High-speed rail in Sweden

In Sweden many trains run at 200 km/h (125 mph). Train types which currently attain this speed include the X 2000 tilting trains for long distances, the Regina widebody trains, the X40 double-decker regional trains, the Arlanda Airport Express X3, the MTRX-trains, FlixTrains and the Stadler KISS-inspired double-decker regional trains. Since both the X2 and X3 are allowed to run at 205 km/h (127 mph) in case of delay, they can technically be considered as high-speed trains. The X2 runs between many cities in Sweden including Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. The Arlanda Express trains connect Stockholm and Stockholm-Arlanda Airport.

Sweden railways schematic map.

Current plans
Railways with 200 km/h in operation 2012.

Upgrades to existing lines

Hundreds of kilometers of track are ready for 250 km/h (155 mph) operation, with the exception of signaling systems, catenary, and the trains themselves. A modified Regina test train, called "the Green Train", has attained a maximum speed of 303 km/h (188 mph),[1] with regular service at 250 km/h (155 mph) planned.

There are plans for a 180 km (112 mi) section of the Stockholm-Malmö line to be upgraded to allow for speeds of 250 km/h (155 mph). These plans have been delayed until further notice because a decision must be made regarding whether to build a new parallel super-high-speed railway or not. Other railways that will eventually allow 250 km/h (155 mph) speeds (today 200 km/h (125 mph)) are long sections of Stockholm–Gothenburg, Gothenburg–Malmö, and Trollhättan–Gothenburg. A new Kramfors–Umeå line, Botniabanan[2] has been ready for 250 km/h (155 mph) non-tilting trains since 2010, but train operators have not yet revealed plans for 250 km/h (155 mph) trains on Botniabanan, or on any other 250 km/h (155 mph) capable line. All these will be mixed passenger/freight railways.

The Swedish signalling system ATC does not currently allow for higher speeds than 200 km/h (125 mph), and current plans allow for higher speeds only with a future EU-system called ERTMS. Botniabanan has had this system in operation since 2010, allowing 250 km/h (155 mph). ERTMS will be introduced on certain other railways around 2015, possibly enabling more than 200 km/h (125 mph) on them. The ATC does in theory allow 250 km/h (155 mph) but that would require reinstalling most track equipment and signals since ATC uses point based transmission, and higher speed means new points of transmission. ATC is installed for 250 km/h (155 mph) along 16 km (9.9 mi) east of Södertälje but no trains are approved for that.[3]

SJ have bought new trains (type X55, delivered 2010) that are prepared for 250 km/h (155 mph) but limited to 200 km/h (125 mph) until a later date.

Due to worsening condition of tracks, since 2017-18 trains should slow-down from 200 to 130 km/h (125 to 80 mph) on some stretches. For instance, Stockholm to Malmö service now is going for 4.5 hours, which is 30 minutes longer than previously, reaching an old level of year 1991.[4]

New lines

There were plans for completely new high-speed railways Stockholm–Linköping–Jönköping–Borås–Gothenburg ("Götalandsbanan") and Jönköping–Helsingborg–Copenhagen ("Europabanan" for the Swedish part), since the existing railways are relatively congested, with mixed 200 km/h (125 mph) passenger trains, slower regional trains and even slower cargo trains. The plans said that the new railways would be built similar to the French TGV-lines with long curve radii and relatively steep inclines allowing for speeds between 300–320 km/h (190–200 mph) with non-tilting trains, dedicated for high-speed passenger trains.[5]

The Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) started detailed planning and was in the process of deciding the best route between Gothenburg–Borås and Linköping–Södertälje (Ostlänken), however no specific dates have been determined for the start of construction on these lines. An informal proposal by Trafikverket is an operational track by 2025. There is political and (primarily) regional pressure to build these railways as soon as possible. Cost estimates are about 10 bn SEK for Gothenburg-Borås and 24 bn SEK for Linköping-Södertälje.

In 2018 Chinese corporations became interested in building of Stockholm-Oslo high-speed line.[6] Trafikverket awarded American engineering firm Jacobs Engineering Group with the contract to consult on a proposed $24 billion high-speed rail network linking Stockholm with Gothenburg and Malmö.[7]

In late 2022, the then newly elected centre-right Swedish government decided to completely abandon Sweden's high-speed rail project.[8][9]

New trainsets

In December 2021, SJ has announced that they are ordering 25 trainsets (Zefiro Express) which are capable of going 250 km/h (155 mph). They are expected to go into service in 2026, and will also be used for cross-border traffic with Denmark and Norway.[10]

Future proposals

The Borås–Linköping line will be built some years later than the first parts of Götalandsbanan. It has less potential for regional rail (still around 400,000 people live near this part of Götalandsbanan), but is of course needed for long-distance trains. Between Södertälje and Stockholm the existing railway with 250 km/h (155 mph) potential will be used. A southern extension to these lines, through Jönköping–Helsingborg–Copenhagen is considered economically unfeasible for the time being. Danish politicians are not very enthusiastic either. Cost estimates are roughly 30 billion SEK for Borås–Linköping and 30 billion SEK for Jönköping–Helsingborg. The cost of the Helsingborg–Copenhagen line with a tunnel is hard to estimate, but 30 billion SEK is possible here too.

The existing line through Linköping–Malmö–Copenhagen is however planned to be upgraded to 250 km/h (155 mph).

Travel times

These are realistic travel times based on future plans and investigations.

Göteborg - StockholmMalmö - StockholmCopenhagen - StockholmKastrup -Arlanda
Trains (2009)3:054:255:155:45
Improvements on current railways according to 2020 plans
- Malmö City Tunnel (opened December 2010) – 10 min faster
- 250 km/h trains (2026 – SJ Zefiro Express) – 15 min faster
- More tracks (for higher capacity) – 10 min faster		2:404:004:405:10
Ostlänken and Götalandsbanan built (2033–2035?)
- Stockholm to Nässjö – 45 min faster[11]		2:153:153:554:25
Proposed Europabanan built2:152:403:203:30
By plane, including check-in (2009)
- Not including last mile transportation to city centers		2:302:302:451:40


See also

References
  1. — Berlin Transportation (2008-09-15). "Gröna Tåget Pushes the Swedish Speed Record to New Heights in Very High Speed, Reaching 303 km/h". Bombardier.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-14. Retrieved 2011-09-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. "Startsida - Botniabanan". Archived from the original on 2007-12-22. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
  3. LINJEBOK KATRINEHOLM C STOCKHOLM C (page 14)
  4. "Here's how slow Sweden's high-speed trains are getting - The Local". Archived from the original on 2016-10-27.
  5. "Dokument för projekt Götalandsbanan". Trafikverket.se. 2011-07-04. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2011-09-24.
  6. "China could help build high-speed rail between Sweden and Norway". 27 January 2018.
  7. "Jacobs chosen to oversee $24bn high-speed rail line in Sweden". Global Construction Review. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  8. "Sweden abandons high-speed programme". 26 January 2022.
  9. "Sweden's right-wing parties agree to shelve high-speed rail plans". 26 January 2022.
  10. "SJ investerar i framtidens snabbtåg". SJ Nyhetsrum (in Swedish). Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  11. sv:Ostlänken
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