The Göta Canal
If you include the Trollhätte Canal and Lake Vänern, the Göta Canal route stretches around 400 kilometres across the south of Sweden. The Göta Canal proper begins on the eastern shore of Lake Vänern, crosses Vättern and finally flows into the Baltic Sea 190 kilometres east of Söderköping. Opened in 1832, it still has 58 historic locks and is one of Sweden's major tourist attractions (on land and water).
The western part of the canal, the so-called Västgötadelen, begins at the lower stem gate of "Sjötorp 1". The panorama, through whose fields, meadows and forests the waterway runs, is part of the province of Västra Götalands län, which stretches all the way to Vättern. The lake forms the border with Östergötland. With an extension of 120 kilometres in a north-south direction and an area of 1900 square kilometres, Vättern is second only to Lake Vänern in Sweden - but it is still four times the size of Lake Constance. The canal route leads right across: 33 kilometres separate Karlsborg from Motala on the eastern shore.
Around 90 kilometres are still missing on the way to the Baltic Sea. This is the stretch of the eastern part of the canal, the Östgötadelen: Farms, grain silos and the straight, tree-lined avenues characterise the picture. Hikers and cyclists are out and about on the towpath along the banks, and the remote-controlled roller bridges open automatically for the convoys of pleasure craft. The Göta Canal comes to an end at the Mem lock. The Swedish east coast has been reached. Ahead lies the long Slätbaken Fjord, the beautiful archipelago of Sankt Anna and behind it the open Baltic Sea.
Few inland waterways in Europe offer a similar length, but the natural surroundings and great variety make the Göta Canal a very special experience. It is correspondingly popular with sports skippers on the "Sweden round trip" cruise during the comparatively short season. Main season 2024: 13 June to 15 August. Price for the one-way trip (example: boat length 10 metres): SEK 8400.
The Hjälmare Canal
The only 13 km long Hjälmare Canal is the oldest artificial waterway in Sweden. It was opened as early as 1639 during the reign of Gustav II Adolf and has since connected Lake Hjälmaren (or rather the river Arbogaån, which flows into the lake) with the larger River Mälaren (and thus also with the Baltic Sea). Originally, the canal was part of an ambitious plan to build an inland waterway for trade across Sweden - to avoid Danish customs duties on the Öresund. However, the project was too ambitious for its time.
Even a final expansion plan around one hundred years ago was quickly forgotten, so that today this historic canal is only used by leisure and excursion boats. There are no settlements along the route, most of which runs through wooded areas and only crosses a small lake, Kvarnsjön. However, the Hjälmare Canal Café above the Hällby lock stairs is a popular destination. There are a total of nine locks along the canal and their operating times are fixed. The cost for a single passage on your own keel is SEK 800. Season 2024: 8 June to 18 August.
The Strömsholm Canal
No canal in Sweden leads further north than the 110 kilometre long Strömsholm Canal. While ore used to be transported from the mines in the north, the canal with its 26 locks is now firmly in the hands of sports skippers. However, it is still an important part of this chapter in Swedish industrial history - and the centrepiece of the Ekomuseum Bergslagen, a museum region that brings the former metallurgical area of the same name to life at more than 60 points.
These include the mill museum at the Surahammar lock, which shows the entire production chain from raw ore to the finished railway wheel. However, there is no question of industrial wasteland; the nature along the canal - including the lakes it crosses - is as lush as anywhere else in Sweden. On the way down to the village of Strömsholm on Mälaren, the difference in altitude is around 100 metres. The 2024 season runs from 24 June to 11 August. Price: SEK 2050 (one-way trip), SEK 3400 (season ticket).
The Kinda Channel
A tight schedule ensures that the vast majority of crews cross Lake Roxen without stopping on their way through the Göta Canal. However, the lake offers the opportunity for a delightful detour: on the southern shore of the lake at Linköping the Kinda channel The Dalsland Canal on Lake Vänern is the second historic waterway connected to the main system that is important for tourism. Just a few years ago, the 80-kilometre-long secondary system celebrated its 150th birthday - but in contrast to the lively Göta Canal, time really does seem to have stood still here.
An area close to nature - also because it consists mainly of lakes of different sizes, but which are connected, not least the 20 kilometre long Åsunden, which also leads to the southernmost point of the Kinda Canal, the small town of Horn. In addition to the beautiful route, highlights include the town of Linköping with its cathedral, the historic, hand-operated lock stairs and the numerous castles along the route, for example in Sturefors and Brokind. The Kinda Canal's small handicap is its clearance height of just 3.05 metres. The main season this year is from 24 June to 11 August. Price: SEK 1150 (one-way trip), SEK 1900 (season ticket).
The Södertälje Canal
With a length of only about five kilometres the Södertälje Canal is the shortest artificial waterway with a connection to Sweden's inland waters. Nevertheless, like the Trollhätte Canal, it is of great importance for shipping as a whole, as it is the most important connection between the Baltic Sea and Mälaren. The single lock along its course also speaks for this: with a usable length of 135 metres and a width of just under 20 metres, it is the largest in Scandinavia. The clearance height of the bridges is 26 metres, even when closed. The traffic control centre can be reached via VHF channel 68 or by calling +46 (0)70-0899336.
