Gothenburg, Sweden — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
Airlines offering flights to Gothenburg from the UK include SAS, Viking Airlines, Ryanair, Lufthansa and bmi. Cheap flights to Gothenburg are available from no-frills airlines such as Ryanair. Flights to Gothenburg from London take about two hours.
Göteborg-Landvetter Airport
Tel: (031) 941 000.
Website: www.lfv.se
Gothenburg's Landvetter airport is located 25km (15 miles) east of the city center.
Airport facilities
Facilities at the airport include car rental, currency exchange, banks, ATMs, bars, restaurants, and shops. Passengers can take advantage of the airport's VIP services, which include everything from assistance with business meetings to weddings. There's a tourist information center in the check-in hall where staff can assist with booking accommodation as well as provide information on the city's attractions. Wi-Fi access is available throughout the airport.
Transport to the city
Located off Highway 40 between Gothenburg and Borås, the airport is easily accessible by car and is well signposted from all directions. Flygbussarna (tel: 0771 414 300; www.flygbussarna.se) operates regular bus services between the city center and the airport throughout the day. Taxi Göteborg (tel: (031) 650 000) and Taxi Kurir (tel: (031) 272 727) are among the taxi companies operating at the airport.
Göteborg City Airport
Tel: (031) 926 060.
Website: www.goteborgcityairport.se
Gothenburg's second airport, Göteborg City Airport, is located 15km (9 miles) northwest of the city center. This airport is smaller, but is one of the fastest growing airports in Sweden, and is mainly used by low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and Wizz Air.
Airport facilities
Facilities include a restaurant, cafés and souvenir shops. Car hire is available from Avis, Hertz, Europcar and Sixt.
Transport to the city
The airport bus departs from the airport for Nils Ericson Terminal (by the Central Station in Gothenburg's city center) after every scheduled flight arrival. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes. Taxis are also available and the average price from Göteborg City Airport to the Central Station is kr320.
Getting There By Road
In Gothenburg, traffic drives on the right and the minimum driving age is 18 years. Speed limits are 70-110kph (43-68mph), depending on road and traffic density. Speed limits inside built-up areas are 50kph (31mph). The use of dipped headlights is compulsory in the daytime for cars and motorcycles, as are crash helmets for motorcyclists. Drivers must also carry an emergency warning triangle. Studded tires are prohibited, except from 1 November to the first Monday after the Easter holiday. A national driving license and vehicle registration documents must be carried at all times. The Swedish authorities do not require drivers to carry a Green Card but it is advisable, as it tops up the level of cover provided to that of the driver's domestic policy.
Emergency breakdown services
Assistancekåren (tel: (020) 912 912).
Routes to the city
The main roads that run via Gothenburg are the E6, which connects Norway with the continent, and the E20, which runs between Öresund in the south and Stockholm via Gothenburg. National road 45 (riksväg 45) also runs through Gothenburg. From Stockholm the best route is along the E4 and then national road 40.
Coach services
Companies operating coach services to and from Gothenburg include Go By Bus (tel: 0771 151 515; www.gobybus.se), Eurolines (tel: (031) 100 240; www.eurolines.se) and Swebus Express (tel: 0771 218 218; www.swebus.se). Gothenburg's main bus terminal is Nils Ericson Terminal near the central train station.
Getting There By Rail
Rail Services
High-speed trains between Gothenburg and other Swedish cities depart from Gothenburg's Central Station, which lies in the heart of the city, on Drottningtorget (the Queen's Square). Facilities include currency exchange, cash machines, car rental, newsagents, a bookshop and café and an information counter. Most tram and bus routes stop at the station.
Rail Operators
Statens järnvägar (SJ) (tel: 0771 757 575; www.sj.se) is Sweden's national railway company, and it offers frequent high-speed express train services between Gothenburg and Sweden's other larger cities.
Connections
Gothenburg trains take just under three hours to get to Stockholm, while the trip north to Oslo in Norway takes slightly longer.
Getting Around in Gothenburg, Sweden
Public Transport
The public transport network in Gothenburg is excellent. Västtrafik (tel: (0771) 414 300; www.vasttrafik.se) is responsible for running the trams and buses. The Gothenburg tram network is the largest in Scandinavia with a total of 200 trams serving 12 day-time and five night-time lines. The bus network is equally impressive, and there are plenty of ferries as well. The Älvsnabben Ferry runs every hour or half hour between Lilla Bommen, Rosenlund, Lindholmspiren, Slottsberget, Eriksberg and Klippan from early morning until late in the evening.
The Gothenburg Pass (Göteborgspasset), which can be bought at the city's tourist information centers, hotels and youth hostels (or in advance at www.goteborg.com), entitles the holder to free use of city's public transport.
Taxis
There are many taxi ranks throughout the city, but taxis can also be hailed anywhere on the street. To book one, contact Taxi Göteborg (tel: (031) 650 000), Taxi Kurir (tel: (031) 272 727) or Taxi 020 (tel: 0200 939 300).
Car Hire
Car hire companies represented in Gothenburg include Avis (tel: (031) 805 780; www.avis.se), Hertz (tel: (031) 803 730; www.hertz.se) and Europcar (tel: (031) 750 1530; www.europcar.se).
