Categories Summer Tours River & Canal Cruises Gota Canal Cruises Cruises

A cruise along the most beautiful parts of the Göta Canal !

The cruise can be taken in the opposite direction!

It is also possible to take this cruise from Stockholm to Gothenburg or to take 2 4 and 6 day versions of this cruise.

It is also possible to take this cruise from Stockholm to Gothenburg or to take 2, 3, 4 and 6 day versions of this cruise.

Please see

Gota Canal 4 Day Cruise from Stockholm

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

Gota Canal Highlights - 3 Day Cruise

Itinerary

09.00 Departure by bus from Gothenburg, Drottningtorget Square (by the Clarion Hotel Post). Please note that the bus transfer from Gothenburg to Mariestad must be booked in advance (not included in the cost).

11.30 Dep. Mariestad Our cruise with the M/S Wilhelm Tham begins on the shore of Lake Vänern, in the city of Mariestad. The old part of Mariestad is one of Sweden’s most well-preserved wooden cities. The church tower is an impressive sight from the lake and on land.

11.30 - 13.00 Lake Vänern 44 metres above sea level. Lake Vänern is Sweden’s largest lake and the third largest lake in Europe, after the Ladoga and Onega lakes in Russia.

13.00 - 15.20 Sjötorp Here we enter the first of the 58 narrow locks on the Göta Canal. At Sjötorp we have a set of eight locks and also the remains of some old shipyards.

17.40 - 19.20 Godhögen– Hajstorp övre We pass a lock system consisting of four locks in beautiful surroundings. In 1822 the western section of the Göta Canal was inaugurated at Hajstorp. Here is the Canal Engineer’s home, now privately owned and the old smithy. Take the opportunity to join the tour guide on a guided walk along the locks.

20.20 Töreboda The railway line between Stockholm and Gothenburg crosses the canal here. Töreboda also proudly presents Sweden’s smallest ferry, ”Lina”, which travels back and forth across the Göta Canal.

22.15 Arr. Vassbacken We dock for the night at Vassbacken.

06.45 Dep. Vassbacken

07.00 The Berg Canal . The Berg Canal was excavated in 1931-33 to straighten a sharp bend in the canal and was partly blasted into the living rock.

07.15 The Obelisk At Lanthöjden an obelisk marks the highest point

(91.5 metres above sea level) of the Göta Canal.

07.40 - 07.50 Tåtorp One of the canal’s two hand-operated locks is found at Tåtorp.

07.50 - 09.55 Lake Viken

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

08.55 - 09.55 The Spetsnäs Canal / Billströmmen We steer through two narrow, wood-lined passages and small lakes full of water lilies.

09.55 - 10.15 Forsvik lock The lock at Forsvik, built in 1813, is the oldest one in the canal. The impressive iron bridge dates from the same year. In the lock we are sometimes greeted with songs and flowers by the Kindbom family, a religious group. From here on we will be going downwards!

10.15 – 12.15 Forsviks Bruk Forsvik is one of Sweden’s most interesting industrial communities. For six hundred years, iron has been worked, boards have been sawn and flour has been milled here. Historical buildings used for fine metalwork, a foundry and a wood pulp mill are found in this beautiful and unique environment. Exciting and informative displays tell about metalworking, engineering and life in this industrial community. Here we get to enjoy an interesting guided tour. If we are lucky the paddle steamer Eric Nordevall II will be moored in the harbour. The paddle steamer is a full-scale replica of the Eric Nordevall, one of Sweden’s first power-driven ships. The paddle steamer was built in 1836, but sunk 20 years later in Lake Vättern. It was rediscovered in 1980 at a depth of 45 metres. Eric Nordevall II was launched in 2009 and made its first trip in 2011.

13.00 Karlsborg Before our ship enters Lake Vättern, we pass Karlsborg and will be able to see the roof of the fortress, which was built in 1819-1909.

13.00 - 15.00 Lake Vättern With a length of 135 km and a width of 31 km, Lake Vättern is Sweden’s second largest lake, 89 metres above sea level. The lake is unusually deep and its water is very clear.

15.15 - 17.15 Motala It was Baltzar von Platen who drew up the plans for Motala, and today it is called “the Capital of the Göta Canal”. In 1822 an engineering works, Motala Werkstad, was established here to serve the Göta 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 Motala 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 Platen’s grave, about 1 km along the left side of the canal.

18.15 - 18.55 Borenshult The lock staircase at Borenshult is the second longest in the canal, with five locks connected and a total rise of 15.3 metres. Here you might hear the nightingale sing.

18.55 - 19.55 Lake Boren Our boat slowly traverses Lake Boren, 73 metres above sea level.

20.00 Arr. Borensberg

Our ship berths for the night in the idyllic village Borensberg, where there is a hand operated lock.

05.00 - 05.10 Dep. Borensberg After the lock we see the well-known Göta Hotel from 1908. Just past the hotel there is a small gazebo leaning out over a sharp bend in the canal, known as the “Helmsman’s Horror”.

05.30 Kungs Norrby, aqueduct The aqueduct at Kungs Norrby was built in 1993 and leads over the national route 36.

08.40 Ljungsbro, aqueduct We pass the second aqueduct on our journey. This one was built in 1970.

09.00 Berg (Heda) We start our descent in the lock system of Berg (15 locks) towards Lake Roxen.

The tour guide takes us on a walk (app. 3 km) to see the Vreta Kloster church and the remains of the convent. As an alternative you can walk along the canal or take a refreshing swim in Lake Roxen.

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 Sweden’s most interesting, offering many medieval treasures. Today, it is used as a parish church and is therefore not always open to visitors.

10.20 - 11.20 Berg (Carl Johan) The Carl Johan lock staircase is the longest in the canal with seven connected locks. This lock staircase lowers the boat 18.8 metres from the Berg guest harbour to Lake Roxen. Here we board the ship again before steering out on the lake.

11.20 - 13.20 Lake Roxen 33 metres above sea level.

13.30 Arr. Norsholm lock The lock in Norsholm regulates the water level of Lake Roxen. Here the canal crosses the main railway line between Stockholm and Malmö, and this is the end of our cruise with the M/S Wilhelm Tham.

16.00 Arr. Stockholm,

The bus arrives in Stockholm, by the Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel, Vasagatan 1 (next to the Central Station and the City Terminal) at approx. 16.00. Optional bus transfer to Stockholm (to be booked in advance and not included in the cost).

Notes