Visitor Guide

A practical guide for short-term visitors joining the group and moving to Sweden.

Welcome to the AI Laboratory for Molecular Engineering (AIME) in the Data Science and AI (DSAI) division at Chalmers University of Technology! If you are reading this, you are likely preparing for a research stay with us. Congratulations, and welcome.

This guide was originally written by María Nuria Peralta Moreno, a visiting PhD student from the University of Barcelona, based on her own research stay in the group, and has been lightly edited since. It collects practical tips on settling into Gothenburg and getting oriented at Chalmers, from finding accommodation to sorting out transport, payments, and campus logistics. We hope it makes your arrival smoother.

Please note: The information below is provided in good faith to help you get started, but details such as prices, links, application processes, and policies change over time and can quickly go out of date. Ultimately, it is each visitor’s own responsibility to verify the current details and keep themselves informed about the requirements relevant to their stay. When in doubt, consult the official sources linked here, and don’t hesitate to ask Rocío or other colleagues.

Before you arrive

  • Residence permit / visa (non-EU/EEA citizens). If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA, you will generally need a residence permit to carry out a research visit in Sweden, and permits for visiting researchers are typically based on a hosting agreement with the university. Very short stays (often under 90 days) may not require a permit, but this depends on your nationality and the length and nature of your visit, so check early—processing can take a while. See the Swedish Migration Agency’s page for researchers, and coordinate with Rocío and/or the necessary persons well in advance. Citizens of EU/EEA countries can live and work in Sweden without a permit.

Moving in

Accommodation

  • Finding accommodation in Gothenburg can be challenging, which is why a number of options exist, particularly for students. Beyond private agencies, one commonly recommended starting point is Blocket/Qasa, where rental listings are posted regularly and where you can also find shared accommodation. This can be a flexible option for finding housing.
  • Rather than a shared flat, we generally recommend the student guest houses offered by Chalmers or the University of Gothenburg. Waiting lists for long-term student housing tend to be long, but short-term visitors often have an easier time finding a place. Useful links: SGS Studentbostäder, Holterman Hostel, and Chalmers Studentbostäder.
  • As a guest researcher applying for accommodation through Chalmers Studentbostäder, the most direct route is to contact ISMO about the housing queue and any related questions by email at ismo.stodet@chalmers.se. Available apartments are also occasionally advertised on their short-term contract page.
  • Please keep in mind that this process can take time. Because these offers tend to appear spontaneously (often when a tenant ends their contract early), an offer may not become available until a month or two before your intended start date. Plan accordingly.

From Landvetter Airport to Gothenburg

  • One of the easiest ways to reach the city directly from the airport is via the Flygbussarna airport coaches. Buses depart from the airport entrance every 20–30 minutes. Tickets can be purchased either online in advance or directly on the bus by tapping your credit card.
  • There are several other public transport options as well; the coach is simply the one many visitors find most convenient.
  • A cab from the airport will cost roughly 400-800 SEK to Gothenburg, but be careful of scammers. Ask for the fare before you accept.

Public transport

  • To get around the city and its surroundings, the best options are walking, renting a bike, or using public transport (Västtrafik), which works very well. You can buy single, day, or period tickets, with prices depending on the travel zone (easily identified using the Travel Planning feature in the app).
  • Recommend to download the Västtrafik To Go app.
  • Tickets are valid on trains, buses, trams, and ferries. Within Zone A, ferry trips to the Gothenburg archipelago are included.

Payments

  • Although Sweden has been an EU member since 1995, it retains its own currency, the Swedish krona (SEK). In practice, Sweden is almost entirely cashless, and you can pay for essentially everything by card.
  • To avoid currency exchange fees, some visitors use services such as Revolut, N26, or similar. Take some time to decide whether you need one and which option best suits your situation.
  • You may occasionally be asked to pay via Swish, a mobile payment app that is very popular among locals. It is tied to a Swedish BankID electronic identification, so it is generally not something short-term visitors can set up.

At Chalmers

Your Chalmers account and access card

  • Before you can use the Chalmers IT systems, Wi-Fi (eduroam), printing, and many of the buildings, you will need a Chalmers user account (CID) and, usually, a personal access/key card for entry outside of normal opening hours. These are arranged through your host and the department administration, so ask about them early—ideally before or on your first day. Rocío can point you to the right person.

Campus Johanneberg and the EDIT building

  • The Johanneberg campus can be easy to get lost in at first. A campus map helps.
  • The AIME group and the DSAI division are located in the EDIT building. Here is the location of one of the building entrances.

Chalmers Studentkår (student union) visitor card

  • The Chalmers Studentkår union card gives you access to member benefits during your stay, including discounts at campus restaurants (for example, a reduced lunch menu price). To use it, load the card with an amount of your choice at one of the points that accept it, such as the merchandise store, and pay from that balance. Note that the companion app is only available to students formally enrolled at Chalmers, so as a visitor you may need to use the regular queue rather than pre-paying through the app.
  • How to request a visitor card: While the union can be reached by email at desk@chalmersstudentkar.se, it is easier to visit their office in the student union building in person—for example, the merchandise store—and ask for the visitor’s card directly. They will ask for an ID or identification document and an email address for follow-up instructions. The card itself is free, though a minimum initial charge (around 400 SEK) applies.
  • If you have any balance left at the end of your stay (or at any point), you can request a refund at the merchandise store.

Wi-Fi and printing

  • For Wi-Fi, connect via eduroam. If you run into any issues, please let Rocío know.
  • Printing is managed through PaperCut. For instructions on connecting directly to a printer, see the Chalmers intranet guide.

Health and emergencies

  • Emergencies: dial 112 for police, ambulance, or fire. It is free and works from any phone; please use it only for genuine emergencies. For non-urgent police matters you can instead dial 114 14.
  • Medical advice and non-urgent care: call 1177 to reach a nurse for medical advice around the clock, or see 1177 Västra Götaland. Routine care is handled by a local health centre (vårdcentral); once you have a personnummer you can register with one near you.

Good to know

  • Language. Swedish is the national language, but English is very widely spoken, and you can get by comfortably in English both at the university and around the city.
  • Seasons and daylight. Daylight varies dramatically across the year: long, bright summer evenings and short, dark winter days. If you are arriving for the winter, bring warm, waterproof layers, and don’t underestimate how much the darkness can affect you; getting outside during daylight hours helps.

Further information

  • For additional practical information about relocating, working, and living in the region, see the official Move to Gothenburg page.

Last updated: July 26, 2026.