SJ has awarded Bombardier Transportation Sweden, now a subsidiary of Alstom, a contract to supply 25 250km/h trains, which when delivered will be the fastest in Sweden. The trains will provide inter-city services within Sweden and cross-border services to Denmark and Norway.
The SKr 7bn ($US 767.1bn) order is part of SJ’s SKr 12bn investment in new trains and refurbishing existing rolling stock, and is one of the largest fleet procurements in SJ’s history.
SJ announced its intention to award Bombardier a contract for up to 40 high-speed EMUs in July, despite a ruling on the procurement by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). ECJ found SJ should not have initiated direct discussions with manufacturers instead of launching an open tender, but SJ argued the process was too far advanced by the time the ruling was made and restarting it would have resulted in significant delays.
SJ says passenger numbers have nearly doubled in Sweden over the past two decades, with 2019 a record year. While passenger numbers have dropped during the Covid-19 pandemic, SJ says it sees this as a temporary decline and is now preparing to meet an increasing number of passengers by buying the new high-speed trains.
“SJ is implementing a fantastic investment where the entire vehicle fleet is replaced or upgraded to meet the demand for climate-smart, comfortable and efficient travel,” says SJ’s vehicle director, Mr Arvid Fredman. “I am convinced that our customers will appreciate our new trains with the very latest technology. That we go from 200km/h to 250km/h is historic.”
The new high-speed trains have space for bicycles, luggage and a bistro with hot food and seating areas. The trains will also be equipped with modern systems including radio-transparent windows, quieter coaches and a battery reserve that will allow the train to move in the event of a loss of power.
The new trains are expected to enter service in 2026.
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