Skipper´s Guide EN 2023 1
Guest harbours, locks and bridges on the Göta Can
al When you check in for your canal journey, you will receive two service cards and a ticket flag to attach to your boat. These are the keys to your canal journey. The service cards serve as access cards to the Göta Canal guest harbour services. The guest harbours offer toilets, showers, laundry facilities and so on. The maps on the following pages will show you which harbours have which facilities. They also specify how many berths there are in each harbour, how you are to moor your boat, and whether or not the mooring sites offer electricity. The service cards will also grant you free access to the Göta Canal exhibition at the Old Workshop in Motala, and the Canal Museum in Sjötorp. Attach the ticket flag to your boat The ticket flag shows that you have paid for a canal ticket, and which section of the canal it is valid for. It also shows that you are permitted to moor in the Göta Canal guest harbours and use the available facilities. The high season ticket includes five nights at each guest harbour along the way. During the pre- and post-seasons, overnight stays at guest harbours are included as specified in the itinerary for your journey. All harbours are drop-in The drop-in principle applies to all harbours, meaning that is not possible to book a slot in advance. We recommend that you ask lock keepers about mooring rates further along your route, if you are interested in staying at a particular marina. If you would like to stay overnight at a location outside the guest harbours, please consult your nearest lock keeper. 12 | Guest harbours, locks and bridges Many locations are unsuitable for overnight stays due to the passing of passenger boats in the night. Bridge openings on the Göta Canal Bridges across the Göta Canal are opened by the lock keepers, to let boats through. In order to make your journey as smooth as possible, there are a couple of things to think about when you reach a bridge and would like it to be opened. Clearly indicate that you would like the bridge opened For the lock keeper to be able to see that you would like to pass the bridge, it is important that you lie in wait close to it, which indicates that you would like to pass. If you remain at a quay or jetty while waiting for the bridge to open, it is hard for the lock keeper to know if you would like the bridge opened, or if you have simply stopped for a break. Many bridges are remotely operated The remotely operated bridges are monitored by CCTV cameras and operated from a different geographical location. This means that one lock keeper operates several bridges, and for safety reasons, only one bridge may be opened at a time. The lock keeper can communicate with vessels using speakers and microphones installed by the bridges. Railroad traffic takes precedence At the railroad bridges in Norsholm, Motala, Töreboda and Lyrestad, waiting times may occur. At those locations, railroad traffic always takes precedence over boat traffic, and the Swedish Transport Administration will only grant short exceptions to open bridges. It is important that you are ready to pass quickly, when a railroad bridge is opened.