Railways in

Sweden

The first public railway in Sweden opened in 1856 between Nora and Ervalla, a distance of 18km. The line survives today as a tourist operation, the Nora Bergslags Jernväg. The first railway to reach the capital was the Stockholm to Göteborg railway in 1862, with trains taking 14 hours for the 455km (280 mile) journey between the two major cities.

The first railways in Sweden were built to standard (1435mm) gauge, which is the gauge of most of the main line railways today; but there was also once an extensive network of 891mm (3 Swedish feet) gauge lines. About 65km of this narrow gauge network in still used by the Roslagståg suburban trains in the Stockholm area, while elsewhere a few stretches remain as tourist operations.

Sweden has international rail connections with Norway, and with Finland via a dual gauge bridge (1435/1520mm) over the River Tornio, the latter now used only by freight trains. In 2000 a new line to Denmark was opened via the Öresund fixed link, giving Sweden a direct overland rail connection with the rest of Western Europe for the first time.

Main line passenger and freight services are provided by various operators. Regional services are for the most part operated under contract to local authorities; where possible, the operators are given in the service entries below.

In 2018, work began on a new 270km high speed rail line between Umeå and Luleå.

Main line railways

• SJ long distance passenger operator, also timetabling and tickets for all operators (Site in Swedish)
• Arlanda Express passenger shuttle service between Stockholm C and Arlanda Airport
• Blå Tåget passenger services between Göteborg and Uppsala via Stockholm
• Flixtrain passenger service between Göteborg and Stockholm
• Inlandsbanan lengthy railway serving remote inland parts of northern Sweden; the complete route runs for 1300km from Kristinehamn on the shores of Lake Vänern to Gällivare, north of the Arctic Circle on the Luleå to Narvik railway. Passenger tourist services operate during the summer months.
• Kalmar Länstrafik regional passenger trains in the Kalmar area, operated by Transdev (Sites in Swedish)
• Krösatågen regional passenger trains from Nässjö and Jönköping, operated by SJ (Sites in Swedish)
• Mälartåg regional passenger trains in the Stockholm - Mälardalen area. Operated by MTR (Sites in Swedish)
• MTRX passenger service between Göteborg and Stockholm
• Norrtåg regional passenger trains, grouped as follows:
  • operated by Botniatåg AB, a joint venture of SJ and VR Sverige: between Sundsvall and Luleå, including the Botniabanan high speed line between Kramfors and Umeå; also services from Sundsvall to Storlien, with connections at Storlien for Vy services to Trondheim (Norway); from Umeå to Lycksele; and from Luleå to Kiruna. International services on the Kiruna line to Narvik (Norway) are provided mainly by SJ with overnight services from Stockholm by Vy
  • operated by Vy: Luleå and Umeå via Boden to Haparanda; also Storlien to Trondheim (Norway).
  (Sites in Swedish)
• Øresundståg passenger trains from Göteborg, Karlskrona, Vaxjö and Malmö via the Öresund fixed link to København, Denmark, operated by Transdev (Veolia site in Swedish)
• Östgötapendeln regional passenger trains in the Norrköping, Linköping and Motala areas. Operated by VR Sverige (VR site in Swedish)
• Roslagståg suburban trains on a narrow gauge (891 mm) network in the Stockholm area. Operated by Transdev (Sites in Swedish)
• Skånetrafiken Pågatågen regional passenger trains in the Malmö / Kristianstad area. Operated by VR Sverige (VR site in Swedish)
• Snälltåget long distance passenger operator between Stockholm, Malmö and Åre, with some through services to Berlin.
• Tåg i Bergslagen regional passenger trains in the Bergslagen area to the north and west of Västerås. Operated by VR Sverige (Sites in Swedish)
• Tågkompaniet regional passenger trains to the north and west of Stockholm, and in the Umeå area (Site in Swedish)
• Upptåget regional passenger trains in the Uppsala area. Operated by Transdev (Transdev site in Swedish)
• Värmlandstrafik regional passenger trains in the Karlstad area:
  • operated by Tågkompaniet: Karlstad to Charlottenberg and Örebro
  • operated by Vy: Karlstad to Åmål and Torsby
  (Sites in Swedish)
• Västtrafik Västtågen regional passenger trains in the Göteborg area. Operated by SJ (SJ site in Swedish)
• Xtåg local passenger trains in the Gävle area. Operated by Tågkompaniet (Tågkompaniet site in Swedish)
• Green Cargo freight operating arm of SJ
• CargoNet independent freight operator
• CFL Cargo Sverige independent freight operator
• Hector Rail independent freight operator, also operates passenger services under contract to Veolia and Blå Tåget
• Railcare independent freight operator
• LKAB operator of iron ore trains on the line from its mines in the Kiruna region to Luleå and to Narvik, in Norway.
  
  LKAB also has railways in its underground workings. This is not unusual for a mining company and there has been an extensive 891mm gauge system, 1000m below ground at Kiruna for many years. However, Kiruna may be unique in having a new, standard gauge, fully automated electric railway some 12km in length, 1365m below ground level. The image here shows a train at the inauguration ceremony which took place on 21st May, 2013.
• Trafikverket infrastructure authority
• Infranord infrastructure construction and maintenance

Tourist railways

• Anten - Gräfsnäs Järnväg lakeside tourist line near Alingsås, about 50km northeast of Göteborg. Anten to Gräfsnäs, 11km, 891mm gauge, usually steam hauled.
• Åre Bergbanan funicular near the crossing of the Norwegian border by the main line from Östersund to Trondheim (Website contains little information relating to funicular)
• Böda Skogsjärnväg (Böda Forest Railway) tourist railway on the island of Öland. Fagerrör to Trollskogen, about 4km, 600mm gauge, steam or diesel hauled (Site in Swedish)
• Dal-Västra Värmlands Järnväg standard gauge tourist railway in the mountains of western Sweden (Bengtsfors to Mellerud, 44km, usually operated by diesel railbus) with a separate line for the use of pedal driven trolleys (Bengtsfors to Årjäng, 52km)
• Dellenbanan occasional trips by diesel railbus between Delsbo and Fredriksfors (4km, standard gauge) on part of a line normally used by pedal driven trolleys (Hudiksvall to Hybo, 55km)
• Engelsbergs-Norbergs Järnväg tourist railway in central southern Sweden. Kärrgruvan to Ängelsberg, 18km, standard gauge, usually operated by diesel railbus (Site in Swedish)
• Gammelstad - Karlsvikshyttans Järnväg tourist railway between the North Bothnia Railway Museum at Karlsvik (near Luleå) and Gammelstad. Standard gauge, steam, diesel or electric hauled (Site mainly in Swedish with some information in English)
• Gotlands Hesselby Jernväg tourist railway on the island of Gotland. Hesselby to Eken, 6.5km, 891mm gauge, usually steam hauled. Pedal driven trolleys can be hired on certain days when trains are not running (Site mainly in Swedish with some information in English)
• Jädraås - Tallås Järnväg tourist railway on the east coast of Sweden. Jädraås to Svartbäcken, 6km, 891mm gauge, usually steam hauled.
• Järnvägssällskapet Åmål - Årjäng Järnväg railway museums at Åmål Östra and Svanskog, with occasional tourist passenger train services between the two sites. 25km, standard gauge, usually steam hauled (Site in Swedish)
• Lennakatten tourist railway between Uppsala and Faringe; 32km, 891mm gauge, usually steam hauled (Site mainly in Swedish with some information in English)
• Munkedals Jernväg tourist railway on the west coast of Sweden north of Göteborg. Åtorp to Munkedals harbour, 600mm gauge, steam or diesel hauled (Site in Swedish)
• Nora Bergslags Veteran-Jernväg two separate services, Nora Stad to Järle (9.4km) and Nora Stad to Nya Viker (14.8km). Standard gauge, steam or diesel hauled or diesel railcar (Site in Swedish)
• Ohsabanan from the railway museum at Ohs Bruk to Bor Norra, near Bor main line station. 14.5km, 600mm gauge, Usually steam hauled.
• Östra Södermanlands Järnväg tourist railway about 60km west of Stockholm. Mariefred to Läggesta, 3.6km, 600mm gauge (constructed on a former standard gauge trackbed), diesel hauled. Circular tours are available from Stockholm, aboard the historic steamship Mariefred from Stockolm to Mariefred, returning from Läggesta to Stockholm by normal service trains. On certain days, a similar trip is possible aboard the historic steamship Ejdern but this is not specifically marketed as a round trip and separate tickets must be purchased for each leg of the journey (Mariefred site in Swedish)
• Risten - Lakviks Järnväg tourist railway in Lakvik, north of Åtvidaberg. Line about 1.5km in length, 600mm gauge, extensions proposed. Steam or diesel hauled. Pedal driven trolleys can be hired on part of the line (Site mainly in Swedish with some information in English)
• Skånska Järnvägar tourist railway in the southeast of Sweden. Brösarp to Sankt Olof, 13.4km, standard gauge, usually steam hauled.
• Skara - Lundsbrunns Järnvägar tourist railway about 100km northeast of Göteborg. Skara to Lundsbrunn, 891mm gauge (originally part of the same network as the Anten - Gräfsnäs Järnväg), steam hauled or diesel railcar.
• Föreningen Smalspåret Växjö-Västervik occasional diesel railcar excursions between Virserum and Åseda, 29km, 891mm gauge. Pedal driven trolleys can be hired when trains are not running on this and another section of line (Site in Swedish)
• Tjustbygdens Järnvägsförening Västervik to Hultsfred, 70km, 891mm gauge (Site in Swedish, link for English section not functional when last checked)
• Wadstena Fogelsta Järnväg occasional railbus excursions from Vadstena on about 1.5km of an 891mm gauge line normally used by pedal driven trolleys (Vadstena to Fågelsta, 10km) (Site mainly in Swedish, with some information in English)
• Ringlinien Historic trams operating on the Göteborg network (Site mainly in Swedish with an introduction in English)
• Historic tramways in Stockholm, Malmö and Malmköping

Dressinbanor

Pedal driven works trolleys for hire

• Dal-Västra Värmlands Järnväg Bengtsfors to Årjäng, 52km, standard gauge
• Dellenbanan Hudiksvall to Hybo, 55km, standard gauge
• Gotlands Hesselby Jernväg Hesselby to Eken, 6.5km, 891mm gauge (Site mainly in Swedish with some information in English)
• Hagfors Järnvägsmuseum Hagfors to Uddeholm, 6.7km, 891mm gauge (Posts mainly in Swedish)
• Veteranjärnvägen Klippan Ljungbyhed Nybygget to Ljungbyhed, 6.5km, standard gauge
• Äventyr på Österlen two sections:
  • Tomelilla to Fyledalen, 9.5km, standard gauge
  • Sankt Olof to Gyllebosjö, 7km, standard gauge
• Östra Göinge Järnvägssällskap Broby to Glimminge, 6km, standard gauge (Site in Swedish, link for English section not fully functional when last checked)
• Otterbäcksbanan Ängebäck to Gullspång, 38km, standard gauge (Site in Swedish)
• Risten - Lakviks Järnväg Lakvik to Backasand, 0.6km, 600mm gauge (Site mainly in Swedish with some information in English)
• Romeleåsens Dressincykling Björnstorp to Veberöd, 8 km, standard gauge
• Station Sågen Lesjöfors to Vakern, 45km, standard gauge
• Torvedsbanan Gullspång to Torved, 20km, standard gauge (No website located at present)
• Vadstena Dressin Vadstena to Fågelsta, 10km, 891mm gauge
• Vansbroaventyr Vansbro to Vika, 61km, standard gauge (Site in Swedish and German)
• Västra Centralbanan Ambjörnarp - Sjötofta Ambjörnarp to Sjötofta, 8km, standard gauge (Site in Swedish with autotranslate to English)
• Föreningen Smalspåret Växjö-Västervik two sections:
  • Virserum to Åseda, 29km, 891mm gauge
  • Hultsfred to Målilla, 12km, 891mm gauge
  (Site in Swedish)

Metro, trams and local railways

• Stockholm Metro, trams, funiculars and local trains. Pendeltågen commuter service and Metro operated by MTR. Other local trains and some trams are operated by Transdev (City site in Swedish with some information in English; other sites in Swedish only)
• Göteborg trams, local and regional trains
• Lund trams (Site in Swedish)
• Norrköping trams, local and regional trains
• Uppsala proposed trams (No website located at present, but see the summary of comprehensive city plan which includes some details)