Destinations > Sweden > Gothenburg

Gothenburg (Göteborg)

The port city of Gothenburg (Göteborg in Swedish) is Sweden's second largest city. Although you'll probaly check out Konstmusset and wander along Kungsportavenyn, the Liseborg funpark is Sweden's most popular desintination.

Practical Information

Gothenburg Tourist Information Centre

Kungsportsplatsen 2, Gothenburg

Tel (031) 10 07 40

Website www.goteborg.com

Coming & Going

AIR

Gothenburg is served by two airports, the majority of flights use Landvetter airport, while some domestic services use the closer Säve Airport.

Landvetter Airport (tel (031) 94 10 00; website www.lfv.se) is 25km east of the city centre. Most scheduled flights use this airport. Landvetter Airport is served by several bus services including route 160, which runs between the airport and the city centre every 15-30 minutes.

Save Airport (website www.goteborgairport.se) is only 10km from the city centre. It is used mostly by charter flights and some low-fare airlines including Ryanair who have two daily flights from London Stansted. Ryanair operate a bus service between the airport and central Gothenburg, the bus leaves the airport 30 minutes after each flight and departs from the bus terminal 90 minutes before each flight.

BUS

Long-distance buses operated by Eurolines, Swebus and Svenska buss arrive and depart from the bus terminal next to Centralstation.

TRAIN

Trains terminate at Centralstation at Drottningtorget in the centre of Gothenburg. Most tram routes stop outside the station.

FERRY

There are frequent ferries between Gothenburg and ports in Denmark, Germany, Norway and the UK.

SeaCat and Stena Line (tel (031) 704 00 00; website www.stenaline.com) operate ferries to Frederikshavn, Denmark. Stena Line are the better value of the two ferry companies that ply this route. The Stena Line terminal is located neat Masthuggstorget, which can be reached by trams 3, 4 or 9. Trams 3 or 9 go to the SeaCat terminal.

DFDS Seaways (website www.dfdsseaways.com) sail to Kristiansand, Norway and Newcastle in the north of England. DFDS ferries depart from a new terminal located at the foot of the Gota Alvs bridge in Hisingen. Buses to this terminal depart from the central bus terminal.

Local Transport

Gothenburg has a very good public transport system (website www.vasttrafik.se) comprised of buses and trams.

Gothenburg's blue trams are the best way to get around town. There are 11 tram lines with all lines meeting at Brunnsparken near Centralstationen.

Trams are complemented by a network of bus and ferry services.

Individual tickets cost SEK 10 per zone and are good 90 minutes of bus and tram travel (180-minutes if your ticket is valid for more than one zone). If you're using public transport a lot you may want to consider a day pass (SEK 50) or the Göteborg Pass, which costs SEK 210 for one day but also includes admission to museums and the Liseberg amusement park.

Accommodation

Dalagärde Hostel

Norra Lillhagsparken 15 B, 422 49 Hisings Backa

Bus 51

Tel (031) 55 39 81

Göteborgs Vandrarhem

Mölndalsvägen 23, 412 63 Göteborg

Tram 4

Tel (031) 40 10 50

Kungälv STF Vandrarhem

Färjevägen 2, 442 31 Kungälv

Tel (0303) 189 00

Kungsbacka STF Vandrarhem

Klovsten 1930, 434 32 Kungsbacka

Tel (0300) 194 85

Kvibergs Vandrarhem & Stugby

Kvibergsvägen 5, 415 05 Göteborg

Tram 6, 7, 11

Tel (031) 43 50 55

Linné Vandrarhem

Vegagatan 22, 413 11 Göteborg

Tel (031) 12 10 60

Mölndal/Torrekulla Turiststation

428 35 Kållered, Göteborg

Tel (031) 795 14 95

Masthuggsterrassens Vandrarhem

Masthuggsterrassen 8, 400 32 Göteborg

Tram 3, 4, 9

Tel (031) 42 48 20

Mini Hotel

Tredje Långgatan 31, 400 32 Göteborg

Tram 3, 4, 9

Tel (031) 24 10 23

Partille Vandrarhem

Landvettervägen, 433 49 Partille

Bus 503, 513

Tel (031) 44 65 01

Slottsskogen STF Vandrarhem

Vegagatan 21, 413 11 Göteborg

Tram 1, 2

Tel (031) 42 65 20

Stigbergsliden STF Vandrarhem

Stigbergsliden 10, 414 63 Göteborg

Tram 3, 4, 9

Tel (031) 24 16 20

Villa Solhem

Pl 551 B, 438 35 Landvetter

Tel (031) 91 88 63

Sights

If you're planning a lot of sightseeing, it may be a good idea to get a Göteborg Pass. This card gives you free parking, free travel on trams, buses and ferries, free admission to the Liseberg amusement park as well as free admission to several museums. The Göteborg Pass is available from the tourist information centre, museums, youth hostels and some newsagents and costs SEK 210 for one day or SEK 295 for two days.

Göteborgs Maritima Centrum

The world's largest maritime museum features 15 ships including a 63-metre submarine.

Packhuskajen 8, 411 13 Göteborg

Tel (031) 10 59 50

Website www.gmtc.se

Admission SEK 75

Open Mar-May 10am-4pm daily; Jun 10am-6pm daily; Jul 10am-7pm daily; Aug 10am-6pm daily; Sep-Nov 10am-4pm daily

Gothenburg Museum of Art

This art museum has works by Scandinavian artists as well as pieces by more famous European artists including Picasso, Rembrant, Rubens and Van Gogh.

Götaplatsen, 412 56 Göteborg

Bus 40, 41, 58, 140 Tram 4, 5

Tel (031) 61 29 80

Website www.konstmuseum.goteborg.se

Admission SEK 40

Open Jan-Apr Tue 11am-4pm, Wed 11am-9pm, Thu-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm; May-Aug Mon-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm; Sep-Dec Tue 11am-4pm, Wed 11am-9pm, Thu-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm

Göteborgs Stadsmuseum

This museum has exhibits on Gothenburg's history including a Viking ship. Norra Hamngatan 12, 411 14 Göteborg

Tram 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 & 11

Tel (031) 61 27 70

Website www.stadsmuseum.goteborg.se

Admission SEK 40

Open Jan-May Tue-Sun 11am-5pm; Jun-Aug 11am-5pm daily; Sep-Dec Tue-Sun 11am-5pm

Liseberg

This amusement park is the most popular attraction with European tourists. There is a good selection of rides including Spaceport Liseberg, which dominates the park.

Sofierogatan 5, 402 22 Gothenburg

Tram 5

Tel (031) 40 10 00

Website www.liseberg.se

Admission SEK 60, free with Göteborg Pass; day ride pass SEK 265; 12 ride coupons SEK 160; 18 ride coupons SEK 215 (each ride costs 1-4 ride coupons)

Natural History Museum

The city's oldest museum has a collection of around 10 million specimens. Although most of these are nothing more than insects there are some impresive exhibits including dinosaur skeletons and the world's only stuffed Blue Whale.

Slottsskogen by Linnéplatsen, 402 35 Göteborg

Tram 1, 6

Tel (031) 775 2400

Website www.gnm.se

Admission SEK 60, free if you're under 20 years old

Open Jan-Apr Tue-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm; 1 May-8 Jun 9am-5pm daily; 9 Jun-31 Aug 11am-5pm daily; Sep-Dec Tue-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm

The Röhss Museum

The Röhss Museum has exhibitions of applied arts and design from the 17th century to the present day. The museum's collection includes textiles, furniture, metal, ceramics and glass.

Vasagatan 37-39, 400 15 Göteborg

Bus 40, 41, 58, 140 Tram 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10

Tel (031) 61 38 50

Website www.designmuseum.se

Admission SEK 40

Open Tue noon-8pm, Wed-Fri noon-5pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm