History of rail transport in Sweden
Encyclopedia
The history of Sweden's railways
has included both state-owned and private railway
s.
and Hult
(a small port at Lake Vänern
). Köping-Hults railway was intended to be the first part of a railway between Gothenburg
and Stockholm
. Von Rosen's money came from British investors. His money ran out in the 1850s and in 1854 the Swedish Riksdag
decided that the Swedish trunk lines (stambanorna) should be built and operated by the state.
The first completed railway in Sweden was a railway beside Lake Fryken
in Värmland
that opened in 1849 and used horses to draw the trains - steam locomotives were introduced in 1856. The first railway in Sweden that used steam locomotives from the beginning was Nora
-Ervalla railway in Närke
. Nora-Ervalla opened in 1856. Arboga
-Köping (the first part of Köping-Hult) was completed in 1857. The railway to Hult has never been completed.
The railway "Bergslagsbanan
" Gothenburg-Gavle-Falun, was the longest privately built railway, 478 km, opened 1879.
Following the Riksdag
's decision in 1854 a colonel of the Navy Mechanical Corps, Nils Ericson
, was chosen as the leader for the project of building the main lines (stambanorna). His proposal was that the line between Gothenburg and Stockholm (Västra Stambanan) should run south of Lake Mälaren
to avoid competition with shipping. He also proposed that the line between Malmö
and Stockholm (Södra stamabanan) should go to Nässjö
and then on to Falköping
, where it would meet up with Västra stambanan. There was a decision that, for military reasons, the railways should avoid the coasts as much as possible.
The railway to Falköping
was a temporary solution until Östra stambanan between Nässjö and Katrineholm
, which lay further up along Västra stambanan, could be built. Nils Ericson's proposal also included the railway between Stockholm and Ånge
(Norra stambanan) and Stambanan genom övre Norrland ("the main line through Upper Norrland") which runs between Bräcke
and Boden
. A railway between Oslo
and Laxå
(Nordvästra stambanan) was also planned. Laxå lies on Västra stambanan.
The first parts of Västra and Södra stambanan were opened in 1856. In 1862 the whole of Västra stambanan was opened and in 1864 Södra stambanan was opened in its entirety. Nordvästra stambanan was opened in 1871 and Östra stambanan in 1874.
Norra stambanan opened in 1881 and Stambanan genom övre Norrland opened in 1894. A railway called Norrländska tvärbanan between Trondheim
and Ånge
opened in 1885.
When Ericson resigned in 1862 his authority was divided between two agencies - Byggnadsbyrån (The Building Bureau) and Trafikbyrån (The Traffic Bureau). In 1888 the agencies were combined again
as Kungliga Järnvägsstyrelsen (The Royal Railway Committee).
(the iron ore railway which runs between Luleå
and Narvik
) began. It was finished in 1902.
In 1896 the state bought all railways on the west coast and began constructing Bohusbanan (the Bohuslän
railway, Bohus Line) between Gothenburg and Strömstad
. It was intended to continue to Oslo
but the dissolution of the Swedish-Norwegian Union stopped the construction of the line and Strömstad became the end of the line.
In 1907 the first part of The Inland Railway
("the Inland Railway") was started. In 1909 the train ferry
line between Trelleborg
and Sassnitz
was opened, making it possible to travel directly between Berlin
and Stockholm
.
In 1914 the railway between Norrköping
(at Östra stambanan) and Järna
(at Västra stambanan) opened, making the trip between Malmö
and Stockholm shorter.
In 1917 a railway between Boden
and Haparanda
was finished, and two years later a bridge was built over the river Torne to connect Haparanda with the Finnish town of Tornio
.
In 1937 The Inland Railway
was completed.
Västra Stambanan and Södra Stambanan (to Katrineholm) was also upgraded to double track, finished 1964.
It was decided to build double track along Västkustbanan, and with high speed standard, and in 1985 a new railway designed for 200 km/h was opened around Halmstad. In the following years several new railways were built, mostly prepared for 250 km/h, mostly around Stockholm and along Västkustbanan. The signalling system and the trains do not allow more than 200 km/h, and a higher speed will not be introduced before 2020. The old railways Västra Stambanan and Södra Stambanan have also been upgraded to allow 200 km/h, where possible without changing the alignment, done mostly during 1985-2005.
Rail transport in Sweden
Rail 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....
has included both state-owned and private railway
Private railway
A private railroad is a railroad run by a private corporation, as opposed to a railroad run by a public sector.-Japan:In Japan, refers to a railway line owned and operated by private sector. Although Japan Railways Group companies are private entities, they are not considered private railways...
s.
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 KöpingKöping, Sweden
Köping is a locality and the seat of Köping Municipality in Västmanland County, Sweden. It had 17,358 inhabitants in 2005. It is known for the television series I en annan del av Köping.- History :...
and Hult
Hult
Hult is the Swedish spelling variant of holt and may refer to:-Organizations:*Hult Center for the Performing Arts, Oregon*Hult Healey, a maker of automotive kits...
(a small port at Lake Vänern
Vänern
Vänern is the largest lake in Sweden, the largest lake in the EU and the third largest lake in Europe after Ladoga and Onega in Russia. It is located in the provinces of Västergötland, Dalsland, and Värmland in the southwest of the country.- History :...
). Köping-Hults railway was intended to be the first part of a railway between Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
and 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...
. Von Rosen's money came from British investors. His money ran out in the 1850s and in 1854 the Swedish Riksdag
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...
decided that the Swedish trunk lines (stambanorna) should be built and operated by the state.
The first completed railway in Sweden was a railway beside Lake Fryken
Fryken
Fryken is a chain of three lakes in Värmland, Sweden: Upper, Middle and Lower Fryken. The lakes are separated by two sounds, Sunnesundet and Nilsbysundet. The total length of Fryken is 80 km, but it is only 3 km wide at the widest part. The maximum depth is 120...
in Värmland
Värmland
' is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland and Närke. It is also bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are Vermelandia and Wermelandia. Although the province's land originally was Götaland, the...
that opened in 1849 and used horses to draw the trains - steam locomotives were introduced in 1856. The first railway in Sweden that used steam locomotives from the beginning was Nora
Nora, Sweden
Nora is a locality and the seat of Nora Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 6,496 inhabitants in 2005.Despite its small population, Nora is referred to as a "city" for historical reasons. Statistics Sweden, however, only counts localities with more than 10,000 inhabitants as...
-Ervalla railway in Närke
Närke
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Svealand in south central Sweden. It is bordered by Västmanland to the north, Södermanland to the east, Östergötland to the southeast, Västergötland to the southwest, and Värmland to the northwest...
. Nora-Ervalla opened in 1856. Arboga
Arboga
Arboga is a locality and the seat of Arboga Municipality in Västmanland County, Sweden with 10,369 inhabitants in 2005.-Overview:The city of Arboga is known to have existed as a town since the 13th century but the area has been inhabited since around 900 AD...
-Köping (the first part of Köping-Hult) was completed in 1857. The railway to Hult has never been completed.
The railway "Bergslagsbanan
Bergslagsbanan
The Bergslagen Line is a railway line consisting of two sections, from Gävle via Falun, Ställdalen to Kil, and from Ställdalen to Frövi. Although not officially, the Norway/Vänern Line is also often regarded part of the Bergslagen Line, because it was before the renaming 1990...
" Gothenburg-Gavle-Falun, was the longest privately built railway, 478 km, opened 1879.
The building of the main lines 1855-1891
Sweden started building railways later than many other European countries. Sweden hesitated under heavy debate for several years because of the costs and other issues.Following the Riksdag
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...
's decision in 1854 a colonel of the Navy Mechanical Corps, Nils Ericson
Nils Ericson
Friherre Nils Ericson was a Swedish mechanical engineer...
, was chosen as the leader for the project of building the main lines (stambanorna). His proposal was that the line between Gothenburg and Stockholm (Västra Stambanan) should run south of Lake Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
to avoid competition with shipping. He also proposed that the line between Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
and Stockholm (Södra stamabanan) should go to Nässjö
Nässjö
Nässjö is a locality and the seat of Nässjö Municipality, Jönköping County, Sweden with 16,463 inhabitants in 2005.-History:Nässjö was for a long time only a rural village with agriculture as the dominant occupation. The turning point was the construction of the Swedish railway system. The southern...
and then on to Falköping
Falköping
Falköping is a locality and the seat of Falköping Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 15,821 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The city of Falköping most likely emerged during the 15th century but earlier the town was an important site of pilgrimage due to its 12th century church...
, where it would meet up with Västra stambanan. There was a decision that, for military reasons, the railways should avoid the coasts as much as possible.
The railway to Falköping
Falköping
Falköping is a locality and the seat of Falköping Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 15,821 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The city of Falköping most likely emerged during the 15th century but earlier the town was an important site of pilgrimage due to its 12th century church...
was a temporary solution until Östra stambanan between Nässjö and Katrineholm
Katrineholm
Katrineholm is a locality and the seat of Katrineholm Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 21,386 inhabitants in 2005.-Early history:The name Katrineholm comes from a ducal residence with this name, after Catherina Gyllenhorn who lived there...
, which lay further up along Västra stambanan, could be built. Nils Ericson's proposal also included the railway between Stockholm and Ånge
Ånge
Ånge is a locality and the seat of Ånge Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 2,956 inhabitants in 2005.Ånge is a railway junction where the northern main line railway connected with the central main line railway .- References :...
(Norra stambanan) and Stambanan genom övre Norrland ("the main line through Upper Norrland") which runs between Bräcke
Bräcke
Bräcke is a locality and the seat of Bräcke Municipality in Jämtland County, Sweden with 1,566 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
and Boden
Boden, Sweden
Boden is a locality and the seat of Boden Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 18,680 inhabitants in 2005.- History :The town of Boden started as a railway junction where the Northern Line met with the Ore Line from the rich iron ore fields in northern Sweden.The town experienced...
. A railway between Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and Laxå
Laxå
Laxå is a locality and the seat of Laxå Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 3,307 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The town was founded in the mid-19th century when the main line railway between Gothenburg and Stockholm was built in 1883. Laxå is situated exactly 226 km from both those...
(Nordvästra stambanan) was also planned. Laxå lies on Västra stambanan.
The first parts of Västra and Södra stambanan were opened in 1856. In 1862 the whole of Västra stambanan was opened and in 1864 Södra stambanan was opened in its entirety. Nordvästra stambanan was opened in 1871 and Östra stambanan in 1874.
Norra stambanan opened in 1881 and Stambanan genom övre Norrland opened in 1894. A railway called Norrländska tvärbanan between Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
and Ånge
Ånge
Ånge is a locality and the seat of Ånge Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 2,956 inhabitants in 2005.Ånge is a railway junction where the northern main line railway connected with the central main line railway .- References :...
opened in 1885.
When Ericson resigned in 1862 his authority was divided between two agencies - Byggnadsbyrån (The Building Bureau) and Trafikbyrån (The Traffic Bureau). In 1888 the agencies were combined again
as Kungliga Järnvägsstyrelsen (The Royal Railway Committee).
Further expansion 1891-1937
The railway building continued in 1891 when the construction of MalmbananMalmbanan
The Iron Ore Line is a long railway line between Riksgränsen and Boden in Norrbotten County, Sweden. The line contains two branches, from Kiruna to Svappavaara and from Gällivare to Koskullskulle. The term is often colloquially used to also include the Ofoten Line, from Riksgränsen to Narvik in...
(the iron ore railway which runs between Luleå
Luleå
- Transportation :Local buses are run by .A passenger train service is available from Luleå Centralstation on Sweden's national SJ railway service northbound to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, or southbound to Stockholm. See Rail transport in Sweden....
and Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
) began. It was finished in 1902.
In 1896 the state bought all railways on the west coast and began constructing Bohusbanan (the Bohuslän
Bohuslän
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea to the west, and the county of Østfold in Norway to the north...
railway, Bohus Line) between Gothenburg and Strömstad
Strömstad
Strömstad is a locality and the seat of Strömstad Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 6,110 inhabitants in 2005.Strömstad is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a city.- History :...
. It was intended to continue to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
but the dissolution of the Swedish-Norwegian Union stopped the construction of the line and Strömstad became the end of the line.
In 1907 the first part of The Inland Railway
Inlandsbanan
-External links:* - Official site* - Information for railpass travellers...
("the Inland Railway") was started. In 1909 the train ferry
Train ferry
A train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ferries are sometimes referred to as "car ferries", as...
line between Trelleborg
Trelleborg
Trelleborg is a locality and the seat of Trelleborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 25,643 inhabitants in 2005. It is the southernmost town in Sweden.-History:...
and Sassnitz
Sassnitz
Sassnitz is a town on the Jasmund peninsula, Rügen Island, in the Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The population as of 2007 was 10,747....
was opened, making it possible to travel directly between Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and 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...
.
In 1914 the railway between Norrköping
Norrköping
Norrköping is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County. The city has a population of 87,247 inhabitants in 2010, out of a municipal total of 130,050, making it Sweden's tenth largest city and eighth largest...
(at Östra stambanan) and Järna
Järna
Järna is a locality situated in Södertälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 6284 inhabitants in 2005.Järna has long been the centre of the anthroposophical movement in Sweden, and there is a private clinic, several schools and other institutions affiliated with the movement...
(at Västra stambanan) opened, making the trip between Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
and Stockholm shorter.
In 1917 a railway between Boden
Boden, Sweden
Boden is a locality and the seat of Boden Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 18,680 inhabitants in 2005.- History :The town of Boden started as a railway junction where the Northern Line met with the Ore Line from the rich iron ore fields in northern Sweden.The town experienced...
and Haparanda
Haparanda
Haparanda is a locality and the seat of Haparanda Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 4,778 inhabitants in 2005. It is adjacent to Tornio, Finland...
was finished, and two years later a bridge was built over the river Torne to connect Haparanda with the Finnish town of Tornio
Tornio
Tornio is a town and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is , with a total population of . It borders to the Swedish municipality of Haparanda...
.
In 1937 The Inland Railway
Inlandsbanan
-External links:* - Official site* - Information for railpass travellers...
was completed.
Electrification of the main lines 1923-1951
Malmbanan's electrification began in 1915, when it was usable between Narvik-Kiruna, and 1922 to Luleå. Västra Stambanan was electrified all the way in 1926, and Södra Stambanan 1933, and Norra Stambanan all the way to Boden in 1942.Västra Stambanan and Södra Stambanan (to Katrineholm) was also upgraded to double track, finished 1964.
New high speed lines from 1985
Between 1937 and 1985 no new railway was built in Sweden, except for short industry tracks and similar. Instead many lines with little traffic were closed down. Their traffic was decreasing because the car and truck traffic increased.It was decided to build double track along Västkustbanan, and with high speed standard, and in 1985 a new railway designed for 200 km/h was opened around Halmstad. In the following years several new railways were built, mostly prepared for 250 km/h, mostly around Stockholm and along Västkustbanan. The signalling system and the trains do not allow more than 200 km/h, and a higher speed will not be introduced before 2020. The old railways Västra Stambanan and Södra Stambanan have also been upgraded to allow 200 km/h, where possible without changing the alignment, done mostly during 1985-2005.
External links
- Historiskt - about Swedish railway history
- järnväg.net - information on all Swedish railways