- Abortion legal status
- Legal
- Emergency contraception
- Over the counter
- Emergency number
- 112
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: hungrytravelfamily.com, blog.onevasco.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- Kvinnofridslinjen (116 016) is free, anonymous, and available 24/7 from anywhere in Sweden, including Åre — it's the best single first call for support after any assault or threat.
- Emergency contraception is sold over the counter at any Swedish pharmacy with no prescription and no age restriction, but Åre itself is a small village — the most reliable pharmacy access (including any 24-hour options) is generally in Östersund, about an hour away, so it's worth locating the nearest open apotek in advance if you're staying in Åre.
- Regular birth control (pill, IUD, implant) all require a prescription in Sweden — a midwife (barnmorska), GP at a vårdcentral, or a digital doctor app (Kry, Min Doktor) can prescribe these; a digital consult can be a faster route than finding a specialist locally in a small mountain town.
- 1177 (the national healthcare advice line) is a good first call if you're unsure where to go after an assault — the person answering can speak English and direct you to the right clinic or hospital, since Åre's own facilities are limited compared to Östersund.
- Sweden has one of the most liberal abortion laws in the world: it's available on request up to 18 weeks, and the procedure is free of charge within the public healthcare system.
- Foreign visitors, including tourists and nomads, are legally entitled to access abortion care in Sweden — this isn't limited to residents or citizens.
- There is no specialist gynecologist based in Åre itself — Åre Hälsocentral only has a midwife clinic for general women's health and pregnancy check-ups. For anything requiring a gynecologist (including abortion procedures), you'll need to travel to Östersund Hospital, about 1 to 1.5 hours away by car.
- You can self-refer for most gynecological and abortion-related care via the national 1177.se portal or by phone — a doctor's referral is generally not required in this region.
- A standard health-center visit carries a patient fee (patientavgift) of around 400 SEK, though pregnancy-related, contraception, and STI-related visits are typically free.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment
No documentation specific to Åre was found; this reflects reporting on Sweden as a whole. National-level sources describe catcalling and unsolicited street harassment as uncommon and socially frowned upon, with gender-based street harassment described as extremely low by comparison with many other European countries. Harassment that does occur nationally tends to be linked to nightlife areas late at night rather than daytime street life, which is relevant mainly in larger cities, not a small resort village like Åre.
Walking Alone at Night
There is no Åre-specific guidance documented; the advice below is written for Sweden generally. Sources recommend sticking to well-populated, well-lit streets at night and avoiding parks or isolated paths after dark, with 'standard big-city' caution framed as the main risk rather than any named unsafe district. Given Åre's small scale as a village/resort rather than a city, the 'isolated path' caution is more relevant to unlit ski-area tracks after dark than to any specific neighborhood.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
National guidance (no Åre-specific sourcing found) is to use licensed taxis or established ride-hailing apps such as Uber or Bolt rather than unregistered or unlicensed drivers, since Sweden's taxi market is not tightly price-regulated and overpriced or unofficial taxis are a documented scam risk. Sticking to recognized taxi companies or app-based bookings is consistently recommended over hailing an unknown car on the street.
Practical Precautions
Country-level advice (not Åre-specific) includes keeping your phone charged, sharing your location with a trusted contact, and saving accommodation details in case you need them. Reporting any harassment or suspicious behavior to accommodation staff or local police is also commonly advised.
Abortion Law
- Country
- Sweden
- Legal Framework
- Abortion Act (Abortlagen, SFS 1974:595)
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Regional Administration Note
- Åre falls under Region Jämtland Härjedalen, whose specialist gynecology and abortion-counseling services are centralized at Östersund Hospital rather than at any clinic within Åre itself.
Cost And Access
- Cost
- Abortion care is publicly funded and provided free of charge within the Swedish healthcare system.
- How To Access
- No referral is required. Patients can self-refer via the national 1177 healthcare portal/e-service abortion form, or by phone, to the regional gynecology clinic (Kvinnokliniken) responsible for the area.
- Who Can Access
- Sweden's 2008 amendment extended the right to abortion to non-Swedish citizens, including tourists, asylum seekers, and other foreign nationals present in the country.
Abortion Time Limits
- On Request
- Up to the end of the 18th week of pregnancy, for any reason, no justification required.
- After 18 Weeks
- Requires special permission from the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen); granted only for exceptional grounds such as fetal or maternal health issues.
- Absolute Upper Limit
- No fixed statutory upper week number, but abortion is not permitted once the fetus is considered viable outside the womb, currently interpreted as roughly 21 weeks + 6 days.
OB-GYN Options
ÅRe Hälsocentral (ÅRe Health Center) – Barnmorskemottagning (Midwife Clinic)
- Type
- Primary-care health center with an attached midwife/maternal-health clinic
- Location
- Adjacent to the old hospital building, about a 15-minute walk from central Åre.
- Services
- General practitioner visits, basic women's health, contraception counseling, and pregnancy check-ups via the on-site midwife (barnmorska); it is not a specialist gynecology clinic and does not perform abortions or gynecological surgery on site.
- Referral Needed
- No referral needed for general appointments; specialist gynecological issues are referred onward to Östersund.
Gynekologiska Mottagningen (Kvinnokliniken), ÖStersunds Sjukhus
- Type
- Specialist gynecology and obstetrics clinic (regional hospital department)
- Location
- Östersund Hospital, roughly 95 km / a 1 to 1.5-hour drive from Åre — this is the nearest specialist OBGYN facility, not a walkable Åre option.
- Services
- Full gynecological diagnostics and treatment, abortion counseling and procedures, pregnancy-complication care, and fertility investigations.
- Referral Needed
- No referral required for many gynecological concerns; self-request possible via 1177.se or phone.
Specialistmödravården (Specialist Maternity Care), ÖStersunds Sjukhus
- Type
- Specialist antenatal clinic for higher-risk pregnancies
- Location
- Östersund Hospital, plan 6 (same distance/travel time as the gynecology clinic above).
- Services
- Managed by doctors, midwives, and counsellors for pregnancies needing specialist-level monitoring beyond routine midwife care.
- Referral Needed
- Typically referred in by a midwife or doctor from routine antenatal care.
Assault Resources
Kvinnofridslinjen (National Women's Helpline)
- Phone
- 116 016
- Availability
- 24 hours a day, free and anonymous, accessible from anywhere in Sweden.
- Notes
- Can advise on how to contact local social services, healthcare, or police, and is available regardless of where in Sweden you're calling from, including remote areas like Åre.
- Description
- Sweden's national helpline for victims of threats or physical, psychological or sexual violence, run by Uppsala University's National Centre for Knowledge on Men's Violence Against Women (NCK).
Police (Emergency)
- Phone
- 112
- Availability
- 24/7
- Description
- Use for an ongoing crime or emergency, including sexual assault.
Police (Non-emergency)
- Phone
- 114 14
- Availability
- 24/7 phone line
- Description
- Use to report a sex crime after the fact or to speak with police for support and guidance; the nearest physical station to Åre is in Östersund, but reports can be initiated by phone.
Victim Support Sweden (Brottsofferjouren)
- Phone
- 116 006
- Availability
- Varies; check current hours when calling
- Description
- Free, confidential, anonymous support and advice for crime victims and witnesses.
1177 Vårdguiden (Healthcare Advice Line)
- Phone
- 1177 (or +46 771-11 77 00 from abroad)
- Availability
- 24/7, English and Swedish spoken
- Description
- National round-the-clock medical advice line that can direct you to the nearest appropriate care — including after a sexual assault (forensic exam, STI/pregnancy testing, emergency contraception) — relevant for Åre given the nearest hospital-level care is in Östersund.
Contraception Access
IUD
- Availability
- Both hormonal and copper IUDs are available and inserted by a midwife or gynaecologist after a consultation; the nearest specialist reproductive health services to Åre are most likely at a midwifery clinic (barnmorskemottagning) or hospital in Östersund rather than in Åre village itself.
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Cost Notes
- Free or subsidized for those under 21 in most regions; cost for others depends on the region's subsidy rules.
Implant
- Availability
- Contraceptive implants are available by prescription and inserted by a midwife or doctor, generally via the same women's health/midwifery clinics used for IUDs.
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Cost Notes
- Subsidy rules mirror those for the pill and IUD — free or reduced-cost for those under 21.
Birth Control Pill
- Availability
- Requires a prescription in Sweden, obtainable from a midwife (barnmorska), gynaecologist, GP at a vårdcentral, or a digital doctor service (e.g. Kry, Min Doktor). Over 20 pill brands are registered nationally.
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Cost Notes
- Contraceptives are free of charge for people under 21; for others, cost is subsidized under Sweden's standard prescription subsidy scheme once yearly out-of-pocket spending crosses a threshold.
Emergency Contraception
- Brands
- Common brands include NorLevo 1.5mg, Postinor 1.5, and ellaOne.
- Timing
- Levonorgestrel-based options (NorLevo, Postinor) and ellaOne are both taken as a single dose within 120 hours of unprotected sex, with effectiveness declining the longer you wait.
- Availability
- Available over the counter without a prescription at any pharmacy (apotek) in Sweden, including local pharmacies in the Åre area; no age restrictions.
- Regulatory Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Cost Notes
- We could not confirm a reliable SEK price for this specific rural pharmacy market; nationally it is described as low-cost over the counter, and is provided free of charge at youth clinics (ungdomsmottagning, ages 13–25) and some public health/family-planning clinics.
- Practical Note For Are
- Åre is a small resort town; the closest well-stocked pharmacies and 24-hour options are more likely in Östersund (roughly an hour away) than in the village itself — check current opening hours locally, especially outside ski season.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Åre
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.