High-speed rail in Sweden

Sweden today runs many trains at 200 km/h. Train types include the X2 tilting trains for long distances, the Regina widebody trains, the X40 double-decker regional trains, and the Arlanda Airport Express X3. Since both the X2 and X3 are allowed to run at 205 in case of delay, they can technically be considered as high-speed trains. The X2 runs between many cities in Sweden including Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö. The Arlanda Express trains connect Stockholm and Stockholm-Arlanda Airport.

Plans for upgrades to 250 km/h

Hundreds of kilometers of track are ready for 250 km/h operation, with the exception of the signaling system, catenary, and the trains. A test train, a modified Regina called "the Green Train", has been tested at up to 295 km/h, [ [http://www.gronataget.se/templates/Page.aspx?id=406 Start - Gröna Tåget ] ] with regular service in 250 km/h in mind.

There were plans for a 180 km long part of the railway Stockholm-Malmö to be upgraded to allow for 250 km/h at around 2015. These plans have been delayed until further notice because of lack of funding because of cost overrun on other construction projects. Other railways that later will allow 250 km/h (today 200 km/h) are long parts of Stockholm-Gothenburg, Gothenburg-Malmö, and some that are under construction: Trollhättan-Gothenburg and the Bothnia Railway, Botniabanan. [ [http://www.botniabanan.se/default.aspx?id=1956 Förstasidan - Botniabanan ] ] All these will be mixed passenger/freight railways. Botniabanan will be ready for 250 km/h non-tilting trains in 2010. But train operators have not yet revealed plans for 250 km/h tilting trains on Botniabanan, or on any other 250 km/h capable line.

The Swedish signalling system ATC is not approved for higher speed than 200 km/h and the plans say that higher speed will be allowed only with a future EU-based system, called ERTMS. Botniabanan will have this system in operation by 2010, and this will allow 250 km/h. ERTMS will be introduced on some other railways around 2015, possibly enabling more than 200 km/h on them.

Ongoing plans for true high-speed

There are plans for long completely new high-speed railways Stockholm-Linköping-Jönköping-Borås-Gothenburg and Jönköping-Helsingborg(-Helsingør-Copenhagen), since the existing railways are relatively congested, with mixed 200 km/h passenger trains, slower regional trains and even slower cargo trains. The plans say that the new railways would be built similar to the French LGV-lines with long curve radii and relatively steep inclines allowing for speeds between 300-320 km/h with non-tilting trains, dedicated for high-speed passenger trains [http://www.banverket.se//pages/9277/Beslut_om_utredning.pdf Decision to investigate (in Swedish)] [http://www.banverket.se/sv/Amnen/Pressrum/Nyhetsarkiv/2008/juni/Goda-forutsattningar-att-effektivisera-jarnvagen-med-hoghastighetsbanor.aspx Good possibilitites to make the railway more efficient with high speed railways (in Swedish)] .

The rail administration (Banverket) has started detailed planning and is in the process to decide the best route, between Gothenburg-Borås and Linköping-Södertälje (Ostlänken). However, no specific time plans have been determined for the construction of these lines. An informal date suggestion by the Banverket is operation by year 2025. There is political and (primarily) regional pressure to build these railways as soon as possible. Cost estimations are about 10 bn SEK Gothenburg-Borås and 15 bn SEK Linköping-Södertälje.

Long term plans not investigated for now

The railway Borås-Linköping will be built some years later. It has less potential for regional rail, but is of course needed for long-distance trains. Between Södertälje and Stockholm the existing railway with 250 km/h potential will be used.A southern extension to these lines, through Jönköping-Helsingborg-Copenhagen is considered economically unfeasible for the time being. The Danish politicians are not very enthusiastic also. The existing line through Linköping-Malmö-Copenhagen is however planned to be upgraded to 250 km/h.

Cost estimations are roughly 30 bn SEK Borås-Linköping and 30 bn SEK Jönköping-Helsingborg. A railway Helsingborg-Copenhagen with a tunnel is hard to estimate but 30 bn SEK is possible.

References