This cycle package takes you along the entire Göta canal from Vänern to the Baltic Sea. The cycling holiday starts in Töreboda and the final destination is Söderköping and Mem at the canal's outlet in the Baltic Sea. You cycle along the car-free towpath along the entire Göta canal and pass 58 locks in this 200-year-old structure. Enjoyable cycling and pleasant boat trips (3.5 hours in total) are included in the package that stretches along Sweden's blue belt.
Cycle comfortably along the entire Göta Kanal and glide along with the boat M/S Kung Sverker between Motala to Borensberg. Experience a fantastic story telling for five days. Watch sluicing, enjoy nature, take a break when you feel like it. Stop at one of the canal-side cafes. Fantastic experiences and memories for a lifetime await here.
The package includes accommodation, breakfast/lunch/dinner (except in one place where it is better to choose your own restaurant), rental bikes and luggage transportation between the accommodations. You can of course opt out, but for a bike package like this it can be nice to have that service for the luggage. Transportation around Vättern by car and boat trips (a total of 3.5 hours) are included in the price. This way you get a really nice canal experience with both bike and boat. A bicycle boat crosses Lake Asplången on the Östergötland side. The trip does not take very long, but you have to buy a ticket on site (SEK 100 per person). Feel free to stop and have a coffee at the cozy Brådtom lock while waiting for the bike boat. We recommend that you bring your own bicycle helmet for best comfort and safety.
The cycling holiday starts from Töreboda, perfect for those arriving by train. From Töreboda you cycle on the car-free roads along the Göta canal past 19 locks to Sjötorp by Vänern. In Sjötorp, lunch is served at Café Baltzar by the harbor basin. To learn more about how the canal was built, entry to the canal museum, located at Sjötorp's harbour, is included. In the afternoon you cycle again towards Töreboda. You stay at Prästgården's family hotel and dinner is served at Prästgården's Garden Café. Enjoy in the lovely garden if the weather permits, or indoors in the familiar restaurant.
After breakfast at the guesthouse Prästgården, the bike ride continues towards today's destination, Karlsborg vid Vättern. Today you cycle along the Göta canal past Lanthöjden, which is a small island in the middle of the canal. Then on to Tåtorp by lake Viken. In Tåtorp there is one of the two manually operated locks along the Göta canal, the other is in Borensberg in Östergötland.
Today's bike ride takes you out on small winding roads around lake Viken and on to Forsvik, which you must not miss. Forsviks Bruk is one of Sweden's oldest industrial sites. Here there are unique buildings in an environment that is as beautiful as it is historically interesting, with exhibitions and activities for the whole family. Then you cycle on towards Karlsborg, which has been Sweden's reserve capital once upon a time. Here we really recommend a guided tour of Karlsborg's færstning. You check in at Hotell Wettern, which is a stone's throw from the famous fortress. A comfortable bed and a pleasant evening buffet await here.
After breakfast there will be car transport around Lake Vättern to Motala. Then you experience the Göta canal by boat. M/S Kung Sverker departs from Motala harbor at 10:30. Relax on deck and enjoy lunch served on board as the boat glides along the canal. At 12:30 M/S Kung Sverker arrives in Borensberg.
In cozy Borensberg, you can take the opportunity to see the only hand-operated lock on the east side of Göta before cycling on along the fine, car-free towpath along the Göta canal towards Berg. During the cycle tour, you pass several locks and viaducts. It's a powerful feeling to stand and look down at the cars driving under the canal. The tour goes through the varied East Goth landscape with breathtaking views. The famous lock staircase in Berg consists of 7 locks that raise and lower the boats no less than 18 meters. Overnight at Ljungsbro leisure center hostel. In the evening you look for a nice place for dinner.
At Bergs slussar cycling, you board the RoxenSnabben boat that takes you across Lake Roxen. The boat trip takes about 45 minutes. The cycling holiday continues with cycling along the Göta canal and across the lake Asplången before you arrive in the small-town idyll of Söderköping. A novelty is the cycle boat that takes you across lake Asplången. The tour costs SEK 100 and departs between 10am and 4pm (paid on site, not included in the price). Take the opportunity to have coffee at Brådtom lock while you wait for the boat. Then you cycle the last bit towards picturesque Söderköping, where you can stroll around the cobbled streets of the medieval town. Enjoy a 3-course dinner and overnight stay at the historic hotel Söderköpings Brunn.
Enjoy a delicious breakfast in peace and quiet at the hotel. For those who want to experience the entire Göta channel, we recommend that you cycle the remaining 6 km out to Mem by the Slätbaken bay and back again. Here the channel opens into the Baltic Sea. The cycle ride is on car-free roads along the canal with boats slowly gliding along at 5 knots. In Mem you can have lunch. Feel free to end the tour in Söderköping with a guided tour with the small locomotive. It was in picturesque Söderköping that the films about Astrid Lindgren's Madicken were shot. You leave your rental bike at the hotel in Söderköping. From the Travel Center, buses/trains go back to Töreboda or to your hometown.
30% of the price of the bike package is payable no later than 7 days after the booking is confirmed. The remaining amount is payable no later than 30 days before departure. More detailed information will be sent out in connection with the confirmed booking.
Cancellation:
Until 40 days before the start date a fee is payable (500 kr/person if the price of the trip is max 4 000 kr/person, 1 000 kr/person if the price of the trip is more than 4 001 kr/person)
40-31 days before the start date - 60% Refund
30-15 days before the start date - 40% Refund
I4 days before start date - no refunds
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the cycling tour and boat trip, and that the accommodations at the beginning and end of your journey met your expectations.
We apologize that the accommodation at Ljungsbro hostel did not meet your expectations.
We will also improve our communication regarding what the accommodation at Ljungsbro entails, so that our guests know what to expect.
Thank you again for sharing your feedback with us. It helps us to improve our services and ensure that future guests have an even better experience.
Best regards
Urban Brånfelt
Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed cycling along the canal and your stay at Söderköpings Brunn. At the same time, we are very sorry to hear about the problems you encountered during your four-day cycling tour.
We would like to start by apologizing for the shortcomings you experienced, particularly regarding the second day of cycling. For your extra night at Pensionat Prästgården, it was unmanned, and all guests are informed that the key to their room is in the key box at the entrance door. We apologize if this was not clearly communicated.
On your first day of arrival, Yvonne Brånfelt went through the cycling with route descriptions and maps. It is unfortunate that you felt you did not receive enough information. We understand that the hilly roads on the southern side of Lake Viken and the busy road were not what you expected, and we will review our routes and descriptions to ensure they are accurate and clear.
It is also very regrettable that you had to wait for the bikes. We are sorry that our bike supplier did not meet our expectations, which caused you stress. We will review our booking procedures to avoid such mistakes in the future.
The fact that no one met you at the first night's accommodation and that you did not receive the promised detailed guides and information is unacceptable, and we will ensure that this does not happen again. Regarding the dinner at the hotel, we have now removed this dinner option and are partnering with another restaurant that meets our standards.
Finally, we are aware of the issues that arose during the booking and payment of the trip and are actively working to improve these processes for a smoother experience for our customers.
We appreciate your feedback and see it as an opportunity to improve our services. We hope you will give us a chance to show that we can do better, and we would be happy to offer you a discount on a future trip as compensation for the inconveniences you experienced.
Best regards,
Urban Brånfelt