Sweden unveils major rail and road infrastructure plan

The new national infrastructure plan includes a double-track railway between Karlstad and Kil, according to Region Värmland. The Karlstad–Kil section is Sweden's busiest single-track railway, and the double-track project will be implemented during the plan period 2026–2037, Region Värmland said. The railway line between Karlstad and Kil is one of the most delay-prone in Sweden; in 2024, six out of ten trains were late, with an average delay of 26 minutes, according to multiple reports. Minister for Rural Affairs Peter Kullgren (KD) said the Karlstad–Kil line is Sweden's most trafficked single-track section and a vulnerability in the link between Oslo and Stockholm. Infrastructure Minister Andreas Carlson (KD) stated that the Karlstad–Kil double track is important for total defence, commuting, and freight along the Nordic corridor. The double-track is a key part of efforts to reduce travel time between Oslo and Stockholm, driven by the company Oslo-Sthlm 2.55, in which Region Värmland is a co-owner, according to officials. Stina Höök (M), regional council chair, said the government's announcement confirms that the investment is needed for the development of Värmland and Sweden. The total investments in Värmland between 2026 and 2037 are estimated at about 1.6 billion SEK, according to multiple reports. The government will actively seek co-financing from the EU for the Karlstad–Kil project, Andreas Carlson said. There will also be capacity enhancements in the form of passing loops on the Värmland line between Kil and Charlottenberg, Region Värmland said.

The government has also given the green light for construction of the Norrbotniabanan section between Dåva and Skellefteå, a decision welcomed by Region Norrbotten. Skellefteå is Sweden's largest city without a rail connection, according to research. The Norrbotniabanan is a planned railway stretching 27 miles between Umeå and Luleå, and the Dåva–Skellefteå section has been allocated 17.7 billion kronor, according to research. Construction is expected to take ten years, placing completion around 2035, according to research. Andreas Carlson stated that the decision is vital for national preparedness and strengthens redundancy in the north-south transport network, and that the Norrbotniabanan is important for cooperation with Finland, which lacks an eastern rail link. The Norrbotniabanan will halve travel times and improve connections with Europe, and increase safety and offer modern technology, according to research. Trafikverket sent a request for a start decision for the Dåva–Skellefteå section to the government on August 23, 2024, according to research. So far, 160 hectares of forest have been cleared, corresponding to 40% of planned clearing in the first contract, and the breakthrough in the Ersmarksberget tunnel occurred in October, according to research. Rock from the tunnel will be reused in future construction, and a new station location has been decided in Norrfjärden, according to research. In northern Skellefteå, a line that minimizes mass movement has been favored to keep costs down, according to research. Work on railway plans for the Skellefteå–Luleå section will continue in 2026, according to research. Commentators from Västerbotten and Norrbotten said the Norrbotnia Line is important for creating a more equal, inclusive, and accessible society. Skellefteå municipality welcomed the announcement.

Other major projects include the Tvärförbindelse Södertörn, a motorway connecting E4 with road 73 towards Nynäshamn, which is about 2 miles long including 6 km in tunnel and has been planned by Trafikverket for twelve years, according to multiple reports. The cost was estimated at 10 billion SEK in 2017 but after government-required savings is now set at just over 20 billion SEK, according to multiple reports. The project costs 20.6 billion SEK, according to multiple reports. The Tvärförbindelse Södertörn will pass through six nature reserves and has received strong criticism, according to multiple reports. The E4/E20 Hallunda–Vårby section will be widened from three to four lanes in each direction between Hallunda and Vårby backe, according to multiple reports. The road 26/47 Mullsjö–Slättäng section will become a 2+1 road with a median barrier, costing about half a billion SEK, according to multiple reports. The E45 Säffle–Valnäs section Hammar–Valnäs will become a 2+1 road, according to multiple reports. In Skåne, the E65 Svedala–Börringe project will improve traffic safety and capacity, including new motorway, wildlife fencing, and a landscape bridge, according to multiple reports. At Malmö C, two new platform tracks, a middle platform, a stabling track, and a siding for maintenance vehicles will be built to meet expected volume increase from the Fehmarn Belt link, according to multiple reports. At Malmö freight yard, a new entry track will be built to improve the ability to run long freight trains to and from Malmö harbour, according to multiple reports. On the Blekinge coastal railway, a new meeting track will be built on the Kristianstad–Karlskrona section to shorten travel times and reduce delays, according to multiple reports. The government's new national plan will also include double tracks between Kubikenborg and Dingersjö south of Sundsvall and a new double track Gävle–Kringlan, albeit in a reduced version, according to multiple reports. According to Sundsvalls Tidning, the decision is a victory and a step towards removing a bottleneck.

Defence-related infrastructure includes 30 billion SEK earmarked for total defence upgrades, Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M) stated. One project already pointed out is an upgrade of the Inlandsbanan railway, according to multiple reports. The government's decision also includes several extensions of meeting stations along the Malmbanan railway, according to multiple reports. Region Norrbotten states that the investment need for Malmbanan is greater than the meeting stations, and that double track from Boden to Luleå harbour is needed.

All projects announced are part of the national infrastructure plan for 2026–2037, which totals about 1,200 billion SEK, according to multiple reports. The government will present how the 1,171 billion SEK for roads, railways, and other infrastructure over the next twelve years will be allocated, according to major media. The construction start decision means Trafikverket can now begin procuring contractors, not that construction starts immediately, according to multiple reports. The overall decision on the national plan will be presented shortly, with more details on costs, timelines, and other priorities for Värmland, Region Värmland said. The exact total cost of the national infrastructure plan remains unclear, with figures of 1,171 and 1,200 billion SEK both cited. The timing of the Norrbotniabanan announcement also has some ambiguity: the decision was announced at a Tuesday morning press conference, according to research, while other construction start decisions were announced on Friday, according to multiple reports, suggesting separate announcements on different days.