Gothenburg is a smaller and compact city that offers the essentials within walking distance. However, if you decide to explore the outer ring of the city outside the centre itself, you will certainly welcome public transport. This is operated by Västtrafik and includes buses, trams and boats.
Västtrafik also operates public transport throughout the Västra Götaland region, which includes express bus services and trains.
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Public transport tickets
One ticket is all you need to get around Gothenburg and the entire Västra Götaland region. It is valid for all modes of transport, i.e. buses, trams, boats or trains.
You can choose between single, one-day or three-day options valid in specific fare zones.
ABC zones
The entire Västra Götaland region is divided into three fare zones. Tickets are sold for a specific zone or a combination of zones.
Most often as a traveller you will only use zone A, which includes Gothenburg and the nearest neighbouring villages and surrounding islands.
For a detailed breakdown of stops and zones, please visit the transport company's website vasttrafik.se/stops.
Ticket prices
Fares in Gothenburg are relatively cheap compared to surrounding Scandinavian cities. The most common single ticket will cost you 36 sek, and for more frequent journeys you can use a one-day ticket for 115 sek or a three-day ticket for 230 sek.
| Ticket type | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 90 minutes | 36 sek |
| one-day | 24 hours | 115 sek |
| three-day | 72 hours | 230 sek |
A single ticket is valid for 90 minutes from the time of purchase and can be used to travel freely on all means of transport and to change between them. A ticket for two or more zones is valid for 180 minutes.
A one-day or three-day ticket is valid for 24 hours or 72 hours from purchase, respectively. It is again valid on all types of transport in the fare zone you have chosen.
Where to buy tickets
The easiest and recommended method of buying tickets in Gothenburg is via the mobile app Västtrafik To Go. You can download it on your phone via the App Store or Google Play.
The ticket is active from the moment you buy it and is always available on the mobile app with information about the remaining validity period. You can buy both single and daily tickets via the app. The app is also useful for planning journeys and is more accurate than Google Maps.
Alternatively, you can buy a ticket at the Nils Ericsson bus station in central Gothenburg at the transport company's office - located between the bus and train platforms. You can also buy single and day tickets in Zone A on the trams, where there are ticket machines. Payment is by credit card only.
We strongly advise against travelling without a valid ticket. The possible fine is 1 500 sek.
Trams
In Gothenburg, the tram network is the main mode of passenger transport. There are 12 lines in total and they are numbered from 1 to 13 (number 12 is missing).
The trams are reliable and the connections are very frequent. The fleet includes both state-of-the-art vehicles and relatively older ones with a touch of history.
You can find the tram line together with the bus and boat lines in Zone A on vasttrafik.se/line-maps.
Buses
Bus lines complement the trams in built-up areas and connect the city centre with more remote areas. There are only 7 buses in operation in Gothenburg and they are marked with numbers.
The buses have USB connectors at each seat for charging mobile phones. You will need your own USB cable with a classic USB-A connector.
It is not possible to buy tickets on the bus in Gothenburg.
Boat ferry
An unconventional and all the more interesting way of public transport in Gothenburg are the boat ferries. There are 6 boat lines in operation. Two of them are in the very centre and connect the banks of the Göta älv. The other 4 are in the south of the city, where boats connect the islands.
The boat lines are also numbered, with lines 285 and 286 in the centre.
Boats numbered 286 only sail between Stenpiren and Lindholmspiren and can be used for free. See vasttrafik.se/line-maps for a map of each line.
Bicycles
Gothenburg is made for cyclists. If you don't have your own bike with you, simply rent one. Styr & Ställ operates over 130 bike rental and return stations. During the summer, the stations are supplemented by popular beach locations.
Download the Nextbike app in the App Store or Google Play, register and get on the road.
The bikes have 7 gears and there are plenty of bike lanes across the city.
Electric scooters
A simple but more expensive mode of transportation are electric scooters. There are hundreds of them across Gothenburg and they are almost always on hand. Download one of the selected apps, register, add your credit card, scan the QR code on the scooter and go.
There is usually a boarding rate of around 10 sek and then 3 sek per minute of riding. Applications available in Gothenburg:
When finishing the ride, you need to make sure that the scooter is parked correctly so that it does not get in the way of pedestrians and cyclists and then take a photo of it in the mobile app.
