The train is the best way to travel between Swedish cities, but the map of who runs what changes every December, and most guides are out of date. Here is the 2026 picture, how reliable the trains really are, and what you’re owed when they run late.
When you need this
You’re planning a trip and wondering whether the train can carry most of it. Or you’re comparing SJ, VR and Snälltåget for the same route. Or you’re sitting on a train that has just stopped in a forest, and you want to know what you’re owed and whether you may take a taxi.
Who runs Sweden’s trains in 2026
Sweden has no single railway company. There are two kinds of train, and they are sold in different ways.
Long-distance trains run on a commercial market. SJ, the state-owned operator, runs most of them, including the night trains to Lapland. It has competition on the two busiest routes:
| Route | Operators |
|---|---|
| Stockholm–Gothenburg | SJ and VR (the Finnish state operator that bought MTRX and renamed it in 2024) |
| Stockholm–Malmö | SJ and Transdev’s Snälltåget |
| Stockholm–Luleå/Kiruna/Narvik/Umeå (night) | SJ, under a state contract running to December 2028 |
On the shared routes, check both operators: prices are dynamic, and the cheapest seats go first. How to book is covered in buying train tickets in Sweden.
Regional trains are bought by the regions and run under contract. You buy tickets from the regional transport authority and its app, not from the company driving the train. The main brands:
| Regional brand | Area | Operator |
|---|---|---|
| Öresundståg | Skåne, Gothenburg, Kalmar, Karlskrona and Copenhagen | VR, since 14 December 2025 |
| Norrtåg | The north | VR, since December 2025 |
| Mälartåg | The Lake Mälaren region around Stockholm | Transdev; VR takes over in December 2026 |
The change of operator doesn’t change where you buy: the ticket still comes from the region. It does make older guides wrong. MTRX is now VR, FlixTrain left Sweden in 2024, Vy no longer runs the night trains, and Transdev no longer runs Öresundståg.
For door-to-door planning across every operator, use Resrobot, the national journey planner. Then buy each leg from the company that runs it.
How reliable are Swedish trains?
Reasonably reliable, but not impressive. In 2025, 86.9% of passenger trains reached their final station no more than five minutes late, and 1.8% were cancelled at short notice. That was better than 2024, but it was still the third-worst year since the statistics began in 2013.
In practice, about one train in eight is noticeably late. Leave at least an hour between a train and a flight. If you miss a flight because of a late train, delay compensation covers part of the train fare, not the flight.
Stockholm–Gothenburg: reduced capacity until summer 2027
This is the warning most visitors never get. Trafikverket, the Swedish transport administration, is rebuilding the main line between Gothenburg and Alingsås, including all of the overhead power equipment. The work began in January 2025 and runs until summer 2027.
- One of the two tracks is closed at a time, so fewer trains fit through.
- The line closes completely over weekends: 15 in 2026 and 12 in 2027.
- There are four longer shutdowns of four to five days in 2027, in weeks 4, 18, 26 and 28.
- During closures, trains are rerouted via Borås or Vänersborg, or replaced by buses (ersättningsbuss).
SJ has said it expects normal service between the two cities from 19 July 2027. Until then, check your date before booking, especially at weekends, and allow extra time on this line.
Copenhagen to Stockholm: change in Malmö
SJ’s direct high-speed trains between Stockholm and Copenhagen have been suspended since June 2025. SJ said it would restart them in autumn 2026 with a few departures a day and add more from December. Until SJ’s own timetable shows those trains, take Öresundståg from Copenhagen to Malmö and change there. The airport leg is covered in Copenhagen Airport to Sweden.
Your rights when a train is late
Sweden splits delay rights at 150 km. Train services whose route is 150 km or more fall under EU Regulation 2021/782 (it is the train’s route, not your ride, that counts — a short hop on a long-distance train is covered), which Sweden has applied since June 2023. Shorter journeys fall under Sweden’s own public-transport passenger law, which pays out sooner.
| Train route of 150 km or more (EU rules) | Train route under 150 km (Swedish law) | |
|---|---|---|
| Compensation | 25% at 60 min late, 50% at 120 min | 50% after 20 min, 75% after 40, 100% after 60 |
| Taking other transport yourself | Only if no rerouting has been offered within 100 minutes | Allowed if a delay of more than 20 min is expected, reasonable costs up to 1,480 kr (2026) |
| Extraordinary events (extreme weather, sabotage) | No compensation; refund, rerouting and assistance still apply | No compensation if the cause lay outside the operation |
| Claim | Two months in operators’ terms (EU complaint window: three months) | In writing to the operator within two months |
On long journeys, a delay of 60 minutes or more gives you more than money:
- A choice: a refund, continuing to your destination as soon as possible, or traveling later on a date you choose, all at no extra cost.
- Assistance: meals and refreshments in proportion to the wait, a hotel if you have to stay overnight, and transport between the hotel and the station.
- Payment within one month of your claim.
Two catches. First, if you take a full refund you have given up the trip, so you get no delay compensation on top. Second, some operators, Snälltåget for example, pay nothing if you were told about the delay before you bought the ticket.
Nothing is paid automatically. Screenshot the departure board or the app showing the delay, and claim on the operator’s website. The full claim process is in train delay compensation in Sweden.
Arlanda Express has its own guarantee. It takes 18 minutes between the airport and Stockholm Central. If a journey that has already started takes more than 50 minutes, it covers reasonable rebooking costs for your next leg, and it runs its own replacement service during long stoppages. Compare it with the other options in Arlanda to Stockholm.
Missed connections
Under Resplus, the joint terms of Sweden’s transport operators, a delayed journey of 150 km or more that makes you miss a connecting journey of 150 km or more is compensated at the same rates. A trip sold as one through-ticket (direktbiljett) must be rerouted if something goes wrong. Separately bought tickets from different companies are on their own, which is one reason to book connections together.
Mistakes to avoid
- Taking a taxi as soon as a long-distance train is late. Ask staff about rerouting first. On journeys of 150 km or more, arrange your own alternative only after 100 minutes without an offer.
- Never claiming. The money is yours by law, but you have to ask for it in writing.
- Booking Stockholm–Gothenburg without checking the date against the track-work closures.
- Planning on a direct Copenhagen–Stockholm train. Change in Malmö.
- Trusting a guide that names MTRX or FlixTrain. It is at least two years out of date.
Traveling with a dog? SJ carries up to two pets free if you book a seat in the pets-allowed area. Regional rules differ, so see dogs on public transport.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Main long-distance operator | SJ (state-owned) |
| Competitors | VR (Stockholm–Gothenburg), Snälltåget (Stockholm–Malmö) |
| Regional trains | Sold by each regional authority; VR runs Öresundståg and Norrtåg, Mälartåg from December 2026 |
| Journey planner | Resrobot, covering every operator |
| Long-distance prices | Dynamic; live price at the operator |
| Punctuality 2025 | 86.9% within 5 minutes; 1.8% cancelled at short notice |
| Delay rights, route 150 km or more | 25% at 60 min, 50% at 120 min |
| Delay rights, under 150 km | 50% after 20 min, 75% after 40, 100% after 60 |
| Own transport, under 150 km | Up to 1,480 kr in 2026 if a delay of more than 20 min is expected |
| Claim deadline | Within two months, in writing |
| Stockholm–Gothenburg | Reduced capacity until summer 2027 |
| Dogs on SJ | Free, up to two, pets-allowed seat |
FAQ
Which train companies operate in Sweden?
SJ, the state-owned operator, runs most long-distance trains and the night trains to Lapland. VR competes between Stockholm and Gothenburg, and Snälltåget between Stockholm and Malmö. Regional trains such as Öresundståg, Mälartåg and Norrtåg are bought by the regions and sold through their apps. FlixTrain left Sweden in 2024, and MTRX is now VR.
Are Swedish trains reliable?
Reasonably, not impressively. In 2025, 86.9% of passenger trains reached their final station within five minutes of schedule, and 1.8% were cancelled at short notice. That was an improvement, but still one of the weakest years since 2013. Track works between Gothenburg and Alingsås are cutting capacity until summer 2027, so allow slack before flights.
What compensation do I get if my train is delayed in Sweden?
On train services whose route is 150 km or more, EU rules give 25% of the ticket price for a 60-minute delay at your destination and 50% from two hours. Shorter journeys come under Swedish law: 50% after 20 minutes, 75% after 40 and the full price after 60. Claim in writing from the operator within two months.
Can I take a taxi if my train is late?
On a short trip, yes: if a delay of more than 20 minutes is expected, Swedish law lets you take other transport and claim reasonable costs, up to 1,480 kr in 2026. On longer journeys the EU rule is stricter — you may arrange your own alternative only if the operator has offered no rerouting within 100 minutes.
Is there a direct train from Copenhagen to Stockholm?
Not dependably at present. SJ suspended its direct Stockholm–Copenhagen high-speed trains in June 2025 and said it would restart them in autumn 2026 with a few departures a day, adding more from December. Until SJ’s timetable shows them, take Öresundståg to Malmö and change to a long-distance train there.
Why are there fewer trains between Stockholm and Gothenburg?
Trafikverket is renewing the line between Gothenburg and Alingsås, including all the overhead power equipment, from January 2025 until summer 2027. One track is closed at a time, and there are full weekend closures and several longer shutdowns in 2027. Affected trains are rerouted via Borås or Vänersborg, or replaced by buses.
Related guides
- Buying train tickets in Sweden — booking windows, apps and through-tickets
- Night trains to Lapland — the long ride north, sleeper or couchette
- Train delay compensation in Sweden — how to file each claim
- Arlanda to Stockholm — Arlanda Express and the cheaper options
- Getting around Sweden — where the train fits among buses, ferries and cars
Facts verified 2026-09-24. Sources: Sveriges riksdag (Lag 2015:953), the European Commission, Konsumentverket, Trafikanalys, Trafikverket, and the operators SJ, VR, Snälltåget and Arlanda Express. The full list is in this topic’s source file. Operators and timetables change every December, and this page is due for review after the 13 December 2026 timetable change. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.