Gothenburg’s station is really three buildings: trains in one, coaches in another, and trams on the squares outside. Know which one your ride uses, and the two 2026 changes most guides miss, and you’ll make every connection.
When you need this
You’re arriving by train from Stockholm, Oslo or Copenhagen and want the tram to your hotel. You need the airport coach to Landvetter, or a long-distance bus. You have a 15-minute change between train and coach, with luggage. Or an older guide told you to take the tram to “Centralstationen” and the journey planner can’t find it.
Three buildings, one hub
Göteborgs Centralstation — written Göteborg C on tickets and boards — is the transport hub for all of western Sweden. The state-owned station company, Jernhusen, counts three connected buildings: the station itself, Centralhuset and the Nils Ericson Terminal (Nils Ericson-terminalen). More than 90,000 travelers pass through them every day.
| You’re taking | It leaves from | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| A train (most services) | The station, tracks 1–16 | Spår (track) on the departure boards |
| A local train to Alingsås or Älvängen, from 13 Dec 2026 | New underground tracks 21–24 | Signs to the new section |
| The airport coach to Landvetter | Nils Ericson Terminal | The gate on the terminal’s screens |
| A long-distance coach | Nils Ericson Terminal | The gate on the terminal’s screens |
| A tram or city bus | Drottningtorget or Nils Ericsonsplatsen | Stop names in the planner |
| A taxi | The rank outside the station by track 1 | The marked rank |
The station is a terminus. Every train arrives and leaves from the same end, so on arrival you simply walk to the end of the platform, toward the station halls. Drottningtorget, the square in front of the main entrance, is where the trams stop.
The Nils Ericson Terminal is joined to the station indoors. Västtrafik, the regional transport authority, says you can walk inside all the way from Drottningtorget through the station and the terminal. With luggage, allow a few minutes for it, then find your gate on the screens.
Six train companies sell trips from the station: SJ, Västtrafik, VR, Tågab, Snälltåget and Vy. Direct trains to Stockholm, run by SJ and VR, normally take about three hours; see our Stockholm to Gothenburg train guide for closure weekends. Vy runs to Oslo in about 3.5 hours, and Öresundståg runs through to Copenhagen.
One trap: Snälltåget’s daily Malmö–Oslo train does not call at Göteborg C at all. It stops at Göteborg-Mölndal and Göteborg-Gamlestaden instead, so check the station name on your ticket. Our guide to trains to Oslo and Copenhagen has the details.
What changed in 2026: the stop names
On 15 June 2026 Västtrafik renamed the tram and bus stops around the station, to avoid confusion once the new entrances open:
| Old name (older guides, old maps) | Name since 15 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Centralstationen | Drottningtorget |
| Nordstan | Nils Ericsonsplatsen |
Most guides still say “take the tram to Centralstationen”. That stop now exists only as Drottningtorget. Search for the new name in the journey planner, or you may end up waiting at the wrong stop. For tickets, zones and tapping your card on the trams, see our Gothenburg public transport guide.
Tracks 21–24 from 13 December 2026
On 13 December 2026 the first part of Västlänken, the new rail tunnel under the city, opens. It adds an underground section to the station with four tracks, 21–24, and two long platforms. Tracks 1–16 above ground stay in use.
The trains move over in stages:
| When | Trains on tracks 21–24 |
|---|---|
| December 2026 | Göteborg–Alingsås and Göteborg–Älvängen |
| Spring 2027 | Göteborg–Uddevalla |
| End of 2027 | Göteborg–Töreboda |
| Stays on tracks 1–16 | Göteborg–Vänersborg |
Some stops, such as Älvängen, Bohus and Gamlestaden, will be served from different platforms depending on the train. Check the app or the station signs for each journey.
Three things are worth knowing before you use it. First, the walk from Drottningtorget to tracks 21–24 is a few minutes longer than to tracks 1–16, so allow for it on a tight change. Second, the new section is itself a dead-end station, a säckstation; trains will only run through the city, via new stations at Haga and Korsvägen, when the whole Västlänken opens around 2030. Third, the last 2026 closure weekend on the Göteborg–Alingsås line, 11–13 December, overlaps the opening, with replacement buses running that weekend.
The new station building connects straight to the Nils Ericson Terminal, which makes train-to-coach changes easier. Other entrances lead toward the Nordstan shopping center and a new bus stop at Bergslagsparken, where express lines X6 and the new X8 will stop. An entrance toward Lilla Bommen also exists, but Västtrafik advises using the others at first while building work continues. Information staff will be on site at the opening, and Västtrafik says its app will show walking routes and transfer times.
Tickets inside the station
- Long-distance trains and coaches: buy from the operator, ideally in advance. Coach tickets for the airport run come from the coach company, and you can’t count on paying on board.
- Trams, city buses and boats: in zone A, tap a contactless bank card or phone wallet on the reader.
- Västtåg regional and commuter trains: tapping does not work, because there is no reader. Buy in the Västtrafik To Go app, or from the train crew by card.
- Västtrafik’s customer center (kundcenter) in the Nils Ericson Terminal sells Västtrafik singles, day and period tickets and Öresundståg singles. It takes cards, Swish and cash.
- Öresundståg ticket machines stand at the exits to tracks 12–13 and work around the clock.
- SJ staff work in the station and on the platforms.
The departure boards and announcements are run by Trafikverket, the Swedish Transport Administration. If a sign seems wrong, its traffic line answers around the clock.
Bags, toilets and Wi-Fi
Lockers. Code-locked lockers come in two sizes, and you open yours with the code on your receipt. You pay the first hour when you rent and the rest when you collect, by card or coins. For bulky bags and skis there is staffed storage by the public toilets, for a fee. The maximum stay is seven days. Prices are in the table below; for other stations and airports, see our luggage storage guide.
Toilets. The station has staffed toilets, an accessible toilet and a shower, paid by card or cash. The Nils Ericson Terminal’s toilets are unstaffed.
Wi-Fi. The station network is “All Station Guests” and is free.
Cash. Six ATMs: two in the Kompasshallen hall, two inside the Drottningtorget entrance and two in Centralhuset.
Taxis. Take one from the rank outside the station by track 1, or one you booked. The station owner’s rank promises a price no more than 10% above the area’s normal fare. How Swedish taxi pricing works is in our taxi guide.
Lost something? Items found in the station go to the police. If you lost it on a train or bus, contact that operator.
Arriving late or leaving early
The station is not open all night. The main building closes at 00:30 and reopens at 04:30, and the lockers inside it close with it, so collect your bags before closing. The Nils Ericson Terminal stays open later, until 01:30, and the station owner lists it as open around the clock on Fridays and Saturdays. Exact hours for all three buildings are in the table below.
Help with a disability
All entrances to the station are accessible, and the staffed accessible toilet is in the main building. For help to and from the train, book station assistance (ledsagning) with the train company when you buy your ticket. Do it at least 24 hours before you travel; the national assistance website gives information but can’t take bookings.
An assistant in a yellow vest marked ledsagare meets you at a signed meeting point. At Göteborg C these include the waiting room inside the entrance by track 13, the area by the platform for tracks 1 and 2, and a point outside the Nils Ericson Terminal near gates 24–26. Since December 2025 the service also covers the tram and bus stops around the station.
The assistant can carry at most two bags weighing 20 kg together. There are no wheelchairs to borrow, so bring your own. For coaches, the bus industry names the Nils Ericson Terminal as one of three Swedish terminals where operators must give free help on lines of 250 km or more. Confirm with your coach company well ahead.
Practical information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | Drottningtorget 5, Gothenburg |
| Station building hours | 04:30–00:30, every day |
| Centralhuset hours | 04:00–01:00, every day |
| Nils Ericson Terminal hours | 04:00–01:30 Mon–Thu, Sundays and public holidays; listed as around the clock on Fridays and Saturdays |
| Station toilets | Mon–Sat 06:00–23:30, Sun and holidays 07:00–23:00; fee, card or cash |
| Västtrafik customer center | Mon–Fri 06–21, Sat 08–21, Sun 09–21; card, Swish or cash |
| Small locker (36 × 44 × 60 cm) | 39 kr per started hour, max 199 kr per 24 hours (checked 2026-10-15) |
| Large locker (46 × 60 × 85 cm) | 69 kr per started hour, max 299 kr per 24 hours (checked 2026-10-15) |
| Staffed storage | Fee not published; bulky bags and skis |
| Wi-Fi | “All Station Guests”, free |
| Tram/bus stops | Drottningtorget (formerly Centralstationen), Nils Ericsonsplatsen (formerly Nordstan) |
| Airport coach | From the Nils Ericson Terminal, about 20 minutes to Landvetter — see our Landvetter airport guide |
| New tracks 21–24 | From 13 December 2026 |
FAQ
Where does the airport bus leave from at Gothenburg Central Station?
From the Nils Ericson Terminal, the bus terminal joined to the station building, not from the railway platforms. The Vy Flygbussarna coach to Landvetter takes about 20 minutes, stopping at Korsvägen on the way, and FlixBus route 691 also serves the airport. Buy the coach ticket from the operator in advance. Departure screens in the terminal show the gate.
Is the Nils Ericson Terminal the same as Gothenburg Central Station?
They are separate buildings in one complex, joined indoors. Trains use the station’s tracks; long-distance coaches, the airport coach and many regional buses use the Nils Ericson Terminal next door. Västtrafik says you can walk inside all the way from Drottningtorget through the station and the terminal. Allow a few minutes with luggage.
What happened to the Centralstationen tram stop in Gothenburg?
It was renamed. Since 15 June 2026 the tram and bus stop in front of the station is called Drottningtorget, and the old Nordstan stop is Nils Ericsonsplatsen. Västtrafik made the change ahead of the new station entrances opening in December 2026. Guides and maps that say “Centralstationen” mean Drottningtorget.
What are tracks 21–24 at Göteborg C?
They are the new underground section of the station, the first part of the Västlänken rail tunnel, opening on 13 December 2026. Local trains to Alingsås and Älvängen use them first, Uddevalla trains from spring 2027 and Töreboda trains from the end of 2027. The walk from Drottningtorget is a few minutes longer than to tracks 1–16.
Is Gothenburg Central Station open all night?
No. The main station building is open 04:30–00:30 every day, and its lockers can only be reached then. The Nils Ericson Terminal is open 04:00–01:30, except on Fridays and Saturdays, which the station owner lists as open around the clock. Plan a late arrival or night wait around these hours.
Can I leave luggage at Gothenburg Central Station?
Yes. Code-locked lockers come in two sizes and take card or coins; you pay the first hour up front and the rest when you collect. Bulky bags and skis go to the staffed storage by the public toilets, for a fee. Either way the maximum is seven days, and the lockers close with the station at night.
How do I get help at Gothenburg Central Station if I have a disability?
Book station assistance with the train company when you buy your ticket, at least 24 hours before you travel. An assistant in a yellow vest meets you at a signed meeting point, such as the waiting room inside the entrance by track 13, and takes you to the train. All station entrances are accessible, and there is a staffed accessible toilet.
Related guides
- Gothenburg public transport — your next step from Drottningtorget: zones, tapping and which ticket to buy.
- Landvetter airport guide — the other end of the airport coach.
- Stockholm to Gothenburg by train — operators, journey time and the closure weekends.
- Trains to Oslo and Copenhagen — which international trains call where.
- Where to stay in Gothenburg — areas within walking distance of the station.
Facts verified 2026-10-15. Sources: Jernhusen, Västtrafik, Trafikverket (incl. stationsledsagning.se), Swedavia, Snälltåget, Vy, Öresundståg, FlixBus, VR, Transportföretagen — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.