SJ buys high-speed trains in new billion-kroner investment, reports Today's industry. In total, the train company is purchasing 30 new trains from Germany.
It is SJ's largest financial investment ever, reports Dagens Industri. The train company is spending 19 billion kronor on renovating carriages and purchasing high-speed trains.
It concerns 30 new trains with a maximum speed of 250 kilometers per hour. The trains are being built in Germany and scheduled for delivery in early 2027.
Putting pressure on the Swedish Transport Administration
However, trains are not allowed to run faster than 200 kilometers per hour in most places in Sweden, as the tracks are not adapted for that.
– When we launch trains that run at 250 kilometers per hour, we have suddenly created an incentive for the Swedish Transport Administration to build tracks and infrastructure that can run faster than 200, says Jan Kyrk, business manager at SJ, to Dagens Industri.
To make the trains run faster, a new signaling system is required and tracks and bridges need to be strengthened. If possible, the Stockholm to Umeå route would take four hours instead of seven.
The Swedish Transport Administration states that the maintenance of the Swedish railways is neglected and that it may take until 2037 before the busiest lines are repaired. However, if all goes according to plan, it may be possible to drive at 250 kilometers per hour on selected routes during the 30s.
Previously, there were plans to build new tracks in Sweden where trains could run up to 320 kilometers per hour, but the plans were paused by the government in 2022.
Larger trains
The trains that are being purchased will also be able to accommodate more passengers. For example, the number of seats on the route between Stockholm and Gävle will increase by 100 percent.
– We are seeing a huge increase in travel along the east coast. We will not be able to run many more departures, because the tracks are full. Therefore, we need to invest in longer trains with more seats, says Jan Kyrk to Dagens Industri.
SJ is also purchasing 25 new regional trains and upgrading the X2000 and night trains as part of the investment.
