Norway and Sweden are working to improve cross-border services
Stockholm – Oslo frequency to increase while Oslo – Gothenburg improvements studied.
A Norwegian regional train of the class 73 B series at Fredrikstad station on the Østfold line between Oslo and Gothenburg.
NORWAY’s Ministry of Transport has commissioned the country’s Directorate of Railways to carry out a preliminary study on how train traffic between Oslo and Gothenburg in Sweden can be improved.
The study will also address the transport needs of the Østfold (Eastern) line, whose development, according to the ministry, has fallen behind other routes while operating costs have increased significantly.
The feasibility study will be carried out in collaboration with the Swedish Transport Administration, and aims to identify measures to provide a better rail service for passengers and goods between the Norwegian capital and the large Swedish port of Kattegatt in Gothenburg.
The study will consider how improvements will contribute to counteracting climate change and the degree of competition with other forms of transport.
As part of the study, the Norwegian Ministry of Transport also wants a step-by-step overview of how the eastern line can be improved and requires forecasts of future levels of passenger and freight traffic, and impact studies regarding the likely effects of the improved rail traffic in the larger area.
Improvements to rail traffic connecting Sweden to Norway are also on Swedish operator SJ’s radar as it prepares to increase the frequency of its Stockholm-Oslo service to five trains in each direction on weekdays from 11 December. It will operate three trains on Saturdays and four trains. on Sundays.
SJ refers to the completion of infrastructure improvements on the Norwegian side of the border to increase frequency and says that more than half of these departures will have Express Trains that can run at up to 250 km/h and offer passengers the choice of second class, second class. “Quiet” class and first-class accommodation.
With Express train, the journey between the two capitals will take just over five hours, says business manager at SJ, Martin Drakenberg. These services will be operated with X2000 tipping trains and run via Örebro, Karflstad and Arvika in Sweden and Kongsvinger in Norway.
SJ says that while train traffic between the capitals will be maintained in the summer of 2023, planned track work between Laxå and Kristinehamn in Sweden will mean that international traffic will be rescheduled with longer journey times as a result. Additional details will be released next spring.
Drakenberg said the summer 2023 program would be the last major track work to be carried out on the Stockholm – Oslo stretch. He said SJ was “very pleased that we can now invest long-term in this both important and popular line.”