openly card-only and will not accept cash at all. Locals split bills with the Swish mobile app. You can spend a week in Stockholm without a single krona. The rare cash situations (a flea market, a remote rural stall, a church box) are easily covered by a small withdrawal if you want one, but loading up on cash on arrival is unnecessary and you may struggle to spend it.
Why are there no bank-branded ATMs in Sweden, and which machine do I use at Arlanda?
Sweden's banks consolidated their cash machines into a single shared network called Bankomat, jointly owned by SEB, Swedbank, Handelsbanken, Nordea, and Danske Bank, so instead of separate bank-branded ATMs you see neutral 'Bankomat' machines. At Arlanda the Bankomat units dispense Swedish kronor at the real interbank rate and add no operator surcharge, so you pay only your home bank's fees. Avoid the orange Euronet machines, which charge an operator fee and push DCC. The Forex Bank counter is a legitimate, reasonably fair exchange (better than airport Travelex elsewhere) but still behind a card or a Bankomat withdrawal. Decline DCC and choose SEK.
Is there a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner in Sweden?
No. No Swedish bank belongs to the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance, and because the machines are the shared Bankomat network rather than individual banks, there is no Alliance option at all. A BoA debit card pays BoA's standard 3% non-network fee at any Bankomat, with nothing added on the Swedish side. The cleaner setup is a no-foreign-transaction-fee card such as Wise or Charles Schwab; Schwab also refunds ATM operator fees worldwide. And since Sweden is so cashless, you may barely use an ATM, so the FX fee on card payments matters more than the ATM fee.
How do I get from Arlanda to central Stockholm?
Several options for the roughly 40 km south. The Arlanda Express is the fastest, a dedicated train from under the terminals to Stockholm Central in about 18 minutes for around SEK 320, departing every 10–15 minutes; tap a contactless card at the gate. Cheaper alternatives are the SJ regional trains and the commuter train (pendeltåg, line 40/41) to the city for a fraction of the Express price, and the Flygbussarna airport coaches to the City Terminalen bus hub (about 45 minutes). The Arlanda 'station passage fee' applies on some non-Express trains. All take contactless cards, so no cash is needed to leave the airport.
Can I order Swedish kronor before flying?
You can, but you may not need to. CEI Currency Exchange ships physical Swedish kronor to your US address in 2–5 days at a rate below the airport, useful only if you simply like arriving with a little cash. But Sweden is so card-driven, with many businesses refusing cash outright, that a cash float is close to unnecessary. The cleanest setup is a no-FX-fee card (Wise or Schwab) for everything, including the Arlanda Express and the metro, and at most a tiny SEK reserve pulled from a Bankomat if you ever hit one of the rare cash-only situations.