Rail freight services between Stockholm and Oslo would benefit from increased competitiveness and shorter travel times, says a new report into this vital economic transport corridor between Sweden and Norway.

The action selection study by the Stockholm-Oslo Transport Administration, part of the Swedish Transport Agency (Trafikverket), says the large number of annual transports along the corridor annually means there is a need to develop the infrastructure.

New rail links

Trafikverket, working in conjunction with its counterpart Jernbane-direktorate, the Norwegian Railway Directorate, as well as the Finnish Transport Agency and other regional partners, municipalities and industry, has proposed a series of measures for improving both the rail and road elements of the corridor. They include extensions of existing rail services and new rail links.

“To meet regional development and the increasing demand for passenger and freight transport capacity of the route, Stockholm-Oslo Transport Administration conducted an action selection study,” say the partners.

Potential for development

“With the national transport policy objectives as a basis, the Transport Administration described the flaws and formulated objectives and developed action proposals, mainly for railway, where the potential for development is expected to be greatest,” says Trafikverket. “For rail, the long-term objectives (are) summarised by strengthening competitiveness, (and) shorter travel time between the endpoints Stockholm and Oslo.”

The proposals, which would likely go ahead after 2024, will now go forward to be considered for further investigation in another joint report