Arlanda Express
Encyclopedia
Arlanda Express is an airport rail link
connecting Stockholm Central Station
with Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
outside Stockholm
, Sweden
. Operated by A-Train AB, the trip takes 20 minutes and runs four to six times per hour using seven X3
electric multiple unit
s. The services operate over the East Coast Line and the Arlanda Line, call at Stockholm Central Station
, Arlanda North Station
and Arlanda South Station
, and were used by 2.7 million passengers in 2007.
Planning of the airport link started in the 1980s, and in 1993 the Government of Sweden
issued a tender for a public–private partnership (PPP) to build the Arlanda Line, the construction of which would be subsidized with partial state grants and large state loans. The winner would then receive a monopoly
on traffic between the airport and Stockholm until 2040. The line and the services were inaugurated on 25 November 1999. The PPP contract has since been criticized for being unclear, uneconomical for the state and giving a low utilization of the service.
The train operates four times per hour, increased to five times per hour during rush hour
. , the standard price for a one-way ticket is SEK 260, although discounts are offered for children, students, seniors, on special travel days and for return trips under certain conditions.
The Arlanda Express is operated by A-Train, a subsidiary of Macquarie Group
, who also built the Arlanda Line as part of a public–private partnership. The company holds an exclusive concession to operate any train service between Stockholm and the airport. In addition, the company is free to charge other train operators that use the Arlanda Line and stop at Arlanda Central Station
.
s. The units were built by Alstom
's Birmingham plant in 1998 and 1999. The train consists of two powered end units and two unpowered center cars. The trains have a maximum speed of 200 kilometres per hour (124.3 mph) and a maximum power output of 2240 kW. They are 93 metres (305.1 ft) long and weigh 187 tonnes (184 LT). Each car has two doors on each side, and the train has seating for 190 passengers. There is a baggage area beside each door, and a handicap seating place and toilet in the middle of the train. The Arlanda Express' three stations have a special platform height that allows level access to the trains from the platforms. In 2006, the trains were renovated and received new interiors in three different color schemes, green, orange and blue, designed by the former Swedish tennis player Björn Borg
's eponymous fashion label.
The Rail Administration had proposed that the line was to be built as regular with the government agency as owner and with either SJ or private railway companies as train operators. However, the right-winged Cabinet of Carl Bildt
wanted to introduce private enterprise in the construction of the line. In 1993, the state invited to a public tender to build and operate the line. In 1994, Arlanda Link Consortium was chosen, consisting of the Nordic Construction Company
, SIAB, Vattenfall
, GEC Alsthom and Mowlem
. A-Banan Projekt AB was established as a limited company
in 1994 to take care of the state's interests in the project. The consortium established A-Train AB to be the property developer and then operate the Arlanda Express until 2040. The legal responsibility for the project was transferred from the consortium to A-Train in 1995. As part of the agreement, A-Train received 850 million Swedish krona
(SEK) in a grant and SEK 1 billion in a loan to help finance the project. The company was also allowed to operate a shuttle service from Stockholm C to Arlanda and charge a non-discriminating fee for all other trains using the line.
Total investment costs for the project were SEK 6 billion, of which SEK 2 billion was financed through state grants to the Swedish Rail Administration who built the quadruple track along the East Coast Line. The public–private partnership part of the project involved two new tracks at Stockholm C and the Arlanda Line, costing SEK 4.1 billion. Of this, SEK 2.4 billion was financed by the state. In addition, the state held a financial guarantee to Nordea
for the X3 trains, should A-Train fail to meets its financial obligations to the bank. A-Train was also granted an interest-free delay on payment of the fees at Stockholm C and Arlanda, costing the state SEK 90 million. Of A-Train's capital loan for SEK 2.2 billion, SEK 1.8 billion were borrowed in three state-owned financial institutions: the Swedish National Debt Office
, the Swedish Export Credit Corporation and the Nordic Investment Bank
. In addition, 20% of the share capital was secured through Vattenfall's ownership in the company.
The Arlanda Line and the Arlanda Express were taken into use on 25 November 1999. After the construction was completed, the ownership of the infrastructure was transferred to A-Banan Projekt. However, A-Train is responsible for paying for all maintenance and operating costs of the line. In 2004, A-Train was bought by Macquarie Group, who paid SEK 70 million for the company, in addition to taking over debt worth SEK 330 million.
In 2004, the Swedish National Audit Office
criticized the process of building and financing the Arlanda Line, and stated that the state had taken more financial risk than the parliament had been informed about. It also criticized the government for giving additional financial support to A-Train in the form of guarantees without informing the parliament, and having an unclear management strategy. It also commented that the traffic prognoses during planning were incorrect. The original plans showed an economic benefit of SEK 4 billion. However, because A-Train is free to set its ticket prices as it wishes, the high prices result in too few passengers taking the Arlanda Line for it to be economical for society, and the line fails to maximum its economic impact through reduced road congestion and emissions.
In a motion passed by the Parliament of Sweden
on the 7 October 2008, the Arlanda Line Agreement was unanimously criticized and characterized as the "worst possible agreement Arlanda could have". A-Train is free to set whatever fees its sees fit on the line, both regarding their own ticket prices on the Arlanda Express and what fees it charges other train operators. This framework has resulted in a heavy rise in ticket prices, and results in a low public transport use for ground transportation to the airport.
The Swedish state holds an option to purchase the traffic rights from A-Train in 2010, which would eliminate the fees and allow other operators to run directly from the airport to the city center. As of 2008, the train had a 9% market share for employees and a 25% market share for passengers traveling to the airport. Commentators and politicians have stated that the business model results in a low utilization of the line because of the high ticket prices, which has caused the airport to not reach its targeted emission goals.
The CEO of A-Train, Per Thorstensson, stated that it would be a waste of tax money to purchase the line in 2010, all the time the state would receive it free of charge in 2040. Originally A-Train was required to accumulate a capital of SEK 600 million before it could pay dividend
s, but this was changed to SEK 150 million in 2008, after an agreement was made with Arlandabanan Infrastructure.
Airport rail link
An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city; by mainline- or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover or light rail...
connecting Stockholm Central Station
Stockholm Central Station
Stockholm Central Station is the largest railway station in Sweden. The station is situated in the district of Norrmalm at Vasagatan/Central Plan. Opened July 18, 1871, the station is the largest in Sweden, with over 200,000 visitors daily...
with Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
Stockholm-Arlanda Airport
Stockholm Arlanda Airport , is an international airport located in the Sigtuna Municipality of Sweden, near the town of Märsta, north of Stockholm and nearly , by road, south-east of Uppsala....
outside Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Operated by A-Train AB, the trip takes 20 minutes and runs four to six times per hour using seven X3
X3 (train)
X3 is an electric multiple unit train used by Arlanda Express on the airport rail link service between Stockholm Central Station and Stockholm-Arlanda Airport in Sweden. Alstom built seven of these four-car units in Birmingham, which were delivered in 1998 and 1999...
electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s. The services operate over the East Coast Line and the Arlanda Line, call at Stockholm Central Station
Stockholm Central Station
Stockholm Central Station is the largest railway station in Sweden. The station is situated in the district of Norrmalm at Vasagatan/Central Plan. Opened July 18, 1871, the station is the largest in Sweden, with over 200,000 visitors daily...
, Arlanda North Station
Arlanda North Station
Arlanda North Station is a railway station on the Arlanda Line serving Stockholm-Arlanda Airport in Sweden. The station is one of two station at the airport to be served by the Arlanda Express, the other being Arlanda South Station. The station is located inside a tunnel below the airport and is...
and Arlanda South Station
Arlanda South Station
Arlanda South Station is a railway station on the Arlanda Line serving Stockholm-Arlanda Airport in Sweden. The station is one of two station at the airport to be served by the Arlanda Express, the other being Arlanda North Station. The station is located inside a tunnel below the airport and is...
, and were used by 2.7 million passengers in 2007.
Planning of the airport link started in the 1980s, and in 1993 the Government of Sweden
Government of Sweden
The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is the supreme executive authority of Sweden. It consists of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers appointed by the Prime Minister. The Government is responsible for their actions to the Riksdag, which is the legislative assembly...
issued a tender for a public–private partnership (PPP) to build the Arlanda Line, the construction of which would be subsidized with partial state grants and large state loans. The winner would then receive a monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
on traffic between the airport and Stockholm until 2040. The line and the services were inaugurated on 25 November 1999. The PPP contract has since been criticized for being unclear, uneconomical for the state and giving a low utilization of the service.
Service
The Arlanda Express connects the city center of Stockholm, at Stockholm Central Station, to Stockholm-Arlanda Airport. At the airport, the train serves two stations: Arlanda South Station, which serves terminals 2, 3 and 4, and Arlanda North station, which serves terminal 5. From Stockholm to Rosersberg, the train follows the East Coast Line, and from there to the airport, the Arlanda Line.The train operates four times per hour, increased to five times per hour during rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
. , the standard price for a one-way ticket is SEK 260, although discounts are offered for children, students, seniors, on special travel days and for return trips under certain conditions.
The Arlanda Express is operated by A-Train, a subsidiary of Macquarie Group
Macquarie Group
Macquarie Group Limited is a global investment banking and diversified financial services group, providing banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services to institutional, corporate and retail clients and counterparties around the world...
, who also built the Arlanda Line as part of a public–private partnership. The company holds an exclusive concession to operate any train service between Stockholm and the airport. In addition, the company is free to charge other train operators that use the Arlanda Line and stop at Arlanda Central Station
Arlanda Central Station
Arlanda Central Station or Arlanda C is a railway station on the Arlanda Line serving Stockholm-Arlanda Airport in Sweden, and is served by regional and intercity trains operated by SJ and Tågkompaniet, as well as the suburban train Upptåget, which can be used to reach Stockholm in 35...
.
Rolling stock
The Arlanda Express is operated by seven four-car X3 electric multiple unitElectric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s. The units were built by Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
's Birmingham plant in 1998 and 1999. The train consists of two powered end units and two unpowered center cars. The trains have a maximum speed of 200 kilometres per hour (124.3 mph) and a maximum power output of 2240 kW. They are 93 metres (305.1 ft) long and weigh 187 tonnes (184 LT). Each car has two doors on each side, and the train has seating for 190 passengers. There is a baggage area beside each door, and a handicap seating place and toilet in the middle of the train. The Arlanda Express' three stations have a special platform height that allows level access to the trains from the platforms. In 2006, the trains were renovated and received new interiors in three different color schemes, green, orange and blue, designed by the former Swedish tennis player Björn Borg
Björn Borg
Björn Rune Borg is a former world no. 1 tennis player from Sweden. Between 1974 and 1981 he won 11 Grand Slam singles titles. He won five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles and six French Open singles titles...
's eponymous fashion label.
History
Plans for an airport rail link from the central business district of Stockholm and the airport was launched in the early 1980s. The goal was to reduce road congestion and emissions while allowing Arlanda to keep increasing passenger numbers. The Swedish Rail Administration made a specific plan in the late 1980s which involved the construction of a branch from the existing East Coast Line. This resulted in a project plan which was launched in 1990, which specifically suggested Rosersberg and Odensala as the intersections with the existing line. The political decision to build the line was taken in 1993. Estimates at the time gave a ridership of 5.1 million passengers per year in 2005.The Rail Administration had proposed that the line was to be built as regular with the government agency as owner and with either SJ or private railway companies as train operators. However, the right-winged Cabinet of Carl Bildt
Cabinet of Carl Bildt
The cabinet of Carl Bildt was the cabinet of Sweden from 4 October 1991 to 7 October 1994 with Carl Bildt as the Prime Minister. It was a coalition government between the Moderate Party, the Centre Party, the Liberal People's Party and the Christian Democrats.- Ministers :-External links:*...
wanted to introduce private enterprise in the construction of the line. In 1993, the state invited to a public tender to build and operate the line. In 1994, Arlanda Link Consortium was chosen, consisting of the Nordic Construction Company
Nordic Construction Company
NCC AB is a Swedish construction company, the second largest in the Nordic region with annual revenues of 49 billion Swedish krona and about 17,000 employees.-History:...
, SIAB, Vattenfall
Vattenfall
Vattenfall is a Swedish power company. The name Vattenfall is Swedish for waterfall, and is an abbreviation of its original name, Royal Waterfall Board...
, GEC Alsthom and Mowlem
Mowlem
Mowlem was one of the largest construction and civil engineering companies in the United Kingdom. Carillion bought the firm in 2006.-History:Founded by John Mowlem in 1822, the company was awarded a Royal Warrant in 1902 and went public on the London Stock Exchange in 1924. It acquired SGB Group in...
. A-Banan Projekt AB was established as a limited company
Aktiebolag
Aktiebolag is the Swedish term for "limited company" or "corporation". When used in company names, it is abbreviated "AB" or "Ab"...
in 1994 to take care of the state's interests in the project. The consortium established A-Train AB to be the property developer and then operate the Arlanda Express until 2040. The legal responsibility for the project was transferred from the consortium to A-Train in 1995. As part of the agreement, A-Train received 850 million Swedish krona
Swedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
(SEK) in a grant and SEK 1 billion in a loan to help finance the project. The company was also allowed to operate a shuttle service from Stockholm C to Arlanda and charge a non-discriminating fee for all other trains using the line.
Total investment costs for the project were SEK 6 billion, of which SEK 2 billion was financed through state grants to the Swedish Rail Administration who built the quadruple track along the East Coast Line. The public–private partnership part of the project involved two new tracks at Stockholm C and the Arlanda Line, costing SEK 4.1 billion. Of this, SEK 2.4 billion was financed by the state. In addition, the state held a financial guarantee to Nordea
Nordea
Nordea Bank AB is a Stockholm-based financial services group operating in Northern Europe. The bank is the result of the successive mergers and acquisitions of the Swedish, Finnish, Danish and Norwegian banks of Nordbanken, Merita Bank, Unibank and Kreditkassen that took place between 1997 and 2000...
for the X3 trains, should A-Train fail to meets its financial obligations to the bank. A-Train was also granted an interest-free delay on payment of the fees at Stockholm C and Arlanda, costing the state SEK 90 million. Of A-Train's capital loan for SEK 2.2 billion, SEK 1.8 billion were borrowed in three state-owned financial institutions: the Swedish National Debt Office
Swedish National Debt Office
The Swedish National Debt Office founded by the Riksdag of the Estates in 1789, is a Government agency in Sweden. The first task of the Debt office was to finance the War against Russia started by King Gustav III....
, the Swedish Export Credit Corporation and the Nordic Investment Bank
Nordic Investment Bank
The Nordic Investment Bank is an international financial institution founded in the mid-1970s by the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. In 2005, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania became members of the Bank. NIB’s headquarters are located in Helsinki, Finland...
. In addition, 20% of the share capital was secured through Vattenfall's ownership in the company.
The Arlanda Line and the Arlanda Express were taken into use on 25 November 1999. After the construction was completed, the ownership of the infrastructure was transferred to A-Banan Projekt. However, A-Train is responsible for paying for all maintenance and operating costs of the line. In 2004, A-Train was bought by Macquarie Group, who paid SEK 70 million for the company, in addition to taking over debt worth SEK 330 million.
In 2004, the Swedish National Audit Office
Swedish National Audit Office
The Swedish National Audit Office audits the activities of the Swedish government. All government agencies are required to submit copies of their annual accounts and reports to this office for review....
criticized the process of building and financing the Arlanda Line, and stated that the state had taken more financial risk than the parliament had been informed about. It also criticized the government for giving additional financial support to A-Train in the form of guarantees without informing the parliament, and having an unclear management strategy. It also commented that the traffic prognoses during planning were incorrect. The original plans showed an economic benefit of SEK 4 billion. However, because A-Train is free to set its ticket prices as it wishes, the high prices result in too few passengers taking the Arlanda Line for it to be economical for society, and the line fails to maximum its economic impact through reduced road congestion and emissions.
In a motion passed by the Parliament of Sweden
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
on the 7 October 2008, the Arlanda Line Agreement was unanimously criticized and characterized as the "worst possible agreement Arlanda could have". A-Train is free to set whatever fees its sees fit on the line, both regarding their own ticket prices on the Arlanda Express and what fees it charges other train operators. This framework has resulted in a heavy rise in ticket prices, and results in a low public transport use for ground transportation to the airport.
The Swedish state holds an option to purchase the traffic rights from A-Train in 2010, which would eliminate the fees and allow other operators to run directly from the airport to the city center. As of 2008, the train had a 9% market share for employees and a 25% market share for passengers traveling to the airport. Commentators and politicians have stated that the business model results in a low utilization of the line because of the high ticket prices, which has caused the airport to not reach its targeted emission goals.
The CEO of A-Train, Per Thorstensson, stated that it would be a waste of tax money to purchase the line in 2010, all the time the state would receive it free of charge in 2040. Originally A-Train was required to accumulate a capital of SEK 600 million before it could pay dividend
Dividend
Dividends are payments made by a corporation to its shareholder members. It is the portion of corporate profits paid out to stockholders. When a corporation earns a profit or surplus, that money can be put to two uses: it can either be re-invested in the business , or it can be distributed to...
s, but this was changed to SEK 150 million in 2008, after an agreement was made with Arlandabanan Infrastructure.
See also
- History of rail transport in SwedenHistory of rail transport in SwedenThe history of Sweden's railways has included both state-owned and private railways.-The early years 1845-1914:In 1845 the Swedish count Adolf Eugene von Rosen received permission to build railways in Sweden. He started building a railway between the town of Köping and Hult...
- Public transport in StockholmPublic transport in StockholmPublic transport in Stockholm consists of bus, metro, regional/suburban rail, light rail, tram and archipelago boat operation in Stockholm County, Sweden. The bus and rail is organized by Storstockholms Lokaltrafik , SL, which is owned by the Stockholm County Council...
- Rail transport in SwedenRail transport in SwedenRail transport in Sweden uses a network of 13,000 km of track, the 20th largest in the world. Construction of the first railway line in Sweden began in 1855. The major operator is the state-owned SJ AB....