Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden, a university city which offers plenty of museums , an interesting hilltop fortification , historical buildings and parks.
Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and a major transportation hub. It’s scenic, located on 14 islands and offers plenty of things to do and see.
Summary
If you cannot score a cheap high speed train ticket – either by booking in advance or by getting a student/youngster discount – then the buses and regional trains are the best options. Airfare is not very high either, but you also need to take into account the transfer to/from the airport.
Flights from Gothenburg (airport code: GOT) to Stockholm
Gothenburg is served by two airports, but Landvetter Airport (GOT) is the main airport and the one operating flights to/from Stockholm. It is located 25 km from the city center, to which it’s connected by bus. It is hub for the following airlines: City Airline, Scandjet and TUIfly Nordic.
Stockholm is served by four airports but only two operate flights to/from Gothenburg:
- Arlanda Airport (ARN): it is the main international airport serving Stockholm, located 37 km from the city center, to which it’s connected by express rail, regular rail, express buses, regular buses and taxis. It is hub for many airlines including: Norwegian Air Shuttle, Scandinavian Airlines and TUIfly Nordic. Flights to/from Gothenburg are operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle and Scandinavian Airlines.
- Bromma Airport (BMA) : it is a small airport serving Stockholm, located just 10 km from the city center, to which it’s connected by buses. It is not hub for any airline. Flights to/from Gothenburg are operated by Malmö Aviation.
In mid-July 2012, expect to pay from €31 one way on Norwegian Air Shuttle, flying between Stockholm Arlanda and Landvetter Airport. The travel time is 55 min. A return flight during the same time of the year starts at €61 on the same airline. By mid-October 2012, expect to pay from €42 one way (same route). Remember that when you fly low-cost carriers, it’s cheaper to buy the ticket 4 to 8 weeks before departure.
>>book a flight to Sweden
Trains from Gothenburg to Stockholm
SJ operates high speed trains, intercity trains and regional trains between the two cities. The high speed trains depart Stockholm daily at 8:10 a.m., 9:21 a.m. , 10:10 a.m., 12:10 p.m. , 2:10 p.m., 4:10 p.m and 6:10 p.m. The single fare starts at 316 SEK / €35.22 but depend on the time of departure and how far in advance you purchase the ticket. The travel time on the high speed train is 3h 15 min.
The single fare on the regional train is 335 SEK / €37.34 regardless when you travel (time of the day). The travel time on the regional train is 4 h 50 min.
On the way back, the single fare on the high speed train can cost as little as 145 SEK / €16.16 (because you are booking in advance) and do depend on the time of the day when you travel. The first high speed train departs Gothenburg at 5:07 a.m. daily.
Note: Remember to run the search between Göteborg and Stockholm (although when you type the name in English, the site automatically writes it in Swedish)
>>read more about Train Travel in Sweden
Buses from Gothenburg to Stockholm
The following bus companies operate between the two cities:
- Swebus Express : operates 7 direct buses per day, with departures from Gothenburg between 7:50 a.m. and 11:15 pm . The travel time is between 7 h and 7 ½ h. The single adult fare starts at 359 SEK / €40 and depends on the day and time of travel. On the way back, catch the buses from Stockholm between 8:05 a.m. and 10:45 p.m.
- GoByBus and Bus4You : together they operate 3 buses from Gothenburg (Göteborg Nils Ericson Terminal) to Stockholm and 9 buses on the way back. Buses depart Gothenburg at 7:40 a.m. , 10 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. The adult fare starts at 419 SEK / €46.70 and depends on the time of the day when you travel. The travel time is between 6h 15 min and 6 ½ h. On the way back, the cheapest fare is 379 SEK / €42.25 and you can catch buses between 7:50 a.m. and 5:30 p.m daily from Stockholm (Cityterminalen).
>>read more about Bus Travel in Sweden
Driving from Gothenburg to Stockholm
You can certainly rent a car and drive the 471 km (shortest route) between Gothenburg and Stockholm. The travel time is about 5 h 10 min on Route 40 and E4. There’s a slightly longer route on E20, which takes about 5h 45 min.