| East Link | |
|---|---|
 Map of the East Link between Järna and Linköping. Existing line in grey. | |
| Overview | |
| Native name | Ostlänken |
| Status | Planned |
| Owner | Swedish Transport Administration |
| Termini | |
| Service | |
| Type | High-speed rail |
| History | |
| Planned opening | 2033–2035 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 160 km (100 mi) |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Operating speed | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
| Signalling | ERTMS |
The East Link (Swedish: Ostlänken) is a planned high-speed railway in Sweden, intended to run from Södertälje (just south of Stockholm) to Linköping.
Background
The time plan was originally to start building by 2017, with the goal of trains becoming operational in 2033-2035. The construction cost for the new 160-kilometre railway was calculated to be 30 billion SEK in 2012. A detailed plan from the Swedish rail administration was published in December 2008; the Swedish government gave the go ahead in August 2012. In 2019, Swedish infrastructure manager Trafikverket commissioned Ramboll and Atkins to research and design the railway.
Speed
The railway will be built to allow train speeds of 250 km/h (155 mph). It was originally planned for speeds up to 320 km/h (200 mph). In 2018, the Swedish Transport Administration decided that the line instead would be designed for speeds up to 250 km/h, citing reduced costs (by 11 billion SEK, from 65 billion to 54 billion). However, this requires 1–2 years of adjusting the original plans.
Route
Long-distance trains would call at Stockholm Central Station and Södertälje Syd before joining the new line, on which there would be an intermediate stop at Norrköping, and reach Linköping about 40 minutes faster than by the existing line. Between Södertälje and Norrköping, regional trains would make additional stops at Vagnhärad and Skavsta Airport, and make a brief detour onto the existing line to Nyköping.
Future expansion
In a little more distant future, a new railway connecting Linköping-Gothenburg via Jönköping is planned, called Götalandsbanan. Together, the Ostlänken and Götalandsbanan railways would allow trains to travel between Stockholm-Gothenburg in under two hours.
References
- "Ostlänken" (in Swedish). Swedish Transport Administration. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ^ "Om Ostlänken" [About the East Link] (in Swedish). Swedish Transport Administration. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- Swedish high speed lines to go ahead, Railway Gazette International, 29 August 2012.
- "Ramboll and Atkins win Swedish high-speed design contract". International Railway Journal. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
- Augustsson, Tomas (11 October 2018). "Snabbtåg försenas – för att toppfarten sänks" [High-speed rail delayed – due to lowered max speeds]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 November 2018.