Swedish passenger transport receives its worst rating in five years.
Customer satisfaction in Swedish passenger transport is falling sharply. At the same time, most passengers are staying put. The Swedish Quality Index (SKI) measurement of passenger transport for 2026 shows that satisfaction will drop by six points to 61.7 – the steepest decline ever measured.
”"It's a strong movement in a short time. When punctuality falls, it affects everything – from affordability to trust," says Johan Parmler, CEO of the Swedish Quality Index.
Punctuality is deteriorating and taking away trust with it
Arriving on time is the single most important factor in how travelers experience their travel. In this year's measurement, punctuality fell by eleven units, the largest change in the entire study. When travelers cannot trust that they will arrive on time, the value of the trip is also questioned. Affordability falls sharply and trust in the industry is clearly damaged.
”"It's about a fundamental promise. When it's not kept, and communication is lacking, it directly affects the customer's trust," says Calle Walmstedt, project manager at SKI.
Clear differences in a pressured industry
In the midst of a pressured industry, one player stands out. VR Snabbtåg performs best in the entire passenger transport sector in 2026 and consistently receives higher ratings than the industry in all areas in SKI's model.
The differences are unusually large. VR particularly stands out in reliability and affordability, where the company is over 20 points higher than the industry average.
It is unusual for a player to manage to combine such strongly perceived quality with high value for money, which makes the result particularly interesting in a situation where many other players are losing out in these areas.
Customers don't feel seen
Trust in the industry is clearly declining. The perception that companies care about their customers and take responsibility is falling to historically low levels. At the same time, proactivity – that is, how well companies inform and act when something happens – receives the lowest ratings in the entire survey.
”"Today, all travelers have information in their pockets. When it still doesn't reach them, it's not about technology, it's about priorities," says Johan Parmler.
Loyalty exists but for the wrong reasons
Despite the sharply falling ratings, loyalty is decreasing significantly less. This can be interpreted as a strength, but according to SKI, the picture is more problematic.
”"Travelers stay, but not because they are satisfied. In many cases, it is a matter of a lack of alternatives. This makes the situation vulnerable in the long term," notes Johan Parmler.
The only thing that is clearly holding up is the encounter with people. The treatment from staff, on board and in customer contact, is withstanding the decline better than other parts. In many cases, it is the employees who maintain the customer experience, despite shortcomings in systems and delivery.
In the short term, loyalty keeps the numbers up. In the longer term, the picture is more uncertain. When alternatives are perceived as available, dissatisfaction risks quickly translating into actual customer choices. Those players who manage to regain trust and deliver stable punctuality will have a clear advantage when competition becomes fierce.
Source: qualityindex.se
