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Car hire in Gothenburg – Exploring Western Sweden
Capital of the county of Västra Götaland, Gothenburg is the principal city on western Sweden’s stunning coastline and lies about 240 miles (390 kilometres) south-west of Stockholm. It was founded by King Charles IX in the early 17th century on the same site of an earlier medieval settlement, which means there's an abundance of historical attractions for visitors to see in and around the city centre.
Sweden's stylish second city has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years with an extensive makeover of its unique tourism portfolio, which has been greatly boosted by the addition of several first-rate attractions of an international dimension. Gothenburg also boasts a diverse music scene, many inspiring art galleries, several world-class restaurants, numerous trend-setting shops and a wide selection of boutique hotels dotted right across the city.
Located halfway between Copenhagen and Oslo, it is a charming maritime city with grand avenues lined on both sides by elegant, eye-catching buildings. It also dominates the country's idyllic west coast and is the perfect place to visit at any time of the year, particularly at Christmas. There are plenty of things for first-time visitors to do, such as take a leisurely walk through the old district of Haga with its beautiful cobbled streets and fine 18th-century buildings.
Despite being a large, vibrant metropolis, there's so much you can see with a car hire in Gothenburg well beyond the city's perimeter, most notably a visits to the nearby islands which can be reached by car in under an hour. There's a host of quaint fishing communities, beautiful coast roads and stunning views to enjoy in the city's environs, with plenty of possibilities for a fun-filled day trip including a wonderful lunch right beside the sea.
Auto Europe offers high quality car rental in Gothenburg and elsewhere in Sweden, including Helsingborg and Malmö. Book online now through our high-tech search engine or call our rental specialists and they'll be delighted to find you the cheapest deal available on the market. You might also want to check out what some of our previous customers thought about their Auto Europe car hire experience in the city on our Gothenburg car hire reviews page.
For more information on renting a vehicle in Gothenburg, click on the car hire related topics listed below:
| Suppliers | Car Hire FAQs | Travel Guide |
Where to pick up a car hire in Gothenburg
The reason why we work with all the world's top car hire providers is so that we can offer the widest choice of car hire pick-up points in and around the city of Gothenburg. This means that, if you choose, you can collect your vehicle in the heart of the city centre (including Gothernburg Central Train Station) and start your sightseeing itinerary in just a few minutes. To help you make the right choice, our state-of-the-art booking engine allows you to do an extensive search to find the best vehicle and the most suitable pick-up point for your trip. Once you've keyed in your dates, an interactive map will come up with all the available locations for low-cost car rental in Gothenburg.
Gothenburg Airport
Known locally as Landvetter Airport, Gothenburg Airport is located a very convenient 20 kilometres (13 miles) south-east of the city. It is a very modern and busy airport that serves around 7 million passenger every year to destinations all over the world. It was inaugurated by King Carl XVI Gustaf in 1977 and now ranks as the second-busiest airport in Sweden, after Stockholm. Many of the world's most prominent car hire companies operate at GOT, whose offices are located next to the airport's main multi-storey car park.
Gothenburg Airport (GOT)
Website: swedavia.com
Address: 438 80 Landvetter, Sweden
Telephone: +46 31 941 100
Gothenburg Central Train Station
Gothenburg Central Train Station is the oldest train station in the country and the second-busiest after Stockholm's main railway hub. It opened in 1858 in a prime position in the city centre and today caters for over 27 million passengers annually. Many global vehicle suppliers operate in close proximity to the station, such as Europcar (located at Spannmalsgatan 16), Hertz (Spannmalsgatan 19) and Sixt (Nils Ericsonsplatsen 4). Please have all your documents ready when you arrive to collect your car in order to make the pick-up process as speedy as possible.
Gothenburg Central Train Station
Website: goteborg.com
Address: Drottningtorget 5, 411 03 Göteborg, Sweden
Telephone: +46 8 410 626 00
Book with the best car hire suppliers in Gothenburg
Auto Europe is a leading international car hire company currently offering a vast selection of convenient pick-up and drop-off locations in 190 different destinations around the world. Thanks to our many years of experience dealing with all the global and local car rental companies, we can offer you the best standard of service and cheapest prices on the market.
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Should you require additional information about the car hire companies we work with or their policies, for example out of office pick up or questions regarding age restrictions, our car rental specialists are just a phone call or e-mail away and happy to assist you.
Frequently asked questions about renting a car in Gothenburg
This section features the most frequent questions asked by people booking a car hire in Gothenburg. Scroll down for important tips relating to a wide range of essential car hire topics, such as credit cards, coverage, tolls, traffic and much more. If you need any more information, please call our reservations team and they will be happy to help you with your reservation and assist you with your travel itinerary.
Do I need a credit card to rent a car in Gothenburg?
Yes. To rent a car in Gothenburg, you will need to present a major credit card in the main driver's name at the time of picking up your vehicle. Please note that cash, pre-paid and debit cards will not be accepted, only a credit card with enough funds to cover the deposit. A credit card belonging to someone else such as a partner, family member or fellow passenger will not be accepted, so it must be in the primary driver's name. To see which cards (and types) are accepted and other payment terms, all you need to do is make a quick search in the Auto Europe booking engine and click on the blue and white info icon (i) that appears in the car details. The same information is also be clearly stated on the voucher that Auto Europe sends to all its customers by e-mail once the booking has been confirmed. Please follow the link for general advice in our credit cards and deposit FAQs in order to be better informed before arriving to collect your low-cost car rental in Gothenburg.
What insurance do I need for my car rental in Gothenburg?
All our prices include the minimum amount of legally required car hire coverage for car hire in Gohenburg and all other popular pick-up locations in Sweden, including collision damage waiver (CDW) and theft protection (TP). Nevertheless, not every part of the vehicle is covered, which means that you will be better off with our Full Damage & Theft Protection, an excellent product that costs a little more but will give you total peace of mind throughout the duration of your rental period. Follow the link for more advice about car hire coverage on our dedicated web page, or our blog post which provides an a general overview of the different types of car hire coverage available when you book a cheap car rental in Gothenburg. For complete information about what's covered in the daily rate of your vehicle, just make a quick search in our booking engine and click on the blue and white info icon (i) in the car details.
How is the traffic in Gothenburg?
Gothenburg has low traffic volume, especially in and around the city centre. Part of the reason for this is Götaleden (part of Highway 45), a road 3 kilometres in length incorporating a 1.6-kilometre-long tunnel under the the Södra Älvstranden (South Bank) where many residential and tourist areas are located and some of the city’s oldest buildings are situated. The European highway routes E6, E20 and E45 pass through Gothenburg, making it easy to get in and out of the city by car. Swedish roads are toll free, with the exception of the Gothenburg congestion charge. Soe of the other things worth remembering are; you must drive on the right-hand side of the road, speed limits are shown in kilometres per hour, headlights should be used at all times, winter tyres must be used on wintery roads with snow, ice, slush or frost (a legal requirement between December and March) and it's best to avoid consuming alcohol completely if you’re driving because Sweden has very strict laws against drunk-driving. In addition, it's worth visiting our Sweden driving guide for lots of useful information relating to getting around with a cheap car rental in Gothenburg.
Where can I park my car hire in Gothenburg?
In Gothenburg, all on-street parking meters are marked with the word TAXA followed by the number 1-7, 22 or the letter A. You’ll find several indoor car parks and other paid parking garages in and around Gothenburg. Long-term parking is easy to find in the city centre with parking rates in public car parks costing around SEK 20-30 per hour, depending on the district. No matter if you park your car in a garage, on-street or in any other paid parking space, you can always pay using your debit or credit card, while some parking meters also accept 10, 5 and 1 SEK coins, but not all of them. There are a few different ways to pay for your parking: you can pay in the parking meters with a credit card or you can pay via the Parkering Göteborg app where you can find a parking space and make your payment. Gothenburg also has quite a lot of Park and Ride (P+R) locations on the outskirts of the city, such as Kallered, Mölnlycke, Partille, Olofstorp, Knipared and Hjällbo. From there, you can travel with the public transport to the city centre.
Do I need to pay congestion charges when driving my car hire in Gothenburg?
Yes. In Gothenburg there is a system of congestion taxes encompassing vehicles registered both in Sweden and outside the country, including rental cars. The congestion charge applies when driving in and out or through Gothenburg from Monday-Friday between 6am and 6.29pm. In other words, you don’t have to pay on weekends, the day before a public holiday or during the month of July, which is exempt of the fee and also free of charge. Please note that the car rental company is automatically invoiced, after which the customer will be charged. Please note that if the charge is not payed on time, there will be an additional fee of 500 SEK, so as the main driver you are responsible for the timely payment of the congestion charge, even if you have not received any notification to pay.
Gothenburg Travel Guide
Sweden's second largest city (with well over 500,000 inhabitants) lies in a prominent position on Sweden's glorious west coast, at the outlet of the Göta river. It's the perfect city to combine a sightseeing programme with day trips up and down the city's idyllic coastline. Gothenburg is a green city with lots of parks and gardens, as well as being one of the most committed ecologically.
Best day trips with my car rental in Gothenburg
Like most of Sweden, Gothenburg is a wonderful place to visit, especially during springtime, summer and early autumn. These are the times of year when driving out the city gives visitors the most pleasure, particularly to the Southern Archipelago and up the scenic Bohuslän Coast. For one of the best road trips in Scandinavia, take the coast road south all the way to Helsingborg, a charming city with a history and culture all of its own. For travellers looking to go further (to Stockholm perhaps), why not pick up your car in Gothenburg and drop it off in another city with one of our popular one-way car hire offers, which combine well with Auto Europe's regular Free Additional Driver deals running throughout the year.
Southern Archipelago
Visitors to Gothenburg don't have to travel far from the city to find charming villages, stunning scenery and some of the most pristine beaches in Scandinavia. Thanks to its unique location, the Southern Archipelago offers a wealth of day-trip potential, including seal safaris, sailing, lobster fishing, sea-angling and boat excursions for tourists relaxing after a busy sightseeing itinerary in the city. The oldest village, Byn, dates back to 1752 and is an excellent place to enjoy a nice leisurely lunch of fresh fish or seafood.
Alingsås
Easily accessible by motorway from Gothenburg on the E20, the charming town of Alingsås offers visitors a wonderful day out once all the city sightseeing is done. A peaceful place with a large lake, Alingsås has a history going back to the 14th century and today's tourists can relax with a picnic in the town's natural reserve just north of Lake Mjörn before swimming in the lake, a popular activity in warm weather. Don't miss the Gräfsnäs Vintage Railroad which runs alongside Lake Anten for 12 kilometres during the summer months.
Bohuslän Coast
To the north of Gothenburg lies the rugged and picturesque Bohuslän Coast, with a road that runs all the way to the Norwegian border. It's a popular road-trip for visitors during the summer months, with one of the most popular places being the island town of Marstrand, with its impressive fortress and ancient buildings. Other attractions further up the coast include the picturesque seaside town of Smögen and the nearby wildlife park, Nordens Ark.
Helsingborg
An exhilarating drive down the coast road south from Gothenburg culminates with a visit to Helsingborg, a beautiful city that's well worth a day or two's stopover. Its main landmark is the Kärnan (Kernel), a 35-metre-high tower built in the 1300s at the end of the city's long market square (the Stortorget). Other important sights include the Fredriksdal Open-Air Museum & Botanical Garden, Sofiero Castle, Tropikariet (an excellent indoor zoo) and the Gothic-style St Mary's Church (Mariakyrkan) built in the 12th century.
What to do in Gothenburg
One of the Scandinavia's most popular tourist destinations, Gothenburg is blessed with cultural attractions and prides itself on being one of the world's most sustainable cities. There are several things that visitors must see and do, such as the Konstmuseum with its world-class art collection and Liseberg, one of the best traditional theme parks in Europe.
- Slottsskogen: Slottsskogen is a large urban park covering 338 acres right right in the heart of Gothenburg. Besides roller skating, cycling, jogging and miniature golf, there are lots of leisure amenities inside the park, such as cafés, eateries and children's playgrounds. A major highlight is the mini zoo featuring elk, seals, penguins, moose and deer, as well as pony rides for the kids.
- Konstmuseum: The Gothenburg Museum of Art (Goteborgs Konstmuseum) is a treasure trove of Scandinavian art, along with many rare masterpieces by the likes of Monet, Rembrandt, Picasso, etc. The collection features pieces from the 15th century to the contemporary period, with the emphasis on top Nordic artists such as Edvard Munch and Anders Zorn, among many others. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions throughout the year, as well as family activities, lectures, workshops and guided tours. Don't miss the Hasselblad Centre, a major part of the Konstmuseum that's also worth seeing.
- Liseberg: Opened in 1923, Liseberg is one of the world's most iconic amusement parks and currently attracts around 2 million visitors each year. Highlights include a traditional merry-go-round, ferris wheel, typical Scandinavian wooden houses and more than four dozen different rides and attractions, including AtmosFear (the tallest free-fall ride in Europe) and Liseberg's award-winning wooden roller coaster, Balder.
- Universeum: Universeum is a world-class science centre distributed across seven floors, making it largest museum of its kind in the whole of Scandinavia. Visitors can walk through a tropical rainforest, get up close to hundreds of marine animals in the giant aquarium and enjoy lots of fun, hands-on experiments. It's also possible to go on safari to see lizards, birds, insects, sloths and several species of monkey. Look out for sharks, the largest one being the sand tiger shark, as well as moray eels, swordfish and giant rays which can be touched as they come up to the surface.
- Gothenburg City Museum: The wonderful Gothenburg City Museum is the best place for curious visitors to follow the history of one of Europe's most fascinating cities, which has grown from being a small fortified town in the 17th century to one of the world's most sustainable and economical cities. The museum's star exhibit is Sweden’s only exhibited Viking ship, the Äskekärrsskeppet, which was found in 1933 by a farmer on a field near Äskekärr just 50 metres from the Göta älv river near Gothenburg.
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