Stockholm to Gothenburg on the Gota Canal

Categories Summer Tours Small Ship Cruises River & Canal Cruises Gota Canal Cruises Cruises

The traditional cruise in either direction between Gothenburg and Stockholm has been on the schedule almost every year since the shipping line was established in 1869. On the shorter cruises, the boat usually travels on during the night while you are asleep; only one night is spent in harbor. The longer cruises allow time for more stops and shore excursions along the way. The choice of stops is determined by the direction in which you are traveling.

It is also possible to take this cruise from Gothenburg to Stockholm or to take 2 and 6 day versions of this cruise.

Please see

Gota Canal 4 Day Cruise from Gothenburg

Gota Canal 2 Day Cruise from Motala

Gota Canal 2 Day Cruise from Soderkoping

Gota Canal 6 Day Cruise from Gothenburg

Gota Canal 6 Day Cruise from Stockholm

Itinerary

09.00 Departure from Stockholm, Skeppsbrokajen 103

09.30 Hammarby lock The first lock on our journey divides Saltsjn from Lake Mlaren.

09.40-12.30 Lake Mlaren 0.3 metres above sea level. Swedens third largest lake.

10.30 Drottningholm Castle Drottningholm Castle, the home of the Royal family since 1981, is on UNESCOs list of World Heritage sites.

12.30-12.40 Sdertlje Sdertlje lock, 135 metres long, is the largest lock in Scandinavia.

12.40- The Baltic The archipelago of St Anna and Sdermanland.

16.00-18.00 Trosa The small town of Trosa dates all the way back to the 14th century. It was then known as a fishermens village. Regular steamer traffic from Stockholm and Nykping began in 1860, bringing large numbers of summer visitors. We are taken on a guided walk around the canals and alleys (app. 2.5 km).

00.15 Stegeborg The ruins of the Stegeborg Castle are beautifully situated on a small island overlooking the bay of Sltbaken. The fort dates from the early Middle Ages and was built to guard the inlet to Sderkping.

01.00-04.00 Mem On 26th Sept. 1832, the Gta Canal was inaugurated at Mem amid great pomp and circumstance in the presence of King Karl XIV Johan and his family. We now go through the first of the 58 narrow locks on the Gta Canal.

05.25-05.35 Sderkping The idyllic town Sderkping was founded in the early 1200s and was very important during the Hanseatic period. The town also has a long and very interesting history as a spa. From Sderkping to the lock Carlsborg vre there are eight locks on a stretch of app. 4 km. A nice place to go ashore and walk along the canal.

08.35-09.05 Lake Asplngen 27 metres above sea level.

10.35 Norsholm lock Here the canal crosses the main railway line between Stockholm and Malm.

10.35-12.30 Lake Roxen 33 metres above sea level.

12.30 Berg (Carl-Johan) The Carl-Johan lock staircase is the longest in the canal with seven connected locks. The convent of Vreta dates from about 1100 and was the first nunnery in Sweden. Its importance was later superseded by the convent founded by Saint Bridget (St. Birgitta) at Vadstena. The old convent church at Vreta is one of Swedens most interesting, offering many medieval treasures. Today, it is used as a parish church and is therefore not always open to visitors. The tour guide will take us on a walk (app. 3 km, partly uneven) to see the church and the remains of the convent. As an alternative you can walk along the canal, or take a swim in the warm water of Lake Roxen.

15.00 Berg (Heda) The ship has passed all 15 locks in the Berg lock system. It is time to board for departure.

15.15 Ljungsbro, aqueduct We pass the first of two aqueducts in the canal. The Ljungsbro aqueduct was built in 1970.

17.45 Kungs Norrby, aqueduct. The aqueduct at Kungs Norrby was built in 1993 as part of the national route 36.

18.15-18.25 Borensberg At Borensberg there is a hand-operated lock. Shortly before the lock we pass a small gazebo leaning out over the canal in a sharp bend known as the Helmsmans Horror, and after that we see the well-known Gta Hotel, built in 1908.

18.25-19.25 Lake Boren 73 metres above sea level.

19.25-19.55 Borenshult Lock staircase of five locks where you might hear the nightingale sing.

21.00 Arr. Motala It was Baltzar von Platen who drew up the plans for Motala, and today it is called the Capital of the Gta Canal. In 1822 an engineering works, Motala Werkstad, was established here to serve the Gta Canal and is today considered to be the cradle of Swedish industry. Here you also find the head office of the Gota Canal Company, responsible for operation and maintenance. We visit the Motor Museum, with its large exhibition of antique cars and motorcycles in authentic surroundings, collection of radios, toys, household appliances and more. You can also walk to see Baltzar von Platens grave, about 1 km along the left side of the canal. Overnight stop.

05.45 Dep. Motala We leave Motala and head out into Lake Vttern.

05.45-08.00 Lake Vttern 89 metres above sea level. Swedens second largest lake.

08.00-10.00 Karlsborg Fortress We visit Karlsborg Fortress, initiated by Baltzar von Platen and built 1819-1909. The guided tour is a journey through time and space, full of surprises and special effects.

10.45-10.55 Forsvik Forsvik has a very interesting industrial history. The lock, built in 1813, is the oldest one in the canal. The impressive iron bridge dates from the same year. In the lock we are greeted with songs and flowers by the Kindbom family, a religious group.

10.55-11.40 Billstrmmen/The Spetsns Canal. Through two narrow, wood-lined passages and small lakes full of water lilies, we steer out into Lake Viken.

11.40-13.10 Lake Viken The beautiful Lake Viken (91.8 metres above sea level) serves as a water reservoir for the western section of the Gta Canal.

13.10 Ttorp At Ttorp there is another hand-operated lock. From here on we will be going downwards!

13.40 The Berg Canal/the Obelisk. An obelisk marks the highest point (91.5 metres above sea level) of the canal. This part of the canal is called the Berg Canal and originally had a sharp bend which was straightened in 1930-33.

15.55 Treboda The railway line between Stockholm and Gothenburg crosses the canal here. Treboda also proudly presents Swedens smallest ferry, Lina, which travels back and forth across the Gta Canal.

16.40-17.00 Hajstorp A lock system consisting of four locks. In 1822 the western section of the Gta Canal was inaugurated at Hajstorp. Here you can see the old home of the Canal Engineer. If you want to stretch your legs this is a good place, Hajstorp to Godhgen lock is app. 1,5 km or to Norrkvarn is app. 5km.

18.40 Norrkvarn All aboard!

20.10-22.15 Sjtorp At Sjtorp there is a set of eight locks, and also the remains of some old shipyards. We visit the old warehouse, where the Visitors Centre and the Sjtorp Canal Museum are located. Here you can see old pictures of Sjtorp, the interiors of several old ships, a large collection of ships engines, etc. There is also a map of all the sunken ships in the Lake Vnern. It is also possible to take a walk along the locks.

22.30-05.45 Lake Vnern 44 metres above sea level. Swedens largest lake and the third largest lake in Europe, after the Ladoga and Onega lakes in Russia.

08.00-09.30 Trollhttan The Trollhttan Canal Museum is located in a storehouse from 1893. Learn more about the fascinating history of the Trollhtte Canal through the interesting exhibition and film shown here. You can also take a walk through the beautiful old lock area.

09.30-10.30 Trollhttan, locks The impressive lock staircase at Trollhttan consists of four locks, and has a total drop of 32 metres. Of the three parallel lock systems here, only the biggest one (from 1916) is still in use.

11.30-11.45 Lilla Edet The lock at Lilla Edet, built in 1916, is the last lock on our journey. The original lock was opened in 1607 and was the first lock in Sweden.

16.00 Arr. Gothenburg, Packhuskajen 10. Our cruise ends at Packhuskajen 10, near the spectacular Opera House and the Maritime Centre in Gothenburg.

Notes