At the same time, the demand for train travel is increasing.

– Many people are interested in finding new travel habits and really want to travel environmentally smart, says Tobbe Lundell, acting press manager at SJ.

Starting Sunday, the dominant operator SJ will be expanding traffic on several routes. There will be more weekend departures between Stockholm and Gothenburg, more departures between Uppsala and Stockholm, and more departures from Stockholm to Copenhagen.
– The biggest thing is that we are making efforts on the Uppsala to Stockholm route. Commuters have had a difficult year. Now we are introducing additional departures and more seats on the departures we already have, says Tobbe Lundell.

Increased pressure on the railway
One of the reasons for the adjustments is the increased pressure on the railways when aviation is criticized for its environmental impact, Lundell believes.
– More people want to travel climate-smart. There has been an increase over time, but now it is increasing faster than it has before. We have incredibly hard pressure at Christmas. It is significantly higher than it has been in previous years, says Lundell.

But there is a downside to these investments. It is about the ability to find both wagons and drivers.
– There is a shortage of train drivers. As it is now, we are just managing to keep our noses above the water thanks to good planning but also with the help of a benevolent staff who are willing to work extra shifts and overtime. But it is a long-term concern, says Tobbe Lundell.

SJ has freed up more vehicles by having other suppliers purchase new ones, which makes their old carriages available.
– Just because we are expanding with new departures on certain routes, we are not cutting back on others, assures Lundell. …
A year of problems
SJ has had a year full of problems behind it.
– We have had a strange year. It started in the winter and then came the very strange month of May which was really bad, and then a miserable summer with fires and sunspots.
According to the Swedish Transport Administration's measurements, one in three long-distance trains was delayed in May. This was the worst punctuality since the measurements began in 2013.
– We must make an effort to regain trust. And the changes in the new timetable are a way of showing that.

FACTS
SJ has a new timetable from Sunday, December 9th.
• More departures between Stockholm and Uppsala, plus longer trains
• Shorter travel time between Örebro and Stockholm
• New weekend departures between Gothenburg and Stockholm
• More trains between Stockholm and Copenhagen
• Intercity train Stockholm–Åre all year round
• More departures Stockholm–Sundsvall and Gävle–Ljusdal, reduced price of the SJ supplement for traveling with an X-trafik card.
• More departures Norrköping–Nyköping–Stockholm
• Night trains from Gothenburg to Jämtland and Norrbotten, all year round
• More departures between Karlstad and Stockholm
News later:
• September 2019: Region Express Örebro–Eskilstuna–Stockholm
• September 2019: Shorter travel time between Hallsberg and Stockholm

Source: TT