My Experience Exploring Stockholm With the GoCity Essentials Pass

Visiting Stockholm is always a good idea, and you’ll find plenty of fun experiences to keep you entertained for a weekend. But attractions in the Swedish capital can be quite expensive, and if you plan to visit lots of them, this can quickly eat into your budget. 

I know this all too much myself. In addition to visiting Stockholm 5+ times, I also lived there for a while. As I’ve gained more knowledge about the city, I have sought to make it easier for other travelers to enjoy their trip more than would otherwise be the case. 

Part of this has involved figuring out what is and isn’t worth spending your money on, along with figuring out how you can save some cash while you visit. One option that promises to do this is GoCity’s Essentials Pass, which is one of its two Stockholm cards. 

Since I was curious to see if it’s actually worth buying, and whether it can genuinely save you money, I went on yet another trip to Stockholm to find out. Today, you’ll find my honest review—with all the things I did and didn’t like—along with my verdict on whether it’s worth using. 

To give you an idea of how to practically use the card, I will also show you each place I visited. Throughout, you’ll find original photos of each attraction; that way, you can better decide if GoCity’s Stockholm Essentials Pass is a good purchase for you. 

I was invited by GoCity to try the Stockholm Essentials Pass. However, as always, all views in this article are my own.

What’s Included in the GoCity Essentials Pass?

The GoCity Stockholm Essentials Pass lets you pick from 13 of Stockholm’s main museums and other attractions. You can choose one of the Royal Palace, Skansen Open Air Museum, or Vasa Museum. 

I had already visited many places and done a lot of experiences on this list before, but I didn’t think too much about that. I thought about what my favorite things to do were, and what I would recommend for you. This actually worked in my favor because it meant I could determine what is truly worth seeing. 

In comparison, the Stockholm All-Inclusive Pass has 72 attractions. It’s more comprehensive, but the Essentials Pass aims to reduce decision fatigue. 

How Much Does the GoCity Essentials Pass Cost?

The GoCity Essentials Pass costs 699 Swedish Kronor (SEK), which is roughly $74 (USD), €64, or £56. If you’re traveling with kids, you can purchase passes for children aged 6-15 for 249 SEK (c. $26 USD, €23, or £20).

One important thing to note is that the Essentials Pass is valid for one day. But to be honest, I found it quite easy to visit all three attractions I picked in one day. Stockholm has a very good public transport system, and you can also walk between many attractions. So, it’s not too much of an issue. 

I Visited These Places With the Stockholm Essentials Pass…

As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to choose the “hell yes” experiences from the Stockholm Essentials Pass—regardless of whether I’ve done them before or not. That way, I could help you choose what’s worth seeing yourself.

I mentioned in my guide on the best things to do in Stockholm that the Skansen Open Air Museum is an absolute must. This is true if you’re visiting as a family, but even if you aren’t (we were just a couple), it’s still worth seeing. 

Skansen is effectively a miniature version of Sweden, with different parts of the park showcasing various parts of the country. You’ll also find a number of Swedish animals here, and I also recommend visiting the petting zoo—the goats are very friendly 🙂. 

At Skansen, we also went to the bakery and to see some of the buildings’ interiors. When we arrived, the ticket inspector scanned the QR code for our passes; after that, we went through. On the other side, we received a map from one of the staff members. 

Besides visiting Skansen with the Essentials Pass, you can purchase individual entry tickets if you choose not to purchase the card.

2. Fotografiska

Stockholm has the first Fotografiska museum to open, and before visiting, it had been on my list of places to visit for a while. Having been to the one in Tallinn just a few months earlier, it felt logical to include this as one of the options on my GoCity Essentials Pass.

Fotografiska has a handful of exhibitions from local and international artists, and when I visited, it also had a 15th-anniversary exhibition. The museum was spread over a couple of floors, and I found it pretty interesting; it reminded me a lot of the Tallinn one. 

When visiting this photography museum, a nice bonus is that you will find some of the best views of Stockholm from its bar and restaurant. Like Skansen, you can buy entry tickets individually if you’d prefer. 

At Fotografiska, we simply went to the reception and showed them our GoCity passes. Like Skansen, it’s also possible to buy individual entry if you’d prefer.

3. The Stockholm Highlights Boat Tour

Stromma’s Stockholm Highlights boat tour is one of my favorite experiences in the city, and I actually wrote a full guide to taking this tour. I had already done so before going again with the GoCity Essentials Pass, and I wanted to return to a) get some nicer photos, and b) write about the experience in more detail. 

This tour takes you around the island of Södermalm, along with offering some great views of Gamla Stan, Djurgården, and other parts of Stockholm. It’s quite long, taking around two-and-a-half hours, and the ideal way to start your Stockholm itinerary. 

When we did the Stockholm Highlights boat tour, we had to visit the ticket office and show them our passes. After scanning the QR code, the person at the desk gave us tickets to board the boat. This cost us nothing extra. 

One thing to note is that during the winter, Stromma operates a winter boat tour instead. 

Did I Save Any Money?

As you can see, I saved 116 SEK (c. $12 / £9 / €10.50) from using the GoCity Essentials Pass. Not a huge amount, but still something. More importantly, though, having the pass meant not having to worry about purchasing separate tickets and dealing with the administrative headache that would’ve arisen from that.

You will, however, need to calculate the amount for each attraction you want to visit. For example, the boat tour was in and of itself over 50% of the pass’s value. On the other hand, I wouldn’t have necessarily saved money if I chose the Nobel Prize Museum as one of my options, for example. 

What I Liked About GoCity’s Essentials Stockholm Pass

Now that you’ve got a better idea of the GoCity Essentials Pass, how much it costs, and whether I saved any money myself, I’ll go through the pros and cons of using it. First, let’s start with the positives. 

1. Using the Pass Was Easy

In the past, I’ve bought city passes elsewhere that have been a bit confusing to use. And while I’ve been to Stockholm multiple times, it’s always a bit different when you get around with a pass rather than buying individual tickets. Thankfully, though, I found GoCity’s Stockholm Essentials Pass very easy to use. 

All I had to do was download the GoCity app and add my pass. After doing that, the ticket inspector scanned the QR code at each place I visited. We sometimes received a voucher for free, but in other instances, we just had to scan the in-app code and walk through. 

The app itself was very easy to use, too. I didn’t have glitches or any other annoyances; all I needed was a network connection. 

2. I Could Focus on a Smaller Number of Attractions

This particular trip to Stockholm was partly to spend a chilled weekend and have a change of scenery, but we also went there to see people we knew. As a result, I already knew in advance that our plan was not to see as many attractions as possible. 

One of the biggest considerations when buying any city pass is whether you’ll actually get the value for money you’re looking for. For the attractions I visited, I thought that GoCity’s Essentials Pass was worthwhile. 

Each attraction I visited was quite expensive on its own. One of the reasons I had previously been put off visiting Fotografiska, for example, is that it costs quite a lot to visit on its own. The Vasa Museum, also on the Essentials Pass list, is slightly less pricey than Fotografiska but still relatively expensive. 

4. There Were No Hidden Surprises

Some city passes elsewhere have annoying catches, such as discounts for some attractions rather than free entry to everything. You can still get good value for money with these passes, but I would prefer for everything to be included. 

With the GoCity Stockholm Essentials Pass, there are zero surprises. What you see is what you get; you’ll receive free entry to the attractions you choose and have to pay for access to the others. It’s that simple. 

What I Didn’t Like About the Stockholm Essentials Pass

Although I enjoyed using the Essentials Pass, I didn’t like everything about it. I had two issues in particular with it, and I’ll discuss each of these below. 

1. It Doesn’t Include Free Public Transport

My biggest annoyance with the GoCity Essentials Pass, by far, was that it didn’t include free public transport. When I tried the Copenhagen Card, for example, it included unlimited journeys within the city and its surroundings. 

Stockholm’s public transport isn’t overly expensive, so this wasn’t a huge issue—but it’s still a bit frustrating. The All-Inclusive Pass also does not include public transport, so you’ll need to keep this in mind and factor it into your budget. 

One thing worth noting is that many of Stockholm’s attractions are located close together, so you don’t necessarily need to take multiple rides. It’s more applicable if you want to travel from one side of the city to the other. 

2. I’d Have Liked More Variety in the Options I Could Choose

If I could, I would have switched out a couple of the attractions on the Essentials Pass for some others. For example, while you can visit the Gröna Lund amusement park with the All-Inclusive version, this isn’t possible with Essentials. 

I would also have included some of the other boat tours, instead of a few museums and attractions included in the pass. For example, I’d say that touring Stockholm’s archipelago is more of a “must” than visiting the Ice Bar. 

Who Should Use the GoCity Essentials Pass?

The Stockholm Essentials Pass is good value for money in some cases, but not all. In my opinion, you should use this pass if you already have a clear idea of the places you want to visit. For example, the Vasa Museum and Nordiska Museet are two attractions that I would say are worth seeing on your first trip to the Swedish capital. 

Similarly, I also strongly recommend taking a boat tour. Even after visiting Stockholm multiple times, this is still one of the things I enjoy doing the most (and repeatedly so). If you already know what you want to do, and the costs of buying each one individually are higher than getting the Essentials Pass, you should definitely opt for the pass instead. 

The Pass Might Not be Ideal for You if…

I wouldn’t recommend the pass if you want to see all of Stockholm’s attractions. In that case, I’d suggest buying the All-Inclusive version instead—and spreading your attractions out over multiple days. 

You should also ensure that you’ll actually save money with your pass before buying it. Some attractions in Stockholm have deals where you can get a discount as a family, and the attractions you choose might not add up to cost more than the Essentials Pass, in general. 

Before buying, I recommend checking ticket options for your specific attractions and determining whether you’ll actually save money. This is particularly true when considering that you don’t get free public transport with the pass, either. 

Overall, Do I Think the GoCity Stockholm Essentials Pass Is Worth Using?

If you’re planning to visit your choice of three of Stockholm’s main (and most expensive) attractions, I think the GoCity Essentials Pass is worth buying. Besides getting a discount, you can also keep everything in one place. Moreover, the app is very easy to use. 

I’d say that the pass works well when visiting Stockholm as a solo traveler or a couple. In some cases, it can be a good idea if you’re visiting with kids, too. 

If you’re planning to visit more than three attractions, on the other hand, you’re better off getting the Essentials Pass. And if you’re only planning to see one or two things in the city, I suggest buying individual tickets instead. 

For what it’s worth, though, I felt like the product itself was good. I’d happily use it again when visiting Stockholm in the future if I wanted to save a bit of money, and if it fits your needs, I recommend doing the same. 

As mentioned earlier, all views in this article are my own. If you want to buy either of GoCity’s Stockholm passes, you can do so here.