Stockholms Spårvägar, which has its origins in an association of enthusiasts, wins the operation of all Stockholm’s tram lines and a suburban train.
By: Patrick Laval
Keolis, Transdev, Arriva or MTR have in turn won public transport operating contracts in the Stockholm region (SL) in the most diverse fields: RER, suburban trains, metro, tram, bus, boat… But outside the Swedish capital region, who knows Stockholms Spårvägar, a company which took over the name of the former Stockholm Tram Company and originated from the Swedish Association of Tram Friends (Svenska Spårvägssällskapet)? Enthusiasts turned professionals, after 32 years of operation of the Djurgården tourist tram, which serves the main museums of Stockholm and whose route has (re)become regular line 7 (Spårväg City) since 2010. Already operator of the line 7, Stockholms Spårvägar took over the operation of line 21 (Lidingöbanan) in 2014, the former « tram-train » which connects Stockholm to the neighboring island of Lidingö, modernized to the standards « tram ».
The renewal of the current contract on lines 7 and 21, which ends in August 2024, was the subject of a call for tenders, as was the operation of a whole set of lines: trams 12 (Nockebybanan) and the orbital line 30-31 (Tvärbanan), in the inner suburbs, as well as the Saltsjöbanan suburban train (lines 25 and 26), whose tracks are currently being completely rehabilitated. Result: not only did the organizing authority SL confirm Stockholms Spårvägar on its two lines “historical”, but the latter will recover, in August 2024, the other lines mentioned above, for a period of ten years. All of these lines transport some 150,000 passengers per day and the contract represents a total value of approximately 5.6 to 6.6 billion crowns, excluding rents, according to SL (i.e. around half a billion euros).
Stockholms Spårvägar will thus find itself, next year, the operator of all of Stockholm’s tram lines (as its name suggests, in a way…) and of a suburban train on a modernized infrastructure.
#Enthusiasts #operate #Stockholm #trams #nose #large #groups
