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Voykit pocket guide · Sweden
Borås
Give Borås one night, or a half-day stop between Gothenburg and Jönköping: the textile museum and the zoo are the reasons to get off the bus.
Borås is a former textile town of about 66,000 people in Västergötland, roughly 70 km east of Gothenburg. It is not a sightseeing city: the draw is the Textile Museum, Sweden's second-largest zoo and a cluster of outlet-style textile shops. Most travellers see it as a one-night stop or a day trip from Gothenburg, not a base.
- Country
- Sweden
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (dark, cold, few outdoor sights open)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- SEK
- Money
- Currency is the Swedish krona (SEK, kr); the euro is not used. About 11 SEK to €1 — check.
- Daily spend
- Budget kr 600–900 excl. bed · Mid kr 900–1,500 excl. bed · High kr 1,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU roaming applies for EU/EEA SIMs.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Police non-emergency 114 14 · Health advice 1177
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Included; add 5–10% on the card terminal for good service.; Café and bar: Nothing expected.; Taxi: Round up.; Guides: Optional.
- Water
- Tap water is excellent; ask for 'kranvatten', often free.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are clean but often card-paid (SEK 5–10); cafés reserve them for customers.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and a pastry | kr 50–90 |
| Lunch plate (dagens lunch) | kr 100–150 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at Systembolaget | kr 70–100 / kr 20–35 |
| 5 km taxi ride3.1 mi taxi ride | kr 150–220 |
| City bus single ticket | kr 30–40 |
| Museum entry (Textile Museum, Borås Museum) | kr 0–100 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GOT · Gothenburg Landvetter
- About 60 km away; no airport in Borås. Bus or train onward via Gothenburg, or a direct airport coach — check current timetables.About 37 mi away; no airport in Borås. Bus or train onward via Gothenburg, or a direct airport coach — check current timetables.
Typical fares
- Coach Gothenburg → Borås
- about kr 130, about 1 h
- City bus single ticket
- kr 30–40
- Taxi across the centre
- kr 100–150
Get around
The centre is small enough to walk. Västtrafik buses cover the city and suburbs; buy tickets in the Västtrafik app before boarding. Taxis are metered — TaxiKurir and Taxi Borås both run local services.
See and do
Known for
- Textile Museum of Borås
- Borås Djurpark (zoo)
- Textile shopping and outlets
- IF Elfsborg football
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gothenburg | Coach #100 from Borås resecentrum, about every 30 min; or Västtrafik regional train | About 1 h by coach |
| Varberg | Route 41 by car, or train via Varberg line | About 1 h 15 min |
| Jönköping | Coach or car east on route 40/27 | About 1 h 30 min |
| Alingsås | Train toward Gothenburg, change as needed | About 1 h |
Sleep
- City centre (Allégatan / Sven Eriksonsplatsen)
- Walkable to the Textile Museum, the river and most restaurants; best for one night without a car.
- Knalleland / zoo area
- About 2 km north of the centre, next to the shopping centre and the zoo; useful if shopping or travelling with children.About 1.2 mi north of the centre, next to the shopping centre and the zoo; useful if shopping or travelling with children.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hejhey |
| Thank you | Tacktack |
| Excuse me | Ursäktaoor-SHEK-ta |
| How much is it? | Hur mycket kostar det?hoor MIK-ke KOS-tar deh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan jag betala med kort?kan yag beh-TA-la med kort |
| Where is the toilet? | Var är toaletten?var air too-ah-LET-ten |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake with eye contact; first names; avoid: Kissing on the cheek with new acquaintances
- Fika: Accept the invitation; it is how people connect at work; avoid: Treating it as a quick takeaway
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring flowers or chocolates; avoid: Arriving early — or late
- Conversation: Keep calm, modest and factual; lagom; avoid: Boasting, raised voices, pushing opinions
- Queues: Take a number (nummerlapp); avoid: Jumping the queue
- Public transport: Let people off first, keep quiet, give seats to elderly; avoid: Loud phone calls
Scams and watch-outs
- Trains from Gothenburg are slower than the bus because of old track; the #100 coach runs about every 30 minutes and is often the faster choice.
- Many textile shops and the tourist centre keep short hours on Saturdays and close on Sundays — check before you plan a shopping day.
- Winter daylight is short (roughly 06:30–15:30 in December) and pavements ice over; bring grip soles.
- Card and Swish are accepted almost everywhere; a few small shops are cash-free.
Borås is a calm, ordinary Swedish town and safe for visitors by day and evening. The practical risks are icy pavements in winter, short daylight, and the usual late-night noise around bars on weekends.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Borås yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Textile Museum of Borås
- Borås Djurpark (zoo)
- Textile shopping and outlets
- IF Elfsborg football
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Borås (local tourist organisation): www.boras.com/en/
- Västtrafik (regional public transport): www.vasttrafik.se/en/
- Textile Museum of Borås: textilmuseet.se/
- Borås Djurpark: www.borasdjurpark.se/
- Polisen — Borås police station: polisen.se/kontakt/polisstationer/vastra-gotaland/boras/
- Wikivoyage: Borås, revision 5244526 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5244526
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Borås
Till den här adressen, tack
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Borås; most countries keep embassies in Stockholm and consulates in Gothenburg — check your own country's list.
English is widely spoken; you rarely need Swedish beyond a greeting.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/boras). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.