Gothenburg Airport Guide: Landvetter, Routes and Rail Plans
Gothenburg Airport at Landvetter is western Sweden's main gateway. Explore its runway, terminal, SAS and Ryanair routes, buses and planned rail link.
By The Aviation Hub
5 min read
Updated October 20, 2026 
Gothenburg Airport, officially Goteborg Landvetter Airport, is the main gateway to western Sweden and the country’s second city. It sits in forested hills east of Gothenburg, in the municipality of Harryda, and handled about 5.4 million passengers in 2025. The airport links a major industrial region, home to Volvo and a busy port, with European hubs and leisure destinations. A planned high speed rail station could reshape how people reach it in the next decade.
Gothenburg Airport at a Glance
The airport carries the IATA code GOT and the ICAO code ESGG. It lies about 12 miles (20 km) east south east of Gothenburg city centre at an elevation of 154 m (506 ft). A single asphalt runway, 03/21, serves one passenger terminal.
Gothenburg Airport recorded roughly 5.43 million passengers in 2025, up 1.8 per cent on 2024, and international traffic makes up the larger share. SAS is the focus carrier, while Ryanair, Sunclass Airlines and TUI fly Nordic all have bases here. The state owned company Swedavia operates the airport, as it does Stockholm Arlanda and most other major Swedish fields. Timetables, parking and bus details are on the airport’s official website.
How Gothenburg’s Airport Came to Be
Gothenburg’s first main airport was Torslanda, on the western side of the city near the coast. By the 1970s it was too small and hemmed in, and planners chose a site on the higher ground at Landvetter. King Carl XVI Gustaf opened the new airport on 3 October 1977, and it takes its name from the nearby locality of Landvetter.
For decades the airport ran separate domestic and international terminals. These were merged into a single building in 2014, which simplified transfers and security. A CAT IIIb instrument landing system arrived in 2015, a vital upgrade for a field so prone to fog.
The pandemic hit hard, and in April 2020 passenger numbers fell 99.5 per cent on the previous year. Recovery has been steady since. A terminal extension of about 18,500 square metres opened in 2023, and SAS launched a seasonal service to New York Newark the same year, though it ended in March 2024.
Runways at Gothenburg Airport
Runway 03/21 is 3,299 m (10,823 ft) long and 45 m wide, with an asphalt surface. That is ample for every type in regular service, from regional turboprops to the wide body charter jets on long holiday flights such as Phuket, and freighters can depart fully loaded.
The challenge is weather. At around 150 m above sea level, the field is often affected by fog and low cloud, and crosswinds are common. The CAT IIIb system allows suitably equipped aircraft to land in very low visibility, though it only helps crews and aircraft certified to use it. South westerly winds, common in western Sweden, favour runway 21, with arrivals approaching over the forest from the north east. Snow clearance is a routine winter operation.
Terminals and Airlines
Gothenburg Airport has one terminal with a mix of air bridge and bus gates. Gates 12 to 17 and 19 to 23 have air bridges, while 10 and 11, 18A to 18H and 24A to 24E use buses. Gates 22 to 24 handle non Schengen flights, including London and Istanbul, and gates 20 and 21 can switch between the two areas.
SAS is one of the two largest carriers, with Airbus A320neos to Stockholm, Copenhagen and other European cities. Ryanair, the other, runs a low cost base with Boeing 737s, and Norwegian adds further competition. Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, British Airways, Finnair and Turkish Airlines feed their hubs, giving every major alliance a presence. Sunclass and TUI fly Nordic carry package holidaymakers to the sun.
Routes and Destinations
Stockholm was the busiest route in 2024, with about 497,000 passengers. London came second with roughly 432,000, followed by Frankfurt at around 359,000 and Amsterdam at about 329,000. Copenhagen, Munich, Helsinki and Istanbul are other key business links.
Leisure traffic at Gothenburg Airport follows the Swedish calendar. Summer brings Ryanair and SAS flights to the Mediterranean, while winter charters head for the Canary Islands and the Alps. There has been no scheduled transatlantic link since the SAS service to Newark ended in March 2024. Cargo is significant too. DHL announced a 7,500 square metre cargo terminal in 2015, and the region’s automotive and manufacturing industries keep freighters and belly holds busy.
Getting to and from Gothenburg Airport
There is no rail station yet. Flygbussarna runs the most frequent coaches to the Nils Ericson Terminal beside Gothenburg Central Station, taking about 30 minutes, and this is the most convenient option for most visitors. Vy bus4you and the usually cheaper Flixbus also stop at Gothenburg Airport, while Vasttrafik route 612 serves Landvetter village.
By road, the airport sits beside the motorway between Gothenburg and Boras, and the drive to the city centre takes 20 to 25 minutes in normal traffic. Taxis wait outside arrivals and many offer fixed fares to the city. Short and long stay car parks surround the terminal, and car hire desks are in the arrivals hall.
Spotting and Photography
Spotting at Gothenburg Airport takes some planning because thick forest surrounds the field. Public roads near both runway ends give views of arrivals, and the terminal windows and bus gates provide close looks at SAS, Ryanair and the visiting hub carriers. Long haul charter departures and occasional freighters are the highlights.
Light is generally best in the afternoon from the western side of the field, though Scandinavian weather can change quickly. Fog often lifts by late morning. Midsummer evenings offer long golden light well after normal working hours. Keep to public roads and paths, park considerately on forest tracks, and respect fences and signs, which Swedavia enforces firmly.
What Comes Next
The big project is rail. In 2024 an agreement was reached for a high speed line from Gothenburg Central Station to the airport, part of the new Gothenburg to Boras railway. The project is estimated at around SEK 48.5 billion (roughly £3.7 billion), with the first trains expected around 2035. The existing Coast to Coast line passes about 2 km (just over a mile) north of the terminal but has no station.
The 2023 terminal extension gives room for growth in the meantime. Swedish aviation taxes and environmental pressure will shape how fast airlines add seats. Still, with a strong regional economy and a rail link on the horizon, Gothenburg Airport is heading for steady, sustainable growth. See how it compares with other Nordic airports on our Airports of the World map.
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